Sunday morning, the feast of Pentecost, after the recitation of the Regina Caeli from the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI entrusted the cause of world peace to the intercession of those who "gave their lives in the name of Christ in concentration camps. " He did so by recalling the testimony of the young priest and German martyr Alois Andritzki, who was killed by the Nazis in 1943 in the Dachau concentration camp, and who is to be declared Blessed tomorrow in Dresden.
"May the Holy Spirit inspire courageous resolutions for peace," Prayed Pope Benedict, "and support the work to continue, so that dialogue may prevail over arms and respect for human dignity over partisan interests...
In the last week or so, I've been having an argument over at Crusader Rabbit's* on the Church's role in WW2. Believe or not, there people that believe that the Church teamed up with the Nazis to exterminate the Jews. Nothing I can say, no evidence seems to be enough to show that the opposite was true** so blinded are they by what they want to believe.
I'm not going to argue any more, as it really doesn't bring out the best in me. It brings out the beast instead, the beast that lurks, waiting for a moment of weakness, waiting for that self-justification that many of us seek. For any one wanting to know the truth, please read Due Process, and maybe even order the book.
Meanwhile, the intercession of those who died for Christ in the concentration camps of WW2 is sorely needed.
Related links: Church beatifies Nazi-victim priest
UPDATE:
* As pointed out by KG in the comments, the argument was not with him.
** There were exceptions, as there always are, such as Archbishop Stepinac of Croatia.