Enforced optimism
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | May 01, 2003
Check out today's story from Rome. Cardinal Sodano hopes that Fidel Castro will "lead his people toward democracy."
What is the basis for this hope? Well, now that you mention it, there isn't any. In fact Castro has just finished rounding up his political opponents, sentencing some to long prison terms, executing a few others. Not exactly signs of progress toward democracy.
OK, there's no reason to give up. It makes sense for the Holy See to continue talking with Havana, in spite of the latest atrocities there. But why pretend that the situation is another other than bleak? The Vatican rightly denounced the Cuban crackdown earlier in the week; why not pound home that message?
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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