HAVANA, May 11 (Amarilis Cortina Rey, Cuba-Verdad) - The parrish priest of a Passionist church in Havana expelled on Wednesday more than 50 dissidents who had gone to the chuch to pray for political prisoners in Cuba.
During the Mass, the priest, Fr. Carlos Elizarde, called the dissidents "comedians" and added that the group reminded him of a "chicken coop." Later the priest said "If you come back next Wednesday I'll call the police to get you out of church." The outburst came
as one of the dissidents took a photograph of the people in church.
The dissidents have been meeting at the church on Wednesdays for some weeks after being run out of another church where they used to meet and pray.
State Security agents have for as many weeks been putting pressure on the church not to allow the dissidents to meet.
After the event, the dissidents met outside the church and decided to protest to Cuban Cardinal, Msgr. Jaime Ortega Alamiño.
The Passionists are a Roman Catholic mendicant order devoted chiefly to missionary works and retreats.
Versión original en español
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