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Cubans Have Mixed Opinions on Effect of Visit by Pope Francis Cubans Have Mixed Opinions on Effect of Visit by Pope Francis
(about 2 hours later)
HAVANA — In a dilapidated eatery in Old Havana, Josef Fonseca, 92, sat in a worn plastic chair Saturday evening watching the arrival of Pope Francis in Cuba on a television with a snowy screen.HAVANA — In a dilapidated eatery in Old Havana, Josef Fonseca, 92, sat in a worn plastic chair Saturday evening watching the arrival of Pope Francis in Cuba on a television with a snowy screen.
Fonseca, an old truck driver who has been retired for decades, wept as the pope descended from the airplane to be greeted by President Raúl Castro. A small crowd of workers and pensioners gathered in silence to hear the speech, focused intently on the small TV. Fonseca, an old truck driver retired for decades, wept as the pope descended from the airplane to be greeted by President Raúl Castro. A small crowd of workers and pensioners gathered in silence to hear Francis’ speech, focused intently on the small TV.
Mr. Fonseca mopped his watery blue eyes with a pink rag.Mr. Fonseca mopped his watery blue eyes with a pink rag.
“I’m a little emotional,” he said, his speech halting. “He’s a Latino, he understands us better. It’s not that the others have been bad, just that this one is different. This one gets closer to our humanity.” “I’m a little emotional,” he said, his speech halting. “He’s a Latino; he understands us better. It’s not that the others have been bad, just that this one is different. This one gets closer to our humanity.”
For many Cubans, the arrival of the first Latin American pope to their country was a powerful moment, coming at a time of warming relations with the United States — a rapprochement that the pontiff himself helped broker. Mr. Castro welcomed Francis after he landed in Cuba on Saturday shortly before 4 p.m., likening the pope’s message of equality and service to the poor as the ideals of the Cuban revolution.
In the welcoming center, both men alluded to the historic diplomatic breakthrough with the United States.
“For some months now, we have witnessed an event which fills us with hope: the process of normalizing relations between two people following years of estrangement,” Francis said. “It is a sign of the victory of the culture of encounter and dialogue.” Francis also urged leaders in the United States and Cuba “to persevere on this path” and become “an example of reconciliation for the entire world.”
The pope kept his remarks brief as a crowd of Cubans cheered along the edges of the airport. He cited the beloved Cuban writer José Martí more than once and recalled his predecessors’ journeys to Cuba in 1998 and 2012.
The pontiff arrived in a nation brimming with anticipation. Though Cuba has received the last two popes, Francis is different for many Cubans: a Latin American who speaks of the ills of capitalist systems and about social equality — and who can do so in Spanish.The pontiff arrived in a nation brimming with anticipation. Though Cuba has received the last two popes, Francis is different for many Cubans: a Latin American who speaks of the ills of capitalist systems and about social equality — and who can do so in Spanish.
On Friday night, a couple hundred young Catholics gathered in the courtyard of the Havana Cathedral. He is likely to press for more space and freedom for the church to operate in Cuban society. As it stands, the church can run neither schools nor hospitals; it instead focuses much of its energy on aiding poor people whom the ailing state can no longer afford to support.
They prayed, sang and embraced in the shadows of the church, stationed at the center of a secular country. A nun implored those gathered to let the love and mercy of God change their lives, as the image of Pope Francis was projected on the facade of the building. In his speech, the pope touched briefly on a topic many anticipate he will broach with more energy when he says Mass on Sunday in Havana’s Plaza of the Revolution: the freedom of the church in Cuba.
Drawn from across the Havana area, the young Catholics closed their eyes. “This pope has done things differently,” whispered Eddie Gonzalez, 31, clutching a paddle with the pope’s image on it. “He has revolutionized the way the church approaches the world.” He said the church supported and encouraged “the freedom, the means and the space needed to bring the proclamation of the kingdom to the existential peripheries of society.”
That approach includes helping to broker the rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, a success that will echo throughout Francis’ trip to Cuba and the United States. There are more questions looming over the visit: Will the pope also speak publicly about political freedom, or will he walk the fine line between speaking his mind to the Cuban state and souring the mood of his hosts? Can he expand the church’s membership in a country where just 4 to 5 percent of the population is considered to be practicing Catholics?
“He is Argentine,” said Javier Molina Ortega, 59, noting the military dictatorship that Argentina lived under and the thousands of lives lost during the 1970s and early ’80s. “What happened there is worse than what happened here. I think he understands our problems well.” “In our country, we have faith,” said Julio Pernoz Santiago, 26, who was at a gathering of young Catholics on Friday night in front of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. “At the moment, though, there are some discrepancies between religion and politics.”
But along with the pope’s arrival come questions: Will he speak publicly about political freedom, or will he walk the fine line between speaking his mind to the Cuban state without souring the mood of his hosts? How will he go about trying to expand the freedom of practice for Catholics in Cuba, who make up just 4 to 5 percent of the population? How will he go about attempting to expand the Catholic population at large — especially among Cubans, Latin America’s most aged population?
“In our country, we have faith,” said Julio Pernoz Santiago, 26, who was at the gathering on Friday night in front of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. “At the moment, though, there are some discrepancies between religion and politics.”
In reality, those differences are perhaps at their smallest since the government swept into power after the 1959 revolution. Back then, Fidel Castro declared Cuba an atheist state and chased off religious leaders, in some cases even claiming the church’s properties.In reality, those differences are perhaps at their smallest since the government swept into power after the 1959 revolution. Back then, Fidel Castro declared Cuba an atheist state and chased off religious leaders, in some cases even claiming the church’s properties.
But these days, the church enjoys a wider berth. The state is now considered secular by its Constitution. Struggling to fund its social programs, the government has allowed the church to pick up the slack — feeding the poor, providing clothing, offering limited classes and providing youth programs and activities. But these days, the church enjoys a wider berth. The state is now considered secular by its Constitution.
Cubans share mixed opinions on the lasting effect that the pontiff’s visit will have. Some are confident that this is a symbolic moment that will expedite the state’s slow process of opening up to the world. Others think the visit is mere theatrics, another of the government’s attempts to appear to be changing while Cubans get by, on average, with $20 a month in earnings. Cubans have mixed opinions on the lasting effect that the pontiff’s visit will have. Some are confident that this is a symbolic moment that will expedite the state’s slow process of opening up to the world. Others think the visit is mere theatrics, another of the government’s attempts to appear to be changing while Cubans get by, on average, with $20 a month in earnings.
“Life will stay the same,” said Mary Lahera Orta, 29. But even with her wariness, she allowed that the pope’s arrival was at least somewhat exciting. “O.K., sure, it’s nice, but things won’t get better.” Still others, while lavishing praise on the pope, argue that it is the government itself, led by the president, that is bringing the change.
Others were more optimistic. “Everyone thinks it’s just the pope,” said Yosbany Cano Gancés, 39, a government worker. “But the real change has been coming from Raúl.”
“It won’t change everything, but it will change some things,” said Vilmar Aguilar, 40. “At the very least, it brings a message of peace and love to the nation.” Whatever the pope’s message is during the remainder of his brief visit to Cuba, one thing he is not expected to do is meet with political dissidents. The decision has sparked criticism from certain crowds for taking what they view as a politically expedient route.
Still others, while lavishing praise on the pope, argue that it is the government itself, led by Mr. Castro, that is bringing the change. “Everyone thinks it’s just the pope,” said Yosbany Cano Gancés, 39, a government worker. “But the real change has been coming from Raúl.” For some Cubans, however, that hardly matters. Early Saturday morning, as the sun crept over the pastel montage of Havana, Ramon Rodríguez wheeled himself along a main avenue in the neighborhood of Marianao.
Whatever the pope’s message is during his brief visit to Cuba, one thing he is not expected to do is meet with political dissidents. The decision has sparked criticism from certain crowds for taking what they view as a politically expedient route.
“There is a deep concern that the pope will be exploited by the government, a sensitivity that he may come and they might not get recognition for the hardships they have observed,” said Candida R. Moss, a professor of early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame.
For some Cubans, however, that hardly matters. Early Saturday morning, as the sun crept over the pastel montage of Havana, Ramon Rodríguez wheeled himself along a main avenue in the neighborhood of Marianao.
The pope would be passing by, and he wanted to be ready. There wasn’t exactly competition. The bus station that he settled in front of was still closed, and aside from the occasional passer-by who waved or stopped to chat, he was alone. Traffic groaned by as the city awoke.The pope would be passing by, and he wanted to be ready. There wasn’t exactly competition. The bus station that he settled in front of was still closed, and aside from the occasional passer-by who waved or stopped to chat, he was alone. Traffic groaned by as the city awoke.
“In the 1980s, religion here was difficult,” he said, adding that he was a practicing Catholic. “Fidel was our religion.”“In the 1980s, religion here was difficult,” he said, adding that he was a practicing Catholic. “Fidel was our religion.”
“Now, it’s more normal,” he said.“Now, it’s more normal,” he said.