THE NEW YORK TIMES, 
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2000

Letters: After the Pope's Apology, a Range of Voices

To the Editor: 
  "The Pope's Apology" (editorial, March 14) speaks of "the failure of
Pope Pius XII to speak out against the Nazi genocide."
  In September 1939, The New York Times reported the Vatican's disclo-
sures of Nazi atrocities against Jews and non-Jews in Poland.  In
1940, the newspaper reported the Vatican's condemnation of the herding
of Jews and Poles into ghettoes as well as Pius XII's publicizing of
the mass execution of Poles by the Nazis and his defense of the rights
of Jews against the Nazis.  In 1942, The Times reported the pope's
efforts to save Jews in France.  In December 1943, there was an
article on Pius XII's denunciation of the Nazi at- tempt to wipe out
the Jews in Italy.
   On Dec. 25, 1941, and Dec. 25, 1942, New York Times editorials
spoke of "a lonely voice" to describe the pope's intervention on
behalf of Jews and other victims of the Nazis.

				           (Rev.) Vincent A. Lapomarda
				      Worcester, Mass., March 14, 2000
The writer is coordinator of the Holocaust Collection, College of the
Holy Cross.

vlapomarda@holycross.edu
__________________________________________________________________________

SOME ISSUES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES 
DEALING WITH THE ACTIONS OF POPE PIUS XII ON BEHALF 
OF JEWS AND OTHER VICTIMS OF THE NAZIS

SEPTEMBER  OF 1939:
	Following the outbreak of the war at the start of the month, the
newspaper has articles and editorials this month dealing with the
disclosures by the Vatican of Nazi atrocities against Jews and non-Jews in
Poland.

JANUARY 23, 1940:
	"Vatican Denounces Atrocities in Poland"
	"Jews and Poles are being herded into separate ghettos,
heremetically sealed and pitifully inadequate for the economic subsistence
of the millions destined to live there." 

JANUARY 24, 1940:
	"Vatican Amplifies Atrocity Reports / Weight of Papacy Put Behind
Exposure of Nazi Excesses in Poland."
	"Poland's Agony" (editorial on same day):
	"Now the Vatican has spoken, with authority that cannot be
questioned, and has confirmed the worst intimations of terror which have
come out of the Polish darkness."

JANUARY 29, 1940:
	"Memorandum Presented to Pope"
	"Mass Shootings in Poland Laid to Nazis by Cardinal"

MARCH 14, 1940:
	Action by Pope in meeting Nazi Foreign Minister:
	"Jews' Rights Defended" 

DECEMBER 25, 1941:
           Editorial speaks of Pope:
            "a lonely voice"

AUGUST 27, 1942:
	In article, "Vichy Seizes Jews; Pope Pius Ignored," it is stated:
"These arrests are continuing despite appeals to Marshal Henri Philippe
Petain   . . . by leading Catholic clergymen, with the support of the
Pope."

DECEMBER 25, 1942:
	Editorial speaks of Pope:
	"a lonely voice"

DECEMBER  4, 1943:
	Speaking of Vatican:
	"Denounces Decision to Intern and Strip All Jews in Italy"
___________________________________________________

"When fearful martyrdom came to our people, the voice of the pope was
raised for its victims."  
(Golda Meir, Foreign Minister of Israel, on the death of Pope Pius XII, in
October 1958.)

more at http://www.holycross.edu/departments/library/website/hiatt/hiatt.htm