"Cuba, a land made beautiful by the maternal presence of Mary."

Fr. Esteban Salas y Castro (Havana, 1725-Santiago de Cuba, 1803)

Requiem, Agnus Dei
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Cristo de La Habana, Cuba

The light of the Lord, has shone brightly during these days; may that light never fade in those who have welcomed it; may it help all people to foster social harmony and to allow the blossoming of all that is finest in the Cuban soul, its most noble values, which can be the basis for building a society of broad vision, renewed and reconciled. May no one feel excluded from taking up this exciting task because of limitations of his or her basic freedoms, or excused by indolence or lack of material resources, a situation which is worsened when restrictive economic measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly burden its people.

...

The present hour urgently demands that in personal, national and international co-existence we reject immovable positions and unilateral viewpoints which tend to make understanding more difficult and efforts at cooperation ineffective. Possible discrepancies and difficulties will be resolved by tirelessly seeking what unites everyone, with patient and sincere dialogue, and a willingness to listen and accept goals which will bring new hope.

Cuba, look again to the faith of your elders, draw from that faith the strength to build a better future, trust in the Lord’s promises, and open your heart to his Gospel so as to renew authentically your personal and social life.

As I bid you a heartfelt adios, I ask our Lady of Charity of El Cobre to protect all Cubans under her mantle, to sustain them in the midst of their trials and to obtain from Almighty God the grace that they most desire. Hasta siempre, Cuba, a land made beautiful by the maternal presence of Mary. May God bless your future. Thank you!

Benedict XVI

Farewell address

Havana

March 28, 2012

Christ, the light "who alone can destroy the darkness of error"

Fr. Félix Varela (1788-1853)

“Blessed are you, Lord God…, and blessed is your holy and glorious name” (Dan 3:52). ... “Blessed be God” who gathers us in this historic square so that we may more profoundly enter into his life. I feel great joy in being here with you today to celebrate Holy Mass during this Jubilee Year devoted to Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

...

[T]he three young men persecuted by the Babylonian king preferred to face death by fire rather than betray their conscience and their faith. They experienced the strength to “give thanks, glorify and praise God” in the conviction that the Lord of the universe and of history would not abandon them to death and annihilation. Truly, God never abandons his children, he never forgets them. He is above us and is able to save us by his power. At the same time, he is near to his people, and through his Son Jesus Christ he has wished to make his dwelling place among us.

“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8:31).... Jesus reveals himself as the Son of God the Father, the Saviour, the one who alone can show us the truth and give us genuine freedom. His teaching provokes resistance and disquiet among his hearers, and he accuses them of looking for reasons to kill him, alluding to the supreme sacrifice of the Cross, already imminent. Even so, he exhorts them to believe, to keep his word, so as to know the truth which redeems and justifies.

Ave Maria (Misa Cubana a la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre), José María Vitier

The truth is a desire of the human person, the search for which always supposes the exercise of authentic freedom. Many, without a doubt, would prefer to take the easy way out, trying to avoid this task. Some, like Pontius Pilate, ironically question the possibility of even knowing what truth is (cf. Jn 18:38), claiming is incapable of knowing it or denying that there exists a truth valid for all. This attitude, as in the case of scepticism and relativism, changes hearts, making them cold, wavering, distant from others and closed. There are too many who, like the Roman governor, wash their hands and let the water of history drain away without taking a stand.

A message to those deprived of freedom and to those who open their homes for the Church

Let all those you meet know, whether near or far, that I have entrusted to the Mother of God the future of your country, advancing along the ways renewal and hope, for the greater good of all Cubans. I have also prayed to the Virgin for the needs of those who suffer, of those who are deprived of freedom, those who are separated from their loved ones or who are undergoing times of difficulty. I have placed in her Immaculate Heart young people, that they may be authentic friends of Christ and that they may not succumb to things which bring sadness in their wake. ... And I cannot forget the many country people and their families who wish to live the Gospel deeply in their homes and who offer their homes as mission centres for the celebration of Mass.

Benedict XVI

Visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity

El Cobre, Santiago de Cuba

March 27, 2012

All Cubans, wherever you may be: remember your nation's true identity, Catholicism

... I greet with heartfelt affection all the faithful of the Catholic Church in Cuba, the beloved people of this beautiful island, and all Cubans wherever they may be.

...

I am pleased to share your joy as you celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the holy statue of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre. Since the beginning she has been very much present in the personal lives of Cubans as well as in the great events of the nation, especially since independence, for she is honoured by all as the true mother of the Cuban people. Devotion to the Virgen Mambisa has sustained the faith and inspired the defence and promotion of all that gives dignity to the human condition and its fundamental rights, and continues to do so today with ever greater strength, giving visible witness to the fruitfulness of the preaching of the Gospel in these lands, and to the profound Christian roots which shape the deepest identity of the Cuban soul....

I carry in my heart the just aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires, those of the young and the elderly, of adolescents and children, of the sick and workers, of prisoners and their families, and of the poor and those in need. ...

Dear friends, I am convinced that Cuba, at this moment of particular importance in its history, is already looking to the future, and thus is striving to renew and broaden its horizons. Of great help in this enterprise will be the fine patrimony of spiritual and moral values which fashioned the nation’s true identity ... .

Benedict XVI

Address upon arrival

Santiago de Cuba

March 26, 2012

Mexico, always faithful

Una Voce Mexico thanks the Pope - Silao, Guanajuato

Dear friends, thank you so much for this enthusiasm. I feel so joyful for being with you. I have made been on many journeys, but I have never been welcomed with this much enthusiasm. I will take with me, in my heart, my impression of these days. Mexico will always remain in my heart. I can say for years I have prayed daily for Mexico, but, in the future, I will pray even more. I can now uunderstand why Pope John Paul II said, "I feel I am a Mexican Pope!"

Benedict XVI

Greetings to faithful in front of the Miraflores School, León, Guanajuato

March 25, 2012

The Patroness arrives

The Holy Father arrives in the largest island in the Caribbean today to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the finding of the image of the Patroness of Cuba, Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, in 1612.

This is not a Traditional Catholic video, of course, and one would not be expected from Kirche in Not (Aid to the Church in Need) - though we could not notice the kind of liturgical aberrations present in the pseudo-multi-culti-fest of a certain Religious Education Congress. But how not to be in awe and deeply touched by the faith and intense joy of the people in each small and poor community when the pilgrim image of the Patroness of Cuba arrives in her pickup truck?

After so much isolation and persecution, they still care deeply for their Mother, who has never abandoned them. And, thanks to this same Pope and Summorum, even the Traditional Mass has returned to La Llave del Nuevo Mundo.

"Evil cannot thwart the divine plan of salvation"

Cathedral-Basilica, León, Guanajuato 

The people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not acknowledge Christ, yet, by condemning him to death, they fulfilled the words of the prophets (cf. Acts 13:27). Human evil and ignorance simply cannot thwart the divine plan of salvation and redemption. Evil is simply incapable of that.... I encourage you to continue to share freely the treasures of the Gospel, so that they can become a powerful source of hope, freedom and salvation for everyone (cf. Rom 1:16). May you also be faithful witnesses and interpreters of the words of the incarnate Son, whose life was to do the will of the Father and who, as a man among men, gave himself up completely for our sake, even unto death.

Benedict XVI

Vespers with the Bishops of Mexico and Latin America

Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of Light, León, Guanajuato

March 25, 2012

Preparing for the Annunciation - in Nazareth and on Tepeyac

"Her arrival filled all Anahuac with joy..."

... Today we invoke Mary Most Holy and we ask her: “show Jesus to us”.

As we now pray the Angelus and remember the Annunciation of the Lord, our eyes too turn spiritually towards the hill of Tepeyac, to the place where the Mother of God, under the title of “the Ever-Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe” has been fervently honoured for centuries as a sign of reconciliation and of God’s infinite goodness towards the world.

My predecessors on the Chair of Saint Peter honoured her with affectionate titles such as Our Lady of Mexico, Heavenly Patroness of Latin America, Mother and Empress of this continent. Her faithful children, in their turn, who experience her help, invoke her confidently with such affectionate and familiar names as the Rose of Mexico, Our Lady of Heaven, Virgin Morena, Mother of Tepeyac, Noble Indita.

Dear brothers and sisters, do not forget that true devotion to the Virgin Mary always takes us to Jesus, and “consists neither in sterile nor transitory feelings, nor in an empty credulity, but proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to recognize the excellence of the Mother of God, and we are moved to filial love towards our Mother and to the imitation of her virtues” (Lumen Gentium, 67). To love her means being committed to listening to her Son, to venerate the Guadalupana means living in accordance with the words of the blessed fruit of her womb.

At this time, when so many families are separated or forced to emigrate, when so many are suffering due to poverty, corruption, domestic violence, drug trafficking, the crisis of values and increased crime, we come to Mary in search of consolation, strength and hope. She is the Mother of the true God, who invites us to stay with faith and charity beneath her mantle, so as to overcome in this way all evil and to establish a more just and fraternal society.

With these sentiments, I place once again this country, all of Latin America and the Caribbean before the gentle gaze of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I entrust all their sons and daughters to the Star of both the original and the new evangelization; she has inspired with her maternal love their Christian history, has given particular expression to their national achievements, to their communal and social initiatives, to family life, to personal devotion and to the Continental Mission which is now taking place across these noble lands. In times of trial and sorrow she was invoked by many martyrs who, in crying out “Long live Christ the King and Mary of Guadalupe” bore unyielding witness of fidelity to the Gospel and devotion to the Church. I now ask that her presence in this nation may continue to serve as a summons to defence and respect for human life. May it promote fraternity, setting aside futile acts of revenge and banishing all divisive hatred. May Holy Mary of Guadalupe bless us and obtain for us the abundant graces that, through her intercession, we request from heaven.

Benedict XVI

Angelus

Bicentennial Park, Guanajuato

March 25, 2012

The Pope in Mexico: "Para que Cristo reine"

Dear brothers and sisters, by coming here I have been able to visit the monument to Christ the King situated on top of the Cubilete [hill].  ...This monument represents Christ the King. But his crowns, one of a sovereign, the other of thorns, indicate that his royal status does not correspond to how it has been or is understood by many. His kingdom does not stand on the power of his armies subduing others through force or violence. It rests on a higher power than wins over hearts: the love of God that he brought into the world with his sacrifice and the truth to which he bore witness. This is his sovereignty which no one can take from him and which no one should forget. Hence it is right that this shrine should be above all a place of pilgrimage, of fervent prayer, of conversion, of reconciliation, of the search for truth and the acceptance of grace. We ask Christ, to reign in our hearts, making them pure, docile, filled with hope and courageous in humility.

...

Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to assist us in purifying our hearts, especially in view of the coming Easter celebrations, that we may enter more deeply the salvific mystery of her Son, as she made it known in this land. And let us also ask her to continue accompanying and protecting her Mexican and Latin American children, that Christ may reign in their lives [para que Cristo reine en sus vidas] and help them boldly to promote peace, harmony, justice and solidarity. Amen.

Benedict XVI

Homily - Mass at the Bicentennial Park

Guanajuato

March 25, 2012

Children, observe the example of the martyrs

The disciple of Jesus does not respond to evil with evil, but is always an instrument of good instead, a herald of pardon, a bearer of happiness, a servant of unity. He wishes to write in each of your lives a story of friendship. Hold on to him, then, as the best of friends. He will never tire of speaking to those who always love and who do good. This you will hear, if you strive in each moment to be with him who will help you in more difficult situations.

I have come that you may know my affection. Each one of you is a gift of God to Mexico and to the world. Your family, the Church, your school and those who have responsibility in society must work together to ensure that you receive a better world as your inheritance, without jealousies and divisions.

That is why I wish to lift up my voice, inviting everyone to protect and to care for children, so that nothing may extinguish their smile, but that they may live in peace and look to the future with confidence.

You, my dear young friends, are not alone. You can count on the help of Christ and his Church in order to live a Christian lifestyle. Participate in Sunday Mass, in catechesis, in apostolic works, looking for occasions of prayer, fraternity and charity. Blessed Cristóbal, Antonio and Juan, the child martyrs of Tlaxcala, lived this way, and knowing Jesus, during the time of the initial evangelization of Mexico, they discovered that there is no greater treasure than he. They were children like you, and from them we can learn that we are never too young to love and serve.

Benedict XVI

Meeting with children

Plaza de la Paz, Guanajuato

March 24, 2012

Something's missing...

The Holy Father arrives in Mexico today in his second trip to Latin America. Even secular outlets such as The Economist fail to speak of the elephant in the room when reporting news and facts that (at least for the Church) are terrible.

See if you can find the missing link:

The Pope will stay in Guanajuato, Mexico’s most devout state, where 94% of the population is Catholic. Well before his visit, posters went up to welcome the pontiff (though many depict his predecessor).

Yet outside the bunting-lined streets of Guanajuato, the Vatican’s grip is weakening. The share of Mexicans saying they are Catholic fell by five percentage points in the decade to 2010. In 1970 the figure was 96%. Many of these souls have been claimed by evangelical Christianity, from imported groups such as Baptists, to home-grown sects such as Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). In the south-east Catholics now make up less than two-thirds of the population.

Part of the decline is the result of a falling birth rate. In the 1960s, when Mexican women each bore nearly seven children, Catholicism had a steady stream of newborn recruits. Now that the average family has just over two children, the growth of Catholicism is slower. Evangelicals are proselytising as enthusiastically as ever.

Non-Catholic denominations are strongest in areas where neither the church nor the state has much presence. In Bejucal de Ocampo, a collection of ramshackle hamlets high in the Sierra Madre mountains of Chiapas, only 19% of residents are Catholic, making it the least-Catholic municipality in Mexico’s least-Catholic state. Most are Jehovah’s Witnesses or Baptists, whose colourful meeting places sit together on a hillside looking into Guatemala.

Something else happened to the Church in the 1960s, did it not? Or is it mentioned only in those news viewed as "positive"?

[Image source]