Pope Cuba Trip: Pontiff Tells Cubans To Look beyond Marxism

Pope Benedict XVI (C) flanked by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (L) and Italian Premier Mario Monti boards a plane on his way to Mexico and Cuba on March 23, 2012 at Rome's Fiumicino airport. Pope Benedict XVI sets off on an arduous journey to Latin America where he will address key issues including the war on drugs in Mexico and the evolution of the communist regime in Cuba. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE

By Alessandro Speciale
Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI on Friday (March 23) urged Cuba's communist government to look for "new models" beyond its "Marxist ideology," saying it is clear that Marxism "no longer responds to reality."

Speaking on the plane taking him to Mexico for his first visit to Spanish-speaking Latin America, the pontiff also stressed that though the church "is not a political power," Catholics must do more to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and to promote "social justice."

The plane carrying Benedict and his staff, as well as around 70 Vatican-accredited journalists, left Friday morning from Rome. After a 14-hour flight, the pope will arrive in Guanajuato, Mexico, where he will stay for three days before moving on to Cuba.

Asked about the situation in Cuba after recent timid steps toward reform, the pope recalled John Paul II's first visit to the island, in 1998, which opened a "way of cooperation and dialogue" between the church and the Cuban government.

It is a "long road that requires patience, but that leads forward," he added, according to media reports and a Vatican Radio report.

Even though no meeting with dissidents is scheduled on the island, Benedict stressed that "the church is always on the side of freedom" of conscience and religion.

Referring to Mexico's "enormous" drug-trafficking problem, Benedict said the church must work to "unmask" this "evil," which is "destructive of mankind and (especially) of our youth."

Comments

[Thaddeus Jude]

07:18 PM on 03/26/2012

They found a way to make everybody equal - something Jesus preached about - and he wants them to change it? Well, okay then...

[mrld20]

06:52 PM on 03/26/2012

How dare this old man bash socialism! He must resign! I insist! Socialism is the only light! :DDDD

[itsnewst0me]

06:39 PM on 03/26/2012

Yes... the Pope wants Cubans to abandon Cuba marxism for the fascism of a Mother Church whose cruel policies disenfranchise and despise women while protecting pedophiles instead of the innocent children they destroy. Doesn't sound like much of a good deal to me.

[berkshireboy]

05:09 PM on 03/26/2012

I think that the Pope is doing a great job Viva Il Papa !!!

[tonyg6996]

12:40 PM on 03/26/2012

Marxism is probably the ideology most similar to what Jesus says in the Bible (giving to the poor, the rich are wicked etc.), and the Pope says it "No longer responds to reality." Funny, I would say the same about religion.

[Thaddeus Jude]

07:19 PM on 03/26/2012

My thoughts exactly.

[jparedes]

11:51 AM on 03/26/2012

Pope says: ..."long road that requires patience, but that leads forward," ...I would ask is 50 years long enough?

[itsnewst0me]

06:48 PM on 03/26/2012

"Pope says: ..."long road that requires patience, but that leads forward," ...I would ask is 50 years long enough? "

Hmmmm...Yeah.. especially since they've only been toeing their party line for 1,300 years now. Funny how, in reality, the Church, uhder this Pope and the Pop he succeeded has doggedly been traveling backwards in time and delibrately undoing all the reality-based, compassionate and Jesus-inspired, life-affirming work of Vatican II......

[nonChristian]

10:36 AM on 03/26/2012

because capitalism is to christian. Jesus was actually a Capitalist. He used to ask people "What incentive do I have to perform this miracle?" or "I cannot heal you, you have a pre-existing condition".

[ok3apples]

07:33 PM on 03/25/2012

look toward heartless capitalism maybe? Support the effort of greedy people to get very rich while way more people get poor...

[lmab]

07:01 PM on 03/25/2012

Pope says....."People....look beyond Marxism.....Oh....and also sexual abuse of young boys.".... ......."Thank you"

[lightnessandjoy]

05:42 PM on 03/25/2012

The Pope is criticizing a belief system because it "no longer responds to reality?" As opposed to a church that has never responded to reality.

[TruthOffends]

06:23 PM on 03/25/2012

Funny how Catholicism is a far more relevant belief system today than Marxism. And what makes you think that the church has never responded to reality? It has done far more so than Marxism ever did.

[MarxEngelsLeninTrotsky]

07:56 PM on 03/25/2012

"Religion was the first attempt at philosophy just as it was the first attempt at healthcare, cosmology, astronomy and so on."

Christopher Hitchens.

[MovieGuy2010]

01:06 PM on 03/25/2012

As a Catholic, I hope the next generation of Church leaders are more reflective of the modern era we live in now.

This administration were all formed in the political maelstrom in the Cold War, particular this Pope, who at times sounds more like a NeoCon politician rallying against the commies, then the leader of the Church.

[itsnewst0me]

06:52 PM on 03/26/2012

You're forgetting the excellent work of vatican II- which this pope and his predecessor spent all those years undoing the benefits of.......

[boscobear]

12:36 PM on 03/25/2012

Will he he meet with those opposing Castro and if not, why not/? He is losing contact with reality and what today's Catholic's really do.

As Pope, he receives the prestige of the position but as a leader, he is treated like a dottering Grandfather, loveable but nobody really listens to him.

[itsnewst0me]

06:54 PM on 03/26/2012

That is just not true... I have friends who weep with love of the pope and will believe whatever he says as if he were more than a VERY rich, powerful, political emperor over his flock... he is nothingmore than a man with so much it is corrosive....

[sweetlilthing]

10:31 AM on 03/25/2012

Should Cuba be more like the Catholic Church? Some things are worst than being a Marxist.

[HeevenSteven]

09:46 AM on 03/25/2012

"..Marxism "no longer responds to reality.""

Pope says to Cuba, you're going to be a third world Client state subservient to Western Banks and venture capitalists. There's your reality. But don't worry, you'll have freedom and churches..

[JolietJake Blues]

05:06 AM on 03/25/2012

HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LaureenMillarHolt
27 Fans Become a fan
8 hours ago ( 8:44 PM)
The Pope is spot-on, as usual.....

Americans NEED to look beyond this unAmerican Marxist Occupyer of the WH when they vote--as in voting him OUT of office--while Cubans are do the same in Cuba...

NOBAMA2012!
ABO2012! AnybodyButObummer2012!
-------
This Pope endorsed Universal Healthcare in 2010.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/19/pope-is-no-tea-partier-benedict-backs-guaranteed-health-care-fo/

Why don't you stand with the Pope?

[MyNameIsJames]

10:32 AM on 03/25/2012

How can one be a Marxist - if you are helping to bail out Banks. Banks are the central feature of Capitalism.

My question to you is

1) Are you calling Obama a Marxist simply because you don't like him?

Or
2) Because you have credible evidence that most people would agree would show that President is a Marxist?

[MarxEngelsLeninTrotsky]

07:55 PM on 03/25/2012

Obama is not a Marxist. He's not even a Socialist.

They (the right) call him a Marxist because they are wanting a reaction.

They also don't have a clue what they're talking about.