Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Miami (Agenzia Fides) – The 12th encounter for Catholics living in and outside of Cuba was held in the South East Pastoral Institute's headquarters in Miami, April 26-30. The event was attended by 35 delegates, 14 of them from the island and the rest were residents of Miami, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. The delegation from Cuba was presided by Archbishop Dionisio Garcia, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and President of the Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference (COCC), and co-presided by Bishop Arturo Gonzalez of Santa Clara, President of the Bishops' (COCC) Department for the Laity and recently-appointed for relations with Cubans living off the island. Bishop Felipe Estevez, Auxiliary of Miami, led another group which included Bishop Octavio Cisneros (Auxiliary of Brooklyn), seven priests, a religious sister, and thirteen lay members.
The central theme of the encounter, which formally began with a retreat on Monday, April 27, was the 2012 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the image of “La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre” (Our Lady of Charity), and the three-year preparation time leading up to this great feast for the Church in Cuba. Thousands of Cubans living off the island will also participate in this preparatory time and in the events during the jubilee for the 400th anniversary and will travel in pilgrimage to the Shrine of Cobre in Cuba. On April 28, two talks were given: one by Cuban Antonio Rodriguez, who spoke on the Cuban people's devotion to Our Lady of Charity, and the other by Bishop Agustin Roman on the Virgin Mary in relation to the Cubans living outside Cuba. On the morning of April 29, the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba made a presentation of the program for the three years of preparation for the great celebration, begun last August 30 in El Cobre, a process that should intensify as time goes by and more specific objectives are set for each year.
Later, Monsignor Óscar Castañeda, Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami, spoke of the plans for activities to take place in the Miami area, as well as the efficiency of the theological-pastoral plan of the Cuban ad hoc Commission for the 400th anniversary, chaired by Archbishop Garcia of Santiago de Cuba. A high point in the encounter was on April 29, which was dedicated to various aid projects that are taking place outside Cuba, at the service of Cuba and other countries in need. The first talk was given by Sister Hilda Vega, HC, who has been sending food and medical supplies to Cuba since 1996. The Daughters of Charity in Miami intensified their aid especially following the passing of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, when they sent 28 large containers of materials to victims on the island. Other organizations already working, or wish to help out on the aid projects are the Order of the Knights of Malta, Love in Action, Faith in Action, and the La Salle Association. On April 30, the last day of the encounter, there was a talk given by laymen Rogelio Zelada on people born in Cuba or who have lived on the island, who are examples of holiness for today's Cubans. This was followed by an evaluation of the encounter, seeing the importance of its continuity, considering the second semester of 2010 as a possible date for the next encounter. In addition to the official encounter, the Cubans who came from the island held encounters in the days that followed, with Cuban Catholics in New York, Orlando, and Atlanta.
The encounter concluded with a Mass in the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity presided by Archbishop John Clement Favalora of Miami and concelebrated by Archbishop Dionisio Garcia, Bishop Arturo Gonzalez, and Bishop Agustin Roman, retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese. At the beginning of the celebration, Archbishop Favalora expressed the “closeness of the Archdiocese of Miami as the Church in Cuba prepares to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the image of Our Lady of Charity.” (RG) (7/5/2009)
