Pius XII’s canonisation isn’t guaranteed
SIR – Regarding the possible canonisation of Pope Pius XII, Sir Anthony Holland (Letter, May 5) says he is “quite clear that the evidence is overwhelming that in the 1930s the Church and its officials were ambivalent about fascism, particularly in Italy, and that that ambivalence should hinder any drive to canonisation of those responsible”.
Post-Holocaust, fascism has come to be irremediably associated with Nazism, with a variety of interwar groups and individuals being labelled fascist because they failed to denounce fascism, or even evinced a love of order; in hindsight it is easier to be clear about such developments, but initially fascism was seen as “the latest thing”, and even some Italian Jews were involved in the early fascist movement.
