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Catholic donations in Cuba
thwarted
The
Washington Times,
Nov. 30, 2004.
Miami, FL, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A Miami Catholic
delegation to Cuba was not allowed to bring
medical supplies and religious artifacts
into the country, members said.
Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora said
his group had arrived in Cuba with 21 large
duffel bags containing the items but wound
up taking them back home after the visit,
the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported
Tuesday.
"It wasn't until this morning that
we were told that they would not accept
them," Favalora said Monday after returning
to Miami.
"We either had to leave them there
or bring them home, and of course if we
left them there they might be used by the
government -- and we just refused to do
that," he said.
The delegation traveled to Cuba for a weekend
celebration of the 200th anniversary of
the Archdiocese of Santiago, Cuba.
A strained relationship between the Fidel
Castro regime and the Catholic Church has
lasted for decades although it improved
somewhat with the visit of Pope John Paul
II in 1998.
Copyright
2004 United Press International
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