He holds up Pius VII as a hero of the "anti-Napoleonic resistance", apparently because the supreme pontiff provoked Bonaparte into arresting him. This tactic caused the Emperor to lose face, since he had to release the Pope ere he died in captivity. Noel thinks that his successor should have faced up to Hitler in the same way. That is to ignore the fact that Napoleon was a far better man than Hitler.
Not only would the Nazis have arrested Pius, and probably assassinated him in secret, but also all the Jews who were sheltering on Church premises, under the Pope's protection.
Pius's apparent non-resistance to absolute evil may have been enjoined by the Holy Spirit. Christ answered Caiaphas and Pilate yet remained silent before Herod, His most ruthless and personally wicked enemy.
If so. where does it leave the Pope's opponents?
Yours faithfully. PAUL CRAWLEY. Ebbw Vale.
Gwent. NP23 5UN.