On June 29, feast of Saint Peter and Paul, Pope John Paul II imposed the Pallium, the sign of Church communion, on 28 new Archbishops. One of them was Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, of the new Mother of God Archdiocese in Moscow. A few hours before he was to receive the Pallium the Archbishop was kind enough to speak with Fides Service.

Fides Service - Please tell us about relations between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: Relations are very difficult, particularly since the Pope raised our Apostolic Administrations to the rank of dioceses earlier this year on February 11. Since 1991 the problems are always the same, the question of canonical territory, the definition of proselytism. Another question is that of the Church in Ukraine, which I believe should be dealt with in Ukraine because we cannot ignore history: that Church has deep roots and it has suffered greatly.
The question of canonical territory is a matter for each individual Church, not a matter for discussion in dialogue between different Churches. We must take into consideration the fact that many Catholics were deported by force from Poland, Belo-Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia and planted in Russian territory. These Catholics have a right to their own bishop. The Orthodox Patriarchate sustains the principle that a city can have only one bishop: although not always. For example the cities of Berlin, Brussels and Vienna have a Catholic bishop but they also have a bishop sent by the Patriarchate of Moscow. This is a matter of incoherence, double standards. With regard to the question of proselytism, we must make it clear that the Catholic Church is absolutely against all forms of proselytizing, particularly after the Second Vatican Council defined us as Sister Churches. On the other hand, if someone comes asking to become a Catholic we certainly cannot send him away.

Fides Service - What would be the basis for dialogue?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: Authentic religious freedom is based on recognition of the dignity of every person: a person must be free to choose to believe or not to believe, to belong to a particular Church, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant. But the Russian Orthodox Church says that people who are Russian by nationality, whether baptised or not, are automatically Russian Orthodox. The fundamental point to be clarified from a theological point of view is the understanding of canonical territory and proselytism. For example the Orthodox look through the list of our seminarians at St Petersburg to see how many are of Russian nationality and they object to their presence in a Catholic seminary, accusing us of proselytism. About two months ago I read in an Italian magazine Italia Ortodossa an article on the pastoral visit to Italy of the Orthodox Bishop of Paris: the Orthodox priests present in Italy are mostly Italian, but no one would consider this proselytism.

Fides Service - Do you think there are hopes that dialogue will be resumed?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: In 1994 in Moscow, an Inter-Christian Consultative Committee was set up comprising one representative respectively of the Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic Churches here. I am the Catholic representative. We have held four important meetings, so relations do exist. There are also relations in efforts to provide humanitarian aid which are much appreciated. Last week I had meetings with a group of priests of the Patriarchate of Moscow and with a few bishops, therefore I think there are hopes for a new stage of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue.

Fides Service - What other challenges face the Catholic Church in Russia?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: We have some difficulty with regard to religious instruction for our Catholic children. In Russian state schools religious instruction is not allowed. We try to solve the problem by providing catechism classes on Saturdays in the large cities, Moscow and St Petersburg. Another problem is the question of visas for our clergy who are not Russian citizens. Recently, as you know, border police withdrew visas from Bishop Mazur of St Joseph's diocese Irkutsk and Italian Father Stefano Caprio, parish priest. We still have not been told why they were expelled. We have another non Russian Bishop, Clemens Pickel of St Clemente diocese at Saratov, who is German. When Bishop Pickel's visa expires who knows what will happen? Another challenge regards the many vocations we have. Many come from families of non believers and therefore in a sense they have no roots. With regard to relations with the state, Russia's law on religion is very limited. In fact only four religions are taken into consideration: Orthodox Christianity, Islam Buddhism and Judaism. For us Catholics and also for the Protestants, this is a problem.

Fides Service - You mentioned humanitarian aid. Recently there were serious floods in the North Caucuses region. Have you been helping with assistance?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: Yes our local Caritas, Caritas Russia and our own diocesan Caritas have been involved in providing humanitarian assistance. However our means are limited and when help is needed in distant regions, we work together with Caritas in other countries for example, Caritas Italy, Caritas Germany and Caritas Japan.

Fides Service - Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, this evening you will receive the Pallium from the hands of the Pope. What is the significance of this event?
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz: It is of great significance. To have come so far means a great deal to me. When I was born, in Soviet times, believers were persecuted; it was hard to keep the faith. When I left school I went to Moscow University but I was persecuted and forced to give up my studies. I moved to Leningrad and enrolled at the Polytechnic school. With difficulty I followed courses at the seminary. Everything in Russia was under control and this continued in the first years of my priesthood. But if I have reached this dignity it is not of my doing. It is due to the faith of the persecuted Church, the courage of Catholics here who kept the faith handing it on to the new generations. It is thanks to many priests, mainly from other countries, Religious men and women lay people, my own parents and all those who educated me. This honour is most of all a recognition for this Church of ours and I believe it will give impulse for new growth. (Fides Service 4/7/2002)

Biographical note: Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusievicz
Tadeusz Kondrusievicz was born on January 3, 1946 at Odelsk. On May 31 1981 he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Vilnius in Lithuania. On May 10, 1989 he was appointed bishop by Pope John Paul II and received Episcopal ordination on October 20 that same year. On April 13, 1991 the Pope promoted him to the dignity of Archbishop and appointed him Apostolic Administrator of European Russia (from 23 November 1999 Northern European Russia). On February 11, 2002 he was appointed Archbishop Metropolitan of the diocese of the Mother of God in Moscow. (Fides Service 5/7/2002)

Russian Federation : the Catholic Church in figures
Dioceses: 4 (1 archdiocese, 3 suffragans); 212 parishes officially registered, 27% has no church in which to celebrate mass; about 300 non registered pastoral centres; priests 275 (85% non Russians coming from 23 different countries); women religious 260 coming from about 20 different countries; 1 major seminary at St Petersburg with 77 major seminarians; a Lay Institute of Theology in Moscow with about 300 students; activities in the field of communication: 2 radio programmes broadcast from Moscow. a weekly magazine and a number of minor bulletins, 400 Catholic books in published in last ten years; 4 editions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Russian in 2001. Every Sunday in Moscow 27 Masses are celebrated in 13 different languages. (Fides Service 5/7/2002)

The Pallium
The Pallium is a liturgical ensign. It is a narrow band of wool with pendants back and front, decorated with small black crosses. Palliums are made from the wool of two lambs presented to the Pope on the feast day of St Agnes on January 21. The Pallium, preserved in a casket resting on the tomb of St Peter in Rome, is worn by the Pope and by Metropolitan Archbishops as a sign of the fullness of Church communion. (Fides Service 5/7/2002)