PIUS XII AND THE VILLAGE ATHEISTS

TAC has a piece that defends the late Pope Pius XII from the usual charge of being "Hitler's Pope."  This occasioned the usual pile-on by TAC's rich collection of village atheists commenters.  Fear of the ever vigilant Holy Office of the Inquisition keeps these people from posting in their own names apparently.  Thank God that modern air pollution regulations make burning heretics impossible.

I am constantly amazed by the vehemence with which so many people attack my Church sans any contact with it. This group includes many at least superficially educated people.     I think this reflects our left, elite mono-culture.  Anti-Catholicism is one of the last socially acceptable bigotries, especially among that vast army of educators, bureaucrats, government workers and other members of the tax recipient class.  I suppose everyone needs somebody to hate and it's always safe to pick on a victim who is prohibited by scruple from fighting back.

In any event this thought inspired me to make the following comment.


The problem with such defenses of Pius the XII is that he needs no defense.  By continuing the dialogue with dyspeptic anti-Catholic humbugs, the Pope's defenders lend credence to their accusations.  The Church has nothing to explain or apologize for.  

There is an endless market for Holocaust material and an endless market in The Black Legend of Roman Catholic guilt.  These attacks on Pius the XII are where they converge.  We need not treat this effluent with respect or consideration.  Anti-Catholic bigotry is no better or worse than anti-Semitism.  When people make a racket out of guilting others they earn our contempt, not our attention.