Cuba-US bishops meeting favored both countries moving closer (AFP, August 16, 2009)

Cuba-US bishops meeting favored both countries moving closer

HAVANA, 16 Aug 2009 (AFP) --

A Google translation. Slightly revised by Walter Lippmann.

The visit of three American bishops to Cuba that begins on Monday, is helping to bring the two countries closer and to fulfill the papal request for opening between the island and the world, said the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio Garcia on Sunday.

"I think the best way to understand, to seek better relations is communication and I believe that if these meetings contribute to that, to know more and to create stronger relationships," said Monsignor Garcia, 64 years, by telephone to AFP .

The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba (COCC) noted that "everything that contributes to the communication is part of that (...) the request of the Pope (John Paul II) that Cuba open to the world and world opens up to Cuba. "

The delegation of the Secretariat for Latin America in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be in Cuba until Thursday. It is composed of the cardinal of Boston, Sean O'Malleu, Bishop of Orlando, Thomas Wenski, the auxiliary bishop of San Antonio, Oscar Cantu, and two priests.

The Americans will visit Havana, the National Sanctuary of El Cobre in Santiago de Cuba (southeast), and Holguín, these last two relating to the establishment in 2012 of 400 years of the appearance of the image of La Caridad del Cobre, patron of Cuba.

Monsignor Garcia said that in addition to the "generous" contribution of the Catholic Church in United States to staunch the damage caused to Cuba three hurricanes in 2008 "we have projects with evangelism, pastoral projects, and they have been very generous in this regard, and help us and I think this will be a continuity and an exchange of churches too. "

The last trip to Cuba by a U.S. delegation was a bishop in August 2008, when passing the first of three hurricanes, which the government made losses of $10 billion.

The relationship between the Catholic Church and the communist government of Cuba has had ups and downs over 50 years, with periods of acute shock and cohabitation as the present one, initiated a decade ago with the visit of Pope John Paul II. cb / jb

		Cuba-US bishops meeting favored both countries moving closer HAVANA, 16 Aug 2009 (AFP) -- A Google translation. Slightly revised by Walter Lippmann. The visit of three American bishops to Cuba that begins on Monday, is helping to bring the two countries closer and to fulfill the papal request for opening between the island and the world, said the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio Garcia on Sunday. "I think the best way to understand, to seek better relations is communication and I believe that if these meetings contribute to that, to know more and to create stronger relationships," said Monsignor Garcia, 64 years, by telephone to AFP . The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba (COCC) noted that "everything that contributes to the communication is part of that (...) the request of the Pope (John Paul II) that Cuba open to the world and world opens up to Cuba. " The delegation of the Secretariat for Latin America in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be in Cuba until Thursday. It is composed of the cardinal of Boston, Sean O'Malleu, Bishop of Orlando, Thomas Wenski, the auxiliary bishop of San Antonio, Oscar Cantu, and two priests. The Americans will visit Havana, the National Sanctuary of El Cobre in Santiago de Cuba (southeast), and Holguín, these last two relating to the establishment in 2012 of 400 years of the appearance of the image of La Caridad del Cobre, patron of Cuba. Monsignor Garcia said that in addition to the "generous" contribution of the Catholic Church in United States to staunch the damage caused to Cuba three hurricanes in 2008 "we have projects with evangelism, pastoral projects, and they have been very generous in this regard, and help us and I think this will be a continuity and an exchange of churches too. " The last trip to Cuba by a U.S. delegation was a bishop in August 2008, when passing the first of three hurricanes, which the government made losses of $10 billion. The relationship between the Catholic Church and the communist government of Cuba has had ups and downs over 50 years, with periods of acute shock and cohabitation as the present one, initiated a decade ago with the visit of Pope John Paul II. cb / jb
		Reunión de obispos Cuba-EEUU favorece acercamiento de ambos países LA HABANA, 16 Ago 2009 (AFP) - La visita de tres obispos estadounidenses a Cuba que se inicia el lunes, contribuye al acercamiento de los dos países y a cumplir la petición papal de apertura entre la isla y el mundo, afirmó este domingo el arzobispo de Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio García. "Creo que la mejor manera de entenderse, de buscar mejores relaciones es la comunicación y creo que siempre estos encuentros contribuyen a eso, a conocernos más y también a establecer mayores relaciones", dijo monseñor García, 64 años, por vía telefónica a la AFP. El también presidente de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Cuba (COCC) señaló que "todo lo que contribuya a la comunicación (...) forma parte de aquella petición del papa (Juan Pablo II) de que Cuba se abra al mundo y el mundo se abra a Cuba". La delegación del Secretariado para América Latina de la Conferencia Episcopal de Estados Unidos que estará en Cuba hasta el jueves está integrada por el cardenal de Boston, Sean O'Malleu, el obispo de Orlando, Thomas Wenski, y el obispo auxiliar de San Antonio, Oscar Cantu, y dos sacerdotes. Los norteamericanos visitarán La Habana, el Santuario Nacional de El Cobre, en Santiago de Cuba (sudeste) y Holguín, esos dos últimos lugares relacionados con la celebración en 2012 de los 400 años de la aparición de la imagen de la Caridad del Cobre, Patrona de Cuba. Monseñor García dijo que además de la contribución "generosa" de la Iglesia Católica de Estados Unidos para restañar los daños que ocasionaron a Cuba tres huracanes en 2008 "tenemos proyectos de evangelización con ellos, proyectos pastorales, y ellos han sido muy generosos al respecto, y nos ayudan y creo que esto va a ser una continuidad y un intercambio de iglesias también". El último viaje a Cuba de una delegación episcopal estadounidense fue en agosto de 2008, precisamente cuando pasaba el primero de los tres ciclones, que según el gobierno dejaron pérdidas por 10.000 millones de dólares. La relación entre La Iglesia Católica y el gobierno comunista de Cuba ha sufrido altibajos durante 50 años, con períodos de agudo choque y de cohabitación como el actual, iniciado hace una década con la visita del papa Juan Pablo II. cb/jb