.c The Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) - Cuba's Roman Catholic Church said Saturday the communist government has made concessions for Pope John Paul II's visit, promising public transportation, press coverage and permission to a ship of pilgrims from the United States to dock in Havana.
It also expressed hope the papal visit will lead to greater religious freedoms in Cuba, where atheism was state policy until 1992 and church activity remains restricted.
The government has rarely if ever given churches or other independent organizations access to the media, which is entirely state-run. The use of state transportation for an independent gathering is also highly unusual.
The agreement by the government appears to answer some of the church's concerns about John Paul's Jan. 21-25 visit to the Caribbean island.
But Cuba has actively sought the visit, hoping it will help undermine U.S. attempts to isolate the island. At the same time, Cuban authorities are concerned that it could foster anti-government sentiment.
"Permits will be issued for the landing in Havana of direct flights from the United States and the arrival in Havana of the cruise ship with pilgrims ... will be authorized,'' church spokesman Orlando Marquez said in a news release.
The government had been giving mixed signals about whether it would welcome the Norwegian Majesty cruise liner with 1,000 Catholics, many of them Cuban-Americans.
Marquez also said the government agreed to help transport worshippers to sites where the pope will say Mass, and he said the state-run media would provide "some spaces'' on the upcoming visit.
"These spaces, although they do not satisfy the expectations of the church, should help bring greater information to the population about the preparations for the visit,'' Marquez said. He did not elaborate on what they would involve.
There was no mention in the statement of another church request - that people be allowed time off from work to attend the Masses.
In recent weeks, the government has authorized a series of open-air Masses around Havana which the church is using to help prepare for the papal visit.
But the head of the party's religious affairs department, Caridad Diego, recently expressed concern to "prevent public acts that could be politically motivated.''
Catholics and other believers in 1991 were granted permission to join the Communist Party and the constitutional reference to official atheism was dropped in 1992.
The church also expressed hope Saturday that the papal visit would lead to even more liberty for religious activity.
In a pastoral letter given to reporters by Marquez, the Conference of Bishops said it hoped the papal visit would lead to more freedom of action. "To comply with (its) mission in Cuba, it is necessary for the church to count on the media and indispensable spaces that permit it to preach openly of Jesus Christ.''
It also said the church has a role in promoting political as well as personal ethics, seeming to gently challenge the Communist Party's traditional monopoly in political affairs.
"The action of the church in society is not limited to the free exercise of worship,'' it said, asserting a role in spreading ethical values.
AP-NY-11-01-97 2255EST