Plans for 1999: Church in Cuba to mark first anniversary of papal visit

Thursday, August 20 1998

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will participate in an inter-American meeting of bishops to be held in Cuba during February of next year, marking the first anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s first pastoral visit to this Caribbean island. The meeting will involve the Latin American episcopal council CELAM, together with the National Episcopal Conferences of Canada and the United States. About 30 bishops and four General Secretaries are expected for the meeting, to be held February 14-17, 1999.

The National Episcopal Conferences that are members of CELAM had accepted the invitation by Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana, to celebrate the first anniversary of the papal visit to Cuba. Originally Canada was to have been the host of the next inter-American meeting, which in principle each year alternates between Latin America and North America.

CCCB General Secretaries Msgr. Peter Schonenbach and Sulpician Father Émilius Goulet are to fly to Havana this week to assist in preparations for the 1999 meeting.