Cuba's relations with church remain good a year after Pope's visit

HAVANA -- (AP) -- Church-state relations remain good one year after Pope John Paul II made his historic visit to Cuba, the Cuban government said Thursday.

``We continue to see positive results'' from the papal visit, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez said at a weekly news conference. ``A good level of relations and communication with the church has been maintained.''

It was the only official mention Thursday of the anniversary of John Paul's arrival here on Jan. 21, 1998 for a five-day tour. Even the Communist Party daily Granma did not mention the anniversary, instead providing extensive coverage of a gathering of international economists.

Hopes had been high among average Cubans and government officials alike that John Paul would stop by Cuba this week on his way to or from his visit to Mexico and the United States. The pope's visit to Mexico begins Friday; he arrives Tuesday in St. Louis.

The Vatican has said the pope's health and schedule would not permit a stop in Cuba.

Gonzalez said the government continues to study the Roman Catholic church's demands to operate more freely in Cuban society. Cuba was once atheist, but is now a secular state.

Some requests, including authorization of processions and of entry into the country by foreign priests, have been resolved, he said.

The church also has asked for greater access to the government-controlled media and the right to open church schools, which were banned in the early years of the 40-year-old Cuban revolution.

As a concession to the church, the government last month declared Christmas a permanent official holiday and allowed Cardinal Jaime Ortega to read a religious Christmas message on government radio.

Meanwhile, Mexico City's archbishop, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, said Thursday that Latin American church leaders will meet in Cuba next month to follow up John Paul's call for a more unified church. Exact dates have still not been set for the meeting of the Latin American Episcopal Conference, he said.