Pope urges greater openings in vast Cuban Mass

Thursday, March 29, 2012

HAVANA (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI demanded more freedom for the Catholic Church in communist-run Cuba and preached against “fanaticism” in an unusually political sermon before hundreds of thousands at Revolution Plaza, with President Raul Castro in the front row.

Later, the president’s brother, revolutionary leader Fidel, grilled the pontiff on changes in church liturgy and his role as spiritual leader of the world’s Catholics, a Vatican spokesman said.

Benedict’s homily was a not-so-subtle jab at the island’s leadership before a vast crowd of Cubans, both in the sprawling plaza and watching on television. But he also clearly urged an end to Cuba’s isolation, a reference to the 50-year U.S. economic embargo and the inability of 11 American presidents and brothers Fidel and Raul Castro to forge peace.

“Cuba and the world need change, but this will occur only if each one is in a position to seek the truth and chooses the way of love, sowing reconciliation and fraternity,” Benedict said. The remark built upon the famed call of his predecessor, John Paul II, who said in his groundbreaking 1998 visit that Cuba should “open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba.”

With the country’s leadership listening from front-row seats, Benedict referred to the biblical account of how youths persecuted by the Babylonian king “preferred to face death by fire rather than betray their conscience and their faith.”

He said people find freedom when they seek the truth Christianity offers.

“On the other hand there are those who wrongly interpret this search for the truth, leading them to irrationality and fanaticism; they close themselves up in ‘their truth’ and try to impose it on others,” he said from the altar, backed by an image of Cuba’s revolutionary hero Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

Benedict’s comments were an unmistakable criticism of the Cuban reality even if the pope didn’t mention the government by name, said the Rev. Joseph Fessio, a former student of Benedict’s. As his U.S. publisher, Fessio knows well the pope’s message and how he transmits it, particularly the watchwords of his pontificate: truth and freedom.

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Professionalism 1 year, 1 month ago

StrongEye have to be honest,eye am allll for Pope XVI to abolish communism in the tiny nation of cuba,and eye can see the freedom movement growing worldwide to stamp out communism as a form of government anywhere.Reise Reise,my brethren of freedom,rise above and against communism.Signed Mr. Phat Cigar and eye am not skinny,and do not where rings on my fingers currently.

lovemykids 1 year, 1 month ago

I'm curious. Why do you repeatedly use "eye" instead of "I"? Are you an optometrist? Are you a one eyed person? Are you totally blind?

My sister uses the word "Fryday" instead of "Friday". She intentionally uses this word wrong. Her maden name being Fry, she gets a kick out of it every time. I am just trying to get to the bottom of why you always use this word wrong. It seems intentional, like my sister and her insistance to say FRYDAY. Not trying to be rude, just trying to get in on the joke.

I also had a one eyed friend who insisted on his smiley faces looking like this ;) because he said it looked more like him. He always wore a rockin' eye patch too, so :) doesn't look quite right. Again, I can get over it if I understand the reason behind your particular quirk.