Vatican Expert Bares Pope's Secret Greeting to Cuba's Political Prisoners

While Pope Francis did not visit dissidents imprisoned under the Castro regime during his trip to Cuba, the pontiff delivered a veiled greeting to them, Father Aquinas Guilbeau, OP, a distinguished Dominican priest, tells Newsmax TV.

"It's interesting to note that Pope Francis, during his welcome address, acknowledged the fact that he's the third pope in 20 years to visit Cuba – Pope Benedict XVI before him and Pope John Paul II before him — and neither made explicit visits with imprisoned dissidents," Guilbeau said Tuesday on "Newsmax Prime" with J.D. Hayworth.

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"So it must be said that in his opening address, in his welcome address, Pope Francis did acknowledge that there would be people not able to see him and that was a veiled reference to those who were  in prison and to them he sent his heart-felt greetings and salutations."

"So the pope did recognize that certainly things are not well in Cuba, but in a diplomatic way and in a charitable way did send his greetings to those who suffer injustice in that land."

Luis Rosales, author of "Francis: A Pope for Our Time," written with Daniel Olivera and published by Humanix, appeared with Guilbeau on "Newsmax Prime."

He said Francis' visit is a "great contribution" to Cuba because it removes the island nation's last obstacle to be incorporated into the "family of nations in Latin America."

"It will be very, very useful for the future of the island and for the reconciliation of the whole hemisphere. The whole continent needs a kind of reconciliation," Rosales said.

"And the bad relationship between Cuba and the United States was a kind of obstacle, a real pretext for the leftist governments in Latin America to have something to say against the United States and the north part of the world."

"So Francis has in his mind as a Jesuit, a real goal which is bigger, larger, than just to change the regime in the island of Cuba."

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