WORLD - Russia refuses to allow Jesuits to register as independent body; other international news affecting Catholic Church

National Catholic Reporter, May 14, 1999 by Matt Kantz

Russia refuses to view Jesuits as independent body

Jesuit officials denounced the Russian government's rejection of the order's application for registration under the 1997 religion law.

Jesuit Fr. Stanislav Opiela, the former superior of the Jesuit's Russian region who is handling the order's application, said, "If we want to exist and develop our activities, then we need to have a legal identity so that, for example, we can invite teachers from abroad to come here. And we want to do this openly, as Jesuits, and not hide the fact that we are here."

The government denial of the Society of Jesus' registration April 1 as a religious organization under Russia's new religion law highlighted a significant hurdle faced by the Catholic church in meeting the law's year-end deadline for registering hundreds of entities.

In their rejection of the Jesuits' application, Russian Ministry of Justice officials recommended the group drop its claim for recognition as an independent legal body and, instead, register as part of the local apostolic administration, which would rob the religious order of its independence.

Czech cardinal under protection after threats

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of Prague has been assigned police protection after receiving death threats.

A spokesman for the Czech bishops' conference, Fr. Daniel Herman, said a series of anonymous Czech-language letters had reached his office from Britain and other countries threatening Vlk, president of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences.

Herman said he and another priest, Fr. Tomas Halik, director of Prague's Christian Academy, also had been threatened with "physical violence" in letters received since late April.

Herman said the threats did not increase significantly after Vlk issued an April 26 statement on behalf of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences supporting NATO political and military leaders who went through a straggle of conscience before launching air strikes against Yugoslavia.

"The authors [of the threats] were trying to change the church's stance on NATO's military actions in Kosovo -- specifically, they wanted the church to condemn NATO's air raids outright," Herman said. "But the Czech bishops have said there are situations where all peaceful means of negotiation have been exhausted, and where it is unacceptable to stand by when people are left at the mercy of unjust rulers."

Australian church backs heroin injecting room

An illegal heroin injecting room run by four churches opened its doors to addicts May 3 in central Sydney, Australia.

The Tolerance Room, or T-Room, at the Wayside Chapel will be open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for at least four weeks. Users will bring their own heroin but are provided a package containing a syringe, a clean plastic spoon, sterile water, a swab to disinfect the skin, cotton wool and a tourniquet. They are allowed one visit a day and health care workers are on hand to help anyone who collapses and needs resuscitation.

Organizers intend to use the sanctity of the church as a legal means of avoiding a potential $2,200 fine or two years in jail for aiding and abetting the self-administration of a prohibited drug.

The churches behind the project are the Catholic Church of St. Canice, the Anglican Church of St. John, the Wayside Chapel of the Uniting Church and the Ashfield Uniting Church.

The T-Room, which costs about $25,000 a month to operate, was condemned by Prime Minister John Howard and the New South Wales government.

Wayside Chapel spokesman Cameron McKenzie said the facility's first session was attended by a number of users and was well-received. Officials said the T-Room will continue to operate if the state government fails to change its drug policy following the upcoming May 17 drug summit.

Sinead takes back $200,000 contribution

Mother Bernadette Mary, otherwise known as Sinead O'Connor, took back her $200,000 contribution to the dissident bishop who ordained her as a priest.

A rift formed in the Latin Tridentine church after the donation to Bishop Michael Cox, with Fr. Pat Buckley saying it smacked of simony or purchasing a sacrament.

"Bishop Cox and I know that the donation had nothing to do with my ordination, but I am taking it back for protective reasons," the singer said April 29 in the Irish Times. She had said the money was to fund a healing center in Ireland.

Cox said he supported her decision and that "some people were getting the impression that Mother Bernadette bought her ordination and that is utterly wrong."

The Vatican excommunicated Buckley last year after Cox ordained him a bishop. The Tridentine group rejects the Vatican II reforms of 1962 and insists on holding services in Latin.

Cox said he has been approached by several women who also wish to be ordained and that the first candidate was to be interviewed the first week of May.

In an open letter to Pope John Paul II, O'Connor said "I beg you in all humility before God to endorse me and women generally for the priesthood."

Polish synod urges re-evaluation of lifestyle