Synopses & Reviews
In June, 1938, after his attempts at diplomacy with Nazi Germany had failed, Pope Pius XI ordered an American Jesuit, Father John LaFarge, to compose an encyclical denouncing racism and anti-Semitism. But after Pius's death in 1939, his successor, Pius XII, stood by in silence as the Nazis began to carry out their Final Solution. The unpublished encyclical was buried in a secret archive, its authors bound by a vow of silence. And not until many decades later was the document's very existence discovered. Now that encyclical has finally been published, together with the incredible story of its discovery. Casting new light on the relations between the Vatican, state-sponsored anti-Semitism, and the Jews during World War II, The Hidden Encyclical opens the door to an important part of the century's history, revealing a disturbing tale of archival intrigue, historical investigation, and political maneuvering. It will be required reading for anyone interested in the greatest cataclysm of the 20th century and its ever-present reverberations.
Synopsis
Drafted by american Jesuit Father John LaFarge and buried in the Vaticans archives since 1938, this engrossing narrative sheds new light on the Churchs failure in the 1930s to alert the world to the nature of fascism and its inherent racism and anti-Semitism. Introduction by Garry Wills. Translated by Stephen Rendall.