Pope Benedict XV and Judaism
The relations between Pope Benedict XV and Judaism were marked by two significant historical events: the emigration of Eastern European Jewish communities due to
Requests in favour of Polish Jews
In 1916, in the midst of the
The Supreme Pontiff.... as Head of the Catholic Church, which, faithful to its divine doctrines and its most glorious traditions, considers all men as brothers and teaches them to love one another, he never ceases to indicate among individuals, as well as among peoples, the observance of the principles of the natural law, and to condemn everything that violates them. This law must be observed and respected in the case of the children of Israel, as well as of all others, because it would not be conformable to justice or to religion itself to derogate from it solely on account of divergence of religious confessions.[1]
Effects of the letter
The letter had asked the Pope to exert his authority to halt the mistreatment of Jews throughout the world, in particular the pogroms on the Russian front. The Pope declined to do so since he said he had no way of confirming the facts claimed in the letter. The Pope's letter said nothing about equality in civil rights nor any rejection of social, political, or legal restrictions on Jews (so long as such restrictions did not violate natural law) that aimed at limiting “harmful” Jewish influences on society. Martin Rhonheimer concludes that it is fair to assume that the people responsible for the pogroms never learned of the papal letter.[2]
Reaction to the Zionist movement
Role of Eugenio Pacelli
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri sent Sokolov to Msgr.
References
- ^ The Popes Against the Jews Archived 2009-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Holocaust: What Was Not Said", Martin Rhonheimer, First Things Magazine, November 2003, retrieved 1 July 2009 "Article | First Things". Archived from the original on 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Eugenio Pacelli and the Zionists Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine