Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII

Christian Century, Feb 23, 2000 by John T. Pawlikowski

Both the Blet and Cornwall volumes are also part of the current struggle over the possible beatification and canonization of Pius XII. Cornwall addresses this issue directly in his work--indeed, some of his critics see the book as an attempt to derail the sainthood process. Blet does not deal with the issue directly, but many see his book as an effort to clear the air about Pius so that the process might continue. Whatever Cornwall's intention, his biased portrayal may inadvertently have strengthened the hand of those promoting canonization. This would be most unfortunate. Many of us who have researched Pius's record are strongly opposed to his canonization, beatification or even elevation to "venerable" status. Such action would make it extremely difficult, particularly for Catholic scholars, to continue their investigation of his record. At a March '99 consultation on the Vatican document on the Shoah, We Remember, I joined Marrus and other participants in emphasizing this point to Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Jews. He promised to transmit our argument to key Catholic officials in Rome.

For Cornwall, Pius remains the pope who ignored the requests of some German bishops to speak out more publicly and strongly against the Nazi attack on the Jews. He was a consummate diplomat at a time when the church needed a prophet. For Blet, Plus is the church leader who confronted the Austrian bishops over their support of Hitler's annexation of their country, who harbored Jewish orphans at his summer residence and who strongly supported the efforts of Italian nuns to hide Jews in Rome. Neither author solves what historian Jose M. Sanchez has termed the "enigma" of Plus XII. Perhaps no one ever will.

Reviewed by John T. Pawlikowski, O.S.M., professor of social ethics at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.