New Paths for Gov and Catholic Church in Cuba

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Cuban President and Catholic leaders

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A meeting on May 19 between Cuban President Raúl Castro and Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, Archbishop of Havana, and Monsignor Dionisio García Ibañez, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and chair of the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops, marks new paths in the relations between Cuban government and Catholic Church in the Island.

Various issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, according to a press release,  especially the favorable developments between the Church and the Cuban government, as well as the current national and international situation.

The head of the Religious Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Caridad Diego, also took part.

After the meeting, in a press conference in Havana was announced that Monsignor Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican secretary for Relationships with the States , will arrive in Havana next June 15. Monsignor Mamberti has been invited by the Cuban Church  and Government, to participate in the celebrations of  75 years of relationships between the Republic of Cuba and the Santa Sede. 

During his stay in Havana monsignor Mamberti will preside over the sacrament in the S.M.I. Cathedral on Thursday June 17, and he will attend a reception to diplomatics in the Apostolic Nunciate in Havana. 
 
This visit also coincides with the previously scheduled X Catholic Social Week,  to take place in Havana from 16 to June 20. For such a reason, as was announced before, monsignor Mamberti has also been invited to the inauguration of this ecclesiastic event and a Master Conference at the  San Jerónimo university, relating to State and Laity. 
 
The Social Week is a day of studies that the Church arranges periodically to meditate about the Church Social Doctrine. Experts resident in Cuba and from abroad have been invited.  
 
A press release from Catholic Church remarked that Monsignor's visit Dominique Mamberti is not related with the moves given by  theChurch in Cuba with local authorities in favor of prisoners and for the so called Ladies in White movement, during last weeks.