Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Latin language">Latin</a>: Pius PP. XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (March 2, 1876 – October 9, 1958), reigned as the 260th <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope" title="Pope">pope</a>, head of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Church" title="Roman Catholic Church">Roman Catholic Church</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch" class="mw-redirect" title="Monarch">sovereign</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City" title="Vatican City">Vatican City</a>, from March 2, 1939 until his death in 1958.

Before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_conclave" title="Papal conclave">election</a> to the papacy, Pacelli served as secretary of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Extraordinary_Ecclesiastical_Affairs" class="mw-redirect" title="Department of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs">Department of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_nuncio" class="mw-redirect" title="Papal nuncio">papal nuncio</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_Secretary_of_State" title="Cardinal Secretary of State">Cardinal Secretary of State</a>, in which he worked to conclude treaties with European and Latin-American nations, most notably the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichskonkordat" title="Reichskonkordat">Reichskonkordat</a> with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>. His leadership of the Catholic Church during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> remains the subject of continued historical controversy.

After the war, Pius XII contributed to the rebuilding of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a>, and advocated peace and reconciliation, including lenient policies toward vanquished nations and the unification of Europe. The Church, flourishing in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West" title="West">West</a>, experienced severe persecution and mass deportations of Catholic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy" title="Clergy">clergy</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Bloc" title="Eastern Bloc">East</a>. In light of his protests, and his involvement in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italian</a> elections of 1948, he became known as a staunch but pragmatic opponent of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism" title="Communism">communism</a>. He signed thirty <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concordat" title="Concordat">concordats</a> and diplomatic treaties.

Pius XII explicitly invoked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_cathedra" class="mw-redirect" title="Ex cathedra">ex cathedra</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility" title="Papal infallibility">papal infallibility</a> with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogma_%28Roman_Catholic%29" class="mw-redirect" title="Dogma (Roman Catholic)">dogma</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary" title="Assumption of Mary">Assumption of Mary</a> in his 1950 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_constitution" title="Apostolic constitution">Apostolic constitution</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munificentissimus_Deus" title="Munificentissimus Deus">Munificentissimus Deus</a>. His <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magisterium" title="Magisterium">magisterium</a> includes almost 1,000 addresses and radio broadcasts. His <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Encyclicals_of_Pope_Pius_XII" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Encyclicals of Pope Pius XII">forty-one encyclicals</a> include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystici_Corporis" class="mw-redirect" title="Mystici Corporis">Mystici Corporis</a>, the Church as the Body of Christ; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediator_Dei" title="Mediator Dei">Mediator Dei</a> on liturgy reform; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humani_Generis" class="mw-redirect" title="Humani Generis">Humani Generis</a> on the Church's position on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology" title="Theology">theology</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">evolution</a>. He eliminated the Italian majority in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Cardinals" title="College of Cardinals">College of Cardinals</a> with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_XII#Grand_Consistory" title="Pope Pius XII">Grand Consistory</a> in 1946. His <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congregation_for_the_Causes_of_Saints" title="Congregation for the Causes of Saints">canonisation process</a> is in progress.

Gordon’s role as a credit banker gave way to new responsibilities. Eventually, as vice president, he wound up in charge of “communications, public relations – that sort of thing,” recalled Peterkin. ... “Unbeknownst to most people, we for many years were one of the bankers for the Vatican,” Peterkin said.  “And Gordon used to have private audiences with the Pope.”  Though he could not recall which particular Pope, other sources later told me it had been Pius XII – and that Gordon had not liked him much.” [added caveat] – Reidlinger, “A Latecomer’s View of R. Gordon Wasson”, in Sacred Mushroom Seeker, 1990, p. 210

Wasson’s ties to the Vatican ensure that he keeps the research away from Judeo-Christianity. Ok to investigate fringe groups like tribal Catholicism in Mexico with the Mixe, Maxatec, Zapotecs, etc. Stops his own investigation into Judeo-Christianity at 1000 B.C.E. Sets up bogus PR argument based on Panosky (willful or unwillful pawn?) – this is very early in his studies for such a firm conclusion. Wasson admits mushroom trees are a common theme, but provides no study, no further comment – not like him. In other areas of research he’s very thorough, exhausting all possibilities.