The activities of the Catholic Church and the Pope in opposing the persecution of the Jews before, during and after World War II are reviewed in Osservatore Romano, official organ of the Vatican, with a view “to counteract criticism of misinformed or badly-intentioned people” who claim that the Vatican had remained aloof to the persecution and slaughter of Jews.
Emphasizing that this was not the case, the Vatican organ, in a special front-page editorial, notes that the Pope had condemned racism when it was adopted by the German Government, and later by the Italian Fascist Government, Still later, the editorial continues, Pope Pius XII intervened with various nations to “save innumerable scores of persecuted human beings, without distinction as to race and religious confession.”
After a listing of many instances in which the Pope took a firm stand against racial theories and in defense of Jews, Osservatore Romano recalls that the Pope granted an audience to a Jewish delegation in November, 1945, which came to express its thanks for the aid and protection granted Jews by the Catholic Church.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
