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Jesuit college scores A+ in Moscow
Just over a year ago, in the presence of all four Catholic bishops of Russia and many other guests, among them my Assistant for Eastern Europe, the new College of St. Thomas was formally dedicated and blessed.
Later that month Angelo Cardinal Sodano, the Vatican Secretary of State, visited the College in the course of one of his trips to Moscow.
Meanwhile, to help to build a good library, the College has been collecting books in various places, particularly in Rome, Spain, and France.
First year activities culminated in December 2000 when the college participated, together with the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, and the Russian Academy of Sciences in the organization of a symposium on Pope John XXIII.
As we look forward to another year of growth and maturity, we can also look to an enriching, more distant future. We anticipate that in the spring of 2002 the college will host and sponsor a symposium organized by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Jesuit Historical Institute in Rome on "Russia and the Jesuits".
Bit by bit the College is taking up again its place in the religious, cultural, social and ecumenical life of Moscow. As a matter of fact, several students and professors of the College are members of the Russian Orthodox Church.
As we look at the future of the Society's apostolic ministry in Russia, the College of St. Thomas will play an important role indeed. Already the Region has about 20 young Jesuits in formation, men coming from the Ukraine, from Russia itself, and some other nations.
These young Jesuits, and those who will follow them in future years, provide the basis for our hopes in this Region and afford us a guarantee of a bright future for the college.
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