News in Brief

CHINA Tieshan, who in his answer to the parts of the Pope's speech in Manila directed Pope John Paul's Message to Chinese towards China accused the Vatican of giv­ Christians ing support to Chinese Catholics who do During his visit to the Philippines in not belong to the "Patriotic Association". February 1981, the Pope made his first The article states that no Chinese religious open invitation for rapprochement with the organization has the right to accept finan­ Catholic Church in China. (The official cial help from other religious organizations "Patriotic" Catholic Church in China does abroad. Religious organizations in China not recognize the authority of the Vatican; must be "patriotic and free". Believers meanwhile many Chinese Catholics re· have the same duty as atheists to "love main loyal to Rome (see RCL Vo!. 8, No. 4, their country and socialism and support pp. 268-73).) The Vatican believes that the aims of the Communist Party". (AKSA, there are between 500,000 and two million 20 March 1981) baptized Catholics in China, and 580 priests. "I am convinced", said the Pope, Mgr Dominic Tang "that every Catholic within your frontiers During the tour of Pope John Paul to the will fully contribute to the building up of Far East in early 1981, Cardinal Casaroli, China, since a genuine and faithful Chris­ the Vatican Secretary of State, paid a visit tian is also a genuine and good citizen ...". to Hong Kong to meet and convey the He said that the Church does not seek any Papal blessing to Bishop Dominic Tang, privileges in China, "but only that all those 73-year-old apostolic administrator of the who f()lIow Christ may be able to express Archbishopric of Canton. Mgr Tang was their faith freely and publicly and live ac­ imprisoned in 1958 by the Chinese cording to their consciences. It is my authorities for opposing the establishment sincere and heartfelt hope", he continued, of a Catholic Church independent of the "that someday soon we shall be able to join Vatican. He was released in June 1981 and together praising the Lord and saying went to Hong Kong for medical treatment. 'behold how good and pleasant it is to dwell Mgr Tang was the only Catholic prelate in in unity as brothers.''' (International China to be recognized as such by both the Herald Tribune, 19 February 1981) Chinese authorities and the Vatican. On 30 April 1981, Mgr Tang arrived unex­ Chinese Christians Warned Against \ pectedly in Rome and was received shortly Seeking Help from Abroad afterwards by the Pope, who appointed The Chinese paper Red Flag reports that him Archbishop of Canton. The Chinese the Peking government is asking all government, describing this move as "rude religious organizations in China not to use and intolerable interference in China's af­ the law guaranteeing religious freedom to fairs", retaliated by removing Mgr Tang obtain financial or moral assistance from from his post as apostolic administrator of abroad. This government directive is con­ Canton. (Glas Koncila, No. 6, 22 March nected with the attitude of the "Patriotic" 1981; AKSA, 6 March 1981; 15 May 1981; (Catholic) bishop of Peking, Michael Fu The Daily Telegraph, 25 June 1981) 150 News in Brief

Chinese Protestants at Hong Kong 124,21 May 1981) Christian Conference As contacts between official Chinese Church leaders and Christians outside CZECHOSLOVAKIA China have been almost entirely non­ existent since 1949, the fact that eight New Czech Catholic "Samizdat" Protestant leaders from the People's Periodicals Republic of China attended a consultation in Hong Kong from 23 to 26 March 1981 Since January 1980 two Czech Catholic represents a landmark. samizdat periodicals-the quarterly Significant as the participation of these TeologickCtexty (Theological Texts) and the Chinese leaders in the conference is, it is monthly Informace 0 Czrkvi (Church Infor­ only one of many events in China in recent mation)-have been appearing regularly in months which have eased the position of duplicated form. They were later joined by Protestant Christians. Dozens of church a third journal, VzkT:~en{ (Resurrection), buildings have been opened or reopened, aimed primarily at a younger audience. All bringing the total in current operation to at three journals have a high professional least one hundred. The Nanking Union standard of editing and constitute a serious Seminary has resumed theological educa­ attempt on the part of the Catholic com­ tion with the admission of 48 students to munity to break the state monopoly over its first class, and it has also initiated cor­ the Catholic press. It is highly significant respondence courses for pastors in Chris­ that the journals are being duplicated tian Doctrine. The Bible has been (unlike most of the Czech samizdat which reprinted, and the Christian periodical is only typewritten). In the first place it will Tian Feng is appearing once more. mean that the journals will reach a wider Despite the obvious improvement these number of believers and strengthen their developments represent for Christians in determination to resist state pressure. China, the Chinese Protestant leaders at Secondly, it is a hopeful sign because it im­ the Hong Kong conference discouraged plies that the Czech Catholics have already contacts with Christians abroad. They overcome the adherence to "legalism" of stressed the danger that their Church the human rights activists: their scruples might acquire a "foreign" image, as a prevented them from seeking "illegal" Church dominated by Western leaders and methods of work (such as obtaining a manipulated by western funds, a Church duplicator), while it never prevented the whose doctrine and forms of worship are police from seizing the legal home-made expressed in terms of Western culture. books and periodicals whenever they Another statement discouraging con­ could. tacts between Chinese Christians and believers from abroad comes from the well­ Slovak Bishop fan Korec Protests to the kndwn Chinese Protestant spokesman, Federal Assembly Bishop K. H. Ting. In his Call for Clari­ On 4 April 1980 the much harassed Bishop ty-a series of fourteen points addressed to Jan Korec SJ was interrogated again by the Christians abroad, which may well be police in Bratislava. It was the sixteenth regarded as authoritative-he states that such occurrence since 1974 when he lost contacts are desired only with "church his state licence to work as priest. After­ groups and individuals overseas who have a wards he sent a letter of complaint to the friendly attitude towards New China and Federal Assembly (27 April) questioning who respect the Three-Self principle" (self­ the legality of the procedure used during government, self-support and self­ the interrogation. He writes that as he was propagation-Ed.). At the same time, told neither the reason for his summons Bishop Ting asserts that the "unity which nor the subject matter under investigation has emerged in the Chinese Church is he refused to answer the questions. The in­ closer than ever before". The vast majority vestigators, who failed to reveal their of Protestants, while not accepting Marx­ names, then confiscated all of his personal ism, is said to approve the present regime possessions including his papers, money, and to support Three-Self; he knows of on­ handkerchief and rosary, and threatened ly a "few who disapprove of, or oppose, him with imprisonment. "It happened on Three-Self'. (Keston News Service, No. Good Friday and I found it very News in Brief 151

humiliating" says Korec in his letter, and clericalism?" asks whether it is in the interests of the Fr Formanek was born in 1915, one of State to treat believers in this way. The the nine children of a poor peasant family. constant harassment and persecution ".of He studied for the priesthood aided by Christians only increases tensions and charity, and was ordained in 1945. After resentment among people who want to the dissolution of religious orders in 1950 contribute to the common good of the he was imprisoned, but escaped from the Slovak nation, which was itself formed by a internment camp, to be recaptured in 1955 thousand years of Christianity. (Informace when he was sentenced with nine other o Cirkvl, No. 5, 1980) Jesuits to ten years' imprisonment. He was released after the general amnesty in 1960 The Final Speech of a Slovak Jesuit but was allowed to work only in manual Fr Osk,h Formanek, sentenced on 25 June employment until his rehabilitation in 1980 to 18 months' imprisonment by the 1974. After denunciation by an informer, Court in Presov for celebrating Mass in his however, he was soon deprived of permis. flat, disseminating religious literature and sion to work as a priest. (Informace 0 Clrkvi, incitement, was able to make a long speech No. 5, 1980) before the court. He pointed out that there is no law in Czechoslovakia even implicitly Trial of Fr Labuda forbidding the saying of Mass privately and The court of RimavsH Sobota (Slovakia) in the presence of others, and that the sentenced Dr J6zef Labuda (31) and Emflia prosecution had failed to quote the rele­ Kesegova (29), a librarian, to six months' vant article according to which he would and four months' imprisonment respec· have broken the law "protecting the tively on 30 October 1980. The accused economic viability of the Church", for the were charged according to Art. 178 of the simple reason that such an article does not Penal Code-"obstruction of state supervi­ exist. The Mass is regarded even officially sion of the Church"-for organizing a as "Eucharistic prayer", and he asked "I retreat for seven young people. During the would like to ask the court whether or not court proceedings the witnesses changed one needs permission to pray, alone or with their statements in four cases, earning for others?" As for intention to "incite" (Art. themselves a threat from the public pros­ 100) or to "obstruct State supervision of ecutor, who announced in his concluding the Church" (Art. 178), it is quite absurd to speech that he would start prosecution regard the liturgy in this way; after all, the against them as soon as the verdict same words are said in every Church in the becomes valid. In January 1981 the appeal country quite openly. The intention of court quashed the sentence passed on those who pray, rather than the actual EmOia Kesegova. words used, is not verifiable. Pointing out that there is no law forbid­ Reprisals Against Bratislava ding'dissemination of literature published Seminary Students abroad, particularly that obtained legally The protest fast of 120 seminarists (20-21 through the customs, Formanek said that October 1980) against the involvement of the accusation against him should "Pacem in Terris" (the government· automatically be levelled against the controlled organization for priests) in the customs officers who passed this literature. work of the theological seminary took the From a legal standpoint this problem is fur­ authorities completely by surprise as they ther complicated by the non-existence of are not accustomed to such a show of an official index of banned books and the united resistance. The students have court was not helped by the sulDjective stated in their letter to the bishops "that opinions of atheist experts Dr HaleCka, Dr "Pacem in Terris" is a tool undermining Sidor and Dr Bilas, who are supposed to be the unity of bishops, priests and believers specialists in atheism and not in the and that its activities are designed to create political implications of religious literature. the illusion that our Church can lead a How otherwise could they cite the letter of perfectly normal life". The authorities set St Peter, written in the first century, as out immediately to select a number of evidence prejudicial to the socialist system students who would be expelled for of the 20th century? "What did St Peter organizing the strike, but the majority know about the complex aims of political stood behind them, prepared to resign 152 News in Brief from the college if necessary. The Minister address such warnings to the superpowers for Religious Affairs, Karel Hruza, furious­ directly concerned. Similarly, the reports ly demanded a trial but caution prevailed, on the Pope's speeches seem to suggest presumably for fear of the publicity abroad that the Pope, too, has spoken only on and the protests such action would arouse issues of peace and disarmament. By omit­ in Slovakia. On 4 January 1981, during the ting the religious substance of the Pope's winter holidays, all the seminarists re­ messages, Cardinal Tomasek goes on, ceived telegrams informing them to stay at Katolicke noviny loses its authenticity and home until further notice as the college its universality. (The Archbishop of Prague building was now under repair. In the himself sent some 18 articles to the paper meantime many students were being inter­ during the last year, but only two were rogated about their involvement in the pro­ published, and the papers which included test fast. Then on 9 February the students them not properly distributed.) "If this were informed they could come back, ex­ were to continue", concludes the Czech cept for eleven who were to be suspended Primate, "we would have to ask ourselves for one year. It seems that the resolute sup­ whether the paper still has the right to call port given to the students by Bishop J6.lius itself Catholic." Gabris and the Vicar General Stefan Garaj This strongly worded rebuff to the explains the relatively mild nature of this government-controlled "Pacem in Terris" reprisal by the authorities. Many protests reveals the continuation of the Vatican have been sent on behalf of the students, policy of no compromise with the corrupt among which the letter of Fr Viktor clergy in the service of the regime. (See the Trstensky is a particularly strong indict­ Cardinal's first attack in the Italian journal ment of the seminary's administrators, who 1/ Regno, (RCL Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 236-7).) by tolerating agents and collaborators Significantly, the letter has appeared in the among the students and the staff under­ clandestine press, which is often critical of mine their spiritual formation as prie.sts. the Cardinal's weakness in opposing (Informace 0 C{rkvi, No. 8, 1980; Nos. 3-4, government policies: this shows that the 1981; Hlasy:z RIma, No. 6, June 1981) resistance of the believers has some effect on the hierarchy. (Informace 0 Cirkvi, No. The Czech Primate Lashes out 4, 1981) at "Pacem in Terris"

On 16 February, the 82-year-old Cardinal EAST GERMANY Frantisek Tomasek, Archbishop of Prague, sent a letter to Frantisek Hochman, the WCC Central Committee Meets in Dresden editor of Katolicke noviny (Catholic News), expressing concern ab.out the paper's The Central Committee of the World editorial policy, controlled as it is by Council of Churches held its 1981 con­ "Pacem in Terris". ference in Dresden in August. In an inter­ Tfue paper Katolickt! noviny, which is view with the East German church supposed to be the voice of the whole newspaper Der Sonntag (12 October 1980), Czech Catholic community, has become, the Bishop of Dresden, Dr Johannes says Cardinal Tomasek in his letter, "the Hempel, said: exclusive mouthpiece of "Pacem in Ter­ "Firstly we want to help the WCC finan­ ris", which represents only a minute in­ cially. The conference in Dresden will terest group compared to the mass of cost considerably less than one in believers for whom the paper is destined". Geneva, which is otherwise the cheapest The Cardinal points out that the "Pacem conferen~e site. Secondly, it will enable in Terris" organization already has its own us to get to know one another. Printed journals and goes on to criticize more reports can give some information, but specifically the content of Katolicke noviny personal meetings are without doubt which-apart from covering the activities more effective and make a deeper im­ of the government-sponsored Catholic pression. I hope that our local churches grouping-seems exclusively devoted to will have the chance to talk face to face the problem of disarmament. Instead of with the members of the Central Com­ lecturing the Czech believers about the mittee; and that the members of the Cen­ dangers of the stockpiling of arms, says tral Committee will have the chance to Cardinal Tomasek, the paper should rather learn how churches in a socialist country News in Brief 153

are trying to find their own way of living A second book for church organists has out their faith." been published by the Baptist Union of Bishop Hempel describes the reactions Hungary. Like the first, which appeared in of some Central Committee members to 1975, it was compiled by Professor Pal his invitation: Beharka. The 3,000 copies of the present volume are destined for advanced organists "Many delegates came and asked me if it and will be used by musicians in the was true that nothing would happen to Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and them, if they could bring their wives, etc. Free Churches as well as by Baptists. A It seems to me that they are really in­ completely new Baptist hymnal also is terested in getting to know our country." scheduled for release, containing 500 (Keston News Service, No. 115, 15 January hymns for congregational singing and an 1981) appendix of 150 songs for children. It will be the 11th edition for Hungarian Baptist Restrictions on Church Reportage in GDR Churches and it is hoped that some 5,000 The present tense situation in the GDR copies will be available to churches this arises from a combination of factors in­ summer. (There are approximately 12,000 cluding economic problems, fear that the Baptists in Hungary. Ed.) "Polish disease" could spread and pressure, Dr Joszef Nagy has been re-appointed as actual or potential, from the Soviet Union. director of the theological seminary in The state authorities still appear to be try­ Budapest and the seminary administration ing to keep the promise they made in 1978 expects at least 12 more new students for of increased religious freedom, although the autumn term. (European Baptist Press the Church's continuing outspokenness on Service, 18 May 1981) government policies is embarrassing to them. They are at present allowing Church Statistics on the Roman Catholic Church members to say what they think, but preventing the publication of their According to the Vienna-based Hungarian criticisms in the East German church press Institute for Sociology of Religion, the or the western media. Western press nominal strength of the Roman Catholic coverage of Church synods, which used to Church in Hungary is 6,122,314 (about two be permitted automatically, is being thirds of the population). Active priests in restricted. The World Council of Chur­ service total 2,790 and there are 284 ches, which held its 1981 conference in seminarians. Thirty years ago the Church Dresden in August, was told at an early had 3,583 active priests. The number of stage to submit a list of conference par­ seminaries in 1950 was 13 but seven have ticipants, observers and guests, including been closed down by the State. The re­ journalists, as six months' notice was re­ maining six function on an inter-diocesan quired for their visa applications. Jour­ basis, serving the needs of the 11 dioceses. nalists~ were also informed that their ac­ Besides the diocesan seminaries the three creditation would apply only to coverage of religious orders (Benedictines, Franciscans "the events and proceedings of the Central and Piarists) have a further 48 seminarians. Committee" and that anyone wishing to Out of a total of 332 diocesan and religious report "more widely on the life of the seminarians, over half-161-came from Church and Society" must negotiate for the country's high schools. (HIS Press Ser­ separate permission for this. (Keston News vice, No. 19, March 1981) Service, No. 117,9 February 1981) Educational Problems for Hungarian Catholics • HUNGARY The importance of Christian education was stressed in a frank pastoral letter from Activity of the Baptists the Hungarian Episcopate of 2 February Three new mission stations have been 1981. It was read out in all Roman Catholic opened by Baptists in Hungary, in addition churches in Hungary. to the 200 which already exist. These are There are currently eight Catholic mission outreach projects as distinct from secondary schools functioning in Hungary. the established congregations of Baptists in Six are boys' schools and two girls', with an Hungary, which total over 200. enrolment of 2,000 students. In post-war 154 News in Brief

years; more than half of those· entering tion, which guarantees freedom of religious vocations have been educated at religion. They should do this in small set­ these schools which are highly regarded for tlements and villages, in old towns and the excellence of their academic record new ones. By doing this, new sources of and teaching staff (Benedictines, Fran­ strength would become available on the ciscans, Piarist priests and nuns). Accor­ basis of complete spiritual harmony be­ ding to the letter from the Hungarian tween the different religions and our Episcopate, however, there is concern beloved Hungarian homeland may be about the overall educational question in built on the solid foundations of strong Hungary. unity." "Education is made more difficult by the (Keston News Service, No. 120, 26 March many contradictory ideological and moral 1981) influences '" Our teachers are over­ burdened ... The equipment in our in­ stitutions causes constant worry ... We KAMPUCHEA should support them financially as well." Protestant House-Churches Closed Down Though the Catholic secondary schools have support from the State and also from When the Khmer Rouge came to power in many Catholic organizations abroad they 1975, the closure of Protestant churches cannot compete with schools in the state­ began and eventually all religious activity run educational system, according to the was driven underground. Pol Pot was over­ Bishops' letter. The letter claims that the thrown by the Vietnamese Army in 1979, state-run schools are not neutral educa­ and it now seems that the Heng Samrin tional agencies but rather servants of regime is pursuing a comparably harsh line Marxist-Leninist ideology. The Bishops towards Christianity. By early 1980 as point out that Marxism-Leninism is com­ many as six Protestant house-groups were pulsory and that it is therefore less effec­ meeting in and around the capital, Phnom tive as an ideological agent as the students Penh, and despite harassment by the consider it merely another subject to be en­ authorities attendance exceeded 500, with dured; but nevertheless, this use of educa­ new members coming each week. The last tional facilities for propaganda purposes known public house-meeting took place on results in the morning of Sunday 25 January 1981 in the Phnom Penh suburb of Takhmau: it "contradictory ideological and moral in­ was interrupted by authorities from the fluences affecting young people, [and Ministry of Cults who read out to the 80 these] leave deep impressions ... even at believers present an official document for­ a very early age." bidding such meetings. The problem of religion, education and The number of Christians in the country the .family was raised at the 7th Congress in 1975 is variously estimated as between of the People's Front in mid-March 1981 5,000 and 20,000; today there are between where Cardinal Le.kai made an important 200 and 300. Of the 15 to 25 pastors speech. "Religious believers in Hungary to­ ministering in 1975, only two or three are day", he said, left alive. (Christianity Today, 27 March "join in the building of a socialist 1981; Keston News Service, No. 121,9 April Hungary with their intellectual capacities 1981) and with the strength of their working hands and they do this peacefully in com­ Other Religious Groups in Kampuchea pany with the non-believers ampng their There are no known Roman Catholic compatriots. People with different world meetings being held in Kampuchea. Most views are carrying out equally valuable Catholics in Kampuchea were Vietnamese work in the interests of the Hungarian and fled back to their homeland after a people and so far this has been done with massacre in 1970. good results. For this reason we, Buddhism is apparently being practised believers, wish to see all teachers-and again to a limited extent, and more and not just a great many teachers-think in more monks are seen in public. terms of the entire reality of Hungarian Many of the country's Muslims fled after education and that they should act in the 1975 and have settled in Malaysia. At least noble spirit of the Hungarian Constitu- two mosques have been reopened by the News in Brief 155

Heng Samrin government, however-one (see RCL Vo!. 9, Nos. 1-2, p. 35). A seventh on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and the book, The Polish Form of Dialogue by Fr other in Kompong Cham. (Christianity To­ Tischner, has just appeared. (An extract day, 27 March 1981) from this book is printed in this issue of RCL, pp 139-46.)

POLAND

Police Action Against "Spotkania" and Catholic Social Teaching and the Religious "Samizdat" Free Trade Union A surprisingly strong move against On 9 December 1980 Cardinal Wyszynski Catholic dissent in Poland has come at a set up a working group attached to the time when censorship seemed to have Secretariat of the Polish Episcopate to deal been relaxed and official promises to allow with problems related to Catholic social more cultural freedom were being made. teaching and the needs of the Free Trade In a concerted action just before Union movement. It takes into account the Christmas, 1980, Polish security police process of renewal of social life and the raided a number of flats in Lublin where need for moral renewal in Poland as well as Spotkania (Encounters) is published and the emergence of a new trade union which produced. The· police confiscated is interested in the social teaching of the thousands of samizdat publications, several Church: Bishop B. D~browski, the reams of paper and an electric duplicating secretary to the Episcopate, was entrusted machine. Several people were held for with the sole right of appointing and questioning at the Lublin Catholic Univer­ dismissing members of the group. Among sity (KUL). On 24 February another raid the 11 members appointed by Bishop took place, this time in the Krakow flat D:;!browski on 28 January are eight priests, belonging to the editor of The Cross of and three laymen: Dr R. Kukol'owicz, Car­ Nowa Huta, a samizdat publication. Over dinal Wyszynski's delegate, and Prof. A. 5,000 copies of books were confiscated and Swi~cicki and A. Wielowiejski who are hundreds of samizdat documents. both closely involved in Catholic Intellec­ Spotkania began to circulate in October tuals' Club (KIK). 1977. It was published by a small group of students in Lublin anxious that Catholic opinion should be represented amongst op­ position samizdat. By 1978 it had grown in­ Pastoral Care for Striking Students to a movement which strove to develop a On 22 January a sit-in strike began in 17 consciously Catholic attitude towards the departments of .t6d£ University, at the world and to foster understanding and co­ Polytechnics and at the Medical and oper~,tion with all democratic opposition Musical Academies after the authorities group's existing in Poland. refused to register an Independent Student Fifteen issues of Spotkania have ap­ Union (ISU) formed in Sep.tember 1980 in peared, and the first eight have .been the wake of the summer events. The reprinted in the West. The high calibre of registration was only one of 49 demands the journal has been maintained continual­ put forward by the students. Between ly and a number of prominent intellectuals 7,000 and 10,000 students from the .t6d:l have become contributors, including Fr J. region participated. Sympathy strikes were Tischner, the renowned professor of held by students in Wrocl'aw, Warsaw, Poz­ philosophy at the Catholic Theological' nan, and Bielsko Biafa. Seminary in Krakow, and member~ of the During the strike students received Polish hierarchy (a lecture delivered at special pastoral care from the university KUL on the "Future of the Church in chaplaincies. The diocesan chaplain co­ Poland" by Bishop I. Tokarczuk was ordinated all the work. Every day Masses published in Spotkania No. 5). Since 1979 were said, with the majority of the students "Spotkania" has also published six books. participating. A special "room for prayer" One of these, by Fr A. Boniecki, the pres­ was designated in each university building ent editor of the Polish edition of Osser­ where students gathered to pray together. vatore Romano, concerns the unofficial Religious literature, Bibles and Catholic building of churches in one Polish diocese papers were distributed, a number of 156 News in Brief religious films were shown and discussions pedagogics." The Department was abol­ organized. Every Saturday all the chaplains ished in 1952 and its skeleton staff was in­ met the students' representatives to corporated into the Law Department. discuss the current situation and to draw up plans of action for the following days. On 2 February Bishop J. Rozwadowski, the The 178th Conference of the Polish ordinary of t,odZ' diocese, issued a special Episcopate pastoral letter to the people of t,oM asking them to pray for a speedy solution to the The 178th Plenary Conference of the conflict. On the day after the settlement Polish Episcopate took place from 11 to 12 was reached on 18 February, solemn March in Warsaw under the chairmanship masses were said in many of the university of Cardinal Wyszynski. In the communi­ buildings and other colleges. On 8 March, que issued at the end of the conference the Bishop J. Rozwadowski himself celebrated bishops called on all citizens, irrespective a thanksgiving mass for the students, pro­ of their political or religious persuasions, to fessors and people of Lodz. strive earnestly in a spirit of prudence and dignity to maintain the freedoms won in Episcopal-Government Commission Meets the summer of 1980. for the Fifth Time The new trade union, if it is to fulfil great expectations, should concentrate on A joint episcopal-government commission matters that are strictly within its com­ met for its fifth session on 2 March 1981. A petence: the defence of workers' rights and brief joint communique issued after the the safeguarding of their working, living session reveals that "representatives of the and cultural conditions. The bishops authorities emphasized once again the warned "Solidarity" against any attempt to positive role the Catholic Church has exploit the present trend towards social played in the process of social and political renewal for "purposes alien to the nation". stabilization in the country." Both sides They added, however, that "great self­ agreed that Polish society should give full discipline and patience are required not support to the initiatives of the authorities only from the trade union, but also from which attempt to solve the existing crisis, the government". The bishops stated that but added also that all initiatives should be "hasty decisions produce tensions and thus introduced in co-operation and dialogue weaken the process of stabilization". They with "organized social groups". According pleaded with Polish citizens not to allow to the communique, a number of impor­ Poland to become a country of chaos or a tant issues concerning church-state rela­ country of political prisoners. tions were discussed, but no details were The hierarchy gave their full support to given. These issues included church access the new free Farmers' Union: to the mass media, changes in the law on censorship especially with regard to "Our farmers must have the same rights relig~ous publications, the laws controlling as other workers to form free and in­ church property, pastoral work in hospitals dependent unions without any restric­ and penitentiary institutes, the organiza­ tions. The Church declares its unequiv­ tion of the Catholic University of Lublin, ocal support for this right which is a part and the controversial subject of a new of its social teaching. A farmers' union· motorway next to the Jasna GOra would not only represent the interest of monastery (see KNS, Nos. 89, 91, 118; farmers, but would also restore the RCL Vo!. 8, No. 2, pp. 149-150). There is, economic balance between industry and however, some indication that the talks agriculture. Only then will the existing between the Episcopate and the tensions subside, and the farmers regain authorities have had some practical conse­ their confidence in the government and quences. On 6 April the head office of the be able to concentrate their efforts on Catholic University of Lublin issued a feeding the nation." statement that "following the agreement In a discussion of the role of the clergy in between the Polish Episcopate and the the "moral renewal of society" the bishops Ministry of Education, the Department of stressed that "the clergy must ensure that Social Sciences is to be re-established in they always stand above politics, above any 1981. The new Department will have three particular pressure groups, in order that sections: sociology, psychology and they remain the servants of the Gospel and News in Brief 157

peace". The Conference issued a special vestigation of the events in Bydgoszcz. pastoral letter to the clergy "outlining their However, it was only on the eve of the tasks in the present situation". strike that "Solidarity" and the govern­ The hierarchy was informed about the ment reached a compromise and it was progress of work of the joint government­ called off. episcopal commission and learned that the commission recognized catechetical cen­ The Church and "Rural Solidarity" tres as a "permanent reality" in Poland. An The Catholic Church in Poland has given undertaking was given that the creation of strong and unequivocal support to the such centres would not be restricted in the Farmers' Free Trade Union in its struggle future. The bishops expressed their hope with the authorities to obtain formal that a suitable decree would be issued registration. According to remarks made by shortly. (In 1960 religious instruction was Kukolowicz, one of the Primate's advisors, abolished in schools, creating an enormous at a meeting of the Parliamentary Commis­ demand for such centres. The authorities sion on 7 April, Cardinal Wyszynski were very reluctant not only to grant himself played a prominent role in helping building permission for new centres, but to bring "Rural Solidarity" into being. The also to allow existing ones to be registered.) Primate has not only repeatedly stressed Finally, the bishops expressed their special the need to allow farmers to set up their gratitude for gifts of food and medicine own independent labour unions, but has sent to them from abroad and gave an also raised the issue during meetings with assurance that this would be distributed the Party leader Mr S. Kania and the Prime among those in need. Minister Gen. W. Jaruzelski. He also sent Kukolowicz as his personal delegate to Cardinal Wyszynski Meets assist the farmers in negotiations with the Polish Prime Minister government. On 26 March Poland's Prime Minister, The degree of the Church's active in­ General W. Jaruzelski, and Cardinal Stefan volvement on behalf of "Rural Solidarity" Wyszynski met in Warsaw to discuss the can best be illustrated by listing a series of country's current urgent problems. There events over the past months. On 2 was however little doubt that the main February Cardinal Wyszynski, in a sermon reason for the meeting was to try to avert delivered in Gniezno, stated: "Further the threat of a general strike which was to delay in giving the rural population the begin on 31 March. The threatened strike right to organize itself independently was prompted by the incidents in seems not only unreasonable, but a viola­ Bydgoszcz on 19 March when more than tion of the basic rights of those who pro­ 20 "Solidarity" members and organizers of vide the nation's food." Eight days later, on the Farmers' Union were beaten up and 10 February, the Main Council of the evicted from a government meeting hall by Polish Episcopate stated in their communi­ the pplice in Bydgoszcz. The authorities que: "the existence of labour organizations chose to ignore the demands of "Solidari­ for farmers is, according to Pope John XX­ ty" to punish those responsible and ac­ III's teachings expounded in his encyclical cused "Solidarity" of "overreacting". Car­ Mater et Magistra, an absolute necessity." dinal Wyszynski's stand on the matter was The question of the Farmers' Union was made clear on 23 March when he openly raised again at the l78th Plenary Con­ condemned the police brutality in his ference of the Episcopate and the Polish message during the broadcast of Sunday bishops gave it their full support in a joint Mass~ He warned the government not to statement issued on 13 March (see above, allow irresponsible behaviour on tq.e part . The 178th· Conference of the Polish of the security forces. It is difficult to assess Episcopate). The bishops' stand was the success of the meeting between the restated only three days later on 16 March two leaders. A brief communique, issued when they stressed the "urgent need" for by the church, stated only that both sides the union to be granted the necessary legal agreed that "it is essential to overcome ex­ status. The statement followed a meeting isting tensions within society in order to of representatives of the Farmers' Union avoid the threat of strikes." Further, it was with the Secretary of the Episcopate, Mgr acknowledged that there should be as a B. D

their Congress (which took place in Poz­ to five and six months under Art. 153 nan from 8 to 9 March) and about the cur­ ("hooliganism"). On the same day the Bap­ rent situation in the countryside. On 2 tist lone! Prejban, one of the few known April representatives of "Rural Solidarity!' members of the Romanian Christian Com­ were received in Warsaw by Cardinal mittee for the Defence of Religious Wyszynski himself. He gave them his Freedom (ALRC) still in Romania, was also pastoral blessing for their work and stated arrested while travelling through Tran­ that "recognition of the independent sylvanian villages speaking in churches. He Farmers' Union would help to overcome was sentenced to three months' imprison­ not only the current agrarian crisis, but also ment. (Keston News Service, No. 121, 9 the confidence crisis between the April 1981; No. 122,24 April 1981) authorities and society as a whole." With regard to the Union's relations with the Church, the Cardinal emphasized that the Church does not wish to confer any par­ SOVIET UNION ticular religious character on the Farmers' One-Fifth of the Soviet Adult Population Union, but rather bases its confidence in Still Religious and support for the movement on the hope that its activity will "help to reverse the To the question of how many religious process of depopulation of rural areas and believers there are in the Soviet Union, the promote their moral, cultural and standard reply is that no reliable estimates economic advancement". The Bydgoszcz can be made, as religious allegiance is not agreement, signed on 17 April, made it recorded on any documents. Church possible for "Rural Solidarity" to grant leaders-including Patriarch Pimen-have farmers labour rights equal to those en­ frequently asserted that there is no distinc­ joyed by the workers. (Radio Free Europe, tion made between Soviet citizens on Situation Report, No. 7, 24 April 1981; religious grounds. The Chairman of the Keston News Service, No. 120, 26 March Council for Religious Affairs, Vladimir 1981; No. 121,9 April 1981) Kuroyedov, told an American journalist that "we never ask people whether they are believers or not" and added that he has not Billy Graham Visits Poland the faintest idea of the total number of In'January 1981 Billy Graham paid a four­ believers in the Soviet Union. A careful day visit to Poland to receive an honorary monitoring of Soviet publications never­ doctorate from the Christian Theological theless reveals occasional mention of Academy in Warsaw. During his visit he statistics concerning believers, although was received by Cardinal Wyszynski. He discrepancies in the figures given make also had private meetings with Poland's reliable estimates difficult. The author of a Foreign Minister, J. Czyrek, and the report by Radio Liberty (Russian language Mini~ter for Religious Affairs, J. Kuberski. research bulletin, No. 42, 1981) studies (European Baptist Press Service, 8 January estimates given in recent years by 1981) specialists from the Moscow House of Scientific Atheism, the Institute of Scien­ tific Atheism of the Party's Academy of ROMANIA Social Sciences, the propaganda depart­ ment of the Central Committee and so on. Harassment, Arrests and Trials of These estimates vary from between eight Romanian Baptists and ten per cent to between 25 and 30 per The Romanian Baptist preacher Pavel cent of the'adult population. The majority Cri san and his wife Viorica ha~e been of experts seem to agree on a figure of 15 to undergoing repeated interrogation by the 20 per cent. (Keston News Service, No. 120, secret police since June 1980 and have 26 March 1981) decided that they have no choice but to try to emigrate. Six Baptists fromConstanta gathered in the flat of Emil Dumitru, one Baptist Church Opened in Alma-Ata of their number, on 25 March in order to A new house of worship was dedicated by begin a hunger strike in support of emigra­ the 1,200-member Central Baptist Church tion applications for their families. They in Alma-Ata in late October 1980. The were arrested, quickly tried and sentenced former building was in an area marked for News in Brief 159 redevelopment. Baptist Superintendent Metropolitan Yuvenali Resigns as Head for Kazakhstan, Nikolai Kolesnikov, the of Orthodox External Church pastor of the church, stated that the new Relations Department building was erected with state funds and The resignation of Metropolitan Yuvenali labour in recompense for the old property. of Krutitsy and Kolomna on 14 April 1981 The new church is closer to the centre of at the age of 46 as head of the External the city, and has a seating capacity of 700. Church Relations Department of the Rus­ Members of the congregation offered their sian Orthodox Church came as a great sur­ labour as well in order to speed completion prise to western churchmen. The Russian of the building. The Alma-Ata church edition of the Department's Information numbers 40 preachers among its members. Bulletin of 15 April published the text of Opening services were also conducted in Metropolitan Yuvenali's letter of resigna­ October 1980 in the new Baptist church at tion, dated 9 April, in which he asks to ~e Kuibyshev in the Volga region. (Keston relieved of his duties on the grounds of III News Service, No. 115, 15 January 1981) health. Born Vladimir Kirillovich Poyarkov in Arrests and Trials of Unregistered Baptists the town of Yaroslavl in 1935, he entered Continue Apace the Leningrad Theological Academy and became a monk in 1959. In 1963 he was ap­ Two more leaders of the Council of Chur­ pointed head of the Patriarchal Spiritual ches of Evangelical Christians and Baptists Mission in Jerusalem and in 1964 made a (CCECB), the executive body of the deputy chairman of the External Church unregistered Baptists, were arrested in Relations Department. The chairman at December 1980 and January 1981. These that time was Metropolitan Nikodim. are, respectively, Alexei Timofeyevich Archimandrite Yuvenali was made a Kozorezov and Dimitri Vasilyevich bishop in 1965, an archbishop in 1971 and Minyakov, both of whom had been living a metropolitan in 1972, in which year he in hiding for some time. There are now on­ succeeded Metropolitan Nikodim as ly three members of the Council of Chur­ chairman. ches left at liberty in the USSR: the chair­ Metropolitan Yuvenali was active in the man Gennadi Kryuchkov, Kornei Kreker, ecumenical sphere. He was a member of and Mikhail Shaptala. Kryuchkov has been the Central Committee of the World in hiding for over ten years. Pyotr Council of Churches, was an observer at Rumachik, a vice-president of the Council the fourth session of the Second Vatican of Churches, who was arrested in August Council, and played an active role in 1980, was sentenced on 21 March 1981 to dialogue with the Roman Catholic and five years' strict regime labour camp, and Protestant Churches. on 14 April Alexei Kozorezov to three He is succeeded by Metropolitan Filaret years. Nine other unregistered Baptists of Minsk and Belorussia, who will retain his alread~ under arrest were sentenced in present post of Patriarchal Exarch in Marcn and early April to between two and Western Europe along with his new duties. four years' labour camp. He is also 46. (Keston News Service, No. Thirteen arrests of unregistered Baptists 122, 24 April 1981; No. 123, 7 May 1981; were reported in March and April 1981, No. 124~ 21 May 1981) and four more in May, bringing to 43 the number arrested since the end of the Olympic Games. In April 1981 the total Brailovsky Exiled number of Baptist prisoners in the USSR Viktor Brailovsky, 45, a cyberneticist and exceeded 100 for the first time sinc~ 1976. leading Jewish activist who was arrested on This year the May Day celebrations in 13 November 1980, went on trial in the USSR gave a long weekend (1-3 May), Moscow on 17 June 1981 charged with and the occasion was used in many parts of slandering the Soviet State (Art. 190-1 of the country to hold extended youth the Criminal Code of the RSFSR). Brailov­ meetings. As a result many young people sky_ refused to accept a court-appointed were detained and sentenced to 15 days' lawyer or take part in cross-examination. "administrative arrest". (Keston News Ser­ The charge carries a maximum sentence of vice, No. 117, 9 February 1981; No. 121, 9 three years in a labour camp. On 18 June April 1981; No. 124, 21 May 1981; No. 126, Brailovsky was sentenced to five years' in­ 18 June 1981) ternal exile in western Siberia. His wife 160 News in Brief lrina is allowed to join him there. He was Fr Yakunin in Labour Camp told that he need spend only three years After being sentenced in August 1980 to and three months in exile because he has five years' strict regime labour camp been in prison since last November, a.nd followed by five years' internal exile for under Soviet law a month in prison is the "anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda", Fr equivalent of three months in exile. The Gleb Yakunin asked for an appeal, which authorities may have decided on a degree was apparently heard and rejected in of leniency because of publicity in the March 1981. It is not clear why there was West and the activities of Jewish and other such a long delay. While waiting for the ap­ western pressure groups. (The Daily peal to be heard, Fr Yakunin was apparent­ Telegraph, 18 and 19 June 1981) ly held in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison. He has now been moved to Camp No. 37 in Youth, Religion and Atheist Work Perm. On 4 May 1981 he joined ten other There have been various indications prisoners in a one-day protest fast led by Dr recently that the Soviet authorities are Yuri Orlov, founder of the Moscow worried by the interest in religion being Helsinki Monitoring Group, to coincide shown by young people. In the issue of the with the reopening of the proceedings of journal Molodoi kommunist for April 1981 the Madrid Conference reviewing im­ the deputy chairman of the KGB, V. M. plementation of the Helsinki Agreement. Chebrikov, admits in an article entitled (Keston News Service, No. 120, 20 March "Vigilance is a tested weapon" not only 1981; No. 124,21 May 1981) that many Soviet young people are disaf­ fected with communist ideology, but that they are receptive to alternative ideologies. Samizdat Journal "37" Stopped These include "revisionism", "na­ KGB pressure has brought about the tionalism", and "clericalism" -that is, demise of the religio-philosophical samiz­ religion. It is certainly unusual for a writer dat journal 37, long one of the most at Mr Chebrikov's level of eminence to ad­ respected dissident periodicals. According mit that interest in religion is a problem to the journal's Leningrad editor, 37-year­ among young people--in his words, that "a old poet Viktor Krivulin, the decision to certain portion of young people in our cease publication was forced on him by the country (are) still susceptible to religious KGB. Krivulin was warned that if he did prejudices" . not cease publication of 37 he would either A number of articles have appeared be expelled from the USSR or arrested. recently in the Soviet press calling for im­ Krivulin, who is a paraplegic with a wife proved atheist work, especially among and child, reluctantly signed an undertak­ young people. An article by D. Tabakaru ing to refrain from publishing any further called "School of the Young Atheist" ap­ issues of the journal. peared in the newspaper Molodyozh The first issue of 37 appeared in January Mdldavii on 28 March 1981. Mr. Tabakaru 1976 as a natural extension of an informal is head of the Philosophy and Scientific philosophical and cultural seminar which Atheism section of the department of met in a private Leningrad flat numbered Philosophy and Law at the Moldavian 37. Under the guidance of Krivulin and his Academy of Social Sciences, and he calls first wife, Tatyana Goricheva (who was on all organizations, but particularly the forced to emigrate in June 1980 under Komsomol, to make a "concerted effort" in threat of arrest), the seminar and its journal the atheist nurturing of youth. An article became known as outstanding forums for by T. Pandzhikidze called "The atheist is serious religious and cultural thought and produced in the VUZ" ("VUZ" ;= Institu­ for the expression of divergent opinions. tion of Higher Education) appeared in the Many of the early participants in 37 have Georgian newspaper Zarya vostoka on 24 since emerged as leading figures in various April 1981. Improvements in the com­ streams of dissident activity in Leningrad, pulsory scientific atheism course are such as the "Women and Russia" and necessary, says the author, in order to "Maria" feminist groups, non-conformist counter the "increased attention which art exhibitions and samizdat or literary religious organizations have been paying in activity. recent years to the young." (Keston News Although the editors of 37 have all been Service, No. 122,24 April 1981; No. 126, 18 harassed and threatened by the authorities June 1981) since the first issue appeared, a telling blow News in Brief 161 was struck with the expulsion abroad of cient care to protect prisoners against il­ Tatyana Goricheva, who had been co­ legal and inhumane punishments, such as editor and leading contributor_ However, being put into unheated concrete cells in the journal continued to appear and it was solitary confinement. He had done this as a in response to a recent issue, sharply matter of conscience, in a spirit of con­ critical of the status quo in the Soviet structive goodwill, on the grounds of the Union, that the remaining editor, Krivulin, universal recognition today of the concept was brought in for questioning by the of the worth of the human person, and of KGB- (Keston News Service, No. 120, 26 human rights. (AKSA, 19 January 1981) March 1981) Award for Late Archbishop Pogacnik The late Archbishop Pogacnik of Ljubljana VIETNAM has been posthumously awarded the Order Vietnamese Priests Report Pressure of the Republic with Silver Star in recogni­ Against Catholics tion of his special interest and services in settling relations between the self­ According to two Catholic priests who ar­ management socialist state and the rived recently as refugees in Thailand, the Catholic Church. (Dr Pogacnik was often authorities in Vietnam have been putting attacked during his lifetime for 'clericalism' increased pressure on the Church. Com­ and interfering in public affairs-Ed.) munist officials have apparently acknowl­ (AKSA, 30 December 1980) edged that their present policy towards the Church is linked to events in Poland. While the Vietnamese authorities do not Archbishop Franic Speaks on regard the Church as an immediate Atheization in Yugoslavia challenge to their own power, the two Ziva zajednica (Living Communities), the priests said that the communists look upon bulletin of the Croatian Catholic missions the Church as a potentially "de stabilizing" abroad (Nos. 1-2, January-February 1981), element. The Rev. Alphonse Tran Duc reports an interview with Archbishop Phuong, 58, a former South Vietnamese ar­ Franic of Split on Radio Cologne at my chaplain, said that while people are free Christmas 1980. Franic spoke of the to worship, there is pressure on the atheization brought about by the rapid ur­ Church at village level and in the banization of a peasant population torn priesthood. He said that the authority of away from its village church and religious the Church has been broken down in order organizations. The peasant finds himself to prevent any large-scale action. Only a isolated in a society where he is caught in a handful of priests have been ordained net of atheization, where the primary and since 1975 and only one seminary, in Ho secondary schools and universities and all Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), is still public life are organized to create the new operat~ng. Priests who have died or who Marxist civilization with atheism as an have been arrested have not been replaced. essential element. Marxism is taught as a (International Herald Tribune, 23 February movement of liberation which believes 1981) that religion is an unreal and illusory view of the world and that men will be free when they are liberated from these illu­ YUGOSLAVIA sions and can order their own lives, rather than taking orders from on high. In this at­ Archbishop Speaks on Rights of Believers mosphere the spontaneous civil atheism in Prison which comes from the West flourishes. In his 1980 Christmas sermon Archbishop Since Yugoslavia is the socialist country Kuharic of Zagreb revealed that he had most open to the West, and believers have written to the Yugoslav government about freedoms which they do not have in other the religious rights of believers serving socialist countries-to publish, to travel to terms of imprisonment: the right to be the West-they are in danger from both visited by a priest, receive the sacraments, kinds of atheism: the practical atheism see the religious press and in case of a from the West which Franic thinks much death sentence be accompanied by a priest the more dangerous and the theoretical during the last moments. He also asked atheism taught in Yugoslav society. whether the authorities were taking suffi- (AKSA, 27 February 1981)