Letters to the editor

The schism

In the article “Archbishop of Canterbury fears schism on gay clergy” (Page 1, Monday) Paul Majendie of Reuters news agency states that Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams “is battling to placate factions in a church on the brink of schism” and that the Anglican federation has “struggled since 2003 to hold together its liberal minority and conservative majority.”

However, a conference held in 1978 resulted in the Affirmation of St. Louis, which established the Anglican Catholic Church, neither part of the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) nor of the Anglican Communion but rather a separate, distinct church. This occurred because of the ordination of women to the priesthood, by which the ECUSA abandoned the apostolic succession of clergy.

Following this, of course, has been the flirtation with homosexuality, which has only compounded the church’s state of apostasy. It didn’t start in 2003, however. The schism occurred in 1978, nearly 30 years ago.

MARK A.H. SMITH JR.

Linden, Va.

Too little, too late

Three recent letters have attempted to portray Pope Pius XII as a savior of Jews during the Holocaust, a time when 6 million Jews were being murdered in predominantly Catholic nations (“Disinformation about Pope Pius XII,” Sunday, and two letters under the headline “Don’t blame the pope,” Monday). Unfortunately, the actions of the pope were too little and too late for 70 percent of European Jews, as he failed to excommunicate the Catholic leaders of the Third Reich and did not issue any statements that specifically condemned the murder of Jews until it was obvious to the Vatican in 1944 that Germany had lost the war.

Certainly the original contacts Pope Pius XII had in his role as a cardinal in Germany should have been helpful, but instead of developing an empathy for the plight of the Jews in that nation, leading up to the time of the Holocaust, his efforts were devoted to appeasing Hitler and the Third Reich.

Jews who survived the Holocaust because of individual acts of courage by members of all religions should be grateful, but, on balance, Pope Pius XII was not one who exhibited courage and understanding during the Holocaust.

NELSON MARANS

Silver Spring

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