Robert A. Graham
Encyclopedia
Father Robert Andrew Graham, SJ (born March 11, 1912, Sacramento, California
– died February 11, 1997, Los Gatos, California
) was an American
Jesuit priest and World War II
historian of the Catholic Church. He was a vigorous defender of Pope Pius XII
over accusations that he had failed to do what he could to defend the Jews
and others persecuted by the Nazis.
The son of Charlie Graham
, a former professional baseball
player for the Boston Red Sox
and part owner of the San Francisco Seals (baseball), Graham joined the California province of the Jesuits as a young man. He was ordained priest in 1941 and was soon sent to New York
to work on the Jesuit weekly,
America, where he remained for two decades. In 1952, he gained a doctorate in political science and international law from the University of Geneva
during a sabbatical.
In 1959, his book, Vatican Diplomacy: A Study of Church and State on the International Plane, was published. This treatise on pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy published by Princeton University Press would endure to become a discipline classic thus qualifying Rev. Graham as one of the Church's experts on the subject of Holy See diplomacy. According to Catholic ecclesiatical diplomatic scholar, Ambassadeur du Christ (Oxon.) Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T., a Vatican-trained and Oxford-educated scholar of pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy, who had the privilege of being advised by Rev. Graham and who heads The Catholic Institute for the Study of Vatican Diplomacy, this classic treatise continues to be used by English-language scholars specializing in the field of pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy and diplomatic history even today. Following the publication of his book Rev. Graham travelled the world interviewing witnesses on the Vatican's diplomatic response to Nazism during the Second World War at a time when the Vatican archives remained closed.
To counter growing attacks, in 1965 the Vatican began publication of some of its wartime documents in a series of books edited by a Jesuit team, Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Seconde Guerre mondiale
. Graham joined them in Rome
in 1966 from the third volume (eleven would eventually be published by the project's completion in 1981. With Vatican permission, Graham also supplied researchers on request with other documents not included in the published collection. In 1968, Graham published a book, "The Pope and Poland in World War II," a summary of Volume III of the Actes, which deals with the Church in Poland.
Graham often published the findings of his research for La Civilta Cattolica
, the Jesuit-run, Catholic journal in Italy. In 1996, Graham published English translations of some of his La Civilta Cattolica articles in his book, The Vatican and Communism During World War: What Really Happened (1996)
Graham often wrote a column for Columbia, the official magazine of the Knights of Columbus
.
Graham's research was not limited to the Vatican archives. When a family friend had mentioned that one of their neighbors in New York spent part of the Second World War as an escaped British prisoner-of-war living in the Vatican,
he dropped what he was doing to fly to the US to meet with William C. Simpon. Simpson who had become part of Msgr O'Flaherty
network, later wrote a book on the subject titled A Vatican Life Line in 1996.
Graham criticised what he called "irresponsible muddying of the well-springs of history" by some writers on the Vatican during the Second World War. He felt that had Pius XII spoken out more forcefully against Nazi persecution, "Hitler would have gone on a rampage of revenge - not only against Jews but against German bishops as well." Graham regarded the refutation of accusations against Pius XII as vital. "While his detractors can no longer injure him, their slanders and insinuations continue to plague the Church, for when a Pope is defamed, the Church suffers."
In matters regarding Pius XII, he worked with Raimondo Spiazzi
. He revanched himself with ever new details, documents, or letters, which he continued to discover long after his 80th birthday. The New York Times quoted him "I am 79, I thought I ought to unload this stuff, before I pop off" Graham remained in Rome until illness struck in 1996, when he returned to his native California. He died in 1997, aged 84, leaving behind a large body of published and unpublished work.
Graham, Robert A, The Vatican and Communism during World War II, What Really Happened, Ignatius Press, 1996.
Graham. Robert A. The Pope in Poland in World War Two, Veritas, 1968
Graham, Robert A., Vatican Diplomacy: A Study of Church & State on the International Plane, Princeton University Press, 1959.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
– died February 11, 1997, Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jesuit priest and World War II
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...
historian of the Catholic Church. He was a vigorous defender of 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....
over accusations that he had failed to do what he could to defend the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and others persecuted by the Nazis.
The son of Charlie Graham
Charlie Graham
Charles Henry Graham [Uncle Charlie] was a baseball catcher, manager and team owner. Listed at 6' 0", 190 lb., Graham batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Santa Clara, California....
, a former professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and part owner of the San Francisco Seals (baseball), Graham joined the California province of the Jesuits as a young man. He was ordained priest in 1941 and was soon sent to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to work on the Jesuit weekly,
America, where he remained for two decades. In 1952, he gained a doctorate in political science and international law from the University of Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
during a sabbatical.
In 1959, his book, Vatican Diplomacy: A Study of Church and State on the International Plane, was published. This treatise on pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy published by Princeton University Press would endure to become a discipline classic thus qualifying Rev. Graham as one of the Church's experts on the subject of Holy See diplomacy. According to Catholic ecclesiatical diplomatic scholar, Ambassadeur du Christ (Oxon.) Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T., a Vatican-trained and Oxford-educated scholar of pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy, who had the privilege of being advised by Rev. Graham and who heads The Catholic Institute for the Study of Vatican Diplomacy, this classic treatise continues to be used by English-language scholars specializing in the field of pontifical ecclesiastical diplomacy and diplomatic history even today. Following the publication of his book Rev. Graham travelled the world interviewing witnesses on the Vatican's diplomatic response to Nazism during the Second World War at a time when the Vatican archives remained closed.
To counter growing attacks, in 1965 the Vatican began publication of some of its wartime documents in a series of books edited by a Jesuit team, Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Seconde Guerre mondiale
Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale
Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale , often abbreviated Actes or ADSS, is an eleven-volume collection of documents from the Vatican historical archives, related to the papacy of Pope Pius XII during World War II.The collection was compiled by four...
. Graham joined them in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1966 from the third volume (eleven would eventually be published by the project's completion in 1981. With Vatican permission, Graham also supplied researchers on request with other documents not included in the published collection. In 1968, Graham published a book, "The Pope and Poland in World War II," a summary of Volume III of the Actes, which deals with the Church in Poland.
Graham often published the findings of his research for La Civilta Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica is a Rome based Italian biweekly magazine printed by the Jesuits. The bimonthly journal was founded in 1850 with papal funding by order of the Pope and readers have recognised it as representing contemporary Vatican opinion. It has been praised and highly regarded by readers...
, the Jesuit-run, Catholic journal in Italy. In 1996, Graham published English translations of some of his La Civilta Cattolica articles in his book, The Vatican and Communism During World War: What Really Happened (1996)
Graham often wrote a column for Columbia, the official magazine of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
Graham's research was not limited to the Vatican archives. When a family friend had mentioned that one of their neighbors in New York spent part of the Second World War as an escaped British prisoner-of-war living in the Vatican,
he dropped what he was doing to fly to the US to meet with William C. Simpon. Simpson who had become part of Msgr O'Flaherty
Hugh O'Flaherty
Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, CBE was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Curia. During World War II, he was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews...
network, later wrote a book on the subject titled A Vatican Life Line in 1996.
Graham criticised what he called "irresponsible muddying of the well-springs of history" by some writers on the Vatican during the Second World War. He felt that had Pius XII spoken out more forcefully against Nazi persecution, "Hitler would have gone on a rampage of revenge - not only against Jews but against German bishops as well." Graham regarded the refutation of accusations against Pius XII as vital. "While his detractors can no longer injure him, their slanders and insinuations continue to plague the Church, for when a Pope is defamed, the Church suffers."
In matters regarding Pius XII, he worked with Raimondo Spiazzi
Raimondo Spiazzi
Raimondo Spiazzi OP was an Italian Catholic theologian, advisor to Pius XII, and Mariologist with over 2,500 publications.-Biography:Spiazzi was born in Moneglia, province of Genoa....
. He revanched himself with ever new details, documents, or letters, which he continued to discover long after his 80th birthday. The New York Times quoted him "I am 79, I thought I ought to unload this stuff, before I pop off" Graham remained in Rome until illness struck in 1996, when he returned to his native California. He died in 1997, aged 84, leaving behind a large body of published and unpublished work.
Publications
Alvarez, David and Graham, Robert A. Nothing Sacred: Nazi Espionage Against the Vatican, 1939-1945, Routledge, 1997.Graham, Robert A, The Vatican and Communism during World War II, What Really Happened, Ignatius Press, 1996.
Graham. Robert A. The Pope in Poland in World War Two, Veritas, 1968
Graham, Robert A., Vatican Diplomacy: A Study of Church & State on the International Plane, Princeton University Press, 1959.
External links
- http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9706/opinion/doyle.html
- http://www.catholicleague.org/piusxii_and_the_holocaust/defense.htm
- http://www.catholic.com/library/HOW_Pius_XII_PROTECTED_JEWS.asp