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The father Rogelio Deán Puerta, parish priest of the parish of El Cobre and Rector of the Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity, delivered a homily this Sunday in which he harshly described the Cuban reality, stating that the Church witnesses "people buried alive, without light, without illusions, without dreams, without hope."
The message was disseminated by the Archbishopric of Santiago de Cuba and is part of a series of recent statements from the Cuban Catholic Church in response to the profound crisis affecting the island.
"We see the crying. We see the helplessness, the despair, people buried alive, without light, without illusions, without dreams, without hope, we see it," affirmed the priest during the Mass of the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Deán Puerta pointed out that Cubans suffer "sometimes from the lack of the most essential things for a dignified life," and as a pastor, he feels that "his heart is torn" when witnessing the suffering of the people.
The priest also acknowledged the extreme conditions under which those who support the communities work: "I deeply admire many of my brother priests, religious, and pastoral agents who, in very difficult conditions, practically without any resources, in extreme circumstances, without transportation, go out and evangelize."
In light of the magnitude of the suffering, Father Deán Puerta acknowledged that the material response of the Church has its limits: "We realize that the assistance the Church can provide in a material sense is minimal."
The rector of the Sanctuary also revealed that he seeks strength in prayer at night: "Many times I come at night, here in front of this image of the Virgin, and I kneel down there, and in my prayer to God, I ask for strength. Because evidently that strength, in the times we are living in Cuba, only comes from God."
Deán Puerta expressed gratitude to people from "other lands" who send resources and words of encouragement to the Sanctuary, quoting messages he receives: "Father, stay strong. Stay strong for that church in Cuba, we pray for you, we will try to send resources."
This Sunday's homily is the latest in a series of messages from the priest that combine spiritual reflection with social critique.
Recently, Dean Puerta called for unity with the phrase "understanding is urgent", and on May 17, Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez requested from the same sanctuary that "Cuba has to change".
In January of this year, the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops warned of the risk of "social chaos" and demanded urgent changes and genuine dialogue, in a statement that set the tone for the following months.
"There are many, many wounds in the Cuban people, both in Cuba and outside of it. Many wounds, much to heal, much to reconcile. The Church is not here to confront. The Church is here to heal. Clearly, the issue of justice is also part of healing; justice is necessary," concluded Father Deán Puerta.
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