Czechs open new branch

CARDINAL Frantisek Tomasek, the Primate of Czechoslovakia and longstanding advocate of political freedom, has lent his support to the establishment of a branch of the International Council of Christians and Jews in his country.
At a meeting in Prague last week with Sir Sigmund Sternberg, chairman of the executive council of the ICCJ, the cardinal and Czechoslovakia's deputy prime minister, Dr Josef Hromadka, gave assurances that they would welcome the move.
The ICCJ is represented in 24 countries throughout the world, and has 42 branches in the UK alone. The organisation aims to bring together Christians and Jews in an effort to overcome prejudice and intolerance between these and other groups.
The announcement that Czechoslovakia wilt be added to the list has been made possible only by the liberalisation of laws controlling religious activities since the new government took office.
• Vaclav Havel's position as the new president of a free Czechoslovakia has been given its blessing by the Church. At a celebration Mass at St Vitus' Cathedral in Prague, which took place immediately after Mr Havel had been sworn into office on New Year's Day, Cardinal Tornasek said that Czechoslovakia had good reason to thank God "for the great hope which has opened up to us".