Cuba specialist sees Bertone’s visit as providential for the country

Havana, Cuba, Feb 20, 2008 / 11:04 am

Following the resignation of Fidel Castro, Javier Legorreta, an Aid to the Church in Need specialist on Cuba, says that the presence of the Vatican’s Secretary of State during the country’s power transition will help promote peace and a spirit of reconciliation.

According to Legorreta, Tuesday’s announcement that Fidel was handing the government over to his brother was “what everybody has been waiting for.”

Noting that the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, arrives in Cuba on February 20, the specialist says that while the coinciding of the two events wasn’t planned, it is providential.

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that the cardinal will be in Cuba when control of the country is transferred to Fidel Castro’s brother Raul. Legorreta believes that Cardinal Bertone may play an important role in the political transformation of the country.

“After 49 years of rule by Fidel Castro what happens on the 24th of February is very important to Cuba. Cardinal Bertone can help this change of power to take place in peace and in a spirit of reconciliation within the country. This is something the Catholic Church in Cuba has already long seen as her mission, and Cardinal Bertone will endeavor to strengthen her in this,” Javier Legorreta said.

The expert on the Church in Cuba also explained that “the mission of the Church is to spread reconciliation and peace. She will therefore endeavor to help the transformation in the country to take place in peace and human justice.”

Legorreta summarized his hopes for the coming days by echoing the words Pope John Paul II from his 1998 visit, “that Cuba may open up to the world and the world to Cuba."