Israel:"imprudent" declaration on (Pope) Pius XII.

Rome (News agencies)--During a press conference in Rome on November 3, Aharon Lopez, Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, said that the Vatican should "freeze" the cause for beatification of Pope Pius XII for years because of the "controversies" which have emerged. Father Peter Gumpel, postulator of the cause, classified the declaration as "imprudent."

The ambassador acknowledged that the cause of beatification or canonization is "strictly a prerogative of the Church" and that "no one must intervene." But, he added immediately that the cause of Pius XII has occasioned a controversy and that, out of respect for the survivors of the holocaust, a moratorium of fifty years on the continuation of his cause would be in order.

The date has not yet arrived when the Vatican archives will be totally open on the pontificate of Pius XII, the Israeli ambassador went on to say. He does not consider Paul VI's publication of the twelve impressive volumes of the minutes of the Holy See regarding World War II as sufficient. The ambassador maintains that to come to a right judgement it is important to wait for all the Pope's correspondence to be made public.

Father Gumpel, postulator of the cause of Pope Eugenio Pacelli, remarked that the diplomat's declaration was "at very least imprudent." He went on to say, "The ambassador can say what he likes, but the cause of beatification of Pius XII is not within his competence. It is not a diplomatic issue, but depends solely on the pastoral action of the Church."