Miami Archdiocese Youth Head To Cuba For Historic Papal Visit

Plus, more traditional Catholic activists – particularly those in the pro-life movement – say they haven’t been invited to next week’s event. He said, “I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope”.

The tension exemplifies concerns among conservative Catholics, including many bishops, that the White House will use the pope’s visit to play down its differences with church leaders on such contentious issues as same-sex marriage and the contraception mandate in the health care law.

US President Barack Obama discussed with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro steps that the two countries could take to advance bilateral cooperation, the White House said. He’ll be the first pope to address the U.S. Congress and he will also proclaim the first saint on US soil.

The Pope flies to Cuba on Saturday and will travel Tuesday to the US where he will visit Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. These political prisoners include Vaclev Havel Award winning graffiti artist, Danilo Maldonado Machado “El Sexto”, who has been unjustly imprisoned, without trial, since last December for little more than attempting an artistic performance.

Hundreds of people are beginning to gather along the route where Pope Francis will travel when he arrives in Cuba.

Pope John Paul II visited the predominately Catholic island nation in 1998.

Strickland believes the pope’s accessibility will help him in the mission of this trip, and in his papacy.

They said construction materials have been purchased and fencing is up.

Pope Francis is not only extremely popular throughout the world, he also appears to have a great sense of timing.

Raul Castro – who like his brother and former revolutionary leader Fidel Castro was baptized as a Catholic and educated by Jesuits – was expected to greet Francis at the airport.

In her words, “I’m going because I’m a believer and this pope interests me a lot because of all the change that he’s making”.

Also expect messages, both spoken and subtle, on how the United States should deal with its island neighbor 90 miles away, said Allen, the Crux editor. “His trip to Cuba is trying to reinforce that message”. As he visits the United States next week, Catholics are hopeful he’ll continue to address social injustice while building bridges to the world’s larger, non-Catholic population.

A correct vision and culture of the family are necessary for defending the world from many threats, he said in his catechesis.