29-Aug-2000 -- ZENIT News Agency. The world seen from Rome.
Reflect on 1999 Address by Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran.
NEW YORK, (ZENIT.org).- Cuban priests and religious abroad have expressed their "unity and sense of belonging to the Catholic Church in Cuba," and their call to be the sacrament of unity of one people.
"We request the right of religious liberty for our Church in Cuba and the full freedom to which all Cubans are entitled," the Fraternity of Cuban Priests and Religious Abroad said in a statement summarizing the conclusions of a meeting held in New York from July 24-27.
The principal topic of the meeting was an address given last December 1 in Havana by Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, on the occasion of a Symposium on the Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in America." On that occasion, Archbishop Tauran focused
on the topic: "Church-State Relations in Modern Society."
In the final statement of their meeting, the Cuban priests expressed their adherence to Archbishop Tauran's words: "the Church does not seek any form of political power to carry out its mission ... By defending its own liberty, it defends the liberty each person, and of families and various
social organizations, living realities that have the right to have their own area of autonomy and sovereignty."
Meetings of the group have been held annually since 1969, to renew ties among Cubans and reflect together on aspects of interest related to Cuba.
During the meeting held in New York, which was attended by exiled Cuban Bishops Eduardo Boza Masvidal and Agustín Roman, a Mass was celebrated in the parish of the Transfiguration, established by Cuban Fr. Felix Varela, "whom we regard as our mentor, model, and guide, not only in his
priestly apostolic work but also in his patriotic fervor," the priests state in their declaration.
Fr. Varela was a professor in the Havana Seminary, a deputy in the Spanish Cortes, and an exile in New York in the 19th century, where he was Vicar General. His cause of beatification has been introduced in Rome.
In their statement, the priests mention their satisfaction with Cubans' achievements in human endeavors but acknowledge that they have had to pay their "share of pain and suffering because of our separation, family division, and absence from the homeland."
The Cuban priests abroad deplore "the unjust attacks that have been made on Cubans in exile" in recent times, and thank God "for the witness of our martyrs who were shot or died in the Strait of La Florida, for our political prisoners who now enjoy liberty, and for those who
languish in prisons." They reiterate: these "are our brothers, fathers, relatives, and friends."
The priests point out that the above are the real Cuban exiles. "We unite their pain and ours to Christ on the cross for the redemption of our people."
The priests echo the Jubilee 2000 pastoral letter of Cuban bishops, entitled: "A New Heaven and A New Earth," and pray to the Virgin of Charity to lead Cuba by the way of hope.
As a practical conclusion, the Cuban priests exhort "our Cuban brothers in the Diaspora not only to provide for the material needs of their brothers in Cuba, but also for their spiritual and moral needs." From "The Catholic Voice" | 