Cardinal Mahony Shortens Trip to Cuba
Cardinal Roger Mahony left for Miami on Friday morning where he will meet with pilgrims before heading to Cuba to attend Pope John Paul II’s historic Mass in Havana’s Plaza de Revolucion Sunday.
Though he initially planned to spend several days in Cuba, Mahony now expects to stay on the island for about 12 hours before returning to Miami, said Los Angeles Archdiocese spokesman Father Gregory Coiro. Mahony’s trip is being cut short because Cuban Americans felt a longer stay would give credibility to the Castro regime.
“The plan fell through because leaders of the Cuban community in Miami felt the image of a cruise liner going to Havana would give the impression of normalcy,” Coiro said.
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