European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 2, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday july 2, 1994 religion the stars and stripes Page 11koran verses available at Tehran phone number from the associated press Nicosia Cyprus a iranians can now get a direct line to. The almighty and hear verses from the Muslim scriptures via a new dial a koranic verse service. A a a quota the iranian Telephone company wednesday opened a Nedaye Koran or voice of the Koran line for up to 12 callers at a time according to a report by the islamic Republic news Agency monitored in Cyprus. Callers dial Tehran Telephone number 114, a figure that signifies the number of chapters in the holy Book and hear a recorded incantation of verses by the Well known iranian reciter Ali  assails masons Charleston . The general Assembly of the Church of god in Anderson ind., has passed a Resolution at its annual meeting declaring freemasonry incompatible with. Christianity a freemasonry is a Chris less religion that omits. The name of Jesus Christ in its prayers and a rituals and has a false View of god and the nature of his salvation a the Resolution said. It also accuses freemasonry of using a bloody oaths and secretive rituals that a should be repugnant to the  the nondenominational Church of god has More than 550,000 followers around the world nearly half of them in the United states. V. A this is a recommendation a said David Lawson associate general Secretary of the Church of god in Anderson. T each of its 2,300 american congregations is autonomous and will decide whether to implement the Resolution Lawson said. William Stovall Deputy grand master of masons a in California said freemasonry is not a substitute for religion. A we Are not a religion. We teach our members Charity brotherly love and truth a Stovall said. A fall we require is belief in the supreme being. We have members of every Faith a Muslim _ Buddhist jewish and Christian. Our openness is what seems to rankle some Christian  there Are about 5 million masons in the worldwide fraternal order about 2.5 million in the United states the Southern Baptist convention debated the Issue last year but concluded that membership in a masonic order is a personal  Bishop installed new Orleans a nearly 3,000 delegates from african methodist episcopal churches worldwide have installed a new Orleans Bishop As head of the policy making body of the 2.2 million member denomination. A Bishop Robert Thomas head of the Church a District covering Louisiana and Mississippi becomes president of the denominations 25-member Council of Bishops and will serve for one year. Thomas a native of Chicago worked in churches in Chicago and Detroit before becoming a Bishop in 1988. It in served four years in South Africa before coming to new Orleans in 1992.catholics jump Borders. Milwaukee a about 15 elementary school age children in Wisconsin were taken by their parents to Illinois because the youngsters could be confirmed in the roman Catholic religion at a younger age there. Catholics in the Milwaukee archdiocese which includes suburban Brookfield and Elm Grove Are not confirmed until age 16, while the sacrament is administered in the Peoria 111., archdiocese when a child is in 7th, 8th or 9th Grade. The confirmations by Bishop John Myers were held last month in Streator Iii. Mans Frior Peter e. Bolerasky a priest assigned. To St. Stephens Catholic Church in Streator said Many of the Wisconsin parents Felt the youngsters would be too Busy for confirmation once they got to High school. A. A a we pc never had the practice of waiting that Long for confirmation but what in be heard is that we lose them if we wait that Long Quot Bolerasky said. The Rev. Ralph Gross Chancellor of the Milwaukee archdiocese said that although the Vatican had Given american Bishops permission to confirm at any age Between 7 and 18, Milwaukee archbishop renin cart Weakland had decided it should be done about age 16.episcopal priest leads congregation to Rome Arlington Texas a after spending 34 years As an episcopal priest the Rev. Allan Hawkins decided he needed a new Faith. But he knew it would be hard to leave behind the congregation he had led for nearly 14 years a so he did no to. Hawkins and his 200 parishioners at St Mary the Virgin Church became catholics last month. A a Shepherd is somebody who leads the flock a said Hawkins 60, who was ordained As a. Catholic priest june 29. A shepherds do not say goodbye. They try to take their flock with  the switch makes St. Mary the sixth a anglican use. Roman Catholic Parish in the country and the Only one that took its buildings and properties when it converted it was allowed to keep its property because of the congregations near unanimity. A it was an amicable kind of a separation. They talked about this for a Long time a said episcopal Bishop co Adjutor Jack Iker. Under the anglican use provision approved by the Vatican in 1980, episcopal churches May become Catholic but keep some of their traditions including their prayer Book. They May also allow exceptions to some Catholic rules such As married priests. Hawkins said he did no to switch because of individual concerns like the ordination of women. He said the problem was that his Faith has strayed from its roots. Traditional episcopalians like Hawkins contend that the Church is making decisions based on secular trends rather than biblical authority. Hawkins arrived at the 34-year-Olcl Arlington Parish in 1980. A i Felt when i came that if i did nothing else just a a staying Here would help the Parish a Hawkins said a if you stay in a place Long enough they May not agree with you or they May but they Trust  that Trust was a part of what led to meetings in 1991 in which the congregation sought to break free of the episcopal Church. Hawkins wife and two adult children also converted. Haw Kins said he merely guided the parishioners. A it really is something we did together a he said. A i clearly had a vision As to what ought to happen but they shared that vision a ice Cream habit two nuns in Dresden Germany Cool off with some ice Cream wednesday. The nuns were visiting the Eastern German City to take part in the 92nd Catholic convention. Temperatures reached the upper 80s.Gore seeks dialogue with catholics Washington apr the Vatican a opposition to artificial contraception and abortion has created an a unnecessary tension with the White House vice president Ai Gore said thursday. But he urged that the differences be put aside to work on stabilizing world population Gore called for a ways to communicate and work together which accentuate the division of labor and diminish the feeling of conflict about this Issue while acknowledging respectfully the beliefs held by those who disagree with  we can then move beyond the conflict and bitterness a he said. A a let a find ways to work together.�?�. Gores comments in answer to a question at a population forum were the administrations most extensive response to criticism from the Vatican and Catholic officials about . Efforts to Spur greater global availability of artificial contraception and abortion. The  receiving heightened attention As All sides stake out positions for the United nations sponsored conference on population in Cairo Egypt in september. A draft action plan for the conference urges Universal Access to family planning information but language on abortion was largely left to be debated _. By countries attending the Cairo conference. The Clinton administration considers reducing child mortality and improving the status of women a two goals for which Catholic organizations have worked worldwide a to be As important As birth control in the Effort to curb population growth Gore said. A no organization has been More effective in address ing illiteracy and social injustice and child and infant mortality than has the Catholic Church a working even a in partnership with groups that distribute birth control information and devices in developing countries he. Said