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John Paul Rathbone, Financial Times

An email arrived on Tuesday from Havana. It was from a priest, asking me to “pray for him during the Pope’s visit”. That may seem a curious request: thousands of prayers will be said during Pope Benedict XVI’s three day trip to the island, so what difference one more? Yet his simple petition was penetrating. It went to the heart of Cuban disquiet.

It is remarkable that the 84-year old pontiff, who has trouble travelling, is going to Cuba at all. When Pope John Paul II went in 1998, he was a sprightly 68. His role in the end of communism in the former Soviet bloc also fomented expectations of change. By contrast, Pope Benedict’s trip has not generated the same excitement. Even the exile community in Miami has been quiet – unlike 14 years ago when a plan to ferry a cruise ship of pilgrims across from Florida had to be cancelled after street protests....

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Date	Title
3/30/12	The Pope’s Historic Visit to Cuba Tomas Bilbao, Americas Quarterly Blog
3/30/12	Miami archbishop returns from Cuba pope visit AP, The Wall Street Journal
3/30/12	Cuban-Americans traveling to homeland see hope in future AP, Fox News
3/30/12	Judging Cuba's Cardinal Ortega and Pope Benedict's Trip to the Island Anya Landau French, The Huffington Post
3/29/12	Pope urges greater openings in vast Cuban Mass Anne-Marie Garcia and Nicole Winfield, AP
3/29/12	Flotilla shoots off fireworks near Cuba Cammy Clark, The Miami Herald
3/29/12	Analysis: Pope, Castros talked past each other Paul Haven, AP
3/29/12	Pope Benedict calls for ‘change’ after three days in Cuba Franco Ordonez and Dan Chang, The Miami Herald
3/29/12	Full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s farewell speech at Jose Marti Airport Vatican Radio
3/28/12	Cuban-American, father make emotional return to family home in Havana during papal pilgrimage The Washington Post
3/28/12	Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski gets standing ovation for sermon at Havana Cathedral The Washington Post
3/28/12	Fidel Castro asks for 'modest and simple' meeting with pope CNN.com
3/28/12	Papal visit sparks hope in Cuba BBC News
3/28/12	Current Record
3/28/12	Cuban-Americans debate merits of pope's visit AJ Goodwin, NBC News
3/28/12	Pope arrives in Havana; Cuban officials disavow political reform Daniel Chang and Nancy San Martin, The Miami Herald
3/28/12	Pope prays for freedom, 'renewal' in Cuba Peter Orsi and Andrea Rodriguez, AP
3/28/12	Cuban Official Rules Out Reforms Urged by Pope Randal C. Archibold and Rachel Donadio, The New York Times
3/28/12	Cuban businessmen see freedom on the horizon Byron Pitts, CBS News
3/27/12	The pope, political prisoners and Cuba CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com
3/27/12	Papal visit to Cuba spurs talk of jailed U.S. contractor CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com
3/27/12	‘We must build a bridge over that ocean’ Andy Gomez, The Miami Herald
3/27/12	Pope Benedict XVI calls for ‘reconciliation’ on his visit to Cuba Mimi Whitefield, Kevin Hall and Franco Ordonez, The Miami Herald
3/27/12	Benedict prays to Cuba patron Virgin of Charity Andra Rodriguez and Peter Orsi, The Miami Herald
3/26/12	Pope 'could reinforce' church in state-atheist Cuba BBC News
3/26/12	Cuba’s Ladies in White march without incident in Havana, but report detentions of others Franco Ordonez and Juan Tamayo, The Miami Herald
3/25/12	Cuban-Americans head to Cuba for pope's visit Associated Press
3/24/12	Cuba replaces senior revolutionary figure Peter Orsi, The Miami Herald
3/24/12	Pope Benedict: communism no longer working in Cuba
3/24/12	Revolution in retreat Michael Reid, The Economist
3/23/12	Pope's trip sparks hopes for change in Cuba Jeff Franks, Reuters
3/22/12	Miami-Dade attorney: Florida law restricting hiring of companies with business ties to Cuba 'inoperative' Naked Politics, The Miami Herald
3/22/12	Amnesty International: Short-term detentions of Cuban dissidents accelerate Mimi Whitefield, The Miami Herald
3/22/12	US panel on religious freedom reports Cuban violations Juan Tamayo, The Miami Herald
3/22/12	Vatican: Pope's Cuba trip should help democracy Nicole Winfield, The Miami Herald
3/22/12	Is Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism? Let’s get real, State Department Brigadier Gen. John Adams and David W. Jones, The Hill
3/22/12	Dissident Cuban Blogger Sees Opportunity in Pope Visit VOA News
3/21/12	A Cuban's Prayer for Pope Benedict Oscar Elias Biscet, The Wall Street Journal
3/21/12	Miami exiles soften on pope's Cuba visit Reuters, Chicago Tribune
3/21/12	More than 800 to participate in Miami archdiocese pilgrimage to Cuba Mimi Whitfield and Daniel Shoer Roth, The Miami Herald
3/21/12	Cuba says opposition trying to disrupt papal trip AP, The Miami Herald
3/21/12	Pope Benedict and the road to reconciliation Michael Putney, The Miami Herald
3/20/12	Cuban dissident leader free after brief detention Andrea Rodriguez, The Miami Herald
3/20/12	Cuban spy convicted in Miami can travel home to visit sick brother El Nuevo Herald
3/20/12	Pope’s visit to Cuba unites and divides Carlos Alberto Montaner, The Miami Herald
3/20/12	Can the Pope bring hope to Cubans? Editorial Opinion, The Washington Post
3/19/12	Many hope Pope will address religious education, dissidents and more during trip to Cuba Miami Herald, Mimi Whitfield
3/19/12	Cuba detains 70 Ladies in White ahead of pope visit Reuters
3/19/12	Dialogue with Cuba as ‘contact sport’ Jose Manuel Palli, Miami Herald
3/17/12	Cuba's government offers state workers paid time off to see Pope Benedict XVI during visit The Washington Post
3/8/12	Cuba to skip regional summit, averting diplomatic flap Reuters
3/7/12	US doesn't expect Cuba upheaval: general AFP
3/5/12	Cuban farm produced milk, with the help of corrupt government workers Juan Tamayo, The Miami Herald
3/1/12	Issue #8: With pain but without glory From the Island, Oscar Espinosa Chepe

Cuba Study Group

Pope plays politics with Castro

March 28, 2012

John Paul Rathbone, Financial Times

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