China Censors Bush Speech on Religious Freedom

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Feb. 23 — Hundreds of millions of Chinese saw President Bush on television calling for greater religious freedom in their country, but as far as the official Chinese news agency is concerned, the president never spoke the words.

About half of Bush's speech at a university in Beijing Feb. 22, which was broadcast live, was expunged from the transcript provided by the New China News Agency, the Los Angeles daily reported. Getting the ax were portions of the speech extolling American liberty and urging China to relax its political and religious restrictions.

Also cut were the president's comments about his own faith, his call for an end to religious persecution in China and his wish that Chinese might one day choose their own national leaders.

Russian Mufti Gets on Anti-Vatican Bandwagon

ASSOCIATED PRESS, Feb. 21 — Russia's chief Muslim cleric joined the dispute over the Vatican's decision to make its four administrative districts in the country into dioceses. Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin said during a press conference that the move is an invasion of Russia's “religious space,” the news service reported.

“Historically, the four major faiths of Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism have existed in Russia and have defined its culture and history,” the mufti said. “Any active promotion of an alien ideology may threaten the country's stability and integrity.”

“Alien ideology?” The mufti might wonder if Russia is happy with Islam's own “ideology,” which often supports the need for jihad to spread the faith into historically non-Muslim countries. In fact, in the south of Russia, up to 1,500 foreign fighters remain in the Islamic rebel territory of Chechnya, funded by al Qaeda and other groups, the Christian Science Monitor reported Feb. 26.

Sicilian Town Plans a 'Catholic Rushmore’

THE GUARDIAN, Feb. 27 — A 2,500-year-old Greek theater and temple are not enough for the Sicilian town of Segesta. In order to boost its tourist industry, it is contemplating sculpting a “Catholic Rushmore.”

Nicola Cristaldi, the town's mayor, announced plans for the faces of Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and Blessed Padre Pio to be sculpted into the red-brown rock of Segesta's hills. He wants the faces to be large enough to be seen from outer space (65 feet high) and enough of a wonder to attract 250,000 visitors annually, the London daily reported.

The $4.3 million cost of the project is to be shared by private investors, the regional government and the nearby town of Calatafimi. But the plan may face opposition from environmentalists, who fear that Segesta's natural beauty will be destroyed, and archaeologists, who want the money to be spent on excavations around the Greek ruins.

Polish Priest Who Saved Jews Dies in Florida

ASSOCIATED PRESS, Feb. 27 — Msgr. Walter C. Bayer, a Polish native who saved Jews during World War II and later taught with the future Pope John Paul II at the University of Krakow, died Feb. 25 at his home in west-central Florida. He was 89.

During the Nazi occupation of Poland, when the priest lost nine relatives, Msgr. Bayer hid about 50 Jews in his house, gave them baptismal certificates and helped them escape to other countries. A German officer searching for Jews broke three of his teeth with brass knuckles.

After the Communist government removed priests from teaching positions, Msgr. Bayer settled in the United States.