Translated material
Vera for painting
Preparation for communion in Catholic churches is possible only with the consent of the parents.
Catholic parishes in Russia will act more carefully so as not to provoke attacks from the Orthodox community and secular authorities. Issues of survival of the Western Christian Church in new conditions will be discussed at the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia, which will be held in October in St. Petersburg. The conversation there will most likely be about changing working methods in Russian regions. And one of the first steps in this direction can be considered the recent order of Metropolitan Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz on new rules for the churching of children. Now, without the written permission of their parents, it will be impossible for minor Russians to take their first communion in a church or attend catechism classes. In addition, Catholics intend to compulsorily invite Orthodox priests to participate in all charitable projects in orphanages, schools and hospitals.So far, the Roman Curia in Moscow categorically denies any rumors about a global change in church policy. The decision to create four Catholic dioceses on Russian territory, which caused a wave of criticism from the Moscow Patriarchate and pro-Orthodox politicians, will not be revised either. However, it is obvious that Catholics in our country are finding it increasingly difficult to withstand pressure from the Orthodox community and the authorities. Especially after the Kremlin - through the mouth of the deputy head of the main department of internal policy of the presidential administration Sergei Abramov - refused to intervene in the flaring conflict and, in fact, gave the go-ahead for further deportation on formal grounds of Catholic clergy. In this situation, the Roman Curia will apparently try to get its priests, 90 percent of whom in Russia are foreigners, out of harm's way. After all, without them, not only missionary activity, which the Orthodox are so dissatisfied with, is impossible, but also the very existence of Catholic parishes.
Be careful - Russia!
General Secretary of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia Fr. Igor Kovalevsky told the Vremya Novostey newspaper that clergy will be advised not to irritate the authorities and the Orthodox Church.
— Father Igor, is your church going to announce a change in church policy after the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia?
- We will discuss the current situation. But I don't think there will be a radical change. One of the main tasks for us now is to increase the number of Russian clergy. We will advise our priests to be more delicate and not to irritate the Orthodox Church and officials.
—Are you giving up proselytism?
— There is a general concept of proselytism, and there is a canonical one. If it were not for the proselytism of early Christian missionaries, we would still be praying to Perun in Russia. There is a missionary commandment of Christ: go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the narrow canonical sense of the word, proselytism means luring people from one Christian denomination to another by deception. We do not engage in such activities.
- What do you mean by deception?
- Well, let's say, for humanitarian assistance. This is exactly how some representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and even some representatives of local authorities present our activities. But we do not do this, although we respect the right of every person to convert to Catholicism if he has such a desire.
- And the Russian Church believes that proselytism is the conversion to Catholicism of those who, under more favorable circumstances, would have been converted to Orthodoxy.
- I see the activity of the Christian church in attracting people to itself by example and spiritual authority. And not by administrative methods. And especially not by such methods as to influence state power and so that this power limits the rights of other faiths. And those who reproach us for proselytism and fear us as a competing company in the spiritual field simply do not trust the forces of their own confessions enough.
- But your charitable projects contribute well to the growth of authority...
-- The authority of any denomination is enhanced by charitable activities. After all, it is based on the virtue of mercy and in any normal culture, naturally, such actions are only encouraged. But we emphasize that our charitable projects are not related to missionary activities. We help all people without exception, regardless of their religion. And we do not demand a conversion to Catholicism in exchange. Interviewed by Kirill VASILENKO