CRIF CONDEMNED OUTRAGEOUS DEPICTION OF NEW POPE

CRIF issued a stern condemnation of the way the TV channel "Canal Plus" represented the enrolment of Benedictus XVI in the HitlerJugend, Hitler's Nazi Youth organization. CRIF reminded that all through his active years that followed that period, Joseph Ratzinger largely proved his opposition to anti-Semitism. "We are convinced that his early experience (with the Nazi Youth organization) has contributed to reinforce him in the rejection of any kind of racism," CRIF wrote.

The pope himself never tried to conceal this period of his life. Had the writers of this show been teenagers in those days and been born in the same country as the pope, it is more than plausible that they would have been members of the same organization.

CRIF remains convinced that Pope Benedictus XVI will continue the deep interfaith dialogue established by John Paul II.

Monsignor Ricard, Secretary General of the Conference of the French Bishops thanked CRIF for this statement. Later, the Canal Plus channel apologized, saying that the show was "excessive and inappropriate". The show's producer said the satire wasn't meant to outrage viewers.