Vatican City, 28 March 2012 (VIS) - After celebrating Mass this morning in
Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion Jose Marti, Benedict XVI held a meeting in the
apostolic nunciature with Fidel Castro, former president of Cuba.
"I took the decision to ask for some moments of your time, which I know is
full of commitments, when I learned that you would take pleasure in this
modest and simple encounter", said Fidel Castro to the Pope. During the
meeting, which according to
Vatican Radio lasted about half an hour, the former president spoke to the
Holy Father of his pleasure at the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta,
who had been a great benefactress of Cuba, and of John Paul II, "a man whose
contact with children
and ordinary citizens invariably aroused feelings of affection". For his part
Benedict XVI spoke of his own pleasure at being in Cuba and at the cordiality
of his welcome.
Fidel Castro asked the Pope a number of questions about changes in the
liturgy and the role of the Pontiff, and Benedict XVI replied by speaking
about his meeting with peoples and his service to the universal Church. The
former president also turned
his attention to the plight mankind is facing in the modern world, while the
Pope spoke of the absence and non recognition of God, and the fundamental
importance of the relationship between faith and reason. Finally, Castro asked
the Pope to send him a
number of books to enable him to study the issues raised in their talk, and
Benedict XVI said he would give thought to which texts to send. Finally, the
former president presented the Pope his wife and two of his children.
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CUBA, DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE FAITH TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE
Vatican City, 28 March 2012 (VIS) - As the Pope prepared to leave Cuba this
afternoon he recalled the profound impression that country had left on his
predecessor Blessed John Paul II, "when he came to these lands as a herald of
truth and hope".
Benedict XVI reiterated the fact that he had come to Cuba as a pilgrim of
love, to give thanks to the Virgin Mary "who has accompanied the journey of
the Church in this nation and given encouragement to all Cubans so that, from
the hand of Christ, they
might discover the true meaning of the desires and aspirations found in the
human heart and gain the strength needed to build a fraternal society in which
no one feels excluded".
At Jose Marti airport in Havana, where he arrived at 4.30 p.m. amid the
acclamation of tens of thousands of faithful who had thronged to see him, the
Pope thanked the president and other State authorities "for the interest and
generous cooperation
which they have shown in the the preparation of this journey". He also thanked
members of the episcopal conference and others who had spared no effort to
ensure the success of his visit. "I hold deep in my heart all the Cuban
people, each and every one.
You have surrounded me with prayer and affection, offered me cordial
hospitality and shared with me your profound and rightful aspirations.
"I came here as a witness to Jesus Christ, convinced that, wherever He is
present, discouragement yields to hope, goodness dispels uncertainties and a
powerful force opens up the horizon to beneficial and unexpected
possibilities", said the Holy
Father. He also expressed the hope that Christ's message of salvation would
strengthen the zeal and pastoral concern of Cuban bishops and all who
cooperate the work of evangelisation, particularly the lay faithful so that,
"by intensifying their
commitment to God in the midst of their homes and workplaces, they may never
tire of offering their responsible contribution for the good and the integral
progress of their homeland.
"The path which Christ points out to humanity, and to each particular
individual and people, is not a source of constraint, but rather the primary
and principal premise for their authentic development. The light of the Lord,
has shone brightly during
these days; may that light never fade in those who have welcomed it; may it
help all people to foster social harmony and to allow the blossoming of all
that is finest in the Cuban soul, its most noble values, which can be the
basis for building a
society of broad vision, renewed and reconciled. May no one feel excluded from
taking up this exciting search for his or her basic freedoms, or excused from
this this by indolence or lack of material resources, a situation which is
worsened when
restrictive economic measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly
burden its people.
"I now conclude my pilgrimage, but I will continue praying fervently that
you will go forward and that Cuba will be the home of all and for all Cubans,
where justice and freedom coexist in a climate of serene fraternity. Respect
and promotion of
freedom which is present in the heart of each person are essential in order to
respond adequately to the fundamental demands of his or her dignity and, in
this way, to build up a society in which all are indispensable actors in the
future of their life,
their family and their country.
"The present hour urgently demands that in personal, national and
international coexistence we reject immovable positions and unilateral
viewpoints which tend to make understanding more difficult and efforts at
cooperation ineffective. Possible
discrepancies and difficulties will be resolved by tirelessly seeking what
unites everyone, with patient and sincere dialogue, and a willingness to
listen and accept goals which will bring new hope.
"Cuba, look again to the faith of your elders, draw from that faith the
strength to build a better future, trust in the Lord’s promises, and
open your heart to His Gospel so as to renew authentically your personal and
social life.
"As I bid you a heartfelt adios, I ask our Lady of Charity of El Cobre to
protect all Cubans under her mantle, to sustain them in the midst of their
trials and to obtain from Almighty God the grace that they most desire. Hasta
siempre, Cuba, a land
made beautiful by the maternal presence of Mary. May God bless your
future".
Having concluded his farewell address, Benedict XVI boarded his plane for
Rome where, following a flight of ten and a half hours, he arrived at 10.15
a.m. local time on 29 March.
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CANONICAL STATUS OF THE SO-CALLED BISHOPS OF PIDHIRCI
Vatican City, 29 March 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a
declaration issued today by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
concerning the canonical status of the "so-called Greek-Catholic bishops of
Pidhirci": Fr. Elias A. Dohnal
O.S.B.M., Fr. Markian V. Hitiuk O.S.B.M., Fr. Metodej R. Spirik O.S.B.M., and
Fr. Robert Oberhauser. The text is dated 22 February and bears the signatures
of Cardinal William Joseph Levada and Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer
S.J., respectively
prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
(1) The Holy See has followed with great concern the activities of Fr.
Elias A. Dohnal O.S.B.M., Fr. Markian V. Hitiuk O.S.B.M., Fr. Metodej R.
Spirik O.S.B.M., and Fr. Robert Oberhauser who, having been expelled from the
Basilian Order of St.
Josaphat, subsequently proclaimed themselves as bishops of the Greek-Catholic
Ukrainian Church. With their disobedience, these priests continue to challenge
ecclesiastical authority, causing moral and spiritual damage, not only to the
Basilian Order of
St. Josaphat and the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church, but also to this
Apostolic See and the Catholic Church as a whole. All this provokes division
and bewilderment among the faithful. The aforementioned priests, having
established a group of "bishops"
of Pidhirci, have recently sought to have that group recognised and registered
by the competent State authorities as the "Ukrainian Orthodox Greek-Catholic
Church".
(2) Since the beginning of this painful episode, Church representatives of
various ranks have sought to dissuade them from continuing a conduct which,
among other things, could deceive the faithful, as has already happened in a
number of cases.
(3) The Holy See, concerned to protect the unity and peace of Christs
flock, had hoped in the repentance and subsequent return of the aforementioned
priests to full communion with the Catholic Church. Unfortunately the most
recent developments - such
as the unsuccessful attempt to acquire State registration for the "Pidhirci"
group under the name of the "Ukrainian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church" -
demonstrates their continuing disobedience.
(4) Therefore, to safeguard the common good of the Church and the "salus
animarum", and given that the so-called "bishops" of Pidhirci show no sign of
repentance but continue to create confusion and disarray in the community of
faithful, in
particular by calumniating representatives of the Holy See and of the local
Church, and asserting that the supreme authority of the Church is in
possession of documentation testifying to the full validity of their episcopal
ordination, the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, accepting the request presented by the
ecclesiastical authorities of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church, and by
other dicasteries of the Holy See, has decided, by this declaration, to inform
the faithful, especially in
the countries of origin of the so-called "bishops", about their current
canonical status.
(5) This Congregation, disassociating itself entirely from the actions of
the so-called "bishops" aforementioned, and from their aforesaid declarations,
formally declares that it does not recognise the validity of their episcopal
ordinations, or of
any and all ordinations that have derived, or will derive therefrom. Moreover,
the canonical status of the four so-called "bishops" is that of
xcommunication, pursuant to canon 1459 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches (CCEO), in view
of the fact that an appeal sentence of the ordinary tribunal of the Major
Archiepiscopal Ukrainian Church, issued on 10 September 2008, recognised them
as guilty of offences under canons 1462, 1447 and 1452 of the CCEO; i.e., the
offences of
illegitimate usurpation of office, inciting sedition and hatred towards
certain hierarchs, provoking subjects to disobedience, and harming a third
party's good name by calumny.
(6) Furthermore, the use of the name "Catholic" by groups which are not
recognised by the competent ecclesiastical authority is to be considered as
illegitimate, pursuant to canon 19 of the CCEO.
(7) The faithful are, then, enjoined not to adhere to the aforementioned
group as, to all canonical effects, it is outside ecclesiastical communion.
The faithful are invited to pray for the members of the group, that they may
repent and return to
full communion with the Catholic Church.
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