Pope Pius XII

Re “Rabbi Criticizes Sainthood Plan for WWII Pope,” May 14:

It is particularly ironic that Rabbi Marvin Hier, who has done much to advance our understanding of the events of the Holocaust and is rightly considered by many a hero for his commitment to this cause, should lash out in anger and, apparently, hatred at the Catholic Church. That he should be represented by such a shallow and, sad to say, prejudiced opinion does him and the entire cause of Jewish-Christian dialogue a terrible disservice.

Pope Pius XII may not be the saint that my church proposes, but he is certainly not the Satan that Hier portrays. A number of Jewish leaders and scholars, including Golda Meir, had deeply respectful praise for him and his efforts to save Jewish lives, as even the most casual research would reveal.

FRED APPLEGATE

Burbank