Does Love Mean Only Having to Say You're Sorry?

What was called 'repentance' in the Press, though, was not really repentance, but merely a surface apology, and the difference between the two underscores the careless dance of politics. The Catholic Church throughout centuries has fostered for the Jew loss of nation, loss of home and property, divisions of families persecutions and death. The Spanish Inquistion lasted over 600 years and gave local church authorities papal blessings on unspeakable cruelty. Countless other pogroms led to the Shoah. While some smaller local priests did aid in rescue help, by in large, the Catholic Church either aided the process of deportation and extermination or ignored it and refused to intervene.¹ At least one of Hitler's most trusted Advisors was a Jesuit Priest, entrenched in Vatican and European politics. ² Without a word in return, Abwehr officers and evangelicals such as Bonhoeffer, appealing to the Vatican to intervene and bring about peace talks, were arrested immediately following on conspiracy charges, and most were imprisoned and sentenced to death.^3,4 Vatican involvement in the Shoah was notable, and is still being carefully examined by modern historians.

Gleaming through the 'heartfelt' apology though, was political motivation. On the surface, the Pope was applauded worldwide for his gestures. Most however do not understand the dynamic and dangerous dialectic that has occurred for centuries between the Vatican and the Jews. Most saw the apology only as an ecumenical gesture designed to bring goodwill. Good will was never on the agenda of Vatican politics towards the Jew. From 313a.d. when Constantine presented the mutation of Christianity mixed with pagan thought and practices to create a State Religion, the Catholic Church, a manifestation of the Holy Roman Empire, has seen its manifest destiny as rule from Jerusalem, the Holy City.^5,6 As in 2000 years they have not been able to capture and hold that City for themselves, they established the Vatican City, which they call the Holy City in Rome: it is due one day, they have expected for centuries to be relocated.

One must also recognize the anguish and pathos on the part of the Jews, when met with such an apology. It is akin to saying, "We know we purposely looked the other way while you were suffering and dying, we know we gave no help and in fact aided the killing of your wives, children and parents, We know we helped to fund the nation that tortured your young people, caused you to starve to death, and so on. "We would like to say we're sorry if you perceive this was a difficulty". Instead of being a true apology, it becomes only one more wounding on the crucified. Pius XI looked the other way: there has been a recent effort to try and vindicate his politics at the time, claiming he was only maintaining neutrality.⁷ Evidence since has found differently. ⁸

Repentance in both Greek and Hebrew refers to a literal "turning around" or turning away from. When a person, organization or nation are truly, and genuinely sorry for a wrong done to another, they not only turn away from that action, but usually, if possible try to make restitution. They restore that which was stolen; they repair damages, there is a complete change of heart and mind. Simply and glibly apologizing for the great wrong done over the centuries requires more, than, "we hope you don't feel too bad". A careful reading of the exact statement made by John Paul, does not fully own culpability. Horror and loss and Death, are not mere stress. A blithe apology to pave way for diplomatic inroads into a Jewish controlled City, is tragically deceptive. "The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel".

Elizabeth K. Best