Whether Catholic or not, it is simply impossible to ignore Pope Francis. He’s fought against financial corruption, spoken out against extravagance and wasteful spending in the Church, and even traveled to Brazil to speak out on behalf of the Amazon rainforest. Now, in his latest bold move, the Pope will try to end over fifty years of antagonism between Cuba and the US. From Sept. 19 to 27, the Pope will travel to Cuba and America, where he is expected to speak out for human rights in both of the countries.Cuba, a famously atheist country, surprised the world by agreeing to host Pope Francis. By releasing 3,522 prisoners prior to his visit, Cuba issued a strong sign that the visit would be taken seriously. However, despite this symbolic gesture and suggestions by Cuban President Raul Castro that the Pope’s visit may persuade him to return to Catholicism, not all of Cuba’s problems will be solved by the papal visit. The release of prisoners is a perfect example: the released consisted solely of women, the elderly and youth— no political prisoners were included in the mix. This fact led former Cuban political prisoner Sebastián A. Arcos to call the release “just makeup,” hiding a corrupt and wicked system.However, Pope Francis’ visit means good news for Cuban Catholics. Persecuted and restricted for years, Cuban Catholics will finally have more religious freedom as the government opens up to more religious influence. Already, they are being permitted to open new churches, and the government has even announced that they will provide transport for worshippers who want to attend the Pope’s mass. Catholics all over Cuba hope that the Pope’s visit will lead to more permanent freedoms for religious groups on the island; however, Cubans as a collective seem to have mixed feelings for what is in store.Despite the mixed feelings, it seems clear that the Pope’s visit is drawing Catholicism and the Communist party together— two groups which have long been locked in opposition and struggle. In fact, without Pope Francis, it is unlikely that the US and Cuba would have restored diplomatic relations at all, as he was essential in initiating and continuing open conversation between the two countries. Politically, the countries have a complicated history, but diplomatic ties are beginning to be repaired, a relationship that both Cuba and America appear to be open to. As an American myself, it is easy to understand why many people from the US view Pope Francis’ trip as a blow against oppressive regimes, as this would in effect be putting the Pope on America’s side. However, many suspect that the Pope will have stern words for the US as well. Because Pope Francis has been so active in fighting corruption and elitism within the Catholic church, it is likely that he will confront the US on similar issues as well. This will likely include controversial subjects such as climate change and economic inequality. As arguably one of the world’s most powerful nations, the US is in a unique position of influence. If Pope Francis can inspire the American government and citizens to speak out on behalf of the poor and oppressed, then other countries may follow in the same footsteps. Whatever Pope Francis may say to Cuban and American leaders during his eight day trip is sure to be both inspirational and challenging. As the Pope travels from Cuba to America, people throughout the world will hope that he can help to heal the divide between these two countries as well as bring peace and love to their citizens, whether they are Catholic or not. This article was written by Savannah Billman. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Tirza Alberta