U.S. Bishops To Attend Papal Visit In Mexico, Cuba; Website Created
WASHINGTON—Cuban-AmericanBishop Octavio Cisneros, an auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn, New York, willrepresent the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Mexicoduring the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.
WASHINGTON—Cuban-AmericanBishop Octavio Cisneros, an auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn, New York, willrepresent the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Mexicoduring the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, USCCBpresident, appointed Bishop Cisneros to represent the bishops’ conference atthe Apostolic Mass that Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate in Leon, Guanajuato,during the pope’s Apostolic Visit to Mexico and Cuba, March 23-29.
BishopCisneros, a member of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Church in Latin America, alongwith Bishop Gerald Kicanas, chairman of Catholic Relief Services, BishopRichard Pates, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice andPeace, and Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, also a member of the USCCB Subcommittee forthe Church in Latin America, will be among other U.S. bishops traveling to Cubato greet Pope Benedict.
The pope will celebrate an open-airMass in Leon, Mexico the morning of March 25 at Foro Bicentenario, near thenational monument to Christ the King on the mountaintop of Cerro del Cubilete.On the same day, the pope will also hold an evening meeting in the Cathedral ofLeon with the bishops of Mexico and representatives of bishops’ conferences ofthe American Continent.
“It will be a joy to represent theCatholic bishops of the United States as the Holy Father visits Mexico,” saidBishop Cisneros. “We pray that the Holy Father’s visit to Mexico and Cubabrings peace, reconciliation, and many blessings to both countries.”
In Cuba the pope will celebrateMasses in Santiago and Havana, and will visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity, in the miningtown of El Cobre, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of herstatue in the Bay of Nipe.
Bishop Elizondo, who is in thedelegation going to Cuba, noted the importance of the occasion. “The HolyFather’s apostolic visit to Cuba will be an historic moment as the people ofCuba renew their faith in Christ and celebrate that faith with Catholics aroundthe world,” Bishop Elizondo said.
People of faith in the United States canfollow the pope’s pilgrimage to Mexico and Cuba and related news and content,in English and Spanish, through the USCCB websitepages dedicated to the apostolic journey at www.usccb.org.
During the visit Catholic NewsService (CNS) reporters will be utilizing social media, also in English andSpanish.People can follow them at twitter.com/catholicnewssvcor www.facebook.com/CatholicNewsService.USCCB will also be following the event on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usccb. CNS’ fullcoverage is also available at https://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/pope-benedict-xvi/2012-apostolic-journey-mexico-cuba.cfm.
The USCCB Subcommittee on the Churchin Latin America helps fund numerous pastoral programs throughout Latin Americaand the Caribbean region. The USCCB Committee on International Justice andPeace shapes USCCB policy on international issues. More information on both canbe found at www.usccb.org; search “Church inLatin America” and “International Justice and Peace.”
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Keywords: Pope Benedict XVI,Mexico, Cuba, apostolic journey, pilgrimage, Leon, Santiago de Cuba, Cardinal TimothyM. Dolan, Bishop Octavio Cisneros, Rev. Juan Molina, Collection for the Churchin Latin America, USCCB, Catholic Bishops.
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