Visit of Cardinal Dziwisz to Cuba
Also visited Iglesia de la Merced in La Habana
HAVANA 22-25/02/2010 - Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz archbishop of Cracow and personal secretary of Pope John Paul II was visiting Cuba from 22nd to 25th of February, for Cardinal it was a return to the “the most beautiful land that human eyes have ever seen”.
The visit was prepared together by Cardinal Jaime Ortega Archbishop of Havana, Nuncio Mons. Giovanni Angelo Becciu and H.E. Przemysław Jan Häuser the Ambassador of the Order of Malta to Cuba. During the first day His Eminence had an opportunity to meet and talk to the seminarists but also to visit a buildings of a new seminary being constructed.
Important were the visits at Santo Angel and Los Pinos parishes where the Order of Malta is working and assisting people. It was an opportunity to meet with Excmo. Juan Tomas OʼNaghten the vicepresident of the Cuban Association of the Order of Malta and with one of the members who is living and working in Cuba Dr. Rolando Suarez Cobian.
In the afternoon Cardinal paid a courtesy visit together with Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Ambassador Przemysław Jan Häuser H.E. Mons. Angelo Becciu and Mons. Alfredo Petit in the John Paul II Centre of Bioethics. The director Dr. Rene Zamora presented the work of the centre and its role in the dialogue with different sectors of social activity especially culture and science.
The visit at the Centre was followed by the Mass with young people at San Francisco de Paula church. It was a significant moment as hundreds of teenagers, children and parents, including students form Mexico and East Timor from Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina came to hear Cardinal Dziwisz evoking John Paul II words “Do not be afraid! Open. Open wide the doors for Christ!”.