Ladies in White

Every week a group of women dressed in white clothing attend Roman Catholic mass in Cuba. Then they take to the streets in an orderly protest against the Castro regime which holds their loved ones in prison because they are considered dissidents, speaking out for human rights, setting up independent libraries to educate people about the world outside Cuba. The action of the Ladies in White is also considered an act of civil disobedience and some of them have been arrested.

The Guy in White, Pope Benedict, is currently in Cuba and he will probably have an audience with brothers Fidel and Raul Castro in which he may bring up human rights issues. It is unlikely that the pope will be allowed to speak with the Ladies in White during this trip, even though they are faithful Catholics in a country which did its best to eliminate organized religion for the first few decades of communist rule.

Both the Roman Catholic church and Protestant Christian groups have worked slowly but surely to build bridges with the current regime, which has resulted in a growing freedom to worship and gather as Christians. The United Church has a strong connection with the Protestant church in Cuba and I have visited the seminary in Matanzas, a remarkable place.

There is still a long way to go for Cuban Christians, and the pope's visit reminds us of the connection between religious rights and human rights.

Any comments about the pope's visit and the Ladies in White?