I see via Marc Thiessen that Fidel Castro may be looking to convert to Catholicism as part of the Pope’s upcoming visit (I suppose the correct term would be “return to the church”). (My apologies if this was covered in the Corner while I was gone). Apparently Castro is concerned with the fate of his eternal soul. Better late than never, I suppose.
Marc writes at the end of his post:
In 1994, Castro declared he “would rather die than abandon the revolution.” Perhaps as he finally nears death, he has reconsidered. If he truly has, we will know it not by some announcement during the Pope’s visit, but rather by what happens after the Pope departs Cuba. If Castro orders the Cuban gulags emptied; disbands his network of “committees in defense of the revolution” which police neighborhoods and orchestrate “acts of repudiation” against dissidents and their families; shuts down his brutal ministry of the interior and ceases the arbitrary arrest and detention of his political opponents; allows freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, and, ultimately, democratic elections, then—and only then—will we know that Fidel Castro has truly converted.
This is all well and good, but I think Marc misses an important part of the story. If Castro really does seek to rejoin the Church, shouldn’t Pope Benedict make Castro do significant penance for all of his crimes? My understanding is that the Church usually expects true criminals to get right with the law as well, if they are seeking forgiveness from the Church. Maybe that would mean demanding Castro present himself to the World Court or some such? I don’t know how that would work.
But surely, the Pope should demand more than a private confession of sin from a man responsible for so much pain, death and spiritual torment? Indeed, for decades Castro persecuted Catholics and demanded atheism of party members, which has got to be up there on the list of Catholic sins. Why not have him spend some time in his own gulag? Or demand he set sea on a raft and try to make it to America? Or, like Henry in the snows of Canossa, publicly beg the Pope for forgiveness?
Obviously, I am no Catholic and the Church will do what the Church will do. But from a very friendly outsider’s perspective, I think Benedict should demand acts over words and public words over private ones.
Assuming that Fidel is sincere, his confession alone may require relays of priests, and consume what time he has left. More relevant is that Raoul Castro is nominally in charge, and there has been no statement regarding the final disposition of his eternal soul. Wouldn't a sincere conversion by Fidel be seen as a threat to the Revolution, and require action from its chief defender? So, in addition to Mr. Thiessen's criteria for conversion, if we see Fidel dropped into a hole in one of his own prisons, then he meant what he said.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah, you are right that the Pope would require some significant penance, but ordering him to spend time in his gulag isn't really how the Church rolls. But I would imagine that the penance would include a full public accounting for his many, many sins and, as Marc points out, a complete dismantling of his regime. But if a murderer confesses, the Priest makes the absolution of the sin contingent upon successful completion of the penance...which would likely include turning himself in to the authorities.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah, you are a friend to the church, but you should know that no amount of penitence can restore Castro to the Church. Or you. Or me. Or the Pope. Only by the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is man restored to God. No amount of good works can ever make up for our sinfulness. For all have sinned, and as Newt said correctly the other day, fallen short of the Glory of God. But the GIFT of God is eternal life for those who believe.
/end theological assertion
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from youselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseEph. 2:8,9
The world court? So they could congratulate him for standing up to the US? Maybe give him a medal? I GOT IT, a Nobel prize.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI see that William's post of 13:29 beat me to the punch.
However, I was not aware that the persecution of political or religious opponents was one of the great sins of the Catholic church, or any church at all. Gosh, what did the Israelites do when they arrived at Jericho, sing kumbaya with the Caananites? The only time Tor Quemada used a comfy chair was in Monty Python, to my knowledge.
Revolutions are revolutions.
On the other hand, demanding that party members be atheists is surely a sin of which Castro would need to repent.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe ought to tell everyone how great Matilda of Tuscany was (Canossa was her castle), oh and right the wrongs he's committed over the years.
Of course, in the usual liberal dodge, he'll say he has no control over anything now so all he can do is say "my bad" and let his followers continue the persecution without comment. It's like Obama and the parts of his administration which do unpopular things, "mea non culpa, mea non culpa, okay mea minima culpa, sheesh".
Must be the new mass translation.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI was in my late teens when Castro took over Cuba and we all cheered his victory. At the time, there was a Catholic/Protestant divide in my community, but our understanding was two-fold 1) Batista was in bed with the Catholic Church who supported him, 2) Castro was a Methodist and therefore not in bed with the church. Family members and friends who had been Protestant missionaries in Latin America said that the church had been corrupted by the wealthy - they might have been wrong but they believed it strongly. If Castro had that view and if the Catholic Church is now sympathetic with all of the people in Latin America (which I believe it is), then Castro coming home would not be a surprise.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAccountability and consistency in the catholic church? The same church that promoted pedophiles to palaces in Rome or moved them like pieces across a board? That complained about contraception but said nothing when our government started torturing, er, excuse me, started using enhanced interrogation techniques? Jonah, you slay me. What a card.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo one outside preist and penitent should ever know the penance assigned to the penitent. We can only observe the actions of the penitent following his confession. And and earlier poster is correct, only God, by His grace can redeem a sinner.
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