Catholics and Nazism

The dark area onthe first map show the 1933 Nazi vote in Germany, the sencond show the distribution of Catholics in the 1932 census, it clearly shows Catholics didn't vote for Hitler.






(Zenit.org).- Catholics resisted Nazism during the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler in Germany, and if they didn't do it in a more decisive way, it was because of "a certain inferiority complex."

This is the thesis put forth by Austrian historian Martin Kugler during a conference titled "Sophie Scholl: Catholic Resistance to Nazism." The talk formed part of the 3rd International Film and Family Show, held in Tuesday in Barcelona and organized by CinemaNet.

The event focused on the 2005 German film "Sophie Scholl: The Last Days," which recounts the true story of Scholl, a 21-year-old member of the anti-Nazi, non-violent student group the White Rose.

Kugler is the founder of Europe4Christ.net, a multi-confessional and socio-political movement to fight moral relativism.

The Austrian historian explained that this "Catholic inferiority complex" and "fear" are analogous to the situation of Catholics today.

On the other hand, Kugler explained that Pius XII "loved the German people" and never approved of the Nazi regime.

The historian pointed out that "in 40 out of 44 speeches of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli -- the future Pius XII -- as nuncio in Germany, there were criticisms of totalitarianism and racism."

"And if it was not more decisive when he was Pope it was because of his concern to not cause a greater persecution of Catholics, given the fact that there had been experiences of this kind," affirmed Kugler.

In light of this, "to say that he was anti-Semitic and in favor of Hitler is ridiculous," he affirmed, saying that the Holy See's diplomacy saved at least 700,000 Jews from the Holocaust during the Second World War.

That Damned Fool Sutch

Posh friends of mine suggest Dom Anthony as a replacement for the Archbishop of Westminster, I suspect they really mean as a replacement for Cardinal Hume. I always cringe at the thought without actually knowing why. I think it is that he strikes me as being too self-conscious, too good a dinner companion, too worldly wise and he says too many damned foolish things, the following, is an extract from the Times it does nothing to change my opinion. It is a flagrant affront to the dignity of the Sacrament of Penance, it strikes me that this even worse than the story of the Edinburgh priests hearing confessions as part of the festival.

Forgotten to recycle any newspapers or tin cans recently? Feeling guilty because you neglected to carbon offset your flight to somewhere, anywhere, outside England this summer?
The Roman Catholic Church is at hand with a new line in “green confessions” to help eco-sinners to find forgiveness.
Dom Anthony Sutch, the Benedictine monk who resigned as head of Downside School to become a parish priest in Suffolk, will be at the county’s Waveney Greenpeace festival this weekend to hear eco-confessions in what is thought to be the first dedicated confessional booth of its kind.
Vested in a green chasuble-style garment made from recycled curtains, and in a booth constructed of recycled doors, he will hear the sins of of those who have not recycled the things they ought to have done and who have consumed the things they ought not to have done.

The Parish Priest's Patron

St. Raymond Nonnatus (from Latin non natus - not born) became Master General of the Mercedarians who raised money to ransom slaves from the Muslims, took up the sword to fight for them, or offered their own persons in their stead. St. Raymond, when he exchanged himself for a captive in North Africa was tortured. They spiked his lips and sealed his mouth with a padlock to keep him from preaching or speaking of Christ. He was eventually ransomed. He was named cardinal by Pope Gregory IX but died on his way to Rome at the age of 36.


He was canonized in 1657. He is the patron saint of expectant mothers and midwives because of the nature of his own birth. Although his mother died in labor, Raymond miraculously survived the ordeal. His feast day is August 31.

For the Love of God: 50,000,000 quid

A diamond-encrusted human skull created by artist Damien Hirst has sold to an investment group for £50m ($100m).
The 18th Century skull, which is entirely covered in 8,601 jewels, is thought to be the world's most expensive piece of contemporary art.
The skull, from a 35-year-old 18th century European man, caused a sensation when it first went on display in central London on 3 June - not least because of its price tag.
Some critics dismissed it as tasteless while others saw it as a reflection of celebrity-obsessed culture.
Hirst said the piece, called For the Love of God, was "uplifting" and "takes your breath away".
The centrepiece of the 41-year-old's creation is a pear-shaped pink diamond, set in the forehead.

Apparently Hirsts mother gave the piece its title when first she saw it, and cried out, "For the Love of God!" My mother would have said the same, then added "let the poor thing rest in peace".

Now how better could 50 million be used? I find something deeply disturbing about this piece, what does it say about consumerism and morallity?

On Hell

"Hell: I don't believe in it, Father. If there is a loving God there can't be hell, Father. God would send anyone to Hell, Father".

Not uncommon, my argument is that if there is a loving God there must be a hell. God does not force us to do anything. The Catholic doctrine of Grace is centred on our ability to accept or reject God's gifts, hence for us the importance of Our Lady, and her response to the Archangel at the Annunciation. For Protestants and those who believe God's grace is overpowering or irresistible she is of little importance. For us she is vital. For us, God loves us so much that we are free to choose either to accept or reject him, accept or reject his grace, that as far as our ultimate Salvation we are absolutely free.

Demons with red hot pokers are not quite helpful and perhaps those who reject the doctrine tend to see Hell in these terms.

It really does amaze me that so many Catholics, even clergy, seem to reject a doctrine that is so obviously taught by Jesus himself. We might find it difficult, but then it could be that that points to a problem with us and our openness to the Gospel and not with the doctrine.

Jesus comes to change us, indeed to move us from absorption in our self, towards being centred on God and our neighbour, to choose to reject God or to move towards him, is to be left in the prison of our own selves.

My image of Hell is total self absorption, it could be that many have already placed themselves there. Christ alone can liberate us.

Inquisition Lives On

One can only really understand the Spanish Inquisition as a continuation of Spain's Islamic heritage, I know that it was a branch of the State and that criminals in the civil prisons did their best to get into the Inquisitions prisons, I know that torture was rarely used and a lot in the popular mind stems from the propaganda of Foxe's Book of Martyrs but it was still pretty horrible but it lives on, not in the Christian west but wherever the crescent moon rises. Liberal writers seem happy to regret past injustices of the west, without understanding where they had come from, and without trying to see where they still exist.

Asia News has an interesting article on the consequences of conversion, in Islamic states, it is reminiscent of post Re-Conquest Spain.

The use of identity cards of course is an issue that Moslems together with Catholics have been struggling against in Orthodox Greece recently.

I hadn't realised that "...[a]t least 7 Islamic countries apply the death penalty to those who convert from Islam: Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Mauritania. But in other states, like Egypt, converts are condemned to prison, not as apostates but for contempt of Islam, ...]

Beheading of John the Baptist: worlds apart

I was struck by the contrast between Herod and John the Baptist, this morning. John the Herald of Christ in the desert, living simply according to God's will and the decadence of the court of Herod with all its excess.

Herod's court seems to be a symbol of the world without God. Herod has an attraction to John, he wants to hear him speak, even to hear himself condemned for his incestuous relationship with Herodias, his brothers wife.

The picture of the court is one of decadence, there is the implication of a paederastic attraction of Herod to Salome, he is besotted, he is "in love" and drunk hence the outrageous offer of half his kingdom, his sensuality leads him to be willing to dispose of half a kingdom or anything else, he is not in control of himself. Having set out on this course, he is unable to go back on it not because he has given his word but because of inner fear, he has made the promise in front of the court. The destructive malevolence of Salome's mother again reinforces this sense of decadence and moral turpitude. Here is a court based not order, and certainly not on the Law of God but on depravity, on arbitrary and personal whim, on sexual licence.
One is reminded of Loyola's meditation on the two cities, there is a choice placed before the hearers of this passage, the way of St John the Baptist or the way of Herod. One is the hard narrow way of self denial that leads Heaven and the other, the broad way of self indulgence that leads from personal immorality, sexual licence, self indulgence, fear of popular opinion, to the death of the innocent, and ultimately to personal destruction.

Herod's world will always seek to destroy the world of John, it will always reject those who follow the Law of God, even though it finds John's message beguilling, it is unable to break free to follow it.