Pope Pius XII and Adolph Hitler Adolph Hitler Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas Nazi in America Gestapo sheriff deputies Himmler, the head of the Nazi Gestapo Jews being rounded by Nazi soldiers Jewish families being rounded up for extermination The ovens at the Dachau Nazi extermination camp Olmsted from Kansas

Yesterday Pope Silent on Killing Jews as Today Bishop Silent on Arpaio

PHOENIX (By Jon Garrido, The Jon Garrido News Network) January 10, 2009 — Pope Pius XII born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli reigned as the 260th pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church beginning March 2, 1939 and throughout WW II.

On September 1, 1939, Nazi leader Adolph Hitler ordered his German army to invade Poland beginning World War II.

The Nazis systematically killed an estimated six million Jews during WW II.

Adolph Hitler's Nazi paramilitary campaign to remove Jews from Germany used methods of extreme brutality known as the Holocaust.

The Holocaust was carried out by German Nazi paramilitary forces. As the war started, millions of Jews were concentrated into closed Ghettos. By 1941, large massacres of Jews had taken place, and, by December 1941, Hitler decided to completely exterminate European Jews.

In January 1942, Nazi leaders began the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question." The German Nazi Gestapo in conjunction with the Nazi paramilitary began to systematically deport Jewish populations from ghettos and all occupied territories to Nazi extermination camps.

Hitler from December 1941 accepted failure of his goal to dominate Europe forever on his declaration of war against the United States, but Hitler's withdrawal and apparent calm thereafter was sustained by the achievement of his second goal — total extermination of the Jews.

Even as the Nazi war machine faltered in the last years of the war, precious military resources such as fuel, transport, munitions, soldiers and industrial resources were still being heavily diverted away from the war towards the death camps.

Poland, home of the largest Jewish community in the world before the war, had over 90% of its Jewish population killed, about 3,000,000 Jews. The penalty imposed by Germans for hiding Jews was death and this was carried out mercilessly. In spite of this, some Poles hid Jewish children and families and saved their lives at risk to their own families.

Greece, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Lithuania, Bohemia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Latvia each had over 70% of their Jewish population destroyed. Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Norway, and Estonia lost half of their Jewish population, the Soviet Union over one third of its Jews, and even countries such as France and Italy had around a quarter of their Jewish population killed.

Denmark was able to evacuate almost all of the Jews in their country to nearby Sweden, which was neutral during the war. Using everything from fishing boats to private yachts, the Danes whisked the Danish Jews out of harm's way.

In all, more than 60% of the Jews in Europe were murdered in the Holocaust. The world's Jewish population was reduced by a third, from roughly 16.6 million in 1939 to about 11 million in 1946. Even sixty years later, there are still fewer Jews in the world today than there were prior to 1940.

Pope silent during Holocaust massacre

During the Holocaust massacre of six million Jews, Pope Pius XII, leader of the world's Catholics, remained behind the walls of the Vatican and remained silent.

Pope Pius XII's leadership of the Catholic Church during World War II remains the subject of continued historical controversy.

No one knows for sure the motives behind Pope Pius XII's silence. Historians offer many reasons why Pope Pius XII was not an advocate for the Jews. Whatever his motivation, it is hard to escape the conclusion the Pope, like so many others in positions of power and influence, was silent on the extermination of the Jews because Pope Pius XII has been accused as co-conspirator with Adolph Hitler on exterminating the Jews.

Pope Pius XII was the ideal Pope for Hitler's unspeakable plan. His denial and minimization of the Holocaust were all the more scandalous. Vatican files reveal a shocking indictment of World War II's Pope Plus XII: that in pursuit of absolute power he helped Adolf Hitler destroy German Catholic political opposition, betrayed the Jews of Europe, and sealed a deeply cynical pact with 20th-century devil Adolph Hitler.

Bishop silent as migrants rounded up

Pope Pius XII's silence on the extermination of the Jews is used to draw a parallel with Bishop Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix who abuses his office by hiding behind the walls of the Phoenix diocesan center and willfully and flagrantly abusing his charge given by Jesus to Peter to shepherd the Phoenix Hispanic flock entrusted to his care.

This is Déjà Vu as Pope Pius XII was silent when the Jews were rounded up and exterminated, Bishop Olmsted is also silent as Hispanics are rounded up for deportation resulting from Napolitano, Pearce, and Arpaio immigration raids.

When I was a U.S. soldier in Europe, to prepare for a visit to the Dachau Nazi German concentration camp, the first one opened in Germany, I read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer, the first definitive history of Nazi Germany in English.

This 1,245 page book was the first book to present a comprehensive synthesis of the Nazi era. Shirer argued German history proceeded logically from "Luther to Hitler," seeing Hitler's rise to power as an expression of German character, rather than of the international phenomenon of totalitarianism. Shirer encapsulated this view with the passage, "...the course of German history... made blind obedience to temporal rulers the highest virtue of Germanic man and put a premium on servility."

Adolph Hitler maneuvered Germany toward acceptance of a Nazi totalitarian fascist nation manipulating Germans by promoting and instilling intense hatred of the Jews.

I personally saw the ovens pictured here and as gruesome as this memory is, the memory etched in my mind is of the tombstone at the entrance to Dachau that reads: Here lay the graves of six million Jews.

Six million Jewish people were killed by gas and burned in ovens. Killed because of the profound hatred for the Jews caused by blaming Jews for everything wrong with Germany.

Today, the same process is in play as it was in Nazi Germany, only the names have changed.

Today, the Nazi fascist extermination model is alive in America and is used by Lou Dobbs, Joe Arpaio, Andrew Thomas, Russell Pearce and Janet Napolitano who thrive on dehumanizing and demonizing undocumented immigrants and blaming the demise of America on Hispanics.

With Hitler it was blame the Jews. Today in America, it is blame the Hispanics. Blame the migrants. Take away the American nationality of "anchor babies."

Hitler, Gobal, Herring, have become Dobbs, Arpaio, Thomas, Pearce, Napolitano and let us not forget Gordon endorsed Thomas.

If someone endorses another, then the person giving the endorsement condones the actions and is of the same frame of mind as the person receiving the endorsement. How easily some Hispanics are manipulated. This is being charitable. What I really think is some Hispanics are just plain stupid. Then there are those that have no scruples or conscience and have sold themselves for 30 pieces of silver or rather a job or a job for one's spouse.

Thomas J. Olmsted

"Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." — George Santayana

Historians offer many reasons why Pope Pius XII was not an advocate for the Jews.

Today, the Diocese of Phoenix Hispanic Ministry offers many reasons why Mr. Olmsted is not an advocate for Hispanics.

No justification or rationalization will wipe the slate clean to protect Mr. Olmsted. The truth is the truth.

And the truth is Mr. Olmsted has not filled his oath before Jesus in performing the duties as required by the Code of Canon Law.

Bishops are also bound by their consciences to teach faithfully and to recommit themselves to continued reflection and discussion on how Catholic faith and public service can work together to promote human life and dignity and advance the common good.

The bishop serves as the spiritual leader of the diocese and has responsibility for the pastoral care of all Catholics living within his ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

Thomas J. Olmsted has failed with all the above and consequently, is a colossal failure as bishop. The greatest gift he can give Hispanic Catholics is to resign his office. Even his resignation will not eliminate the anguish and pain his silence has showered on the sufferings of Phoenix migrant Catholics and the pain their sufferings have on Hispanic American relatives and friends.

Background

The Hispanic community is not transparent, monolithic or homogenous. There are too many hidden personal agendas each acting to justify one's advancement or standing in the community.

If there was a neutral individual without motive to provide leadership, unify the Hispanic community and provide one voice, this would truly be God sent.

Literally, God sent ― to turn the world upside down to combat dehumanizing persons and injustice.

There can be no better influence that the head of the church for educating all and building a community based on the teachings of Jesus.

This should be the primary role of the bishop of Phoenix using every resource available to him as bishop but he is no where to be found. Olmsted is silent and in this regard — he is no different than Pope Pius XII was with the extermination of six million Jews.

Hispanic community leadership

On June 28, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke Friday to head the Catholic Church's highest court, a move that places an outspoken conservative in an important if not highly visible post.

Burke, 59, will be the first American to serve as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

Burke has led the charge among a handful of U.S. bishops to discipline Catholic politicians who stray from church teaching. In 2004, he told Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry he could not receive Communion in St. Louis because of his support of abortion rights and in 2007 said he would refuse Communion to then-Republican candidate former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani for the same reason.

"The appointment should make pro-choice and same sex marriage Catholic politicians very nervous," warned the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

Burke's five-year tenure in St. Louis has been brief but fiery. After publicly rebuking Kerry and other prominent Democrats, last year Burke said ministers who distribute Communion are "held, under pain of mortal sin, to deny the sacraments to the unworthy."

In the Diocese of Phoenix, Bishop Olmsted should follow Burke's action to discipline Catholic politicians who stray from church teaching. This includes pro-choice and same sex marriage advocates but should also include giving guidance to Hispanic members of the state legislature unable to think for themselves who voted to abolish Hispanic migrants from Arizona.

This is unconscionable.

Hispanic Arizona state legislators

None of this would be happening without Janet Napolitano. On July 2, 2007, Governor Napolitano signed into law the Fair and Legal Employment Act. This law, which governs the hiring and employment of undocumented workers, impacts all Arizona businesses.

Hispanic Arizona state legislators voted for the legislation authored by state legislator Russell Pearce authorizing sheriff Joe Arpaio to conduct immigration sweeps to round up Hispanics.

The Hispanics who voted to approve the Fair and Legal Employment Act are as guilty as Napolitano who approved the legislation, Pearce who authored the legislation and Arpaio who terrorizes the migrant community.

The following Arizona Senate Democratic members voted in favor of House Bill 2779; fair and legal employment act.

Amanda Aguirre

Rebecca Rios

The following Arizona House Democratic members voted in favor of House Bill 2779.

Manuel V. Alvarez

Robert Meza

Olivia Cajero Bedford  

Linda Lopez 

Arizona House Democratic "yes" Votes for HB 2779, Third Reading: fair & legal employment act.

Olivia Cajero Bedford

Linda Lopez

Manuel V. Alvarez

Ben R. Miranda

Pete Rios

Phoenix Hispanic members who support Napolitano, Pearce and Arpaio's immigration raids

Napolitano's staunchest supporters are Mary Rose and Earl Wilcox. I challenge Mary Rose Wilcox to tell the Hispanic community why she defends Janet Napolitano signing into law House Bill 2779, Fair and Legal Employment Act causing devastating hardships on the Arizona migrant community and Arizona American Hispanic relatives and friends.

The adverse impact on Hispanics is substantial and profound. To buy Wilcox's alliance must also be substantial and profound. This is analogous to selling one's soul to the devil.

On the last day in office as the U.S. Attorney for Arizona, Janet Napolitano and Joe Arpaio had a press conference announcing the investigation of Joe Arpaio by U.S. Attorney for Arizona Janet Napolitano was terminated. A few months later, Joe Arpaio endorsed Janet Napolitano for governor. Quid pro quo? You be the judge.

This was the beginning of the Napolitano Arpaio alliance. It follows if one lays down with a dog with fleas, then you get up with fleas.

As for Wilcox and Napolitano, is there quid pro quo between Mary Rose Wilcox and Janet Napolitano? There has to be and selling out the Hispanic community will have a very high price. No price will ever justify supporting Napolitano back-stabbing the Hispanic community in approving Arizona's E-Verify program causing Hispanic migrants to be abolished from Arizona.

Migrant laws protested with crucifixion march

On March 21, 2008, a group of community activists marched through downtown Phoenix, using Good Friday to spread a message of their own.

The demonstration, called the "Via Crucis," or "Way of the Cross," was a re-enactment of Jesus' journey to death on the cross from the perspective of the immigrant, whose plight carries him through the streets of Phoenix and ends at the State Capitol, said Jorge Mendez, who organized the event.

Mendez, an assistant lawyer with a master's degree in theology, said the group had two central objectives in making the demonstration: to put on the table a moratorium on the immigration raids being made by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, and to terminate anti-immigration laws.

Miguel carried a cross marked with the numbers 200, 300, and 2779 — the numbers of recently passed Arizona legislation that require individuals to provide proof of citizenship to vote or apply for public benefits, denies in-state tuition to undocumented college students, and imposes penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

The march, made up of 50 or so people, started in the parking lot of Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox's El Portal restaurant.

Governor Janet Napolitano was supposed to be depicted as Judas Iscariot, appropriate considering the pseudo-progressive Democrat signed the employer-sanctions law last year, a bill engineered to abolish Mexicans from Arizona.

Seems Mendez reluctantly axed Napolitano's appearance at the request of Mary Rose Wilcox, a political ally of Janet Napolitano.

"It's not really what you think, Jorge," Mendez remembered Wilcox saying. "She's doing many things for the Latino community that nobody can know."

I guess Napolitano back-stabbing the Hispanic community in 2007 does not count.

On April 16, I called Jorge Mendez and confirmed the conversation Mendez had with Mary Rose Wilcox.

The role of the bishop

If the prime directive is the prominent guiding principle to protect, tend and feed the community of believers as Jesus asked of Peter, the second directive is as important as the first.

The secondary directive is to build an amalgam from a mixture of different elements into one homogenous egalitarian community.

Romans 10:11-13

For the scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.

If there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, why then is there a distinction between white conservative Catholic and Hispanic migrant Catholic?

I once visited Lourdes, France and bathed in the miraculous water from the spring sprouted in the Grotto in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

I once visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico's most beloved religious and cultural image. The Virgin of Guadalupe is a cultural symbol of significant importance to the Mexican identity. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the second most visited Roman Catholic shrine in the world after the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican.

I have frequently driven the interstate highway system traveling through the mid-west to as far away as Cape Cod.

I do not ever remember seeing a Marian Catholic shrine in the vastness of the United States.

If the appearance of the Virgin Mary to any group of people in the world is a message from God then Mexicans are truly blessed as God's children. 

Yet, there is a distinction between white conservative mid-western Catholics and Hispanic migrant Catholics.

The Phoenix Catholic community is profoundly diverse covering the spectrum from one extreme polar position being white conservative mid-westerns who strongly support the antics of Joe Arpaio of hatred that thrives on dehumanizing and demonizing undocumented immigrants and blames the demise of America on Hispanics to the opposite polar end of the spectrum being Hispanic migrant Catholics who are the actual victims of hate and discrimination imposed by Catholics at the opposite polar position.

There can be no better influence that the head of the church for educating all and building a community based on the teachings of Jesus.

This should be the primary role of the bishop of Phoenix using every resource available to him as bishop but the bishop is no where to be found. Olmsted is silent and in this regard, he is no different than Pope Pius XII was with the extermination of six million Jews.

The Catechism notes Jesus, the Good Shepherd, should be the form of a bishop.

The faithful should be closely attached to the bishop as the Church is to Jesus Christ and as Jesus Christ is to the Father.

The Code of Canon Law states that the diocesan bishop is required to "teach and illustrate to the faithful the truths of faith which are to be believed and applied to behavior."

Canon Law 386 §1. A diocesan bishop, frequently preaching in person, is bound to propose and explain to the faithful the truths of the faith which are to be believed and applied to morals. He is also to take care that the prescripts of the canons on the ministry of the word, especially those on the homily and catechetical instruction, are carefully observed so that the whole Christian doctrine is handed on to all.

While knowing his own faults, a bishop should reach for compassion. He should not refuse to listen to his subjects whose welfare he promotes as of his very own children. All of family trials and tribulations that can occur: despair, loss of hope, depression, fright, injustice, poverty, poor health, poor nutrition, and discrimination all fall into the realm of the bishop succoring the poor, in both body and spirit.

The bishop must play a key role resourcing and inspiring the whole Church who in turn leads and cares for lay people who are daily in the front line of Christian mission — in their homes, schools, communities and workplaces. The bishop is required to teach Christian faith — through preaching, writing, in synods and councils and in the media being involved in the secular world, having links with community leaders in the private sector, the public sector and voluntary service.

Contemporary challenges

In fulfilling their prophetic office, bishops should avail themselves of the opportunity to preach within their diocesan churches as well as the opportunity to spread the teaching of Christ and his apostles through pastoral letters. They should likewise welcome every opportunity to speak on religious matters to special groups whose role in society has a direct influence on public opinion.

The bishop, with the entire Church, must pass judgment upon the deceitful and false messages of the age. We acknowledge an ever growing need to oppose the secularist campaign against the deepest and most basic human rights. Without adopting any particular political form, the bishop must loudly proclaim the truth about injustice even in the face of overwhelming political opposition.

In this regard, it is wrong to remain silent out of a misconceived respect for the separation of Church and State. Indeed, the very distinction between Church and State means the bishop must speak out, without reservation, in favor of human dignity, directly and explicitly, against every form of injustice which jeopardizes the transcendent value of the human person. The Church needs to speak out against violent political agendas and be willing to take on the culture of hate so evident in politics throughout Maricopa County especially in ending dehumanizing and demonizing undocumented immigrants by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

If the bishop is truly the leader of his people, he should be ready to lead them for the sake of Christ.

Witness of action is the only credible sign

The social and spiritual message of the Church can be made credible only by the witness of action. Only by a sincere and generous reaching out to those in special need, to the poor and marginalized members of society in various personal, communal, and institutional ways can the bishop be an image of Christ emptying himself for the suffering.

Arizona is not Kansas

The Hispanic migrant Catholics of the Diocese of Phoenix are suffering. Yet, Bishop Olmsted is no where to be found.

Why is there no action?

Olmsted is no different than Pope Pius XII's silence on the killing of six million Jews.

Yet, there is a clue why Olmsted is silent and the clue is found on a farm in Kansas.

People from the mid-west are usually conservative, Republican and white. They usually have values much different than those like me born of a Hispanic heritage in Superior, Arizona. We all see things through lenses than were instilled in us by our parents, grandparents, other relatives and our neighborhood friends. All of this influences the values we hold sacred as adults.

Thomas J. Olmsted was born and raised on the family farm in Oketo, Kansas.

The same values white conservative mid-western Catholics from Kansas have in supporting Joe Arpaio are one and the same as the values Olmsted probably believes.

Olmsted like other white conservative mid-western Catholics from Kansas probably see no wrong in dehumanizing and demonizing undocumented immigrants and probably supports Joe Arpaio terrorizing Hispanics.

I recently had several meetings with a Catholic priest about Olmsted. From the first meeting, the priest justified Olmsted's silence by claiming Olmsted is "conservative."

Like this "conservative" label is some how able to justify racism and specifically condone Arpaio dehumanizing and demonizing undocumented immigrants.

There is no justification and there never will be any justification for racism. Someday, Jesus will be the judge of Olmsted's racism.

Olmsted is simply the wrong man, for the wrong time with the wrong values for the predominantly Hispanic Diocese of Phoenix. Undoubtedly, Olmsted would have a better fit as a bishop somewhere in Kansas. Yet, there are now Hispanics in Kansas and remember Paul said "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him." It appears Olmsted is a racist and there is no place for anyone in our Church who is a racist not even in Kansas.

Prayer vigils, empty collection envelopes and black armbands

We should begin a weekly Friday evening prayer vigil praying for Olmsted to resign. Another way to show disappointment with Olmsted is to stop contributing to Sunday collections. Maybe an empty envelope will send a message and we should begin wearing black arm bands to begin mourning the demise of our Church.

The most important premise from the Documents of Vatican II ― the people are the Church ― not the pope, not the bishop and not the priest ― the people.

The people now call for the resignation of Olmsted as the Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix, a predominately Hispanic diocese and becoming more so with each passing day.

Jon Garrido

Jon@JonGarrido.com