While much discussion takes place among Catholic and Jewish historians, unfortunately not enough attention is given to countless Pope Pius XII testimonials and documents. Have they consulted the thousands of depositions by Catholics and non-Catholics that testify to Pius XII's saintly life? For example, the testimony of a contemporary, the Honorable Igino Giordani is significant. As director of the Italian daily newspaper, Il Quotidiano, and Member of the Italian Parliament, he was the first biographer of Pius XII. Years later, under oath, in his deposition regarding the life of Eugenio Pacelli, Giordani declared that his "statements about Pius XII were historically true and that he considered him a worthy candidate for sainthood."

Pius XII was intimately united with God. Whoever had the opportunity to be with him was convinced of his nobility of soul. When Pius XII prayed, but also in his actions and in the governance of Vatican affairs, one would always note profound union with God.

Pius XII was engaged in the greatest Christian rescue program in the history of the Church. Editorials of the time attest to the fact that he saved hundreds of thousands of Jews and Christians from death in the concentration camps and served as a beacon of hope throughout his pontificate.

Pope Pius XII had to deal with Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, Benito Mussolini and Fascism, the occupation of Rome by the Nazis, the development of atomic warfare, and the spread of Communism across eastern Europe.

Many historians are unaware of the thousands of documents that explain exactly what Pius XII and the Catholic Church did to save Jews and other victims during the Second World War. Neither Great Britain and the United States of America combined, nor any other country in the world saved as many Jews from Nazi terror as did the Catholic Church.

For the past fifty years, few scholars have availed themselves of the twelve volumes of the Actes et documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Second Guerre Mondiale. These documents have explanatory notes and cross references. Here one finds the answers to the many questions that circulate in the media. But most historians have not consulted this French edition, with documents in the original languages. [These twelve volumes are available in my office library at Villa Walsh.]

In a letter addressed to Father Hughes, dated January 20, 1943, Chaim Barlas, the representative in Istanbul of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, explained that it was important to help Jews leave the countries of persecutions and secure temporary asylum in neutral countries (Portugal, Sweden, etc.). He suggested that the Vatican inquire whether these countries would provide refugee camps, such as in Switzerland. The neutral countries would not have to provide for the refugees anything beyond the air which the refugees breath and the soil on which their camps would be set up. The financial side, the provision of food etc. would, of course, have to be borne by the Jewish Communities of the free countries, especially the United States. Barlas anticipated that social and philanthropic bodies such as the International Red Cross etc. might be induced to give assistance on the technical side.

The Jewish Agency for Palestine had at its disposal a number of immigration certificates granted by the Government of Palestine, which would enable the entry of about 5,000 immigrants (including children) into Palestine. Besides there were about 700 Jewish women and children, mostly in Poland, whose husbands and fathers respectively, were residing in Palestine. For these families the Government of Palestine approved the entry into Palestine to join their relatives. He asked the Holy See "to approach the German Government with a view to grant the exit permission for those Jewish immigrants, who have the opportunity of going to the Holy Land."

Barlas added: "The highly humanitarian attitude of His Holiness expressing His indignation against racial persecutions, was a source of moral comfort for our brethren. May we venture to suggest that an opportunity should be found by Radio, or as it may be deemed useful, to declare that rendering help to persecuted Jews is considered by the Church as a good deed. This would, undoubtedly, strengthen the feelings of those Catholics, who, as we know and appreciate, render help to Jews doomed to starvation in the occupied territories in Europe. In submitting these suggestions we do not underestimate the difficulties which are evident enough. We feel, however, the position is so terrible, that anything that may offer an avenue of escape to even a fraction of the Jewish Communities in Europe, will be considered as a great humanitarian action towards the Nation of Israel."

Wessel Freytag von Loringhoven was a colonel in the High Command of the German Armed Forces. His son, Niki Freytag Loringhoven, gave testimony recently about Hitler's secret plot to seize the Vatican and kidnap Pope Pius XII. According to recent newspaper articles, this testimony coincides with the depositions given during the Nuremberg war crime trials in 1946.

Pope Pius XII's actions are well documented. He did not bow to the Nazis and Fascists. He also did not bow to the pressure of world opinion. He took the more courageoous path of direct action. His example inspired Catholics to respond with countless acts of individual heroism.

The front-page caption of the New York Times (September 16, 1939) was in very large print: "Pope Condemns Dictators, Treaty Violators, Racism; Urges Restoring of Poland." His entire encyclical, Summi Pontificatus was printed on pages 8 and 9. It was a powerful attack on totalitarianism and racism. Pius XII not only publicly defended his Jewish brethren explicitly using the word "Jew," but did so in the context of condemning racism by quoting Saint Paul.

A letter written in 1923 by the future Pope Pius XII shows his early opposition to Nazi anti-Semitism. Dated November 14, 1923, the letter was written by then Archbishop Pacelli, the Holy See's ambassador in Bavaria, in southern Germany, to Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, Vatican secretary of state under Pope Pius XI. The letter refers to Adolf Hitler's failed attempt to take over the local government in Munich in the National Socialist Party's uprising of November 9, 1923. Contrary to the allegations of a number of recent authors on the relations between Pius XII and the Nazis, the letter denounces the National Socialist movement as an anti-Catholic threat and notes that the cardinal of Munich had already condemned acts of persecution against Bavaria's Jews.

A letter, warning the Nazi government not to persecute the Jews (dated April 4, 1933) was signed by Cardinal Pacelli and sent at the instruction of Pius XI to Monsignor Cesare Orsenigo, the apostolic nuncio in Germany. This letter reflects the good relations that the Vatican had with Jewish officials and its desire to respond to their request. It also shows that he did speak in favor of the Jews: "Important Israeli personalities have appealed to the Holy Father to ask for his intervention against the danger of anti-Semitic excesses in Germany.. Since the Holy See must carry out its mission of universal peace and charity toward all men, regardless of their social or religious condition, by offering its charitable assistance if necessary, the Holy Father asks Your Excellency to see if and how it is possible to help them."

As early as 1940, the Vatican published reports on the Church in Germany and the slaughter of Poles. Catholic defenders maintain that the Pope knew that the Nazis were persecuting not only Jews, but also to Catholic priests and nuns, Gypsies, Slavs and other groups. The Pope's strategy of helping behind the scenes was considered by his contemporaries to have been wise. He enunciated moral principles, avoided provocations, strove for impartiality among belligerents and issued information about Nazi atrocities through the Vatican Radio and L'Osservatore Romano. In addition, he implemented the most extensive relief effort during and after the war and saved thousands of Jews and other refugees.

The opening of the Vatican Archives has already proven that accusations against Pius XI and Pius XII are baseless. Documents reveal that as Secretary of State, Pacelli was not sympathtic toward Hitler. Pius XII operated a vast underground railroad. Although horrible to recall, it is important that the lessons of the Holocaust be retold accurately, and to recognize those who helped the persecuted. Millions of Christians did not escape Nazi terror. While Italy was being devastated by Allied bombs, the Nazis were killing innocent people. Eighty-five percent of Italian Jews were saved. Throughout Europe, sixty-five percent of the Jews were exterminated.

There is an abundance of evidence testifying to Pius XII's courage and integrity, as well as to his efforts to prevent the war and to shelter countless victims, including Jews. This generation should be talking about the debt of gratitude it owes Pope Pius XII, not maligning him. Any judgment of Pius XII must look closely at the broadcasts of Vatican Radio. It has enjoyed a long history of world recognition and credibility, supporting both the sacred and secular objectives of the Church throughout religious and political turmoil. It has been the daily "voice" of the Pontiffs-a bridge uniting the Shepherd with his flock. Vatican Radio announces the Christian message freely and efficiently and links the center of Catholicism with the different countries of the world.

Shortly after the Pope's death, Secretary of State Cardinal Domenico Tardini wrote in his book, Pio XII: "Pius XII will go down in history as a Pontiff who was a wise reformer and brave innovator. .Everyone appreciated his intelligence and his extraordinary capacity to comprehend the dangers of Nazism and his efforts to alleviate the sufferings of humanity. His messages attempted to unite the world. His contemporaries listened to his inspiring words, as he spoke of brotherhood, of love, and of peace at a time of spiritual poverty and material destruction of exceptional dimensions."

John Paul II consistently praised Pius XII for his heroic leadership during World War II. In an address to Jewish representatives in Miami, June 23, 1996, he delivered an official papal statement: "Anyone who does not limit himself to cheap polemics knows very well what Pius XII thought of the Nazi regime and how much he did to help countless people persecuted by this regime."

Margherita Marchione, PhD, author of: Yours Is a Precious Witness: Memoirs of Jews and Catholics in Wartime Italy (1997); Pius XII: Architect for Peace (2000); Consensus and Controversy (2002); Shepherd of Souls: A Pictorial Life of Pius XII (2002), Man of Peace (2003), Crusade of Charity: Pius XII and POWs (2006), Did Pope Pius XII Help the Jews? (2007), Paulist Press.