despite pius xii public neutrality, hitler s march towards world domination reaches the pope s doorstep. in september of 1943, hitler invades rome. it was a situation where the pope thought that they had an operating agreement, did not think this was going to happen, but about 2000 jews were rounded up. the day of the round up, the pope says he doesn t want to have to come out and condemn explicitly nazi behavior. it s obviously a veiled threat to do precisely that, but he says he doesn t want to do it. so, the threat of a public condemnation is dangled which tells us he and his men understand the power and the value of the pope s words. and repeatedly consistently, even as people are being rounded up, he declines to utter that clear word.
despite pius xii s public neutrality. hitler s march towards world domination reaches the pope s doorstep. in september of 1943 hitler invades rome. it was a situation where the pope thought that they had an operating agreement, did not think that was going to happen. but about 2,000 jews were rounded up. the day of the round up, the pope says he doesn t want to have to come out and condemn explicitly nazi behavior. it s obviously a veiled threat to do precisely that. but he says he doesn t want to do it. so the threat of a public condemnation is dangled which tell us in fact that he and his men understand the power be and the value of the pope s words. and repeatedly, consistently even as people are being rounded up, he declines to utter that clear word.