Sister Margherita Marchione (1922-) is a Catholic nun who has written many books defending Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....

 against his critics.

Marchione has been a member of the Religious Teachers Filippini

Religious Teachers Filippini

The Institute of the Religious Teachers Filippini, commonly known as the Religious Teachers Filippini, the Sisters of St. Lucy Filippini, or simply the Filippini Sisters, is a Catholic religious institute devoted to education...

 for most of her life. She had access to the sisters of her order in Italy who participated in the sheltering of Jews during the Second World War

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

She also obtained a doctorate on philosophy at Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

 in New York. She once occupied the post of emeritus professor of Italian language and literature at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...

. She has retired from teaching but currently resides at Villa Walsh Academy

Villa Walsh Academy

Villa Walsh Academy is a private, grades 7-12, Catholic college preparatory school for girls located in Morristown, New Jersey, United States, conducted by the Religious Teachers Filippini. The school operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson...

, the motherhouse of the Religious Teachers Filippini.

Books

• Twentieth Century Italian Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology (edited, 1974)
• Philip Mazzei: Jefferson's "Zealous Whig" (1975)
• Clemente Rebora: A Man's Quest for the Absolute (1979)
• Philip Mazzei: My Life and Wanderings (edited, 1980)
• Philip Mazzei: Selected Writings and Correspondence (edited in 3 Volumes, 1983)
• From the Land of the Etruscans: The Life of Lucy Filippini (1986)
• A Pictorial History of the Saint Lucy Filippini Chapel (1992)
• Philip Mazzei: World Citizen (1994)
• Americans of Italian Heritage (1995)
• Yours Is a Precious Witness: Memoirs of Jews and Catholics in Wartime Italy (1997)
• Pope Pius XII: Architect for Peace (2000)
• The Fighting Nun: My Story (2000)
• Consensus & Controversy: Defending Pope Pius XII (2002)
• Shepherd of Souls: A Pictorial Life of Pope Pius XII (2003)
• Crusade of Charity: Pius XII and POWs 1939-1945 (2006)
• Did Pope Pius XII Help the Jews? (2007)
• The Truth Will Set You Free: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Death of Pope Pius XII (2009)

Honors

• Fulbright Scholar
• Columbia University Garibaldi Scholar
• Star of Solidality of the Republic of Italy
• Induction into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame.
• Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
  Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
  The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal is an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the "Cross of Honour". The medal was established by Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on those women and men who had aided and...
  
  cross.

External links

• Sister Margherita Marchione; defender of Pope Pius XII