Havana, Cuba, Mar 28, 2012 / 15:57 pm
As he concluded his historic trip to Cuba, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the people of the island nation to "look again to the faith of your elders" and to "draw from that faith the strength to build a better future."
By allowing the "most noble values" of the Cuban soul to blossom, the country can create "the basis for building a society of broad vision, renewed and reconciled," he said as he prepared to leave for Rome.
During a March 28 farewell ceremony at José Martí International Airport, the Pope urged the nation to "trust in the Lord's promises" and be open to the Gospel "so as to authentically renew your personal and social life."
Looking to the future, the Holy Father noted the need to "reject immovable positions and unilateral viewpoints which tend to make understanding more difficult and efforts at cooperation ineffective."