Paper Begins Series on the Catholic Church In Cuba

Yesterday's National Catholic Register carries the first in a three-part series on the Catholic Church in Cuba. The Church is the only national institution that functions independently of the government. In the 1960's, the government confiscated Church properties. However in the 1990's the government's attitude toward the Church began to change, culminating in a Papal visit by Pope John Paul.  The article summarizes the situation:  "Since 1998, the regime has alternated between allowing, even endorsing, Catholic expressions of identity and belief and brutally persecuting Christians who ask for more freedom — against the backdrop of a populace mostly concerned with financial survival."