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The Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Monsignor Dionisio García Ibáñez, made a strong call for change this Sunday from the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the island's foremost Marian shrine, during the homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.
In his sermon, published by the Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba, the prelate was straightforward: "We know that we must change. At the beginning of the Mass, I said that we all need to change and Cuba must change, and there need to be measures that change the situation of the country."
The archbishop explicitly rejected passivity in the face of the crisis the island is experiencing, using a biblical image to challenge the faithful: "Should I just leave everything to God and then sit back with my arms crossed? At that moment, two angels might appear to us and ask, 'And what are you doing with your arms crossed?'"
The message was not limited to the spiritual realm; it directly addressed the political and social situation of the country, demanding concrete "measures" to transform the living conditions of Cubans.
García Ibáñez's statement comes just days after the United States government offered 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid for Cuba, contingent upon being funneled through the Catholic Church, Caritas, and independent organizations, without state intermediation.
That offer turned the ecclesiastical institution into a central player in the dispute between Washington and Havana.
The chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla initially described the proposal as a "fable," although he later softened his stance. Díaz-Canel responded by defending the regime's relationship with the Church, calling it "rich and productive."
The archbishop's speech this Sunday is not an isolated incident, but rather a continuation of a sustained pattern of criticism from the pulpit of El Cobre.
In January 2026, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba issued its most direct collective statement, read in parishes across the country: "Cuba needs changes, and they are becoming increasingly urgent," warning of the risk of "social chaos" and calling for "no more bloodshed or mourning in Cuban families."
In November 2025, García Ibáñez described the country's situation as a "nonsensical" reality due to poverty, the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, and the proliferation of diseases.
In March 2024, I had asked the Virgin of Charity with three words that captured the people's cry: "food, electricity, and freedom."
The context in which this new homily is delivered is one of maximum pressure on the Cuban Church. In January 2026, State Security threatened Cuban priests for their public criticisms, which makes it even more significant that the archbishop continues to maintain and reinforce his message from the most emblematic sanctuary of the island.
García Ibáñez concluded his homily with a statement that transcends the religious: "Cuba needs witnesses of Christ, the world needs witnesses of Christ, those who wish to be proclaimers of His word amidst our sins and weaknesses."
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