Pope Benedict XVI Receives Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega

HAVANA TIMES — This past Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI met with the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, reported the Vatican Information Service on Monday.

According to news sources, the topics that could have been discussed were those related to the most recent visit to the island by the Catholic Church’s highest leader this past March and the apostolic work of the Church in Cuba.

Last week Ortega and representatives of the archdiocese met with the Ladies in White government opposition group, who asked the bishop to intercede with the Pope to receive them at the Vatican.

In recent months the Cuban cardinal has been criticized by the opposition on and off the island because of his cooperation and dialogue with the Cuban government and his support for the treatment meted out to certain dissident groups.