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The Book No Pope Would Want You To Read

Written by Tim C. Leedom and Maryjane Churchville

Book Review by Dennis Moore

The title says it all! Authors Tim C. Leedom and Maryjane Churchville have written a provocative and controversial book about the Roman Catholic Church, with some pretty serious allegations, The Book No Pope Would Want You To Read. At a time when it seems as if there is an attack and questioning on the very foundation of theism, Leedom and Churchville singles out the Roman Catholic Church, particularly The Vatican.

In their book, the authors indicate that for two thousand years the popes, the Vicar of Christ, have shaped the history with their power, and state that no institution has created so much injustice and inequity as the Church. In their indictment of the Church, the authors seem to imply that the Church as we were taught to know it, has been in league with the devil, with Hitler being given as an example. They rely on history to support their contentions.

The book speaks of NAZI collaborations, organized crime collaborations, child molestations, billion dollar pay-offs, money laundering scandals, all revealed in perfect detail! Although provocative and controversial, the book is rich in insight and perspective from others, most notably, that of the late and reknowned entertainer and talk show host, Steve Allen. In Memoriam, Leedom refers to Allen as a "Renaissance Man."

Steve Allen states: "The Roman Catholic Church is organized crime, a proverbial crime ring throughout history." For a Christian, such as myself, this is stuff hard to take! I, personally, have to look at all of this with a jaundiced eye! Some facts and disclosures by the authors are irrefutable, in the face of my Christian beliefs, such as allegiances and collaborations with evil men and historical events.

The book chronicles unspeakable crimes and injustices. The authors provides a database of publicly accused priests in the United States, involved in child molestation. In regard to child molestation, the authors state: "Deceptive semantics and euphemisms no longer work in the world of full disclosure. It is for the world to see. They are criminals and you have enabled them and continue to do so."

One aspect of the authors' allegations of corruption that I am most familiar with, is that of Chicago's Cardinal John Cody, as Chicago is my hometown, and I was living there around the time the Cardinal was embroiled in scandal. Just like the corrupt politicians that Chicago is famous for, Cardinal John Cody, who publicly claimed "I don't own Chicago but I control it," said, if he were removed, "The top will be blown off of the Vatican." Spoken like a true Chicago gangster, or corrupt politician! I was actually living within walking distance of his Church and residence in Chicago at the time this alleged statement was made. The FBI, the DEA and the Italian Banking regulators, suspicious of the Vatican Bank and the Institute of Public Works around 1978, had their eyes open for Cardinal Cody and scandals surrounding him. The result was a wiretap on Cardinal Cody and officers at the Illinois State Bank. In a parking lot in wet, steamy Chicago, a new FBI agent set up his recording apparatus to snag evidence against a Michelle Sindona, the Illinois State Bank and the corrupted Chicago Cardinal John Cody, who the new Pope vowed to remove ... "one way or the other." Cardinal Cody was further quoted as stating: "I answer only to the Pope and the Church."

His controversial reign over the Chicago archdiocese included federal investigations of financial improprieties. An estimate of over one million dollars of church funds went missing under Cody, and the National conference of Catholic Bishops lost more than four million dollars in a single year while he was the treasurer. I recall quite vividly the scandal surrounding Cardinal Cody, when I lived in Chicago, only blocks from his Church and residence.

Perhaps most noteworthy and salacious about this book, is the allegations of Vatican cooperation and collaboration with the Nazis. Leedom and Churchville state in "The Book No Pope Would Want You To Read:" "Joseph Mengele, 'The Angel of Death,' was sneaked back into Germany in 1957 with the aid of the Catholic Church to attend a family funeral;" "Andrija Artukovic, the 'Himmler of the Balkans,' second in command of the war's river of blood in Croatia, worked closely with Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac and Dictator of Croatia of Croatia Andre Pavelic;" "None of those convicted at the Nuremberg Trials in 1945 were ever excommunicated by Pope Pius XII or subsequent Popes." Photos in the book, that speak for themselves, indicates Catholic Bishops saluting Hitler, and that of Hitler with an Archbishop, "another inconvenient truth."

Whatever one's religious belief's are, "The Book No Pope Would Want You To Read," is a fascinating account of history, to be judged and viewed within the context of one's individual experience.