SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico (AP) -- The Vatican has ordered
                 a bishop to suspend the ordination of Indian deacons, a measure begun by his
                 controversial predecessor to create an "Indian church" in southern Mexico.

                 "Continuing to ordain permanent deacons, with so many already in the diocese,
                 would be equivalent to continue sustaining an ecclesiastical model alien to the
                 tradition and the life of the church," said the letter to Bishop Felipe Arizmendi.

                 It ordered Arizmendi to halt such ordinations for at least five years while the situation
                 of the deacons is studied. Deacons can assist priests, baptize babies and read Bible
                 passages during Mass, but cannot consecrate the host, perform marriages or receive
                 confessions.

                 A copy of the letter, dated February 1, was given to the Associated Press by
                 sources with church contacts. The diocese's vicar-general, Gustavo Andrade
                 Hernandez, confirmed that it was genuine.

                 The letter again indicated the Vatican's discomfort with the work of Arizmendi's
                 predecessor, Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who is widely revered in the region's Maya
                 Indian communities, where he preached an Indian-oriented version of liberation
                 theology during his 40 years as bishop.

                 Critics accused Ruiz of twisting church teachings and of laying the groundwork for
                 the Zapatista rebellion that broke out in the state in 1994. Ruiz had encouraged the
                 ordination of hundreds of Indian deacons to spread the church's presence through
                 remote Indian villages and to compete with a rapidly expanding Protestant presence.

                 Several Zapatista leaders had been Ruiz-ordained deacons who later decided to
                 force social change through rebellion rather than religion. He later served as the key
                 mediator in early talks between the government and the Zapatistas and he was
                 several times nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

                 Ruiz had encouraged the ordination of hundreds of Indian deacons to spread the
                 church's presence through remote Indian villages and to compete with a rapidly
                 expanding Protestant presence.

                 Some church leaders were uncomfortable with the deacons' teachings and actions.

                 "If the number of permanent deacons continues to increase, there is a perceived
                 danger than the initiative sustained by Msgr. Samuel Ruiz Garcia would be
                 affirmed, impeding normalization of ecclesiastical life in the diocese," the Vatican
                 letter said.

                 The letter, signed by Cardinal Jorge Medina and Archbishop Francesco Pio of the
                 Congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,
                 expressed concern continued ordinations could be seen as Vatican approval of the
                 practice.

                 The letter to Arizmendi expressed surprise that he had apparently violated orders to
                 halt ordination of permanent deacons without prior approval from the Vatican
                 secretary of state.

                 Shortly after Ruiz retired in March 2000, the Vatican sent a representative to
                 investigate accusations that he had ordained female deacons and allowed the mixing
                 of pre-hispanic rites with Catholic ceremonies. He denied improprieties.

                  Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.