Letter: Vatican whitewash
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.YOU WERE right to dismiss the Vatican statement on the Holocaust as "whitewash" (report, 17 March). Far from being an adequate "act of repentance" it is more of a tactical deflection of criticism of the Church as an institution by shifting the blame on to individuals.
In fact the opposite was often the case, with something of the credibility of the Church being salvaged by the exceptional heroism of individuals like Frans Jagerstatter in the face of overwhelming institutional indifference or hostility.
The Nazis drew widely upon the centuries-old prejudices which had been nurtured by the Church, such as the Servitus Judaeorum (the "perpetual servitude of the Jews"' decreed by the 3rd Lateran Council) and the model of the religious crusading orders which the new "knights" of the SS were expected to emulate.
As with the previous denial of any responsibility by the Church for the genocide of American Indians during their enforced "Christianisation" or more recently the denial by the Church of responsibility for individual cases of clerical abuse, it is not only the act but the denial which is destructive. It induces a paralysis of confidence in the institution.
Fr DOMINIC KIRKHAM
Manchester
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments