As Vicar of Him Who in a decisive hour pronounced before the highest earthly authority of that day, the great words: “For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, hearest My voice” (Saint John xviii. 37), We feel We owe no greater debt to Our office and to Our time than to testify to the truth with Apostolic firmness: “to give testimony to the truth.” This duty necessarily entails the exposition and confutation of errors and human faults; for these must be made known before it is possible to tend and to heal them. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (Saint John viii. 32).
In the fulfillment of this, Our duty, we shall not let Ourselves be influenced by earthly considerations nor be held back by mistrust or opposition, by rebuffs or lack of appreciation of Our words, nor yet by fear of misconceptions and misinterpretations. We shall fulfill Our duty, animated ever with that paternal charity which, while it suffers from the evils which afflict Our children, at the same time points out to them the remedy; We shall strive to imitate the Divine Model of shepherds, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who is light as well as love: “Doing the truth in charity”. (Pius XII, Summi Pontificatus)
I think the statue of Pope Pius XII in the Vatican makes him look like a sad defensive Pope instead of the joyful radiant Pope that the pictures testify to.
I’m also a little split on that statue too. However, it does show that the man was by all accounts a severe ascetic.
Does anyone have a picture of the wax statue of Pius XII that used to be displayed in St. Patrick’s Cathedral when Cardinal Spellman was there? Would anyone happen to know where that statue is now?