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The Embassy of Cuba to the Holy See organized a mass on Friday "for the peace and social development of Cuba" at the church of San Ignacio de Loyola in Rome, presided over by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development of the Vatican, as reported by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Cuba.
The ceremony was attended by the regime's ambassador to the Holy See, Leyde Rodríguez, and the representative of Havana in Italy, Jorge Luis Cepero, along with the rector of the church, Father Vincenzo D'Adamo, and the Jesuit Massimo Névola.
The writer Miguel Barnet also participated, a former president of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) and a well-known defender of Castroism, who was on a visit to Rome.
In his homily, Cardinal Czerny brought "before the altar of the Lord the sufferings, hopes, and expectations of the Cuban people" and called for "sincere dialogue, capable of overcoming propaganda, rigidities, and mutual distrust."
Czerny emphasized that "freedom demands real spaces for participation, listening, and shared responsibility" and that "justice requires concrete attention towards those who suffer the most."
The cardinal warned that "any logic of permanent confrontation risks exacerbating the burden already placed on ordinary people, especially the poorest, the elderly, the sick, and children."
Regarding humanitarian aid, the cardinal was explicit: "Humanitarian assistance should arrive in sufficient quantities and without obstacles, and should never be instrumentalized for political or geopolitical purposes."
The mass is held during a time of intense diplomatic activity concerning Cuba and the Vatican. On May 7, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope León XIV at the Vatican, where the Cuban situation and the possibility of channeling aid through the Catholic Church were discussed.
Days later, the U.S. offered 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid for Cuba, with distribution planned through Caritas and independent organizations, excluding the Cuban government.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla initially described the offer as a "fairy tale" and a "lie," but the regime softened its stance on Wednesday and stated that it had "no issues working with the Catholic Church" to distribute the funds.
The Director of Strategies at the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH), Yaxys Cires, emphasized after the Rubio-León XIV meeting that "the Holy See and the Cuban Church are actors of stabilization and support for the Cuban people at present, but especially they would be during the process of national reconstruction."
Czerny concluded his homily with a plea to the Virgin of Charity of Copper: "may she accompany this nation with her maternal protection and guard all her children in peace."
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