Troubling news that reinforces the notion that the Holy See grows more clueless with every passing pope: Benedict XVI is fast-tracking canonization for John Paul II & Pius XII.
Coming in the same week as the theft of the Arbeit Macht Frei sign over the main entrance to Auschwitz, it’s a heavy blow to people of good will everywhere, who’d like to think this is a Season of at least the Semblance of Light for the People of the Book.
Frankly, I’m not that wild about the idea of Saint John Paul II, even though he’s got about the best press of any pope since the Apostle Peter. Despite his well-cultivated global outreach and all those trips, John Paul’s papacy was pretty much dedicated to maintaining the status quo of the Church, including the policies of repressing women and covering up for pedophile priests.
Might as well canonize Alexander V.
But it’s Pius XII, the pope who swapped the moral high ground for a continued lease on Vatican City during World War II, who makes a travesty of sainthood.
His apologists claim he was cultivating a delicate neutrality with the Nazis and fascists that enabled him to…well, I’m not sure. Mostly keep despotic hands off Church property and maintain its position of emitting a beacon of light in a black world. And they point to him sheltering Jews in religious properties in Rome after the Germans occupied Italy and started deportations.
Can you say: too little, too late?
I knew you could.
Like John Paul, Pius XII was more concerned with holding on to whatever power and prestige the Roman Catholic Church possessed than in showing real moral leadership. (Given that moral courage was never in greater need than during the Nazi era, the failure of Pius was all the more despicable.)
If they’re handing out sainthoods for that, can Newt Gingrich be far behind?
No comments:
Post a Comment