Pope comes as Pilgrim of Charity: Cuban Archbishop

March 13, 2012: Every time Pope Benedict XVI visits a country, it is a pastoral visit to that particular church to encourage them in their faith, confirm them in hope, and encourage them to be generous in charity. And this is the fundamental meaning of his upcoming visit to Cuba, said Archbishop Dionisio Garcia Ibáñez of Santiago de Cuba, the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba. He was speaking on the upcoming visit of the Pope to Mexico and Cuba scheduled for March 23-29.

Pope’s visit on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the finding of the image of Our Lady is a very significant. It is an important date for all Cubans, for the faith of Cubans, for their history and also for their national identity, the Archbishop added.

For Cubans, Our Lady of Charity, their Mother and Patroness, is symbol of the “cubanía” that unites all Cubans, believers and unbelievers alike. But charity, love, is the only virtue that can make possible that all Cubans be brothers and sisters to one another, he said.

For the Jubilee Year, the Pope comes as Pilgrim of Charity. The theme of charity is central. God is love, God is charity, and the pope comes to confirm us in the love of the Father and to assure us that the love of God is with us always, Archbishop Ibáñez explained.

The mission of the Pope is to be the rock that guides and sustains the people in their journey towards Christ. In this role the Pontiff exercises his charity and as a caring Father he accompanies us, the archbishop further added.

He is the successor of the apostle Peter, to whom Jesus told: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell won’t prevail against it…Shepherd my sheep. From that moment on, Peter remains the first among the apostles, the first in charity and in communion of all.

It is a pastoral visit, but in the eyes of the government and the people, it also is the visit of a Head of State. However, we cannot miss that the primary meaning of the visit is pastoral. But for this visit the most important thing is the spiritual preparation.

It is not just a question of welcoming the Holy Father with unction and joy, and of participating in the Mass, but of living a profound spiritual renovation. Thank God this visit coincides with the season of Lent, a time in which we are invited to internal conversion, to a desire to change the heart; but we are also given some practical tasks: we hear about prayer, fasting and mercy, about helping others.

The visit of the Holy Father is, therefore, an added grace. This is the time of the Lord, let’s make the most of it, exhorted the archbishop.