1946 Vatican Document on Jewish Children, Take Two

English text of a hotly-debated letter from the Vatican to Catholic church authorities in France.

Following is the English translation of part of an Italian letter by the Vatican's Monsignor Domenico Tardini. The excerpt was sent to French Catholic clergy in October 1946. See digital copies of several original documents and read about their disputed origin.

Paris, October 23, 1946

[In French:] On the subject of Jewish children who, during the German occupation, were confined to Catholic institutions and families and who are now claimed by Jewish institutions for their return, the Congregation of the Holy Office has given a decision:

[In Italian:] "The Eminent Fathers decided that if possible, there should be no response to the request of the Grand Rabbi; in any event, if it is necessary to say something, it should be done orally, given the danger of abuse and distortion of anything written from the Holy See on the subject. Eventually, it will be necessary to explain that the Church must do its own research and observations in order to discern case by case, it being evident that children who were baptized cannot be entrusted to institutions that cannot guarantee their Christian education. Besides, also those children who were not baptized and who no longer have living relatives, having been entrusted to the Church, which has taken them under its care, as long as they are not able to decide for themselves, they cannot be abandoned by the Church or delivered to parties who have no right to them. Things would be different if the children were requested by their relatives. The decision of the Eminent Fathers and the criteria here presented were referred to the Holy Father in an audience of March 28, and His Holiness deigned to provide his august approval.

Extract from a letter of Monsignor Tardini dated September 28, 1946."