Three Cuban bishops met on Monday with His Holiness Pope Francis in the city of Rome, Italy.
The Holy Father received Monsignor Emilio Aranguren Echeverría, Bishop of Holguín and President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba, along with Monsignor Arturo González Amador, Bishop of Santa Clara, and Monsignor Juan de Dios Hernández Ruiz, Bishop of Pinar del Río, as reported by the Communications Office of the Diocese of Holguín via Facebook.
The Pope recalled during the meeting on Monday, which lasted over half an hour, that the ninth anniversary of his visit to Cuba is approaching. This visit took place from September 19 to 22, 2015, coinciding with the Year of Mercy.
Additionally, it was noted that the tenth anniversary will coincide with the Jubilee Year in 2025, according to the cited source.
As is customary, His Holiness requested prayers for himself and, through the prelates, sent his greetings to the Cuban people.
Monsignor Aranguren shared his impressions of the meeting, stating, "It doesn't seem like he returned two days ago from such a long journey in distance and time."
Pope Francis visited four countries in Asia and Oceania: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore, over the course of 12 days. This marked the longest international Apostolic Journey of his papacy. Despite this, he mentioned to the Cuban bishops that he is recovering quickly.
Father Ariel Suárez, deputy secretary and spokesperson for the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (COCC), informed Diario de Cuba that the delegation spoke with the Pope about “the life of the Catholic Church in Cuba, its challenges, projects and hopes, as well as the recent celebrations in honor of the Virgin of Charity.”
According to the source, another topic discussed during the meeting was the concern over the decline in priestly and religious vocations, as well as the impact of increasing emigration on the Cuban population, which also affects priests and deacons.
The spokesperson for the COCC emphasized that, during the meeting, the closure of houses of religious congregations in several dioceses was discussed, a problem that directly impacts the presence and work of the Church in various regions of the country.
The deteriorating condition of many vehicles belonging to priests and pastoral agents was also discussed, which, combined with the difficulties in obtaining fuel, has significantly limited pastoral activities, especially in the most remote areas of Cuba.
In August, Mons. Antoine Camilleri, the new representative of Pope Francis in Cuba, was welcomed by the bishops of the island during a ceremony.
The new Apostolic Nuncio, originally from the island of Malta, was in Cuba in 2005 and 2006 as a member of the Vatican diplomatic mission in Havana, and he returned to the Caribbean nation after 18 years, ACI Prensa reported.
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