” “The Orthodox-Catholic workgroup of Russia met on 28th December at the Department of External Relations of the Patriarchate, in Moscow. Established in 2004 following a meeting in Russia between Card. Walter Kasper, president of the Papal Council for the Unity of Christians, and the Patriarch Alexius II, the workgroup has been created to solve the actual problems that arise in the relations between Orthodox and Catholic believers in Russia. During the interview, they decided that the group will meet once every three months in 2008. They also said the Churches should more extensively cooperate in the area of mass media and also addressed the situation of the Catholic orphanages (often accused of doing proselytism). Then, they spoke of building new Catholic churches and giving back those that are not used as places of worship. The Catholic members of the group said they are willing to support the Russian Orthodox Church in its fight for the introduction of the teaching of the Orthodox religious culture in the Russian schools as an optional subject. ” “
