wfn.org | Corrected NCCCUSA Cuba Delegation Story

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the 
U.S.A.
Contact: Wendy S. McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Internet: wendy@ncccusa.org
NCC12/10/97CORRECTED (SEE BOLDFACE)
For Immediate Release

Please substitute for yesterday's transmission.  The 
"Statement by Joan Brown Campbell on behalf of the 
Ecumenical Delegation to Cuba," also sent to you 
yesterday, stands as you received it and thus is not 
being retransmitted today.

NCC DELEGATION TO CUBA REAFFIRMS WISH FOR U.S. TO 
LIFT EMBARGO

 NEW YORK, Dec. 10 ---- A 10-member ecumenical 
pastoral delegation to Cuba from the National 
Council of Churches (NCC) returned from their Dec. 
6-9 trip with a renewed commitment to redouble their 
efforts to increase humanitarian assistance to the 
people of Cuba and to press the United States 
government to lift its embargo against Cuba.

 According to NCC General Secretary the Rev. Dr. 
Joan Brown Campbell, who led the delegation, "the 
suffering of the Cuban people from the effects of 
the embargo is what makes us say again that this 
embargo, particularly that on humanitarian aid 
including food and medicine, must be lifted."  The 
delegation's statement renews the NCC's call for the 
governments of Cuba and the United States to 
normalize relations.

 As guests of the Cuban Council of Churches, the 
high-level delegation visited and preached in local 
churches Sunday and met with church leaders, 
including the President of the Cuban Council of 
Churches along with leaders of CCC member churches, 
and with Monsignor Cesbedes, Ecumenical Secretary 
for the Roman Catholic Episcopal Conference.  The 
delegation also met with Cuban and U.S. government 
officials, including Roberto Robaina, Minister for 
Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Ricardo Alarcon, President 
of the Parliament.  

The intention of the visit was to reaffirm the 
Cuba Humanitarian Aid Program and "strengthen the 
ties of friendship and understanding between our 
churches and our peoples," Dr. Campbell said.  "We 
gained clarity about the picture of religious life 
in Cuba.  We learned that 87 percent of the 
population of Cuba is religious.  280,000 ROMAN 
CATHOLICS AND 300,000 PROTESTANTS ATTEND WORSHIP 
EVERY SUNDAY.  There are 635 Roman Catholic 
congregations, and 1,600 Protestant congregations  
The 1,100 Protestant pastors all are Cubans, except 
for three.  Of the 240 Roman Catholic priests, 120 
were born outside of Cuba."

 The delegation also visited a hospital and a 
home for the elderly which have been recipients of 
humanitarian assistance sent by the communions of 
the NCC.  Dr. Campbell said that the visits and 
discussions reaffirmed the delegation's 
understanding that U.S. policies restricting efforts 
to provide humanitarian assistance are hindering the 
ability of the Cuban churches to respond to human 
need.

 Besides Dr. Campbell, the delegation included: 
THE REV. OSCAR Bolioli, NCC/CHURCH WORLD SERVICE 
DIECTOR FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN,  the 
Rev. Dr. Randolph Nugent, General Secretary, General 
Board of Global Ministries, and the Rev. Michael 
Rivas, Deputy General Secretary for Planning and 
Research, both of the United Methodist Church; the 
Rev. Dr. Marian McClure, Director, Worldwide 
Ministries Division, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); 
the Rev. Dr. Bennett W. Smith, Sr., President, and 
the Rev. Tyrone Pitts, General Secretary, both of 
the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.; 
the Rev. Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, NCC Associate 
General Secretary for Public Policy and Director of 
the Washington Office, and Ms. Cheryl Morden, 
Associate Director, Office on Development Policy, 
Church World Service/Lutheran World Relief.

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