Bishop Emilio Aranguren of Holguín and President of the Conference. Together with: Bishop Marcelo Arturo González of Santa Clara and Bishop Juan de Dios Hernández of Pinar del Río. These prelates held a fraternal meeting with Pope Francis in which they addressed issues of religious, political and social interest in the harsh and harsh reality of Cuba today.
I must emphasize that the Catholic Church, as well as other Christian denominations inside and outside the prison island, have played a fundamental role in the historical reality of the massacred Cuban people. They have expressed and helped in different ways to mitigate the pain that hurts the Cuban soul the most. The Church has not only been a spiritual refuge, but also a voice of resistance against the injustices committed by the regime.
During these sad and oppressive six decades of Castro dictatorship, the Church has exercised silent resistance, accompanying its people with courage and strength, the presence of priests in the marches of 11J and in its reference homilies of evangelical denunciation for the good of its sheep, this even in the midst of strong repression not only by State Security, but also by the misnamed Office of Religious Affairs, commanded by Caridad Diego Bello.
One of the key moments in the development of Cuban ecclesial history, among many others, was the ENEC, the Cuban National Ecclesiastical Meeting, which took place from February 17 to 23, 1986. There was a very active pastoral awakening among the laity, religious men and women, priests and bishops. It was truly an unparalleled spiritual fruit for the Church of that time to be able to give a pastoral response to a hard and suffering social reality as it is now, despite the passing of the years. The Church and its faithful, with Hope always in change, trust in their Lord to give way to the full Dignity of the children of God in freedom.
Years later, the Pastoral Letter issued by the Conference of Catholic Bishops: Love Awaits All Things, was a response and at the same time a direct denunciation to demonstrate the cry of a people dragged into a “Special Period” that only had the second word of special. The bishops and priests denounced the serious situation affecting the Cuban people. I honestly believe that we can do much more inside and outside of Casa Cuba to liberate from the spiritual and personal point of view a people who are bleeding and overwhelmed. We must not only accompany our brothers on the path of faith, but also defend them from the cruel wolf that devours their sheep day after day without rest. The pack of wolves is apparently strong, but not eternal.
Remembering and quoting the Holy Scriptures 1 Maccabees 3:19-21. As the President of Argentina Javier Milei does on occasion, I also say and quote: In a battle, victory does not depend on the number of soldiers, but on the strength that God gives. They come against us, full of pride and cruelty, to kill us, our women and our children, and to steal what we have. We, on the other hand, fight for our own lives and our customs.
I hope and wish with all my heart that the visit of the prelates to Rome will be renewed upon their return to the Cuban Island, remembering that Love awaits all things, and that in the end freedom and justice will prevail. Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, I pray to you as my dear friend Clara Gallo does:
If you see a tear running down my cheek, it’s because I walked through my neighborhood last night, returning to my childhood home, to school and to church, full of memories, laughter and celebration. And I woke up again, like every morning, with dreams of nostalgia, wanting to see you one day, my homeland, free from all oppression.
“There is no homeland without virtue, nor virtue with impiety.” Fr. Félix Varela. 1788-1853
