The Pope’s Last Crusade audiobook

The year was 1938. Hitler was in complete power, leading Nazi Germany on a campaign through Europe, to spread his views. In the Vatican, Pope Pius XI, who was slowly declining into failing health, sought the assistance of an American Jesuit Priest, John LaFarge. LaFarge was a scholar, whose expertise on racial injustices perfectly fit into the Church's views on the situation. His goal was to publicly denounce the Nazism and anti-Semitism that he feared would destroy the teachings of the church. Coming from the Pope, the highest leader of the Catholic Church, this condemnation of Hitler could potentially impact the views of other world leaders, and in turn, World War II itself. Of course, this process was easier said than done. Pius XI found himself in the midst of an Italian government that seemed to be, whether out of fear or agreement, embracing Hitler's Germany. They even invited the leader to visit their country. Pius XI would have nothing to do with the fanfare of Hitler's arrival. Instead, he retreated to a private Vatican estate, outside of the city, in a quiet protest. Met by resistance from even members of his own church who would rather keep peace with Hitler than provoke him with a damning proclamation, Pius XI stuck to his guns, to denounce what he knew was wrong. I've always been fascinated by the many pieces to the giant puzzle that is World War II. This time in our history seems to show the best and worst aspects of our world, and I think there are many things to be learned. I was unfamiliar with the story of Pope Pius XI, but with all of the recent actions taking place in the Vatican, it seemed like a good time to delve deeper into the church's history. I was immediately drawn to Pius's unassuming, humble ways. He really comes off as a kind of quiet force. This book gives interesting insights into the mysterious protocols and inevitable politics of the Vatican. Despite its rather brief length, the book is detailed, suspenseful account of this Pope's history making actions.

A well researched, very interesting book about the last days of Pope PiusXI and his campaign against Mussolini and Hitler and their policies of hate and racisism against the Jews. Pius had selected and American Jesuit who had already written extensively about racisism in the American South where he spent his early career working with the poor in southern Maryland. Pius arrange to meet him in secret while Fr.LaFarge was traveling in Europe for America Magazine published by the Jesuits.The Pope indicated he wanted to publish an encyclical which would firmly lay out the Church's position on the policies of Facisism and Nazism. Fr La Farge was assisted by Fr.Gundlach,a German Jesuit who had more experience liturgical language.The Pope had requested that it be brought to hum personally on completion but Fr. Lafarge's health was suffering and one of his brother's was ill so he handed it to his immediate superior, the head of the Jesuits in Rome. Unfortunately, he was not in favor of the Pope's strong language against the forces at work in Europe and held onto the document. He may not have been alone in his sentiments since the Vatican Secretary of State was Eugenio Pacelli who later became Pius XII. Having spent a number of years in Germany, he was the consummate diplomat, the exact opposite of the forceful PiusXI. The document was finally given to the Pope but his health was deteriorating and they essentially waited him out. He had planned a big meeting of bishops and died the day before it was to take place.Pacelli took the name Piux II and unfortunately he and the Church's silence regarding the extinction of the Jews is what people today remember.

What might have been if Pope Pius XI had lived a little longer..... a fascinating story.

John LaFarge was the unassuming and scholarly Jesuit Editor of America magazine during pre-World War II years. America, published in New York, was read by Catholics worldwide for its reporting on issues and events important to Catholics. It appears it was also read by Achilles Ratti, Pope Pius XI, a mountaineer of reknown andan outspoken critic of Adolph Hitler and Nazism at time when the Vatican timidly tip toed around Nazism and the Vatican' political relations with Germany and Italy.LaFarge had written an important work on racism in America, based largely on his experiences as a parish priest in St. Mary's County, Maryland, a work that was read with great interest by the Pope, who believed it was his duty to promulgate an unwavering and powerful statement against anti-Semitism, Adoph Hitler, and the alliance that Mussolini had formed with Hitler. The Vatican Secretary of State at the time, Eugenio Pacelli who would become Pope after Ratti's death, was reticent to speak out against Hitler because of uncertainty surrounding the enforcement of the Concordats with Germany finally ratified in the late 1920s by the Vatican.Pius XI read LaFarge's arranged a secretive and private meeting with LaFarge, outside the knowledge of the Vatican Secretary of State and anyone else in the Vatican bureaucracy. Pius directed LaFarge to pen an encylical opposing anti Semitism and Hitler in the strongest possible language and to do so privately, secretly, and quickly. Pius' views opposing anti Semitism were strong and based on the correct perception that racism and anti Semitism were threats that would eventually engulf Catholics in German occupied lands and worldwide. Pius told LaFarge that no one other than LaFarge, the Pope, and the 2 assistants who LaFarge would name and swear to secrecy, were to know about his work.LaFarge was an obedient Jesuit. He understood the importance of his vows and he arranged through the Jesuit Provincial General, known as the Black Pope for the influence wield by the Jesuit Provincial General in Vatican politics, a man named Wlodimir Ledochowski to work do his work in Paris together with 2 other Jesuit scholars.From the beginning Ledochowski acted to scupper the publication of the Encylcal because of his ambivalence toward anti Semitism but because of his belief that of two evils, Nazism was less troublesome than Communism which the Nazis seemed to oppose. He also, in a manner that was Machiavellian in conception, scope and implementation acted to ensure that LaFarge's final product was given to him for delivery to the Pope--something Pius wanted to avoid by having LaFarge deliver it personally--and to delay its delivery in the belief that the Pope would succumb to heart disease before the encyclical was ever published to the world.Ledochowski's deceit prevailed and the important worked entrusted by the Pope to LaFarge, a genuinely good person knows as Uncle John to the Jesuits at his provicial house in New York City, was never published.When he succeeded Ratti as Pope Pius XII, Pacelli, the Secretary of State under Ratti, destroyed all copies of the Encyclical penned by LaFarge and the Church's strong voice opposing Hitler, Mussolini, and the Nazis was lost forever. Some believe to this day that the Church abided evil by not speaking out more forcefully against Hitler, bu in fact the Church's voice was silenced by 2 important prelates with influence in the power structure of the Vatican.The author bases the story on an after dinner conversation LaFarge had with some of the younger Jesuits on America's staff, a conversation that held the other Jesuits spellbound for hours. It was a story never told before by LaFarge or anyone else, including Grundlach, his Jesuit contemporary who assisted him in the writing and repeatedly admoinished LaFarge to deliver the Encyclical personally to Pius XI, as the Pope directed LaFarge.It is a story well told with important lessons about where duty to a larger good begins and obedience as an unnecessary restaint ends or should end.

On the eve of World War II Pope Pius XI was about the only head of state to challenge Hilter's treatment of the Jews and his move for territorial dominance. The pope commissioned an American Jesuit priest, Father John LaFarge, to write an encyclical for him on human rights. This is the story of Father LaFarge's efforts to compose the document and the pope's struggle against anti-semitism despite obstacles placed in their paths by Church officals.

Very well researched and presented. This book focuses on Pope Pious XI and John LaFarge and the encyclical that could have changed the course of history had it been published. I received a copy through Goodreads First Reads.

I received a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway. It was truly a masterfully written book. Extremely informative and yet very enjoyable to read. Definitely one I would recommend!

good book, I loved learning about this little discussed aspect of WW2. As a former catholic and history buff I found it interesting and an easy read

A ggod companion book to In the garden of the Beasts. And new understanding of Pope Pius XI and that era of pre WWII.

The Pope's Last Crusade is rather short, but well researched and well written. I do believe that the title is somewhat misleading, but that would be a spoiler. The book is a fascinating look into the inner workings of the Vatican with all its rivalry and intrigue, and a very good look at an overlooked Pope. It is always a pleasure to learn about how Pius XI stood up to Hitler and Mussolini at great personal risk. It was disappointing to see the way some around the Pope, including the future Pius XII, worked to undermine his opposition to Hitler and fascism and how they were ultimately successful in that goal. In the epilogue, there was some discussion about what the motivation might have been and whether it was justified. I will end this with two quotes. The first is Pius XII, the second is Joseph Hurley (who was banished from the Vatican after saying it).You must not forget, dear friend, that there are millions of Catholics in the German army. Would you like to place them in the middle of a conflict of conscience?" Pius XIIWe have sympathy for the pacifists, but they are wrong. No word in the Gospel or in papal teaching suggests that justice should go undefended, that it is not worth dying for... The Church is no conscientious objector." Joseph Hurley

I found this book to be eye opening and it put into perspective of one during and before the war .the pope died during 1939 and the next Pope was not open to the Nazism that was in full swing by the time of his time

Pope Pious' stance against Facism and Nazism during pre-WWII is documented.

Fascinating take on Pius XI's struggle against fascism and the odd timing of his death.

Things might have been so different if Pope Pius XI had lived through World War II.

Fascinating treatise on the implication of a unpublished encyclical that may have affected the outcome of the persecution of Jews by Nazi Germany.