Scottish Catholic Observer

A revolution of tenderness, joy and service to others is the message Pope Francis brought to Cuba on his four-day visit this week.

The visit, the Pope’s first to the island, began when he arrived on Saturday September 19 and covered a great deal of spiritual, geographical and ideological ground before departing for the US—where he was greeted by US President Barack Obama and the First Family upon arrival—and the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

Before leaving Cuba the Holy Father said: “Without family, without the warmth of home, life grows empty, there is a weakening of the networks which sustain us in adversity, nurture us in daily living and motivate us to build a better future. The family saves us from two present-day phenomena: Fragmentation (division) and uniformity.”

The Pope’s trip to Cuba and the US is thought to be encouraging a further thaw in relations between the Cold War foes. During his time in Cuba the Holy Father spread a message of mercy, service and reconciliation.

The Pope said service is ‘never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people.’

“Let us not forget the Good News we have heard today: the importance of a people, a nation, and the importance of individuals, which is always based on how they seek to serve their vulnerable brothers and sisters,” the Holy Father said. “Here we encounter one of the fruits of a true humanity. Whoever does not live to serve, does not ‘serve’ to live.”

The Pope, who was met by Cuban President Raúl Castro upon his arrival in the country, went after Mass to the home of his brother Fidel, the former president and leading figure in the Cuban revolution that overthrew the authoritarian government of President Fulgencio Batista in the late 1950s.

The Pope has been credited with helping to thaw relations between the United States and Cuba in recent months.

On Monday the Pope visited the city of Holguín where he celebrated Mass and called for us to follow Jesus’ invitation to overcome preconceptions and work for peace.

“I know the efforts and the sacrifices being made by the Church in Cuba to bring Christ’s word and presence to all, even in the most remote areas,” he said.

The Pope celebrated his last Mass in the country on Tuesday in the second largest city of Santiago at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

“Our revolution comes about through tenderness, through the joy which always becomes closeness and compassion, and leads us to get involved in, and to serve, the life of others,” he said.

—[email protected]

—This story ran in full in the Sept 25 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.