Archbishop meets With Cuba's President

Cuban president meets with church leader

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ (AP)

HAVANA — President Raul Castro has held a rare sit-down with Cuba's Roman Catholic cardinal and another top cleric, discussing many issues including a recent crackdown against dissidents that ended only after the mediation of the church.

The meeting with Cardinal Jaime Ortega and Archbishop Dionisio Garcia was a sign of the church's growing influence on the island. The talks went on for more than four hours, Garcia told The Associated Press on Thursday. Garcia, the archbishop of Santiago, is also leader of the Conference of Bishops of Cuba.

It was the first time the head of the Conference of Bishops has met with the country's leader in five years, when Fidel Castro was still in charge. Fidel stepped down formally in 2008, turning leadership over to his brother.

Link to original...