Fury as Pope moves Nazi-era pontiff closer to sainthood
Monday December 21 2009
Pope Benedict XVI has sparked an outcry from Jewish groups by moving the controversial Pope Pius XII closer to possible sainthood.
It had been expected that the pontiff would sign a decree on the virtues of Pope John Paul II at the weekend, but he shocked observers by also signing a decree for Pope Pius XII -- who has been criticised for not doing enough to prevent the Holocaust.
Yesterday's decrees mean that both men can be beatified once the Vatican certifies that a miracle attributed to their intercession has occurred.
Beatification is the first major step before possible sainthood.
Some Jews and historians have argued Pius should have done more to prevent the deaths of six million Jews by the Nazis during World War Two.
As a result, the German-born Benedict's surprise decision to recognise Pius's "heroic virtues" sparked immediate outcry from Jewish groups.
The Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee said the move was premature given the Vatican still hasn't opened up its secret archives from Pius' 1939-1958 pontificate to outside historians. The Vatican says the 16 million files won't be ready until 2014 at the earliest.
Abraham Foxman, a Holocaust survivor and the Anti-Defamation League's US director, said he was disappointed that the Pope had taken the decision while the historical jury is still out on Pius' record.
"I can't understand the rush, especially while there are still survivors who are alive who feel the issue very, very deeply and are being told the files need time to be processed. What's the imperative," Mr Foxman asked.
The Vatican insists Pius used quiet diplomacy to try to save Jews.
Meanwhile, Australian Catholics were celebrating yesterday after a papal decision that will give the country its first saint -- the feisty Mary MacKillop, who founded a network of schools for poor children and was briefly excommunicated before being set on the path to canonisation.
The Vatican approved a second miracle for MacKillop, one of the final steps in a complex and often years-long process before sainthood can be bestowed.
- Ian Spencer in Rome
Irish Independent
