It is a stark analysis, as stark as the reality that the world has been forced to face in the last fifteen years, that of Pope Francis in his speech to Deloitte Global, the London-based international consultancy, whose members have been received this tomorrow at the Apostolic Palace.

Just a representation of the approximately 350,000 employees who “every moment of the day” work to advise and help other organizations. “A great responsibility!” observed Francis, who asked them to fulfill the precise mission of being “integral consultants” to “cooperate in the reorientation of the way of being of this planet of ours, which has become ill – we, who have become ill – in the climate and in inequality”.

A world that suffers
“Humanity is globalized and interconnected, but poverty, injustice and inequality remain,” the pontiff began in his speech.

“Currently, the world is suffering from worsening environmental conditions; many populations or social groups live in an undignified way in terms of food, health, education and other basic rights”.

From 2007 to today
The Pope’s gaze goes back to the last fifteen years in which “the world has gone through serious and continuous crises.”

“We couldn’t finish dealing with the 2007 financial crisis, we had to deal with the public debt crisis and the real economies, then the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine with global consequences and threats.”
However, the pontiff noted that “the planet continues to suffer the effects of climate change; meanwhile, cruel and hidden wars continue to be waged in different regions; meanwhile, tens of millions of people continue to be forced to emigrate from their lands.”

Social justice, the new name of peace
It is true what Saint Paul VI said when he stated “that the new name of peace is development in social justice”. And Deloitte consultants and anyone who does similar work can do a lot in this “difficult and uncertain” context: “You can present your analyzes and proposals according to a comprehensive view and vision: in fact, decent work for people, the care of the common home, the economic and social value, the positive impact on the communities are interconnected realities”.

(With information from Vatican News)

Peace has been the golden dream of humanity, and the peoples’ aspiration, at every moment in history. Thousands of nuclear weapons are hanging over humanity’s head. Preventing the most brutal war that could be unleashed has undoubtedly been the fundamental objective of efforts by religious leaders of churches directed by men such as Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, and His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

To struggle for peace is the most sacred duty of all human beings, whatever their religion, country of origin, skin color, advanced or youthful age may be.

Fidel Castro Ruz

February 14, 2016

10:18 pm

(Granma)

Your Holiness, Eminences, Reverends;

We spoke as brothers, we were both baptized the same way, we are Bishops. We spoke of our Churches, and agreed that unity is achieved moving forward. We spoke clearly, without mincing words. I confess to you that I have felt the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in this dialogue.

I am grateful for the humility of His Holiness, fraternal humility, and his best wishes for unity.

We have emerged with a series of initiatives which I believe are viable and can be accomplished. Thus, I want to thank His Holiness one more time for his kind reception, as well as the collaborators, and I will mention two: His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarión and his Eminence Cardinal Koch, along with all their teams who have worked for this.

I do not want to leave without expressing heartfelt thanks to Cuba, the great Cuban people, and their President, here present. I am grateful for his active participation. If this continues, Cuba will be the capital of unity. May all of this be for the glory of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and for the holy people, faithful to God, under the protection of Our Lady, Mother of God.

We have held an open discussion over two hours, with full understanding of the responsibility of our churches for our believing people, for the future of Christianity, and the future of human civilization. It was a very content-rich conversation, which afforded us the opportunity to understand and appreciate each other’s positions.

The results of the conversation allow me to assure you that the two churches can now cooperate in a joint fashion to defend Christians throughout the world, and with full responsibility work together so there is no war; so that human life is respected throughout the world; so that the foundations of personal, family and social ethics are strengthened; and so that, through the Church’s participation in the life of modern human society, the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are glorified.

Also present for the welcome were Esteban Lazo Hernández, member of the Political Bureau and President of the National Assembly of People’s Power; Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla; other Cuban officials; Orthodox Church authorities; and members of the diplomatic corps in Cuba.

As part of his visit, the Russian Patriarch will meet tomorrow with Pope Francis in José Martí International Airport, during a stop over on the pontiff’s trip to Mexico.

The two religious leaders will converse, and sign a joint declaration, according to a communiqué from the Moscow Patriarchate and the Vatican.

Both parties agree that the encounter marks the beginning of a new stage of relations between the two churches.

This is the first time in almost 1,000 years that such a meeting has occurred, since the 1054 rupture between Christianity in the East and West.

Patriarch Kirill’s three-day visit in Cuba is part of a Latin American tour which will continue through February 22.

(Granma)

The Cuban government and citizens of the capital will welcome the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on September 9 when he arrives in Havana to begin his apostolic visit. The following day he will hold a mass in the Plaza de la Revolución “José Martí,” visit the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, and meet with priests, believers and seminaries in the Cathedral of Havana. He will also greet the youth in the Félix Varela Cultural Center.

On September 21 he will travel to Holguín, where he will offer a mass in the Plaza de la Revolución “Calixto García Iñiguez.” On the same day the Supreme Pontiff will travel to Santiago de Cuba, and on September 22 will hold a mass in the Basilica of the Shrine to the “Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre”, where he will also greet Cuban families.

(Diario Granma)

During a 20-minute meeting, the two leaders called for renewing direct talks between Israel and Palestine to find a fair and lasting solution to the more-than-60-year conflict.

Since the mid 20th century, the Palestinian people have suffered the invasion and occupation of their territories by Tel Aviv, as result of which dozens of thousands people have been killed and millions have been displaced.

His Holiness and Abbas wished that with support from the international community, bold decisions can be made in favor of peace, a Vatican statement said.

The two heads of State also expressed satisfaction with the global agreement reached this week between the Vatican and Palestine, which should be signed in a near future and in which the State of Palestine is recognized.

The text, including essential aspects of the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine, supports the establishment of two states as a solution to the long-running conflict.

During the meeting, the two leaders also analyzed the situation in the Middle East and expressed support for inter-religious dialogue as an essential issue in the struggle against terrorism.

The meeting took place one day before the canonization of two Palestinian nuns, in which Pope Francis and Abbas will be present.

(Prensa Latina)

During the meeting, held yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participants expressed the full willingness of the Cuban State and government to offer all the necessary support for the success of the apostolic visit of His Holiness to the Caribbean nation.

The Cuban delegation was presided over by Deputy Foreign Minister Marcelino Medina, and Caridad Diego, head of the Office of Attention to Religious Affairs at the Cuban Communist Party’s Central Committee, among other officials.

Alberto Gasbarri, Head of the Organization of Papal Trips, Dr. Paolo Corvini, of the Protocol Office of the Vatican Secretariat of State, and Monsignor Veceslav Tumir, Charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in the Havana, were present for the Holy See.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana, and Monsignor Dionisio Garcia, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, among other bishops of the island, attended the meeting for the Cuban Catholic Church.

The President travels accompanied by Vicepresident of the Council of Ministers, Ricardo Cabrisas and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, among other representatives of his government. He was received by the Swiss guard of honor and the prefect of the Pontiff s House, Georg Gaenswein.

Raul Castro presented the High Pontiff of a painting of the Cuban artist Alexis Leyva, known by Kcho, representing the tragedies suffered by thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

Also, the Cuban President gave the Bishop of Rome a commemorative medal of the 200th anniversary of the Havana Cathedral.

On his part, Francis gave the Executive a copy of his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel and a medal of St. Martin of Tours, patron of Buenos Aires.

In statements to the press, the Cuban President affirmed he thanked the Pope for his contribution to the process of reestablishment of relations between his country and the United States.

He also said to have transmitted to the High Pontiff the love of the Cuban people and their expectations of the Pope�s visit to the island, scheduled for next September.

The Cuban President arrived the eve to Italy, after participating in Russia in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism.

(Prensa Latina)