2012-03-28 12:13:38

Cardinal Ouellet: Faith key to reconciliation of all Cubans


Pope Benedict XVI was scheduled to celebrate mass in Havana’s Revolution Square on Wednesday, concluding his two-nation tour of Latin America. Several hundred thousand people were expected to attend the liturgy, which takes place in a place made famous for being for hours-long speeches by former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

The Pope’s trip to Mexico and Cuba is his second journey to Latin America. He visited Brazil in 2007, where he addressed CELAM, Latin American Episcopal Conference.

The President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS, said the Pope’s visit shows his love for the region.

“It’s a message for the whole world, how much the Catholic Church is at the heart of the spiritual and cultural identity of the continent,” he said. “The Pope’s visit is certainly a factor of reinforcing this identity, and bringing it to its core, to the Person of Jesus Christ.”

Cardinal Ouellet, who also serves as the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, said the people of the region need this reinforcement in their faith.

“They are facing difficult problems – poverty, violence, challenges of the families - so he invited them to turn to God, and to ask for purification of the heart,” he told Vatican Radio. “It’s an extraordinary message. The heart of Christ is not a heart for domination, it’s for service its for real love and solidarity.”

He also commented on changes he has seen in Cuba.

“In Cuba, there is a springtime of faith,” he said. “There is a opening to the Catholic Church and to the work of charity, but the Pope insisted on the faith. Revitalizing the faith is key to the reconciliation of all Cubans, for them to really work together and to look forward and to reshape their identity out of the tradition of the Catholic Church which is also part of this culture.”

Listen to the full interview by Philippa Hitchen with Cardinal Ouellet: RealAudioMP3







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