Will Pope Benedict’s Trip to Cuba Help Promote Democracy On the Communist Island?
- Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:26am by
Billy Hallowell
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VATICAN CITY (The Blaze/AP) — The Vatican No. 2 has said Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming trip to Cuba should help promote democracy on the Communist-run island.
(Related: Cuba Detains Dozens of Dissidents Before Papal Visit)
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone dismissed suggestions that Raul Castro’s government could use the trip as a propaganda tool, saying he expected an outpouring of support for the pope because he is the head of the Catholic Church.
Bertone spoke in an interview Thursday with the Turin daily La Stampa on the eve of his six-day trip to Mexico and Cuba.
Fidel Castro With Brother Raul, Who After Taking Control in 2008 Has Introduced A New and Once Unthinkable Push for Private Industry
The San Francisco Chronicle has more about this voyage:
In Cuba, Pope Benedict comes to show Rome’s backing for a politically savvy cardinal who is pushing – ever so gently – for change on the communist-run island. [...]
Officially, the pope’s trip to Cuba is timed to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the statue of the Virgin of Charity, the dark-skinned patron saint of Cuba, adored by the faithful and admired even by committed communists as a symbol of nationalist unity.
But many analysts also see the visit to Cuba as a well-timed demonstration of support for Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who has positioned the church as a player, serving as a moral, legitimate, parallel voice that negotiates with the Cuban government.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) spoke earlier this week about some of the issues he sees with the Catholic Church in Cuba. Watch his comments, below:
While a meeting with Fidel Castro isn’t on the official agenda, the Vatican has said it could happen if Castro wants it.
Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to Cuba in 1998. Bertone said that trip led to progress in religious freedom and better church-state cooperation.
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Texas.7
Posted on March 25, 2012 at 3:18pmI previously posted these verses, and I apologise for the redundancy. But how can I say anything in my heart more powerful than scripture, which specifically addresses what we face? Hold to truth. Hold to Christ.
“First the Catholics, then the rest of us- or at least that is their desire. But our hope is in Christ, and we must stand together as a tightly fitted Body. One Body, One Spirit, One Church, and the gates of Hell cannot prevail!
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”
In the coming months (maybe years), we may find greater meaning in these verses, as we may need to explore the greater depths of our faith in Christ. Explore the depths of Christ now. Then hold strong, for the battle is His, and He has already won! Fierce proclamations to the contrary are designed to frighten us- but hold fast, knowing the source of your victory. Trust Him
Report Post »Texas.7
Posted on March 25, 2012 at 3:05pmI pray for the Pope’s safe travels, and that his message of faith resonates. I am not Catholic, but listened online to the Pope this morning, and if I may paraphrase, he says that we need to basically wake from mediocre faith which has become habit and formality. We need to gain the faith in knowing God in a real and heart-changing way. For the difficult times ahead, we must nourish the faith that will comfort and strengthen us to do all that the Lord would have us do, in service and in love of others.
I believe this also, fearing that for too many Christians, faith has become nothing more than a word which is quickly affirmed, but without understanding and intention. Earnest faith, which understands and fully relies on truth, will sustain us. For it is in our faith that we touch Christ, and He is already holding out His hand for our reach.
Please seek Him. Reach out to Him, for it is His voice that is calling for all, through the noise and clutter around us- He is still there. Trust Him. He is faithful, and we are not alone.
Report Post »Bracsim
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:36pmThe Pope is going to Cuba to support Castro not freedom, the church in Cuba had turn its back on the cuban people since 1959, this is nothing but a sad joke. How come the pope does not want to talk to human rights groups inside the island, the pope will talk to castro but not the opposition, what a joke. Go to hell Pope, you and your church had done a lot of harm to the cuban people by supporting Castro for 53 long years.
Report Post »Zuitsuit
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 6:26pmDoesnt the pope remind you of Boris Carloff in The Mummy when he has his hands stretched out like that
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 6:10pmConsidering the Catholic church does not support in Democracy within it’s own the Church, so why would they support it in Cuba. After all the Church supported the right wing dictatorship under Batista.
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 5:47pmSave your money pope, the trip ain’t worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »linearnonlinear
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 9:22amI hear the Pope is walking with a cane now. He could take advantage of that great health care system in Cuba and get a hip replaced while there.
Report Post »tiredofprogressives
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 5:37amThis POPE, all dressed in White, is the Anti-Christ. Castro ought to lock him up.
Report Post »Macman1138
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:23pmNo.
Report Post »db321
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 1:23amYes, if the Pope gets to Cuba first – before Obama does – otherwise Cuba will become a Muslim Brotherhood County like Egypt.
Report Post »1Karen
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 5:45pmSadly, no. His friends would demand it not happen…
Report Post »iampraying4u
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 4:18pmpope + commie = SATAN
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 3:19pmGOING will not Help… But NOT GOING will not Help, either!
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 1:17pmThe answer to the question is “No”. There will be no democracy in Cuba. They are run by Dictatorship. Perhaps the Pope’s visit will help create a more humane dictatorship. But, it is in God’s hands. If He chooses to use the Pope as His messenger miracles will happen.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 6:13pmBefore Castro, Cuba was a right wing Dictatorship.
Report Post »sassylynn96
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:30pmI am soooo tired of hearing DEMOCRACY!!!
DEMOCRACY IS A FORM OF SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM-OUR FORE-FATHERS GAVE US A REPUBLIC!! A REPUBLIC WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL AMERICAN IS THE SOVEREIGN NOT THE GOVERNMENT
OBAMA IS NOT THE REAL PROBLEM, HE IS JUST THE OPERATOR WHO PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR-
THE CORE TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY COMES FROM THE TREASONOUS ACT OF 1871-WHERE BAR MEMEBERS AND INTERNATIONAL BANKERS WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INCORPORATED OUR REPUBLIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT INTO A CORPORATION OWNED BY INTERNATIONAL BANKERS-THIS TREASONOUS ACT HAS BEEN WHAT OUR REPRESENTATION BOTH THEN AND NOW ARE ANSWERING TO, NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WE MUST REPEAL THE ACT OF 1871 AND RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF OUR CONSTITUTION OF 1787
WITH THE ACT OF 1871 AND THE ACTS THAT FOLLOWED THESE INTERNATIONAL BANKERS HAVE ENSLAVED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO THEIR INTERANTIONAL GREED
HAVE YOU AGREED IN FULL DISCLOSURE TO ACCEPT THE BILLS CREATED BY REPRESENTATION IN DC WHO DOES NOT LISTEN TO OR CARE ABOUT AMERICANS
WHY PUT US IN SO MUCH DEBT-WHO REALLY GAINS BY THIS AMOUNT OF DEBT-FOR SURE IT IS NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE IN THIS ASTRONOMICAL DEBT
Report Post »db321
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 1:26amI was expecting to read “Ron Paul” is the only one that can fix it after the above comment!
Report Post »dimonds2000
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:39amAny word of not being forgotten is welcome in the hearts of the faithful.
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:01amThis is part of a letter written by my father. He left Cuba in the 1960′s to escape Communism hand only to come her and have it catch up to him:
Report Post »I am an American by choice and Cuban by birth. The Papal visit to Cuba will become a footnote in the history books that will show the Catholic Church taking the easy and cowardly way out by “working” with the Cuban murderous hierarchy and keeping dissent under control. The two women that work in the Diocesan office came from Cuba recently. While in Cuba they were awarded scholarships in Italy and China. Then by another coincidence they came here with their parents and referred to the local Church by a Cuban priest. No one in Cuba gets that kind of scholarships abroad unless they are deeply committed to the regime. Miami is full of Castro agents that spy and inform on every move of the exile community- It is not paranoia- it is a fact.
The_Jerk
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:37amAnyone with just a minimal amount of knowledge regarding the Catholic church knows, well, that it has long supported communistic principles.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 6:18pmGee I thought Miami was full of right wingers who had supported the terrible dictatorship of Batista.
Cuba was not a Democracy before Castro, and still not a Democracy. It woul have been a Democracy long ago if we opened relationship with Cuba.
Just Remember Rubio is a descendent of those who supported the Miami Mafia and the great dictator Baptista.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 12:51pmJerk
You are the one with little to no knowledge of the Catholic Church
John Paul II has been credited with being instrumental in bringing down communism in eastern Europe, by being the spiritual inspiration behind its downfall, and a catalyst for “a peaceful revolution” in Poland. Lech Wałęsa, the founder of the ‘Solidarity’ movement, credited John Paul II with giving Poles the courage to rise up.
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:58amI am an American by choice and Cuban by birth. The Papal visit to Cuba will become a footnote in the history books that will show the Catholic Church taking the easy and cowardly way out by “working” with the Cuban murderous hierarchy and keeping dissent under control. The two women that work in the Diocesan office came from Cuba recently. While in Cuba they were awarded scholarships in Italy and China. Then by another coincidence they came here with their parents and referred to the local Church by a Cuban priest. No one in Cuba gets that kind of scholarships abroad unless they are deeply committed to the regime. Miami is full of Castro agents that spy and inform on every move of the exile community- It is not paranoia- it is a fact.
Report Post »If the Pope wants to make an impact-let him visit a jail, meet with dissidents, march with the Ladies in White. Or is he afraid of creating a “scene”? John Paul II’s favorite phrase was “Be not afraid”- it should be the rallying cry. If the Cuban people really want freedom let them march en mass as the Poles did in Poland. To want Freedom you have to fight for it. In blood, and tears.