Journey of hope highlights papal potential
Heralding the triumph of truth over ideology
What good is moral authority? The pope of the Roman Catholic Church has no political power per se, but the blessing of the frail figure from the Vatican can have a large impact on political and social systems. The papal potential to serve as a catalyst for fundamental change was never more evident than in the January 21-25 visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba.
Believers and skeptics alike were attracted to the proceedings which showcased the unlikely circumstance of an anti-communist religious figure welcomed by an aging socialist revolutionary to what has been an avowedly atheist state. Most observers were watching for developments in two main areas: How would the visit impact religious freedom in Cuba? And what political effect would it have on the adversarial relationship between Cuba and the United States?
God’s man in Havana
With the faithful hanging on the pontiff’s every word for a clue to spiritual transformation, millions were simply drawn to the spectacle of God’s man in Havana. Cynicism abounded too, as jokes circulating in conservative Protestant newspapers in the U.S. made clear. One, for example, asked why the pope would need five days in Cuba. Because, came the reply, it takes that long to hear Fidel Castro’s confession.
As expected, the pope had something to say to just about everyone. He was first and foremost a pastor: he proclaimed "the truth concerning Jesus Christ," cordially greeted his hosts–both sacred and civic–and expressed his "profound conviction that the message of the gospel leads to love, commitment, self-sacrifice and forgiveness."
Addressing young people, the pope asked: "How should the young remain sinless?" And answered: "By obeying your Word (Psalms 119:9). The psalm gives the answer to the question which all young people must ask themselves if they wish to lead a worthy and upright life. To achieve this, Jesus is the only way." He went on to insist that true Christian witness demands morally upright behavior, a demand that could lead to suffering and persecution. "Do not be afraid to open your hearts to Christ," he repeated.
But he did not shy away from the political statements. Indeed, cheers for freedom rang out in Havana’s Revolution Square during Sunday mass on the last day of his visit. With Castro in attendance, hundreds of thousands applauded and chanted repeatedly enough to force the pope to stop his homily. He called for religious freedom and slammed state atheism as a "capitalist neo-liberalism which subordinates the human person to blind market forces." He told the crowd, "A modern state cannot make atheism or religion one of its political ordinances."
Earlier the pope had criticized the government for not allowing Catholic schools, and after a private meeting with Castro the Vatican announced that Cuban officials had agreed to consider freeing some political prisoners who had sought the Holy Father’s intercession.
But the pope also took aim at the U.S., calling its 35-year-old economic embargo of Cuba "unjust and ethically unacceptable." In his closing mass he asserted: "For many of the political and economic systems operative today, the greatest challenge is still that of combining freedom and social justice, freedom and solidarity, so that no one is relegated to a position of inferiority."
The irony of a massive likeness of Jesus staring across Revolution Square at the more familiar image of Che Guevera was lost on no one. Castro’s regime has a long and sordid history of opposition to the work of the people of God. Now for reasons that are probably more political than personal, Castro is no longer the ardent atheist. Weaknesses in the economic and social system he championed have forced his hand. The pope’s visit is fostering a strengthened role for the church in Cuba.
Strongholds of stubborness
It is much less likely that the U.S. will be persuaded to drop the longstanding embargo, a policy which owes its existence more to national hubris than to natural justice. And it’s probably fair to say that the economic strength of the U.S.–a circumstance many North Americans equate with moral rectitude–will prevent any meaningful changes to the policy anytime soon.
Nonetheless, the pope’s Journey of Hope is an impetus in the right direction. Part pastor and part diplomat, John Paul II has driven a deep wedge into some breaches in the strongholds of stubbornness that sustain these ongoing injustices. Upholding the primacy of truth and the responsibilities of freedom, his message bears testimony to the truth of God, truth which no political system can repress for very long.
Doug
Koop
Editor
