European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 05, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes religion saturday november 5,1994 hard sell fuels big sales of Pope s Book on Vatican City a Pope John Paul h s Book crossing the threshold of Hope has become a Best seller on both sides of the Atlantic thanks in no Small measure to the promotional savvy of Church officials. -. ". / a in Public the Pope has yet to say a word about Hisook. But roman Catholic cardinals have plugged it attracting hundreds of vips for glittery Book receptions. X -.-, " v v. / / and Vittorio Messori the journalist who collaborated with John Paul on the Book is fast gaining celeb Rity status. Vav  -.-. / Xiv crossing the threshold of Hope sold 250,000 copies at $16 each in the four Days after it was released oct. 20, said Arnaldo Mondadori editor the Pope s italia publisher. A. Vex a in the United states 500,000 copies were sold in the first few Days of release at $20 a copy Mondadori said. Vatican officials have said All royalties will go to a Charity to be designated by the Pope. Any hardcover Book that Sells More than 150,000 co pies is considered a Best seller in Italy. John Paul s reflections on the papacy religion and the role of the Church is reportedly running neck and neck with Umberto eco s new Nove r so a Del Gizmo Prima or 7s-land of the Day before. The Pope s Book is appearing in 21 languages in 31 countries and the Sale of foreign rights should bring in millions of dollars. Alfred a. Knopf paid $6 million for the English language rights. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger the guardian of Church orthodoxy introduced the Book at a Milan reception that Drew 600 people including the wife of Premier Sil Vio Berlusconi. The Premier s Media Empire includes a minority stake in Mondadori. Several Hundred More people jammed the italia embassy to the holy see in Rome a week later for a Book presentation by another Cardinal and a Buffet Din Ner a a. -. X. " after the pasta roast veal and ice Cream copies of the Book and a videotape on the Pope s travels also distributed by Mondadori went on Sale. Messori the journalist whose questions submitted i Advance for a to interview Are said to have inspired the Book has become a hot property on the talk show and interview  Messori said in an interview tuesday with 11 message Gero of Rome that disgruntled theologians and egg Heads were spreading false rumours on the Pope health in an Effort to discredit him and Force him to re sign. John Paul 74, has been slowed by hip replacement surgery and cancelled a visit to the United states in order to recover. The Vatican denies he is seriously ill. Nancy and Mark Mcdanlel of Garden Grove Calif., stand near the Crystal Cathedral whose Bells they say Are too loud. Noise of Bells has Church s neighbors clamouring Garden Grove Calif. A a Little less Joy Ful noise please. Two neighbors of the Rev. Robert Schuller s Crystal Cathedral say the Church s $5 million stainless steel Carillon bothers their eardrums. The Bells ring twice a hour daily from 9 . Until 6 . It s the most gosh awful noise you Ever heard. It snot even music said Max stauffer who lives two houses from the Cathedral. Schuller s evangelical protestant Church has grown from a drive in ministry to a Southern California land Mark that broadcasts services to 20 million people weekly. The Church began ringing the Carillon in 1991. It s not just the sound that bothers stauffer and his neighbor Mark Mcdaniel. Instead of sticking to hymns the Bell selections include three Blind mice and / dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown hair m a Nic said. It s aggressive playing Mcdaniel said. I could t even watch to. It s Thunder of Mcdaniel tried using a noise meter two years ago to build a Case against the Church but it did t qualify As nuisance under City noise standards. Church officials said they would meet with Mcdaniel to talk about the Bells. Stauffer and Mcdaniel probably won t get much sup port from their neighbors. Since 1976, Crystal Cathe dral ministries has acquired 19 Homes about one third of the neighbourhood for employees or Church members. I bought one of those Bells in that Tower. My name son it. That s Why i moved into this neighbourhood said Church member Betty Dixon whose front door opens toward the Tower. Minister brings word silently to congregation from the associated press Greenville . Many people cannot imagine How a Lack of hearing could affect their lives severing even spiritual ties when deaf people cannot listen to their minister. What deafness does is it cuts of communication said the Rev. Marty Price of the first Baptist Mission of the  can go without sight you Canto without limbs you can go without just about anything except for interaction Price said.  most of the 80 members of Price Church Are deaf. The rest Are people who can hear who come with deaf family members or friends. The people Here Are wonderful member Robin Holloway said through an interpreter. It s Good to have people to communicate with in sign  interact Pray and share our needs. It s one of Only a handful of churches of its kind i South Carolina said Price who can hear and is fluent in sign language. There Are a few differences from Church meeting for those who can hear. People Don t Bow their Heads in prayer so they can watch the person who is signing. During private prayer someone flashes the lights to signify it is time for something else. The Church opens opportunities said member Frances  a hearing Church deaf people can t teach andean t do any jobs. They just kind of sit there she said through Art interpreter. But Here we  patriarch military vow ties Moscow the russian orthodox Church an military leaders have pledged to work together to fill the ideological vacuum left by the collapse of communism. Orthodox priests could take a More Active Partin raising the prestige of military service patriarch Alexy if head of the russian orthodox Church told a conference of clergymen and military officers recently. We need interaction to achieve spiritual revival of the army and the  Russia s military has been squeezed by funding cuts since the 1991 soviet collapse and has been struggling to redefine its Mission. V earlier this year Alexy and defense minister Pavel Grachev signed an Accord to broaden Contact Between the Church and military. The Church has ordered that prayer books be distributed among the troops and told its priests to expand military contacts. It has even offered to help coax reluctant draftees to join army ranks. The defense ministry searching for a substitute for the communist indoctrination of troops during the soviet Era has welcomed the church1 overture. Church Bank stolen Park View Iowa in the latest of a rash of Church break ins burglars took a sunday school Bank that contained Money earmarked for poor people in foreign countries. The plastic Bank at the new Hope United methodist Church in Park View was shaped like Achurch. Children put coins and an occasional Dollar Bill in it to celebrate their birthdays and help the less fortunate. There was Only about $10 in the Bank Church trustee Michael Boe Decker said. Maybe the thieves needed it worse than we  within the past month 18 other churches in the area have been burglarized. In each Case a window or door was pried open and burglars entered the off ice area in search of Cash. X Vatican greets Duchess Vatican City the Vatican went out of it Sway thursday to Welcome its newest Royal convert the Duchess of Kent. It announced that Pope John Paul ii had receive the Duchess whose husband is a Cousin of Queen Elizabeth ii of England and in an unusual action issued her biography to reporters. The biography included mention in boldface Type that she converted to roman catholicism in a private ceremony in Westminster Cathedral on jan.14x the Vatican is expecting other converts fro among the ranks of anglicans upset by their Church s decision to ordain female priests