Vatican City, Dec 10, 2009 / 11:17 am (CNA).- The newest ambassador to
the Holy See, Cuba's Eduardo Delgado Bermudez, renewed nearly 75 years
of continuous relations with the Vatican today when he delivered his
credentials to Pope Benedict XVI in a private audience. The Pontiff
expressed to the ambassador his hopes for the future of the Cuban
people and for seeing continued "concrete signs" of the acceptance of
the exercise of religious freedom.
In his address, Pope Benedict highlighted the importance for governments
around the world not to forget about the basic needs of the people,
despite the current economic crisis.
"The Catholic Church in Cuba, that in these moments, and as always,
feels close to the people, wants to contribute with its modest and
effective aid," noted Benedict XVI.
Explaining the importance of this mission, the Pontiff quoted from his
encycical Caritas in Veritate, "the primary capital to be safeguarded
and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity."
Pope Benedict also pointed to the various areas where Cuba is
collaborating with other countries, such as health care and literacy, as
possible ways that the Caribbean nation might "contribute to fulfilling
the call made by my venerated predecessor Pope John Paul II on his
historic visit to your island: 'May Cuba, with all its magnificent
potential, open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up
to Cuba.'"
Benedict XVI commended Cuba on its recent steps to help its citizens,
referencing the "concrete signs of opening to the exercise of religious
freedom" in the country, including allowing the celebration of "Holy
Mass in some jails, the realization of religious processions, the
reparation and return of some churches and the construction of some
religious houses, or the possibility of obtaining social security for
priests and religious."
These steps are permitting the Catholic community "to exercise with more
freedom its specific pastoral work," which has room to grow, the Pope said.
He invited all people to "rediscover those moral, human and spiritual
values ... that make the existence of man more decent."
"In this sense, the principal service that the Church gives to Cubans is
the announcement of Jesus Christ and his message of love, forgiveness
and reconciliation in the truth.
"A people that walks this path of harmony is a people with hope in a
better future."
The Holy Father also alluded to preparations being made for the 400th
anniversary celebration of the presence of the "blessed image of the
Virgin of Charity of Cobre, Mother and Patron of Cuba," who he called a
"luminous symbol of the religiousness of the Cuban people and the
Christian roots of its culture."
Holy Father hopes for growth of religious freedom in Cuba (10 December 2009)
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=18004
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