Dissidents occupy Catholic church in Cuba

[Dale_M]

With a papal visit looming, dissidents occupied a Catholic church demanding Pope Benedict XVI press for political freedom in Cuba, religious and dissident sources said.

Roberto Betancourt, a priest at the church, said he received a letter from the protesters, who promise to leave once they received a response from senior church clerics.

The local Roman Catholic church, led by Cardinal Ortega, has urged Cubans not to hold political protests ahead of or during the pontiff’s visit. And church officials slammed use of the church for non-spiritual activities.

The archdiocese of Havana described the occupation of the church as “illegitimate and irresponsible”.

The protesters represent the Republican Party of Cuba, an outlawed opposition group.
news.yahoo.com/dissidents-occupy-catholic-church-cuba-044101884.html;ylt=AjGmwjNznAhnJq6orexVI68ZscB;_ylu=X3oDMTQzZm00ZXE2BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBVU1NGIFJlbGlnaW9uU1NGBHBrZwM0MDM3MTU5My1jYTMzLTNlOTUtYjRlZC1iYzAyODgxYTc0NDcEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDOThmNmEwNzAtNmU1OS0xMWUxLWE3OWItNWJlODc3NzYyMTVj;_ylg=X3oDMTFrM25vcXFyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

 

[MacroConnectome]

The archdiocese of Havana described the occupation of the church as “illegitimate and irresponsible”.

The protesters represent the Republican Party of Cuba, an outlawed opposition group.
news.yahoo.com/dissidents-occupy-catholic-church-cuba-044101884.html;ylt=AjGmwjNznAhnJq6orexVI68ZscB;_ylu=X3oDMTQzZm00ZXE2BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBVU1NGIFJlbGlnaW9uU1NGBHBrZwM0MDM3MTU5My1jYTMzLTNlOTUtYjRlZC1iYzAyODgxYTc0NDcEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDOThmNmEwNzAtNmU1OS0xMWUxLWE3OWItNWJlODc3NzYyMTVj;_ylg=X3oDMTFrM25vcXFyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

Cuba is one of the biggest human rights violators in this hemisphere, and the church calls their occupation “illegitimate and irresponsible”?

So I guess the Catholic Church only stands up for human rights when the Church doesn’t have to fear reprisal from the government, even while their own Catholic parishioners are violated by their government.

I support these protestors.