Havana, Cuba, Mar 15, 2012 / 11:06 am
In a Cuban state-run television address, Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino of Havana said Pope Benedict's upcoming trip to the country will leave a lasting spiritual change among the people.
In his historic message on March 12, Cardinal Ortega prayed that “the presence of the Pope in Cuba will leave an immeasurable spiritual mark that cannot be reduced to statistics, but that will remain always in our hearts, in the spirit of the people.”
During his speech, Cardinal Ortega recounted his experience at the Feb. 18 consistory in Rome, when the Pope created 22 new cardinals.
At the conclusion of a meeting prior to the ceremony, “Benedict XVI looked up and saw me, and he called me over with a smile, so I was the first cardinal to greet the Pope that day.”