Among the signatories of the petition are the Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, the Japanese nun Filo Hirota, members of the World Council of Churches, the Communion of Reformed Churches of Cuba, and Chris Ferguson, reverend of the Reformed University and pastor of the United Church of Canada.

The International Christian Service in Solidarity with the Peoples of Latin America, Oscar Arnulfo Romero, and the Rev. Whit Hutchison of the United States Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, also signed the petition.

“We want to make a prophetic request to the Government of the United States, on the occasion of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Colombia on Monday, October 3, to remove Cuba from the list of ‘state sponsors of terrorists,’” the signatories stated in a statement.

They also urge the Biden Administration to change its perspective, and life before aggression against the peoples.

“Cuba has already been a historical victim of blockades and inhuman sanctions that affect the lives of its inhabitants, many of them sisters and brothers in faith, particularly at times like the current one where Hurricane Ian has left victims in Cuba, as well as in Florida, with the difference that their resources are scarcer for the attention of the victims”, they declared.

The believers express their adherence to the recent call of the World Council of Churches that “Cuba be removed from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism, and that the churches be accompanied as prophetic voices of peace, hope, cooperation and mutual respect”.

Likewise, they support the call of Pope Francis in his speech at the meeting of Popular Movements in October 2021: “I want to ask the powerful countries in the name of God to cease aggression, blockades, unilateral sanctions against any country anywhere in the world. Earth. No to neo-colonialism”.

They also welcome in the petition the acknowledgment of gratitude that the government of Gustavo Petro made to Cuba on August 11 for hosting the peace processes between the insurgencies and the Colombian State for more than 40 years, and its rejection of being classified as “sponsor of terrorism”.

(With information from Prensa Latina)

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)

During the meeting, which took place in a cordial and respectful environment, issues related to the urgency of climate change and gender justice were addressed, as well as the fight against religious, economic, social, and political fundamentalisms, issues that were addressed in an event in our country organized by these religious organizations.

Also attending the dialogue was Caridad Diego Bello, head of the Religious Affairs Office of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee.

(Granma)

Among the beneficial outcomes of cooperation between the organizations, which now share a sincere friendship, are agreements in the areas of eye health, to prevent blindness as a result of cataracts and retinopathy in premature babies, as well as support to those with limited vision and the prevention of deafness.

Other efforts have included work on inclusive education for children with limited vision, the early detection of diseases that may aggravate eye problems, attention to those affected by Hurricane Matthew, and community programs.

Speaking to the press at CIC headquarters, CBM international director David Bainbridge said that Cuba is unique in that successful aspects of programs undertaken “have been adopted by ministries and become policies.” The inclusion of persons with disabilities is national policy, he noted, along with equal access to public education.

Agreeing with him was Regine Polynice, CBM regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, who praised the role of the Cuban ministries of Labor and Social Security, Public Health, and Education, as well as government leadership along with the Council of Churches and associations of persons with disabilities, which were central to the establishment and impact of the programs.

For her part, pediatrician Dr. Elina Ceballos, deaconry coordinator for the Cuban Council of Churches, stated that the collaboration has allowed national health programs to be strengthened, along with efforts to integrate persons with disabilities into the workforce, and address educational issues.

She noted that the activities planned to celebrate 20 years of joint work, under the maxim of “Serving together,” include workshops with medical professionals and educators, visits to hospitals and special schools, among others.

Commenting on the impact of this collaboration, CIC President Reverend Joel Ortega Dopico noted the beauty of outcomes, the support provided to beneficiaries of the Revolution’s programs, adding that the contribution is evident in professional training provided medical staff and the equipment made available to hospitals and special schools. He likewise emphasized that the effort has served to break the blockade imposed by the United States.

The reverend went on to stress that these accomplishments have been possible because they mesh well with the country’s public policies, adding new knowledge and initiatives to government efforts.

Gratitude, he said, is visible in the faces of mothers and fathers when they see their children receiving treatment free of charge.

(Granma)

The ceremony was attended by Salvador Valdés Mesa, member of the Party Political Bureau and a vice president of the Council of State; Caridad Diego, head of the Party Central Committee Office of Religious Affairs; Party and government authorities of the capital; and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Cuba.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega welcomed Archbishop Juan and accompanied him inside the cathedral, where after several rites the Holy Mass began.

Monsignor Polcari, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Havana, read the Apostolic Letters (papal bull) appointing Monsignor Juan García as the new Archbishop of Havana. In these, Pope Francis noted the intellectual and moral qualities of the new Archbishop, and his extensive experience in the pastoral mission.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega then invited the new Archbishop to occupy the corresponding chair and handed him the crozier (pastoral staff). A representation of priests, deacons, monks, nuns and laypersons of the Archdiocese offered gestures of obedience and acceptance.

During the homily, which revolved around the mystery of the Holy Trinity, Monsignor Juan had words of praise for the dedication and love with which Cardinal Jaime Ortega had undertaken his pastoral work in Havana. During the blessing, he thanked the Cuban authorities present and expressed his desire to continue strengthening the dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Cuban state.

Archbishop Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez was born in Camagüey in 1948 and was ordained as a priest in 1972. His early years of ministry were spent in the current Diocese of Ciego de Ávila. On March 15, 1997, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Camagüey, and in June 2002, took over as second Archbishop of the same archdiocese. His episcopal motto is “Go and announce the Gospel.”

I write to express my sincere gratitude for your invitation and for the warm welcome I, and the ecclesiastical delegation that accompanied me, received during our visit to the blessed Cuban land.

I will treasure in my heart the noblest memories of this visit to the Island of Liberty, as well as the sentiments of affection and hospitality of the Cuban people. Likewise, very warm sentiments remain with me regarding the talks that we held, during which I was convinced, once again, of your candor and sincerity, of your experience in the role you undertake, of your ability to make objective assessments of the processes that are underway in the world today. I hope to have the opportunity to continue our discussions in the future. I will always be willing and it would be a great pleasure to meet with you in Moscow.

It was a great honor for me to receive, from your very own hands, the highest decoration of the Republic of Cuba, the José Martí Order. I regard it as recognition and high esteem for the service of the Russian Orthodox Church. I would like especially to emphasize the fact that Your Excellency, along with other leaders of the Cuban state, were present at the divine liturgy in the temple of Our Lady of Kazan in Havana, sharing the joy of this celebration with the Orthodox community in the city.

Very personally, I want to thank you and the Cuban authorities for creating all the necessary conditions for my meeting with Pope Francis. I am sure that this event will open a new page in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

I wish you, dear Mr. President, much spiritual and physical health, and success in providing such a responsible service for the welfare of the Cuban people.
Yours Sincerely,

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

The completely renovated facility was inaugurated October 14, in a ceremony which saw the participation of Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, first vice president of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers.

During the inauguration, Arsenio Alemán, director of the Confucius Institute (IC), thanked the Teach Chinese as a Foreign Language Office, the Beijing Language and Culture University, as well as the Cuban and Chinese entities that participated in the project.

Zhang Tuo, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Cuba, also in attendance at the ceremony, emphasized the historical significance of the Pacífico building, which he described as “witness to the friendship and cultural exchanges between the two peoples.”

Likewise, the diplomat highlighted the role of the IC in disseminating the culture and language of his country; while also expressing his desire that more people study the language of Confucius, and his certainty that “this institute will play an even more important role in strengthening relations between China and Cuba.”

The works undertaken by the IC over the past six years (beginning November 2009) have already borne fruit with the new headquarters representing the consolidation of these achievements. In the medium-term the institution is expected to receive the necessary resources to fully exploit the renovated building.

The academic center acts as a bridge to understanding the millennium-old culture and history of the Asian nation, while also offering students the opportunity to study in the country.

The Institute is home to one of the country’s most comprehensive and up-to-date libraries on China. It also has audiovisual and informative materials on the country’s education system, economic situation and culture.

Of the 11 professors who work at the institute, six are affiliated with Beijing Language and Culture University. The rest are Cuban educators who have studied the language in China.

The IC currently accepts 500 students who are also taught the values and customs of this sister nation.

The IC aims to double its enrollment quota, and from its new headquarters “disseminate the greatest contributions of Chinese culture and history in this city. It will be a place where the fraternal relationship between the Communist parties of Cuba and China finds a place to strengthen itself,” according to Dr. Gustavo Cobreiro, rector of the University of Havana.

(Granma)

As well as participating in a range of educational congresses, Frei Betto has been active in the fight against the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, in the campaign for the return of Elián González and for the freedom of the Five anti-terrorists.

This Monday, in the Aula Magna of the University of Havana, he was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa in Philosophy, during a ceremony presided over by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, member of the Party Political Bureau and first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers.

Winner of the National Social Sciences Award, Dr Fernando Martínez Heredia, emphasized Betto’s commitment to the people of Brazil, noting that “The poorest and the workers of Brazil proclaimed him their doctor years ago, because he put his intellect and his actions at the service of those struggling against prolonged dictatorship and until now he has defended the rights of the Brazilian people.”

On accepting the honorary title, Betto noted that “The most outstanding Cubans were students at this university, from Félix Varela to Fidel Castro. Another name worth mentioning is the student president of the struggle against Batista, José Antonio Echeverría, who was president of the FEU, founded the Revolutionary Directorate, and on the day of the assault on the Presidential Palace, March 13, 1957, died fighting against the wall of this university.”

He expressed thanks to the university and to Cuba “for giving Latin America and the world men and women who embody the deepest human values.”

Also attending the ceremony were Dr. Rodolfo Alarcón Ortiz, minister of Higher Education; the advisers to the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Abel Prieto and José Ramón Fernández; Dr Gustavo Cobreiro Suárez, rector of the university; Armando Hart Dávalos, director of the Martí Program Office and president of the José Martí Cultural Society, and His Excellency Cesario Melantonio, ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

(Granma)

After a long Saturday, the Pope will meet with bishops in the chapel of St. Martin, from the Seminary St. Carlos Borromeo, and then will visit the Curran-Fromhold Prison.

In the afternoon it is scheduled the mass that will close the activities of the World Meeting of Families, prelude to the Synod on the social institution, to be held in the Vatican from October 4 to 25.

The Pope will participate also on a visit to organizers, volunteers and benefactors of that event in the Atlantic Aviation, which will precede his departure for Rome, scheduled for 20:00 local time.

Francisco and will end the longest trip of his pontificate, since he arrived to the US on the 22nd from Cuba, where he carried out an intense pastoral visit which started the 19.

Yesterday, His Holiness celebrated a mass in the Cathedral St. Peter and Paul, of Philadelphia, where he praised the role of women in Catholicism again and called for greater involvement in the work of the Church of Catholic laymen “in a society that is rapidly changing.”

He asked before bishops and clergy for “a sense of shared partnership and responsibility in planning the future of our parishes and institutions” without implying “to renounce the spiritual authority entrusted to us.”

Also, this Saturday Francis came to the Independence Mall in Philadelphia- where in 1776 the Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies took place- where Francis again met tens of thousands of fans gathered to greet him and hear his message on immigration and religious freedom.

Finally, the Bishop of Rome attended the Festival of Families in the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

During this northern tour Francisco met with President Barack Obama at the White House, gave speeches before the Congress and the General Assembly of the United Nations, and paid tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The head of the Vatican State has made called to welcome immigrants, for the social inclusion in large cities, and an ideal of human progress based on solidarity and environmental protection, consultation and dialogue among nations, the elimination of nuclear weapons and war, among other issues.