Jesuit Franz Jalics died in Hungary on Feb. 13, at 93 years old.
His name became known after Pope Francis’ election, for implying that during the war of the Argentine dictatorship in 1976, Pope Francis had abandoned him to the military.
The Vatican firmly denied the accusation.
FEDERICO LOMBARDI
Vatican Spokesperson
March 15, 2013
“These accusations are unfounded and have no reason, in any way, to cast a shadow on the figure of the new pope.”
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, who received the Nobel Peace Prize for speaking out against the dictatorship’s abuses, clarified Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s role.
ADOLFO PÉREZ ESQUIVEL
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
March 21, 2013
“The pope had nothing to do with the dictatorship, he was not involved with it. No! He was among those bishops who stood up and defended human rights. He did this through a quiet diplomacy.”
When Bergoglio was the superior of the Jesuits in Argentina, Franz Jalics and Orlando Yorio were arrested and tortured for six months.
When they were set free, they lamented that Bergoglio had not done enough for them. They later reconciled with him.
Some took this story as proof that Bergoglio had collaborated with the dictatorship. But that was not the case.
Argentine Aldo Duzdevich investigated Bergoglio’s past and published it in his book, “Salvados por Francisco” (Saved by Francis).
ALDO DUZDEVICH
Author, “Salvados por Francisco”
“When he was elected in 2013, a column in an Argentine newspaper said Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a collaborator of the military dictatorship. This book shows absolutely the opposite.”
Italian journalist Nello Scavo discovered in “La Lista Bergoglio” that the future pope not only refused to cooperate with the military regime, but helped many persecuted people.
NELLO SCAVO
Author, Bergoglio's List
“Some priests and bishops in 2006 and 2007, 30 years after the fall of the military government, discovered what Bergoglio had done and went to ask him why he had never talked about it. He's always preferred to remain silent.”
The fact that he hid many of the persecuted does not mean he was able to save them all.
The story of Franz Jalics and Orlando Yorio is a painful example that was clarified with time.
Javier Romero
Translation: CT
