VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI told followers of a Catholic evangelizing community to adopt new Vatican norms on celebrating Mass, saying adherence to the rules would bring them gifts from God.

Benedict held a special audience last week with thousands of followers of the Neocatechumenal Way, which was developed in the 1960s in Spain and focuses on evangelizing with small groups of believers.

The Neocatechumenal Way has grown significantly over the past 40 years, spreading to 105 countries and generally enjoying the support of the Vatican, which has seen it as an effective way to preach Catholicism in the modern world.

Catechumenate Masses, however, contain unique practices that were recently the subject of a Vatican letter telling Catechumenate followers to bring their celebrations in line with regular Catholic Masses approved by Rome.

Catechumenate followers typically celebrate Masses on Saturday nights rather than Sundays and receive Communion while seated around a table, rather than standing or kneeling at the altar, which is the practice in parish Masses.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, who heads the Vatican office for sacraments, told the community’s founders in a Dec. 1 letter that they had two years to bring their Communion practice in line with Rome’s.

Malaysian Islamic authorities form morality squad to deter ‘indecent behavior’

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Islamic religious authorities have formed a team of volunteers to patrol Malaysia’s capital to prevent “indecent behavior” among Muslims.

A 75-member Islamic Council Volunteer Squad will be on the lookout for offenders – such as Muslim couples holding hands in public – in Putrajaya, the administrative capital just south of the largest city, Kuala Lumpur, said Che Mat Che Ali, director of the Federal Territory Islamic Department.

“Their role is to prevent indecent behavior,” Che Mat told the New Straits Times newspaper. “We want them to approach people and advise them against creating social problems and committing sins like that.”

A department spokeswoman, Zainab Mohamad, confirmed that the team began work Jan. 16. She stressed that the volunteers – members of Muslim community groups – were not empowered to arrest anyone.

The volunteers, uniformed in blue vests and white caps, are expected to alert the department’s enforcement officers if they spot offenders while patrolling Putrajaya’s parks and other public areas.

Islamic department officials already inspect lovers’ haunts and occasionally raid venues like discos. Islamic courts can charge suspects with various offenses that often carry prison terms and fines. Critics say the Islamic officers are overzealous and violate civil rights.

More than half of Malaysia’s 26 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims. There are also many ethnic Chinese and Indians who practice Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism, among other faiths.

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Churches help U.S. Marshals with fugitive surrender program

PHOENIX (AP) – A program that began in Ohio to entice fugitives into surrendering at churches is coming to Arizona this spring.

A church will transform into a makeshift courtroom for several days, hoping to convince some of the state’s 80,000 fugitives to turn themselves in, said U.S. Marshal for Arizona David Gonzales. Officers will process those who show up, and defense attorneys will be available.

Gonzales said the fugitives aren’t offered amnesty, but are promised “favorable consideration.” For nonviolent felony or misdemeanor suspects, that usually means being released without bail after showing up at the church court and possible leniency at sentencing.

The first event is tentatively set for four days in May at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church in Phoenix.

Peter J. Elliott, the U.S. Marshal for northern Ohio, came up with the idea for the program, called Fugitive Safe Surrender. The partnership of law enforcement and faith groups was launched in Cleveland in October. More than 800 suspects surrendered in four days of the program at a Baptist church.

The program is designed to let suspects surrender at a neutral location without endangering themselves, their family or neighbors. It helps law enforcement by getting suspects back on track in court without having to search for them or make potentially dangerous arrests.

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Episcopal Diocese asks churches to turn down the heat

KEENE, N.H. (AP) – New Hampshire’s Episcopal Diocese is asking its churches to turn down the heat, following the lead of a church in Keene that plans to use its own savings to help families that are having trouble paying heating bills.

The Rev. Peter Coffin will turn off the heat in the sanctuary of St. James Episcopal Church during February. He plans to hold services in a common room that would be heated anyway.

Bishop V. Gene Robinson suggested that other parishes do the same as Coffin.

Coffin estimates the church will save up to $1,000, which it plans to donate to families in need. But money was not the only factor in the decision, Coffin said.

The war in Iraq also plays a part because the politics of the Middle East are driven by oil, said Coffin, who drives a hybrid car with a bumper sticker linking gasoline use to Osama bin Laden.

“In theory, we’re all supposed to be conserving here at home so we’re not as dependent on energy from outside sources,” he said.

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http://www.nhepiscopal.org/

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Ohio man sentenced to attend church for threats, racial slurs

CINCINNATI (AP) – A judge sentenced a suburban Cincinnati man to attend services for six weeks at a predominantly black church for threatening to punch a black cab driver and using racial slurs in a fight with the man.

Brett Haines, 36, of Anderson Township, picked church over spending 30 days in the Hamilton County jail. Judge William Mallory Jr. offered Haines the choice last week after Haines was convicted of disorderly conduct.

Haines was arrested in November for threatening cab driver David Wilson and Wilson’s wife and telling them he hated black people. Prosecutors said Haines was drunk.

The church services could expand Haines’ cultural awareness, Mallory said. He told Haines he must go to six consecutive Sunday services and get the minister to sign a church program to prove he attended.

Wilson, the cab driver, said he would have preferred the jail sentence.

“Church don’t change everybody,” he said.

AP-ES-01-18-06 1233EST

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