UCC - Presidential order re-opens U.S.-Cuba religious exchanges

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Presidential order re-opens U.S.-Cuba religious exchanges

> Written by Jeff Woodard
> January 25, 2011

The CEO and executive director of faith-based
humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS)
says the White House executive order this month
to ease travel restrictions between the United
States and Cuba for religious, educational and
cultural exchanges signals "the beginning of a
new era of relations between the U.S. and Cuba."

In a Jan. 18 letter to President Obama, the Rev.
John J. McCullough expressed appreciation and
"profound joy" on behalf of the agency and its 37
member communions and partner ecumenical
organizations ? including the United Church of
Christ ? in Latin America and the Caribbean,
praising an order that allows remittances to
religious institutions in Cuba that support religious activities.

"At this time of rapid growth among Cuban

churches, your prescient and important action
will finally allow U.S. churches and ecumenical
institutions to accompany, support and mutually
benefit from unrestricted fellowship with our
Cuban church partners," McCullough wrote in the
letter. "It will enable church relations that are
more than just historic, but which are vital also
to the well-being of our churches and the ministries we serve."

Since 1957, CWS has served as the primary agency
through which the UCC gives support for disaster relief and recovery effort 
s.

Cally Rogers-Witte, executive minister of Wider
Church Ministries and co-executive of Global
Ministries, noted that during the presidency of
George W. Bush, the State Department rescinded
general licenses that for many years had enabled
religious denominations to take groups to visit
churches in Cuba. Wider Church Ministries held the license for the UCC.

"We are happy that President Obama's executive
order will facilitate more church partner visits
between the U.S. and Cuba," said Rogers-Witte.

Mari Castellanos, policy advocate for the UCC's
Justice and Witness Ministries Domestic Issues
Program Team based in Washington, D.C., noted
that the executive order also means that charter
flights from the U.S. to Cuba now include all international U.S. airports.

"These may facilitate joint religious gatherings
between the U.S. and Cuban faithful, as well as
offer opportunities for theological exchanges," says Castellanos.

An executive order attains a goal with fewer
obstacles, said LaMarco Cable, program associate
for advocacy and education for Global Ministries,
the common witness of the UCC and the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ). "For the church,
this is great. We celebrate this as an
opportunity for people to travel to Cuba."

However, Cable ? whose work focuses on Latin
America, the Caribbean and Africa ? added that
executive orders can have limits. "Passing a bill
in the House and the Senate is the only way to
enact permanent law. Executive orders can only be
effective as long as that person is in office.
So, it's bittersweet. There is still work to do as a church."

To McCullough, the timing of the order could not have been better.

"This is a critical time to open the doors to
allow greater people-to-people engagement of all
kinds and at all levels between the two
countries," said McCullough, adding that the
timing of the Executive Order coincided perfectly
with a somber moment in which the nation
reflected on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

McCullough also thanked the president in his
letter for helping to foster an environment in
which the Department of State is also more likely
to grant visas to Cuban pastors and religious
leaders for travel to the United States.

"I note in particular the ability of officials of
the Cuban Council of churches to travel to New
Orleans for the National Council of
Churches-Church World Service General Assembly,
and afterward to Washington, D.C., where they
were cordially received by Mr. Daniel Restrepo in
his National Security Council office," said McCullough.