THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING

Cardinal takes church trip to Cuba

By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff, 8/23/2002

ardinal Bernard F. Law went to Cuba yesterday for the installation of a new archbishop in Camaguey.

Law's spokeswoman, Donna M. Morrissey, said she does not know when the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston will return.

Law, who was born in Mexico and educated in the Virgin Islands, has had a longtime interest in Cuba, where he has made efforts to strengthen a Catholic Church that has been weakened under communism. Law has visited Cuba on numerous occasions since 1985 and has met with President Fidel Castro several times. He has forged a friendship with the archbishop of Havana, who has visited Law in Boston.

Law authorized early shipments of medical supplies from Boston to Cuba and has urged Congress to ease the US embargo.

In Cuba, he will attend the installation ceremony of Juan Garcia Rodriguez as archbishop of Camaguey. Garcia Rodriguez, 54, had been auxiliary bishop in Camaguey since 1997. He replaces Adolfo Rodriguez Herrera, who resigned in June.

This story ran on page B5 of the Boston Globe on 8/23/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.