Mexico, Cuba Churches welcome possible papal visit
(November 11, 2011) The Catholic Churches in Mexico and Cuba are enthusiastic about
a possible visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the two Latin American countries next spring.
The general body meeting of Mexico’s Catholic bishops' conference in Cuautitlan Izcalli
announced on Thursday that a Vatican commission would arrive in Mexico in the "coming
days" to study the conditions for a possible visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Mexico
and Cuba in the spring 2012. Conference vice president, Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera
Lopez of Tuxtla Gutierrez told a news conference that the bishops expect the pope
to visit much of the country, including regions suffering violence from organized
crime. A visit by Pope Benedict next year would come as Mexico and the Vatican mark
the 20th anniversary of the two states establishing diplomatic relations, which ended
nearly 150 years of strained relations. The Catholic bishops’ conference of Cuba
also welcomed the news of a possible papal visit with great joy and lively hope.
In a statement the conference said that the happy announcement was welcomed as a gift
from the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, the patroness of Cuba, whom the Holy Father will
come to venerate as a pilgrim, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the discovery
of her image.