Show mjiiiii U U U itjferencer Religious leaders ask renewed study A " " """'WW lyurauww ihiuii nn 1986 minim W by British troops in 1945 File photo Ncas BOLE Soinco YORK — Jewish and Catholic leaders have called for renew ed study of charges that the Vatican aided Nazi war criminals after World War II in light of new allegations contained in US government documents However while Jewish leaders expressed deep concern over the charges that the Vatican helped fleeing war criminals Catholic representatives said there is no evidence to back such a claim The religious leaders reacted to newly discovered US intelligence documents that allege leaders of an Eastern European Nazi collaborationist government escaped from Europe with the help of the Vatican Obtained by former Justice Department lawyer John Loftus the documents also show that American officials in Rome shied away from apprehending Ante Pavelic a wanted war criminal and head of the Nazi puppet state of Croatia because of w hat they reported to be his contacts at the Vatican "These latest revelations substantiating Vatican complicity in helping key Nazi collaborators escape prosecution do not come as a surprise" Rabbi Alexander Schindler president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations said in response to the intelligence reports "They merely confirm ties suspicions of which have been reported on numerous occasions since the end of World War II" he said He stressed however that since the immediate years changes in the Catholic Church have "dramatically altered its face particularly in its relations to the Jewish people" Phil Baum associate executive director of the American Jewish said "The charges Congress alleged in the article are deeply disturbing and obviously require We further investigation believe it will be to everyone's advantage for the Vatican to insure full and complete disclosure based upon its own records of w hat did or what did not happen during that period" Israel Singer president of the World Jewish Congress said the new reports underscore the need for more discussion of the church's alleged connection to Nazi war criminals He said the revelations "give an opportunity NEW mp after its liberation 7 WILLIAM Religious H June By to the Vatican to clarity its stand on war criminals including Kurt Waldheim who received a medal from Pavelic" He was referring to recent findings that former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim received a medal for courage from Croatian leader Pavelic believed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Croatian-rule- Yugoslavia during the Nazi occupation "We believe it is time for a moral statement by the Vatican that would serve to lay to rest charges concerning the Vatican's attitude toward Pavelic and also Kurt Waldheim" Singer said Russell Shaw spokesman for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops said he could not immediately comment on the specific charges made in the intelligence reports most of which were filed between 1945 and 1950 by the Rome unit of the US Army's Counter Intelli- - and Jews to look into these recurring charges against the Vatican But he added that too little is known about the period to claim that the Vatican knew of attempts to help Nazis escape from Europe "Such charges and jumping to conclusion are irresponsible at this stage" he said Fisher raised questions about the validity of basing charges of Vatican involvement in Nazi smuggling solely on reports by US intelligence agents 40 years ago I le said documents that have surfaced in the past have shown that American officials often mistook actions by clergy for official Vatican policy At the same time Fisher said he believed the Vatican should open up its archives so researchers would be able to examine documents related to the period in question Michael Schwartz a conserva- tive Catholic activist who has studied past charges against the Vatican specifically questioned the new allegations that Pavelic e reject the was in contact with Vatican officials He said he notion some doesn't doubt that US intellievil intention on the gence officials believed this but the Vatican in it was not true He remarked that Pavelic were doing sought to give the impression of support by the Vatican dealing with a "Pavelic found when he left very confused situation Croatia that the safest cover after the war1 would be to create the impres— Russell Shaw sion that he had the protection" of the church It was a tactic he used throughout his career" said said He the bishops Schwartz He said Pavelic was gence Corps able to "create this illusion" behave generally taken the view cause of his know n contacts with that the Vatican had no knowlCroatian clergy and Franciscan edge of alleged Nazi smuggling orders at the Vatican activities in Rome Shaw added that the church Schwartz studied the question of the Vatican's alleged role in helped thousands of refugees after the war among whom were aiding the escape of Nazi collaborators in his former position as probably wanted war criminals who concealed their identities chief spokesman for the Catholic And he said the bishops' conLeague for Religious and Civil ference was "ready to concede" Rights le now heads the Cathothat individual clergy members lic Center a conservative advoknown aid to have given might cacy group in Washington war criminals without the ap"These are very serious charges proval or knowledge of Vatican officials and they demand the most careful analysis and study by the But Shaw added: "We reject the notion of some evil intention most competent people in the field" said Rabbi A James on the part of the Vatican in donational director of They (the Vatican) ing this affairs for the American were just dealing w ith a very confused (refugee) situation after Jewish Committee "We have to see that the Catholic and Jewish the war" are mature communities Eugene Fisher who is in relaenough to look at these very secharge of tions for the bishops' conference rious charges and that whole period with care and without fear said there should be an indepento discover the truth" dent commission of Catholics of part of thisThey just Ogden r Church News 1 |