Is the Catholic Leadership in Rome Pontificating on World Crises, or Actually Taking Meaningful Action?

During my interviews today with Nima and with Judge Napolitano, I was asked to comment on the death of Pope Francis. In terms of being a force for peace in the world, I believe that Pope Francis was a failure, especially during the last three years of his life. When the government of Ukraine embarked on a persecution of Eastern Orthodox Christians, Pope Francis issued a few statements condemning the Zelensky government’s persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. That was good. But the words were not followed up with tangible actions. The Pope could have dispatched senior officials from the Vatican to Kiev to meet with Metropolitan Pavel, is the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, and was arrested by Ukrainian police. He could have directed the Vatican authorities to convene a conference on religious freedom in Ukraine, for example. I make a distinction between issuing statements of condemnation, which he did, and taking public actions that are both symbolic and courageous, which he did not.

I also find the response of Pope Francis to the genocide in Palestine inadequate. Yes, he issued strong public statements calling for investigations to determine if genocide was happening and condemned the murder of aid workers, journalists and medical personnel. But again, that is just talk. There were concrete steps that Pope Francis could have taken. If he were younger, he could have led a delegation to Israel to meet with Palestinian Christian leaders. Given his infirmity, that was not possible. However, he could have dispatched senior Vatican clergy. That did not happen.

I made a snide comment while talking to the Judge, suggesting that the Vatican’s lack of tangible actions was consistent with its actions during World War II. That received some pushback from some of my readers, so I want to provide some historical facts so you will understand why I said what I said.

Let me be clear, I am criticizing the leadership of the Catholic Church, not Catholics in particular. Many Catholics died fighting the Nazis. One of the best examples is the late Pope John Paul, who, as a newly ordained priest during World War II, acted heroically and honorably. When asked by a Catholic family to baptize a Jewish boy (Stanley Berger) they were sheltering, Karl Wojtyła refused, respecting the boy’s Jewish identity and making efforts to reunite him with his Jewish relatives in the United States.

The same holds true today. There are many individual Catholics who are risking their lives and doing courageous things to counter the evils in Ukraine and in Palestine. My problem is not with them. I look at the men in charge, who have power and influence that surpasses what lone individuals can do. My critique of Pope Francis for not doing enough to deal with the wars that are consuming millions, is not aimed at him personally. I am condemning the Catholic Deep State. Let’s examine the question surrounding the role of the Catholic Church in facilitating the escape of Nazi war criminals.

Overview of the Ratlines:

After World War II, thousands of Nazis and fascist collaborators escaped Europe using clandestine escape routes known as “ratlines.” These routes, which led primarily to South America (notably Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay), were supported and, in some cases, organized by members of the Catholic Church in Rome.

Key Catholic Figures and Mechanisms:

• Bishop Alois Hudal: An Austrian bishop based in Rome, Hudal was a central figure in orchestrating the ratlines. He used his influence and resources as rector of the Pontifical Teutonic College to provide high-ranking Nazis with forged travel documents, financial assistance, and safe houses. Hudal rationalized his actions as humanitarian, but evidence shows he was motivated by anti-communist sentiment and personal ideological sympathies.

• Father Krunoslav Draganović: A Croatian priest, Draganović led a sophisticated ratline network from the San Girolamo degli Illirici Seminary in Rome. His network focused on aiding Croatian Ustaše war criminals, but also assisted other Nazis. The seminary provided shelter, and Draganović and his associates arranged documentation and passage to South America, often via Genoa.

• Vatican Secretariat of State and Order of Malta: The Vatican’s Secretariat of State used its diplomatic connections and networks of priests, including members of the Order of Malta, to facilitate the escape of Nazi officials. These networks provided false identities and travel papers, often in collaboration with the International Red Cross.

Extent and Motivation of Catholic Involvement:

• Institutional Complicity: While some Church officials acted independently, there is evidence that the Vatican, through its various offices and humanitarian organizations, knowingly provided assistance to Nazi escapees. The Vatican Refugee Commission, for example, issued false identities to war criminals.

• Anti-Communist Motive: Many in the Catholic hierarchy viewed former Nazis as potential allies against the spread of communism in postwar Europe and Latin America. This ideological alignment was a significant factor in the willingness to assist fugitives.

Humanitarian Pretext: Some Church officials justified their actions as part of broader efforts to aid displaced persons and refugees in the chaos of postwar Europe. However, historians have documented that the assistance was often selective and knowingly extended to individuals accused of war crimes.

Scale and Impact:

• Numbers: Estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 Nazis and collaborators escaped Europe through ratlines, with the Catholic Church playing a decisive role in their flight.

• Notorious Beneficiaries: High-profile war criminals such as Franz Stangl, Josef Mengele, Klaus Barbie, and Ante Pavelić used these networks to evade justice and settle in South America.

Nature of Vatican Involvement:

• Direct Orders vs. Decentralized Action: Historians debate whether there were direct orders from the Pope or Vatican hierarchy, or if the actions were more decentralized and spontaneous among sympathetic clerics. The ratlines appear to have been a combination of both, with some operations receiving tacit approval or indirect support from high-ranking Vatican officials, while others were the initiative of individual priests.

• Secrecy and Denial: The Vatican and associated organizations have often denied or minimized their involvement, and the full extent of the Church’s role remains partly concealed due to restricted archives and ongoing debate among historians.

The real villain here is the religious bureaucracy, which is a mirror image of the corrupt government bureaucracies that control policy and action in the United States and in Europe. I am hoping that the successor to Pope Francis is younger, healthier and more courageous. It is one thing to sit in safety inside the Vatican and pontificate over evils in the outside world. It is an entirely different matter to take concrete actions. As I write this, the people in Palestine are being denied food and medical supplies. World leaders are doing nothing to stop that. I am not suggesting that the Catholics should have the primary responsibility for this. Absolutely not. The leaders of all religious bodies, should be doing more than just issuing stern protest letters.

Okay. Here are my conversations today with Nima and with Judge Napolitano: