Hard to think that it’s almost eight years since Pope Benedict XVI visited Auschwitz. Yet, today marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the horrendous Auschwitz concentration camp. During the Second World War, a reported 900,000 Jews were immediately killed upon their arrival at Auschwitz and another 200,000 died there.
An estimated 200,000 non-Jews were imprisoned at the camp, 165,000 were Catholics, including priests, seminarians and religious. Two of these Catholic victims were Saints Maximilan Kolbe and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein).
During his visit to Auschwitz Pope Benedict made this remarkable theological meditation on the Holocaust. No doubt this was an emotional visit for the pontiff, for the “pope from Germany” as he refers to himself. The day started with rain and ended with a rainbow in the sky as shown in the image above. During his 2014 trip to Israel Pope Francis said and wrote these words that describe the anguish and sorrow of many righteous and faithful people. Words that we can reflect upon on during this sad commemoration day.
Never again, Lord, never again! Here we are, Lord, shamed by what man–created in your own image and likeness–was capable of doing. With shame for the fact that man made himself the owner of evil; with shame that man made himself into God and sacrificed his brothers. Never again! Never again!
