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Pope Benedict XVI met with Cuba's revolutionary icon Fidel Castro Wednesday, the last day of a trip to bolster the Roman Catholic church's relationship with the Communist government.
HAVANA -- Pope Benedict met with Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro after saying mass in Havana Wednesday, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said.
The meeting comes toward the close of the pope's three-day visit to the communist-run island, during which the pontiff called for greater freedoms and a bigger role for the Roman Catholic Church in Cuban society.
Fidel Castro said Tuesday in one of his columns, or "Reflections," published online that he would meet briefly with the pope "with pleasure." Castro is now mostly retired but still occasionally writes columns and meets with visiting leaders.
According to the Vatican spokesman, this is the first time since his illness that Castro has gone out to call on a visitor. Heads of state usually come to see him.
Castro was dressed in a blazer with what looked like a scarf wrapped around his neck. He was accompanied by his wife and two adult sons.
According to the Vatican, the two men had an animated dialogue. They joked about their age, and the pope told Castro: "I'm old, but I still know how to do my job."
Castro told the pope he had been following his visit on television and asked about changes in the Catholic liturgy since his days in Jesuit schools, according to Lombardi.
In an unusual homily, the pontiff called for free thought, and more freedom for the Catholic Church in Cuba. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
In his prepared departure remarks, the pope criticized the U.S. embargo, saying that the task of building a society of broad vision is "worsened when restrictive economic measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly burden its people."
Earlier Wednesday, before his meeting with Castro, the pope urged Cubans to search for "authentic freedom" as he celebrated an open-air Mass for some 300,000 people in Havana's Revolution Square.
Crowds began gathering during the night to hear the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics speak in the sprawling plaza that Castro, 85, used to fill with big crowds and fiery revolutionary rhetoric in hours-long speeches.
Surrounded by 10-story high images of Castro's revolutionary comrades Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, the pope read a sermon that continued one of the main themes of his trip -- that Cuba should build a more open society, based on truth, justice and reconciliation.
"The truth is a desire of the human person, the search for which always supposes the exercise of authentic freedom," the pontiff said.
In an apparent dig at Marxism, the pope also said some "wrongly interpret this search for the truth, leading them to irrationality and fanaticism; they close themselves in 'their truth,' and try to impose it on others."
Delicate dance for Pope Benedict in Cuba
Hours before the Mass began, the area was filled with people waving Cuban flags and wearing broad hats and holding umbrellas to shield them from the sun.
They wildly welcomed the successor of the much-beloved Pope John Paul, who made a historic, groundbreaking trip to Cuba in 1998 and preached from the same square.
'Message of love'
Benedict, wearing purple vestments, read out a virtual shopping list of rights that the Church still lacked in Cuba as President Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, sat in the front row. Both of the Castro brothers were educated by Jesuits, the worldwide Catholic order.
"To carry out this duty, she [Cuba] must count on basic religious freedom, which consists in her being able to proclaim and to celebrate her faith also in public, bringing to others the message of love, reconciliation and peace which Jesus brought to the world," he said.
PhotoBlog: Pope Benedict celebrates mass with 300,000 Cubans
While Benedict acknowledged "with joy" the great improvements since John Paul's visit, he added that "nonetheless, this must continue forwards, and I wish to encourage the country's government authorities to strengthen what has already been achieved and advance along this path of genuine service to the true good of Cuban society as a whole."
The faithful could be "at once a citizen and a believer", the pope assured the government, adding that strengthening religious freedom consolidates social bonds and lays the groundwork for securing the rights of future generations.
"This is why the Church seeks to give witness by her preaching and teaching, both in catechesis and in schools and universities," he said.
The mass was also watched by Miami's Cuban Catholics, including a crowd of about 80 people at the Ermita Caridad Church in Coconut Grove, Fla., NBC 6 Miami reported.
Since his arrival in the eastern city of Santiago, the pontiff has spoken of Cuba's need for reconciliation and a more open society, with the Church at its side as a buffer against "trauma" or social upheaval.
"We hope he brings peace ... and an end to the U.S. embargo," said Belkis Martin Rodriguez, 49, walking to Revolution Square dressed in jean shorts, with her mother and 8-year-old son.
Asked if she hoped the visit would bring reconciliation between the communist government, dissidents and exiles in Miami, she said, "Let each remain in their own place. If people left for Miami, let them stay there and be happy. Let the Church stick to its own field, religion, and let the government handle the politics."
Pope, Raul Castro meet, but Cuban official vows no political reform
In talks on Tuesday with Raul Castro, the pope urged a bigger role for the Church and asked that the government consider making Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate Christ's death, a national holiday. Good Friday is less than two weeks away. Fidel Castro reinstated Christmas as a holiday ahead of the landmark visit of John Paul that helped improve long-strained Church-state relations.
Jailed U.S. contractor
The Vatican during Tuesday's meetings also made several "humanitarian requests," without giving details but possibly having to do with political prisoners or jailed American contractor Alan Gross, who is serving a 15-year sentence for illegally installing Internet networks on the communist-run island.
The State Department would be very grateful if the Pope were to raise the issue of Gross during his visit, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
"We obviously are hopeful that the Pope will continue to be strong on all of the human rights issues in Cuba, religious freedom, and it would be a very, very good thing if the Cuban government were to take this opportunity to release Alan Gross," Nuland said.
At a time when Church-state relations are the warmest they've been since the 1959 revolution, Benedict has not been afraid to poke the Cuban government in some sensitive places.
On the flight to Mexico beginning his trip on Friday, the pope said communism "does not correspond with reality" and that Cuba needs a new economic model.
However, Marino Murillo, a vice president in the Council of Ministers and the country's economic reforms czar, made it clear that change to Cuba's one-party political system is not in the works.
"In Cuba, there won't be political reform," he said at a news conference at Havana's Hotel Nacional, the international press center for the pope visit. "We are talking about the update of the Cuban economic model to make our socialism sustainable."
Murillo said the government welcomed all ideas, but would not allow them to be imposed on the country.
In response, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said "the Church is not trying to impose solutions. We know it is a long road and that the history of Cuba is complex."
Reuters, NBC News and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
I thought all "good" communists were "Godless Heathens"........whadupwiddat?
JusBidenMyTime
I thought all "good" communists were "Godless Heathens"........whadupwiddat?
Justbiden, the picture and name suits you perfectly. Go and live in Cuba as a citizen and then come back and let me know what you think.
I have done that.
Wow......you must be psychic....you can tell all that from a 9 word post....how cool is that?...and you have done that too.... well Me too.....what a coincidence....now neither of us are unique.........how about some black bean soup?......and a really fine Havana Cigar and Mojito?
ok Justbiden, what province has a famous city by the name of Vibora?
Concern...don't waste your time with JB...you would have a more intelligent exchange with a house plant.
omg who cares!
The Catholic Church is largest financial power, wealth accumulator and property owner in existence. How about using its wealth to help the millions of Catholics living in poverty in Latin America and around the world for a change!
Yea I know, the more you suffer here on earth, the better off you will be in heaven.
Interesting that murillo basically that they wont reform communism; "reform" implying an improvement and that socialism isnt sustainable.
The Vatican pours obscene amounts of money directed towards initiatives to discriminate, condemn, and crucify Gay people. I too agree that there are so many more important problems that this mega-wealthy church can help alleviate, like the starvation, homelessness, and poverty in the world. Perhaps this is why there is a growing rift between church members and the Vatican. The Vatican need's it's money, and the Pope needs to go out and recruit more donors.
What one sows, so shall they reap.
Wow...just, wow. No hypocrisy there, right?
Letting a church have more power is alot of things, freedom is not one of them.
OilmanMD!!!!!!!!!!!......long time no hear! Last Word! Ha!Ha!Ha!......but you know you can't resist.....go ahead......make my day!
At least the Pope is being a good Christian, i.e. Christ like. Jesus ate with the sinners...theives, prostitutes, etc....as he believed they were the ones that needed salvation.
Here the Pope is with a man, who along with Che Guevara, is responsible for the murder of Christians in cold blood.
Castro was raised a Catholic, he did not turn to Communism (he was originally a Nationalist), UNTIL THE u.s. SHUNNED HIM FOR SEIZING THE ASSETS OF AMERICAN CORPORATIONS (MOSTLY THE Mafia THAT KEPT Batista IN POWER), he then turned to the soviets for protection; open up trade with Cuba, they will throw Communism out the window within a year.
The Pope has no business talking about freedom, when he heads a criminal organization that subjugates the reason of millions.
The Pope should be imprisoned and tried by the World Court for the myriad crimes committed by the Roman Catholic church under his leadership.
and this man worshipped as a GOD was a nazi.. wudupwitdat :-)
Someday the Catholic Church, if it can find a way to make it a lucrative endeavor, may actually not be willing to get into bed with dictators and/or ignore their monstrous doings - as they did with Hitler during WWII. Of course, Hitler did make it a point to make sure that the Church continued to received the donations that were given it by its parishioners.
Apparently that was enough to "help" the Church to see things Hitler's way and consequently remain "neutral".
If the Catholic Church had a moral bone in its body - it would be lonely.
Concern Citizen-856329 "La Vibora" is not a city, it is a neighborhood (barrio) or municipality in the city of Havana. It is as the Bronx is to New York city.
I don't think it is famous either more likely ordinary.
Fidel Castro said Tuesday in one of his columns, or "Reflections," published on the Internet that he would meet briefly with the pope "with pleasure
However, if anybody else wanted to meet with the great "pope" that person would be killed with a machete. Castro has a nerve to be looking so "serene"....I guess he has poor memory about all the suffering that he continues giving to the people of Cuba.
I wonder if circulating that picture in Miami would turn people into ATHEISTS.
.........how about some black bean soup?......and a really fine Havana Cigar and Mojito?
You two can do that, since you would be tourists in Cuba...Never mind that the Cubans are starving to death.
Go ahead......Unles you two are sitting in backyard and just yapping away...And the cigars are from the nearest gas station.
IRESPOND-2315268 yeah, there are many, many machete killings in Cuba by the "machete police". Where in the hell did you get this crap from? Beatings yes, imprisonment yes, government machete killing Cuban citizens, no.
there are many, many machete killings in Cuba by the "machete police". Where in the hell did you get this crap from? Beatings yes, imprisonment yes, government machete killing Cuban citizens, no
I get "this crap"from the Cubans themselves when I was there...You obviously have NO CLUE what goes on..I suggest that you research your sources before you get your fingers do the "thinking"for you...Ignorant
IRESPOND-2315268 OK, smarty pants, don't you think if that would be the case, Rubio, Diaz-Balart and the rest of the Miami circus would be screaming from the top pf their lungs in all the main news networks? It seems only you know about "machete killings", dumb a$$.
Rubio, Diaz-Balart and the rest of the Miami circus would be screaming from the top pf their lungs in all the main news networks? It seems only you know about "machete killings", dumb a$$.
Here is the comment, re-arranged for you:
Rubio, Diaz-Balart and the rest of the Miami circus (were born in this country.)
It seems only you know about (that) dumb a$$.
Have a cigar!
IRESPOND-2315268 "born in this country"...and? Do you, simple human being, consider yourself with more access to information about what is wrong in Cuba than Cuban-American high level politicians that hate Castro? You are a fool or even better "un tronco de yuca". By the way, I'm having a Montecristo cigar.
hey comment #1.15 may I call you "Mr.IDIOT" ? (well you sound like one) I'm not a fan of the pope, but the pope was in the Hitler Youth, and not a Nazi (as in 'consenting adult'). You know... KIDS having to join the crap the adults tell them to?
Meanwhile, we in America, with all the benefits of historical retrospection have MILLIONS of modern BIGOTs (not quite Nazis) cheer for the likes of SANTORUM who last week silently sat by when a bigot Louisiana preacher called for the EXPULSION (Nazi-style) of all non-believers, gays, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims and the flithy schmuch sat by piously as the same bigot-preacher laid his hands on him asking for GOD to make him the president... 'Nazi' you say? Don't congratulate yourself to fast - the same or WORSE as and adult is laying in wait, and plenty of Americans have no shame to cheer him!
Hmm, Steven, how much are they spending??? Any FACTS to back your claim??? What a joke!
God bless the Pope for speaking for justice. BTW, all you naysayers, do you know how much the Vatican gives to charity?? You might want to check!
Who cares? All the money in the world won't obscure the wrongs done by the Vatican.
The United States needs to prosecute the Roman Catholic Church to the full extent of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and seize every asset within American borders.
What the Roman church calls "authentic freedom" has been termed feudalism by political scientists. It's the freedom to be subservient to the pope.
Fidel Castro and the Pope. A match made in heaven! (pun intended...)
the pope urged Cubans to search for "authentic freedom"
And that would be in heaven...right? I thought that Comunists did not believe in heaven.
I guess tough times call for giving more "opium"to the people -as per Karl Marx-
Hypocrites. These two are two of the richest men in the planet...A*******S
Does that picture on the front page show the Cubans greeting the pope with murals of Che and... Ayatollah Khomeini?
Dafuq?
Chirs-629698 - In answer to your question -
That other figure you wonder about is Camilo Cienfuegos, a revered and truly heroic Cuban Revolutionary who died tragically on a plane trip from the City of Camaguey, in Eastern Cuba, to Havana (1959). His plane went down somewhere over the ocean and, in spite of a massive search which included US Coast Guard planes and ships, along with Cuba's own, the remains were never recovered. What gives him the resemblance you mention is that he was known for wearing a Stetson cowboy hat and had a full beard, and it is hard to distinguish those features on the large mural on the side of the building you see in the picture across from Che Guevara's mural.
I hope that answers your question and clears it up for you. Thanks for listening with an open mind.
Chris-629698 Wow, never occurred to me that Camilo Cienfuegos had any resemblance with a damn ayatollah. Also Castro is not prone to place permanent posters of religious leaders, even less of a Muslim leader, since there are less than 200 registered Cuban Muslims.
the pope needs to be corn holed
Don't you mean, Keel hauled?"
There's a water-boarding facility not to far away!
This is all so insightful.
This is all so insightful.
You must know something that we don't....Please don't hold back...Let's us know
What would imply I know anything about something I just stated I received insight on?
it's really funny, how come God let these beasts (the Castros and their followers) run the country for so long, bringing only poverty economically, socially, and morally. Whose will is it?
I wonder if the Pope knows that he has a Fish on top of his head thus making him the top Fishead.
Why doesn't he wear an elephant or log on his head?
I see why if you don't believe as they tell you to believe you'll be sleeping with the fishes see.
Why do all these ppl follow this old fart around like he is anything more than a old man ? He is not greater than the bum they are both born and die the same. from ashes to ashes, that come from exploding stars!
In other words, throw off your current dictator and let me, the Pope, be your new dictator! True freedom means freedom from religion as well.
As long as you're free to choose your religion, that's fine with me.
Freedom is something that can be willfully surrendered, after all. That's a freedom in itself.
I guess catholics should know something about that. Isnt this the pot calling the kettle black? The man never spoke truer words, too bad he doesnt realize that he is included in that statement.
That's rich: get more "authentic freedom" by SERVING MY god for your ENTIRE life.
That's not true freedom - that's slavery. Or at least indentured servitude.
TRCC is such a waste of space - utterly worthless.
Does "authentic freedom" mean alter boys will no longer have to endure being molested by priests?
"Give me the liberty to teach in schools and Universities"
Be carefull cubans, this evil demon wants to control your lives and gain more power and money than ever. Dont exchange one tyrany for another. Remember the Inquisition. They jail women in Mexico, and the Phillipines for using the morning after pill.
Good idea Mr. Pope.
Might as well go from being controlled by the state to being controlled by the church. Are the Cuban people ready to be indoctrined by the Catholic Church?
Easy pickings for you , as with communism they already have nothing , so with a lot of false promises from the Catholic Church, you should increase your flock in Cuba.
I guess the rates of little boy molestation are about to go up in Cuba .
Interesting observation on your part. Are you moving to Cuba? Should they be warned about you?
No Say What , I'm not a catholic priest , but you might be .No doubt you have an altered boy hiding under your robe .
somedude:
They don't alter the boys anymore, like they used to in old Italy.
Careful of what you're asking with little regard to the people.... Mr. Pope.
for Cubans to seek authentic liberty under Castro, you might as well suggest that they seek authentic death and authentic imprisonment. the Cuban experience like so many other countries is an example of one group of murderers getting rid of another group of murderers, ultimately no good will come of it.
Catholic church just out to feed the masses, a little hot sausage in the can.
Someone remind the Pope to read John 7:53-8:11 where Jesus says " neither do I condemn you "...
The onlyw question is which is the worst of the dictators
A man, however flawed, who tried to free his country from the grip of American Mafioso gangsters who effectively ran cuba
Or the leader of a church which gave the world the hatred of the Jews, and spawned WWII and the holocaust by a catholic born and baptised such in very catholic Austria in 1888./ Who has yet not be explcitily excommunicated
because it would connect the dots between the church and old adolph
But the church has improved. Now it only rapes your children and hides the molesters.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-pope-led-cover-up-of-child-abuse-by-priests.do
BTW the hiding of molesters by the church - thats their code of OMERTA
The key term, I belive, is "effectively ran Cuba". The Castros have done so decidedly INeffectively.
Not that a capitalist dictator is necessarily better than a Communist one, but by the same measure, a Communist who simply exchanged one kind of oppression for another, equally devastating kind is no one to be lauded. At least the gangsters knew a thing or two about economics.
Popery is in favor of freedom? You could have fooled me.
The best part of this story is knowing my "daddy" Fidel Castro is still alive...hadn't seen him in a while...Now what's the point of the man in drag with the pointy hat visiting countries again?
he is a holy man. i pray for you.
There is nothing holy about child-rape.
There is nothing sacred about a man who protects rapists.
There is nothing of value in an organization that destroys so many lives through both its actions and inactions.
i pray for you as well.
I can't prevent you from wasting your time and effort, but you can be certain that no one is listening.
The embargo really needs to be lifted.
The Cold War ended over 20 years ago ffs.
did he receive the anointing of the sick from el papa?
And after their meeting they stepped out into the rotunda for a nice Cuban stogey.
How about the Pope first give Priests n nuns a choice on wheather to be single or married? its stupid that inoder to have their jobs r they forced to be single and not allowed their nature act of sex/love instead forced to surpress them. Religions should stay out of politics look at how religion effect politics in U.S. pope needs to just worry about religious stuff and allow politicians to do their jobs.
that's hard because if you look at "lover's quarrel" and the chaos it brings to the unity of the family unit, you would find that marriage has its share of unity destroying chaos.
For example, imagine a NYC cardinal's wife cheating on him while he's away...and the choir boy won't stop even when the cardinal is back. Why? cause cardinal's has non-violent attitude. How can you stop the choir boy when you won't punch first? see?