Catholic Members of Congress Express Concern to Pope Benedict XVI over Bishop Williamson’s Denial of the Holocaust
Washington, D.C. – Nearly 50 Catholic Members of Congress wrote to Pope Benedict XVI to urge his direct repudiation of Bishop Richard Williamson's public denial that the Holocaust occurred.
Below is the text of the letter.
January 29, 2009
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI Apostolic Palace 00120, Vatican City State, Europe
Your Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, As Catholic Members of Congress, we are writing to express our deep concerns with your decision to reinstate Bishop Richard Williamson to communion with the Catholic Church at the same time that Bishop Williamson publicly denies that the Holocaust occurred or that such was the policy under Adolf Hitler. We do not question your reasons for revoking the excommunication of Bishop Williamson or your right to do so, but we fail to understand why the revocation was not accompanied by an emphatic public rejection of his denial of the Holocaust. As such, we seek clarification on this important matter.
Bishop Williamson has said as recently as this past November that, "historical evidence is hugely against 6 million Jews having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy by Adolf Hitler." Yet, the Holocaust is a verifiable fact and as people of good will would agree, one of the darkest chapters in our history as a human family. There are still thousands of people amongst us – Jews and non-Jews – who can attest through eye-witness accounts to the horrors of the Holocaust. Bishop Williamson's comments regarding the Holocaust echo those of neo-Nazis, Islamist extremists, racists and others who choose hatred and violence over peaceful co-existence among peoples of all races and ethnicities.
We understand that Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi has said that this issue is unrelated to the reinstatement of Bishop Williamson and that you do not share in his views. And we welcome your recent statement expressing "full and indisputable solidarity" with the Jewish people. But this is too sensitive an issue to be handled without a direct repudiation of Bishop Williamson's views. As a spiritual leader and the head of the Catholic Church, we believe it is vital that you publicly state your unequivocal position on this matter so that it is clear where the Church stands on one of the most consequential events of the 20th century. To neglect to do so is to allow others to portray it as they wish and impede the progress made over so many years toward harmony and reconciliation.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
ROSA L. DeLAURO
WILLIAM DELAHUNT
ANNA ESHOO JAMES L. OBERSTAR BART STUPAK
BILL PASCRELL
CHRISTOPHER P. CARNEY
GERALD E. CONNOLLY MAURICE D. HINCHEY
JIM COSTA
PHIL HARE
JOSEPH CROWLEY
PETER DEFAZIO
PATRICK J. KENNEDY
DENNIS J. KUCINICH JAMES P. MORAN
WM. LACY CLAY
RICHARD E. NEAL
ALBIO SIRES
PETER WELCH
TIM RYAN
TOM PERRIELLO LINDA SÁNCHEZ
LUIS V. GUTIERREZ
CAROL SHEA-PORTER
MICHAEL F. DOYLE
DENNIS A. CARDOZA
JOHN LARSON
XAVIER BECERRA
GEORGE MILLER
FRANK PALLONE
BETTY McCOLLUM
JAMES A. McGOVERN
JACKIE SPEIER
CAROLYN McCARTHY
EDWARD J. MARKEY
NYDIA VELAZQUEZ
STEPHEN F. LYNCH
JOSE E. SERRAMO
SILVESTRE REYES
RAUL GRIJALVA
JOE BACA
BRIAN HIGGINS
MIKE THOMPSON
JERRY F. COSTELLO
DIANE WATSON
JOHN A BOCCIERI
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For more information contact:
Adriana Surfas, DeLauro, 202-225-3661
Rory Sheehan, Delahunt, 202-225-3111
Danielle Lee, Eshoo, 202-225-8104
John Schadl, Oberstar, 202-225-6211
Nick Choate, Stupak, 202-225-4735
Caley Gray, Pascrell, 973-523-5152
Rebecca Gale, Carney, 202-225-3731
George Burke, Connolly, 202-225-1492
Jeff Lieberson, Hinchey, 202-225-6335
Bret Rumbeck, Costa, 202-225-3341
Tim Schlittner, Hare, 202-225-5905
Angela Barranco, Crowley, 202-225-3965
Ron Kreskey, DeFazio, 202-225-6416
Molly Simmons, DeFazio, 202-225-6416
Kerrie Bennett, Kennedy, 202-225-4911
Nathaniel White, Kucinich, 202-225-5871
Austin Durrer, Jim Moran, 202-225-4376
Steven Engelhardt, Clay, 202-225-2406
William Tranghese, Neal, 202-225-5601
Erica Daughtrey, Sires, 202-225-7919
Paul Heintz, Welch, 202-225-4115
Brad Bauman, Tim Ryan, 202-225-5261
Jessica Barba, Perriello, 202-225-4711
Marsha Catron, Linda Sánchez, 202-225-6676
Rebecca Dreilinger, Gutierrez, 202-225-8203
Jamie Radice, Shea-Porter, 202-225-5456
Matt Dinkel, Doyle, 202-225-2135
Mike Jensen, Cardoza, 202-225-6131
Emily Barocas, Larson, 202-225-2265
Fabiola Rodriguez, Becerra, 202-225-6235
Amy Peake, Miller, 202-225-2095
Tali Israeli, Pallone, 202-225-4671
Cleve Mesidor, McCollum, 202-225-6631
Michael Mershon, McGovern, 202-225-6101
Mike Larsen, Speier, 202-225-3531
Phil Putter, Carolyn McCarthy, 202-225-5516
Dan Reilly, Markey, 202-225-2836
Gail O'Connor, Velazquez, 202-225-2361
Meaghan Maher, Lynch, 202-225-8273
Philip Schmidt, Serrano, 202-225-4361
Vincent Perez, Reyes, 202-225-4831
Natalie Luna, Grijalva, 202-225-2435
John Lowrey, Baca, 202-225-6161
Caitlin Wolf, Higgins, 202-225-3306
Laurel Brown, M. Thompson, 202-225-3311
David Gillies, J. Costello, 202-225-5661
Paula Negrete, Loretta Sanchez, 202-225-2965
Dorinda White, Watson, 202-225-7084
Jessica Kershaw, Boccieri, 202-225-3876