Bridge builder a
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In Bulgaria, J o hn Paul II reaches out to Orthodox By John Norton Catholic News Service SOFIA, Bulgaria (CNS) — Pope John Paul II arrived in Bulgaria for a visit aimed at building bridges with the countiy's Orthodox Church after years of cool relations. He said Bul garia 's 80,000-member Catholic Church wanted to help strengthen the former Soviet-bloc country 's spiritual heritage and "it wishes to join its efforts with those of other Christians. " The 82-year-old pontiff spoke during a governmentorganized arrival ceremony May 23 in Sofia 's main St. Alexander Nevski Square, next to the Orthodox Church's patriarchate and basilica. Orthodox Patriarch Maxim and members of the church's governing body of bishops met the pope, the first to visit Bulgaria, as he arrived in the square. The crowd of thousands in the square waved papal flags and cheered the pope , p rompting him to thank them several times in Italian for their presence and warm welcome. A Bulgarian priest translated his words. The pope arrived in Bulgaria after a daylong stop in overwhelmingly Muslim Azerbai j an , where he celebrated Mass for the country 's 120 Catholics and appealed for religious tolerance. He called that nation 's Catholics his "little flock, " and surely the 120 Catholics of Azerbaijan were the tiniest group of faithful the pope has ever journeyed to see. "The heart of the whole church beats with affection and love for you," he said at a Mass May 23 in Baku, the capital. BRIDGE BUILDER, page 13
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Pop e Jo hn Paul II blesses the eucharistic g ifts p resented to him. by one of Azerbaijan 's 120 Catholics, a community he called his "little f lock. "
PlAYIfyii IT SAFE Epiphany students learn about internet dangers By Jack Smith
For younger students . the San Francisco Police Department unit publishes an internet safety coloring book.
tudents at Epiphany elementary school are learning how to avoid being snared by predators on the internet. In early May, 6th, 7th 'and 8th graders at the San Francisco school became the first in the City to participate in an internet safety program which includes playing the interactive detective game , "Missing. " "Missing " is based on the true story of Zack, a 13 year old Canadian boy who was kidnapped and brought across the border and to San Diego by "Fantasma , " a 40 year old male, posing as 20 , he met on the internet. Last year, about 800 children across North America were ab'ducted by adults they met on the internet. These abductors disguise their names and ages and lure children to face to face meetingsby securing their confidence in chat rooms. They often offer praise, money or
Affirming marriage, famil y life ~ Page 9 ~
gifts according to Officer Kim Mercer of the San Francisco Police, Internet Crimes Against Children unit (ICAC). . Three such cases involving students at Catholic schools in San Francisco are currently pending in court, she said. In one case, a 26 year old male, posing as a 19 year old was able to lure a 13 year old female student away from school on a number of occasions. The girl would not identify the man to police, but authorities were later able to catch him by posing as a teenager in a sting operation. ICAC units across the country are primarily involved in patrolling internet chat rooms and web sites where anonymous predators seek to make friends with children and exp loit them for sexual purposes. "Education is a much better way to go," according to Officer Mercer. "Until you tell them a few stories they really don 't get it. " PLAYING IT SAFE, page 13
After Pentecost:
On the Street Where You Live
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The News in Brief
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Anything but 'ordinary '
Tourism dips at S.F. shrines . 5
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Affluence: not unmixed blessing in marriage
Wedding Guide
Datebook
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