Jewish leaders irked as Catholics rework statement

WASHINGTON (AP) — US Roman Catholic bishops have revised a document on Catholic-Jewish relations to affirm that the church must share its belief that salvation is through Christ.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement that changes were needed in the 2002 document, "Covenant and Mission," because it mistakenly played down the importance of sharing the Gospel and was therefore misleading.

"The USCCB reaffirms what the Holy See has stated repeatedly: that while the Catholic Church does not proselytise the Jewish people, neither does she fail to witness to them her faith in Christ, nor to welcome them to share in that same faith whenever appropriate," said Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Conn.

The revisions released last week are the latest chapter in a complex theological debate about salvation for those outside of the Catholic Church. Discussion of the issue between Jews and Catholics focuses on the significance of the ancient covenant between God and the Jews.

Pope John Paul II had spoken repeatedly of a covenant "never revoked".

Rabbi Garry Greenebaum, US inter-religious director for the American Jewish Committee, said the bishops' revision "seems to be a stepping back" from John Paul's thinking.

"It is somewhat disappointing," Greenebaum said, "and will require a lot of engagement by the Jewish community with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican."

Tensions have arisen between Jewish leaders and Pope Benedict XVI over several recent issues. Last year, the pontiff restored a prayer for the conversion of Jews that Jewish leaders deemed offensive.

More trouble occurred in January, when Benedict lifted the excommunications of an ultraconservative schismatic Society of St. Pius X.

One of the movement's bishops had denied the Holocaust. Benedict subsequently made a rare acknowledgement of a Vatican mistake and said he had not known about Holocaust-denial by the bishop.

The group still has no status within the Catholic Church.

www.usccb.org/

ACLU sues for Muslims at special unit

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two Muslim inmates held in a special unit at the US prison in Terre Haute say they aren't allowed to pray in groups as often as their religion requires and have asked a federal judge to ease limitations on worship imposed by the Bureau of Prisons.

The prison in western Indiana houses several high-security inmates, including American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for aiding Afghanistan's now-defunct Taliban government. The June 16 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana challenges limits on Islamic worship in the prison's restrictive Communications Management Unit, where about 30 of the 40 inmates are Muslim.

Muslims are required to pray five times a day, but the lawsuit, filed on behalf of inmates Enaam Arnaout and Randall T. Royer, says inmates in the CMU are allowed to pray as a group just one hour a week.

The ACLU contends that violates a federal law barring the government from restricting religious activities without showing a compelling need.

The lawsuit is one of two the ACLU has filed concerning conditions in the CMU in the past week. The ACLU claimed in a June 18 lawsuit that the unit was created in secrecy and keeps its mostly Muslim inmates in virtual isolation.

A Justice Department spokesman said last week that the government followed federal rules in creating the special unit in November 2006.

Designed to house prisoners who require additional security, the unit closely monitors inmates' outside contacts.

Bureau of Prisons officials declined to comment on the latest lawsuit.

Atheists angry at City Hall prayer booth

WARREN, Michigan (AP) — The Freedom from Religion Foundation is protesting a Detroit suburb's decision to allow a prayer booth at City Hall. The booth is located in the lobby of Warren's city offices and is adorned with a banner that reads "Prayer Station".

Volunteers record the first name and request of each booth visitor and ask the visitor to stay in touch with the church.

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said the city rents the space to any group that complies with policies and fills out the proper paperwork.

The foundation, which represents atheists and agnostics, is seeking copies of city policy, its rental agreement with a church and verification it is being charged to use the space.

Judge orders county to open room to church

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a Contra Costa County library to open its doors to a religious group.

County officials had barred the Faith Center Church Evangelistic Ministries from meeting in the library's Antioch branch because they said the group violated the library's prohibition of religious services in its meetings rooms.

But US District Judge Jeffrey White ruled last week that the policy was unconstitutional, since it directed library managers to determine what constitutes religious services when considering applications for the meeting room. The room is open to public use.

Groups such as the Sierra Club, Narcotics Anonymous and a production company conducting auditions for the television show "American Idol" were allowed to use the meeting room.