U.S. urged to follow church example and improve relations with Cuba

Published: 2007-01-24

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. government should emulate the Catholic Church and look for a dramatic way to improve relations with Cuba, said a U.S. lawmaker after returning from a fact-finding trip to the Caribbean island. Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., cited the 1998 trip to Cuba by Pope John Paul II and said it had a "dramatic impact" on improving the church's situation in the communist-ruled country. "The pope's visit opened things up for the church," said McGovern at a Jan. 23 panel discussion in Washington on U.S.-Cuban relations. "We should learn by that example," he said. McGovern was part of a bipartisan delegation of House members that visited Cuba in December to check out the political situation caused by the lengthy hospitalization of Cuban leader Fidel Castro after intestinal surgery. Because of his illness, Castro temporarily transferred the presidency last July to his brother, Raul Castro, and has yet to return to power. The panel discussion was sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent think tank based in New York.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .