To this day, the Holy See still refuses to open its archives on the Second World War period to independent historians. The majority of these historians do not support the thesis that Pius worked tirelessly to save Jews. His beatification would negatively impact the feelings of Jewish institutions worldwide.
While no-one denies that Pope Pius XII personally helped hide a number of Jews in Rome during the German Occupation; and while all acknowledge the magnificent part played personally by many Catholic priests, particularly in France, in the rescue of Jews, it remains that Pope Pius XII, mindful not to break relations with Nazi Germany, never spoke out clearly against the singular monstrosity of the planned extermination of millions of Jews. Neither did he condemn it in any way after the war, which must especially shock all.
The nature of the Nazi crimes demanded of him to act as a prophet; but Pope Pius XII chose to behave like a careful diplomat. Unless new documentation, hitherto undisclosed, comes to light to fundamentally alter our vision of this historical era, Jewish Shoah survivors would be deeply wounded to see the deafening silence of the Church's Magistry held up as a model of principled behavior.
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