Cuba Is in Heart of "a Great Pope," Says Nuncio

Code: ZE06103125

Date: 2006-10-31

Cuba Is in Heart of "a Great Pope," Says Nuncio

Encourages Listening to Benedict XVI

HAVANA, OCT. 31, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Cuba holds a special place in the
heart of Benedict XVI -- "a great Pope" -- says the apostolic nuncio to
Cuba.

Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, speaking to the plenary assembly of the
conference of religious of Cuba in Havana, communicated to the religious
superiors the personal greeting that the Pope extended to the Catholics
of the nation during a private audience in the Vatican on Aug. 28.

Benedict XVI customarily receives nuncios at the end of the general
audience on Wednesdays. Archbishop Bonazzi said of the 20-minute private
audience: "It was a rather singular event, certainly a sign of the
Pope's special concern for Cuba."

"We are in the Pope's heart, I can assure you. In the heart of a great
Pope, with which the providence of God is blessing the Church and the
world," he said.

Regarding the meeting, the nuncio said that he "answered questions and
expressed some reflections on the socio-political situation of the
country, and especially on the life of the Church."

"Today, in my mission, I feel very supported and strengthened by
Benedict XVI's words to me," he added.

According to Archbishop Bonazzi, Benedict XVI's words are "profound and
luminous, they satisfy the intelligence and console the heart."

Therefore, he exhorted Cuba's religious "to favor listening to the word
of the Pope, to give this word a preeminent place among the sources to
which they take recourse to nourish their prayer, to cultivate the
spirit and to make evangelization and mission incisive."

"Let's not miss this occasion to walk in history accompanied by an
exceptional teacher and witness of the faith," the prelate urged.

To this end he announced that the apostolic nunciature will use the
Internet to provide the conference of religious "the Pope's word that
has a particular relation and relevance to the religious life."

Vocation question

Archbishop Bonazzi also talked to the men and women religious of the
"the 'vocational question,'" which he identified as a fundamental
pastoral priority for the Church in Cuba.

There are 11.3 million inhabitants in Cuba. Before Fidel Castro took
power in 1959, Catholics comprised about 85% of the population; now it
is estimated that the figure has decreased to 50%.

According to data gathered by the nunciature, there are 189 men
religious, 606 women religious, 206 diocesan priests and 61 permanent
deacons.

The papal representatives thanked the Lord for these "generous
servants," and asked that all faithful make their own "every day and
with insistence, the Lord's prayer of the harvest, so that he will send
laborers to his harvest."

Archbishop Bonazzi assured the men and women religious of his support in
prayer and work "to favor the birth and growth, discernment and support
of vocations."

The nuncio encouraged the religious in their mission, and encouraged
them "to live friendship with Christ."

He added that "only in this friendship do we experience what is
beautiful and what makes us free."

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