In conversation with Dennis Prager

I am a bit late in posting this latest entry.  There was a technical hitch as I attempted to post on 30 June.  After that I had to leave things until I returned from a short vacation.  I've also got to work my way through a very full in-tray of emails on various Pius related news topics, including the miracle attributed to the pope.

Let me start with the topic from late last month.

At 0220 Australian Eastern Standard Time, on Thursday 30 June, I was the guest of Dennis Prager during his broadcast from Los Angeles.  I had been approached by a member of his team and asked if I would agree to an interview.  It was a great experience.  Dennis is a consummate gentleman and professional.  He asked me questions and allowed me to answer them without interruption.  In the world of live-to-air broadcast that is a mark of very gracious host.

Dennis made some very positive remarks about my book, describing it as balanced and in search of the truth, not an agenda. 

The major drawback with doing any form of interview is the lack of time to develop a point or points beyond introductory remarks. Nonetheless, Dennis' well-thought questions took us across some of the major issues to do with Pius XII and what he did or did not do during the war.  I will leave it to the reader to listen to the podcast available on the Prager website.

dp_rs_20110629-1_Wed_4e5913d0-f029-4dd0-b243-5f476466f469_radio-show_Hi.mp3

At the end of the interview, Dennis asked me to sum up what I believe is the case about Pius XII:  he was a fundamentally good man, who made some terrible mistakes. 

It is the work of the historian to keep looking at the evidence we have, to search for what we don't have, and to wait for what we will have - when the last archives are made available.  And the work of the historian is helped with the assistance of good journalism that seeks to understand the truth.  Thanks Dennis.

Dennis Prager