Pave The Way Foundation - Praise For Pius XII Related Activities

Praise For Pius XII Related Activities

Pave the Way’s historical work regarding Pope Pius XII has been recognized for serving the common good by Archbishop Fernando Filoni, Substitute Vatican Secretary of State. One of Pave the Way Foundation’s most important projects was helping the Vatican digitize and post its Actes et Documents collection of World War II documents on the Internet so that scholars from all over the world could review them. PTWF has also posted other documents, interview videos, and contemporary reports on its web page, making primary sources available at no cost to researchers from around the world.

In September 2008, PTWF sponsored an international conference on Pope Pius XII in Rome. Eighty participants, including Jewish and Christian clergy, historians, journalists, and authors – took part. Pope Benedict XVI addressed the group and paid tribute to "the tireless pastoral and humanitarian work of Pius XII, Pastor Angelicus." The New York Times reported that "several historians called to ask him to cancel his three-day conference in Rome, which ultimately drew many Vatican-friendly scholars but few with independent credentials". One Catholic historian, Paul O’Shea, tried to warn Krupp that proponents of canonization might be trying to use him. He urged Mr. Krupp to wait for the Vatican to open its files, and for scholars to complete their work, before reaching conclusions. O'Shea was in turn subjected to a "blistering attack" in his absence by one of the conference participants.

Rabbi Eric Silver of Temple Beth David in Cheshire, Connecticut, who took part in the event, said: “We studied the documents in the Vatican’s archives and had eye-witness interviews, and what we learned was truly world-shaking. There is nobody who did more to rescue Jews than Pius.” Later, many of the presentations and numerous documents were compiled in book format.

Pope Benedict XVI has offered his thanks "to the Pave the Way Foundation for its ongoing activity in promoting relationships and dialogue between religions, as witnesses of peace, charity and reconciliation." Rabbi Carlos C. Huerta, Chaplain (Major) United States Military Academy at West Point said of PTWF: "without organizations like yours our world would be far worse than it is and religious intolerance would be so rampant. I only pray that G-d gives you the strength to continue this important work." H.E. Ambassador Alon Pinkas, former Consul General to New York for the State of Israel, has called Gary Krupp “a committed individual with a kind heart has utilized his unique position within the Catholic Church and commitment to his own heritage, Judaism, as a springboard for dialogue between the two faiths.” Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur-Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See Rome called Krupp "a soldier of peace."