Religious Freedom Coming to Cuba?

Conservatives have offered nothing but withering criticism for President Obama's opening of relations with Cuba. However, the overtures to Cuba may already be paying off.

Raul Castro just concluded a visit to the Vatican, where he met with the pope. The meeting had an unexpected result:

"I will resume praying and turn to the Church again if the Pope continues in this vein," Castro, the 83-year-old younger brother of Fidel, told reporters, adding "I mean what I say."

"The pontiff is a Jesuit, and I, in some way, am too. I studied at Jesuit schools," he said.

The Catholic Church's activities were suppressed after the revolution. If the thaw in relations between Washington and Havana means greater religious freedom for the Cuban people, it would be a significant step forward.

However, just because a former Communist government endorses religion doesn't mean it will become any more enlightened. Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Russian Orthodox Church has become the de-facto state religion.

Gays and lesbians are harassed by the government and church officials alike, and as the Orthodox Church has lined up behind Putin on every issue, political assassinations of reporters and opposition figures such as Boris Nemtsov have become almost commonplace.

Cuba may be different, though: the Russian Orthodox Church is a nationalistic religion and Putin has the Russian patriarch under his thumb. The Vatican is independent of all nations and draws its leadership from across the world.

If allowed to flower in Cuba, where Pope Francis will visit this September, the Catholic Church under his leadership should be a force for good.