Cuban bishops to the Vatican at the end of the month; behind the scenes of a complex, yet promising moment for the relationship between state and church authorities
The last ad limina visit of the Cuban bishops dates back to May 8, 2008, when Benedict XVI was Pope. Now, nine years later, the 12 Cuban bishops (of three archdioceses, nine dioceses and one auxiliary) return to the Vatican for their new ad limina visit that begins Tuesday, April 25. They will meet the new Pope, Francis, Thursday, May 4 and it certainly will not be a routine meeting, in fact, this event could represent - albeit not with immediate effects - a turning point in the future of this Latin American church so cherished to the Pope.
Eight years ago, then Archbishop of Camagüey - today, at the behest of Francis, Archbishop of Havana since April 26, 2016 in place of J. Cardinal Ortega, monsignor Juan García Rodríguez greeted Benedict XVI on behalf of his brethren. Pope Ratzinger’s speech (May 2, 2008) to the Cuban Bishops focused on six major topics: promotion of spiritual life, special care for priests, renewed commitment in favor of religious vocations, proximity to religious and missionaries, intense pastoral care of marriages, families and laity and finally serving the poor and needy. At the time, the Pontiff avoided addressing other important issues, especially with regard to the Cuban Church’s relationship with the society, state and socialist institutions of the country. He preferred not to give public space to some unresolved issues since it was clear that many things were changing, albeit slowly.
Major events in recent years
Since then, nine years have gone by and in this span of time, between two pontificates; many things have changes in Cuba. First, the Church and the people of Cuba received three papal visits: 26 to 28 March 2012, Benedict XVI, and then twice Francis, between 19 and 22 September 2015 and 12 February 2016 when he met with Patriarch Kirill in La Habana. Further, the execution and implementation of the Pastoral Plan 2014-2020 is halfway. The Episcopate today counts five emeritus and among them is a key figure, the former archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, author of the first major mediation with the government of President Castro who in 2010 allowed the release of dozens of prisoners.
In February 2008, General Raúl Castro assumed office as the new president, succeeding his brother Fidel, who was old and sick. He will remain in office until February 2018, when he will hand over the presidency to First Vice President Miguel Díaz Canel (57 years), keeping only the role of general secretary of the Communist Party until 2021. Raúl Castro met for the first time Pope Francis on May 10, 2015 at the Vatican. Well before Fidel Castro’s disappearance, which occurred a few months ago, the country has been undergoing a gradual process of renewal of the ruling class, which sees a composite generation of over 50 and 60 taking the responsibility of the historical leaders of 1959. The same half a century-old socialist model and economic system has been experimenting in the past few years, the successful introduction of micro-business no longer guided by the state but by the rules of free market. Meanwhile, the hegemony of the mechanisms of Communist Party and people’s democracy remain intact. The vast majority of Cubans seem to accept today’s socio-political and institutional equation: strong limits to the representative democratic process in exchange for a universal and efficient welfare state able to ensures, among many benefits, free health care and education for everyone.
In addition, since December 17, 2014, a complex normalization of relations between Washington and Havana is underway although the issue of the US embargo stands like a boulder in the middle of the way. In Washington there was once Barak Obama. Today, with Donald Trump administration, a thick blanket of unknowns fell on the future development of relations. It is well known that Pope Francis in the long and complex, as well as secret, mediation between Cuba and the United States that began in Haiti in 2010, continued in Canada and ended in 2014 in the offices of the Vatican secretary of state, has significantly contributed to an historic and very delicate moment for both parties.
A delicate and crucial step for the future
Today, the Cuban Church who is about to report these crucial years to the Vatican authorities, to the Pope and his closest collaborators (prefects), is no longer that of eight years ago. Its presence seems rarefied but its role and authority in the country have grown a lot to the point that the Cuban ruling class demands a greater involvement for this particular mission. However, it is true as well as underestimated – that for a greater role this church requires some minimum conditions, which today are rather limited, to allow a less bureaucratic social integration.
On March 30, at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Monsignor Paul R. Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, at the conference “From Cristiada challenges to current events. The path of religious freedom” gave some insights concerning the next ad limina visit of the Cuban bishops. “In Cuba, for example, in January 1998, right upon arrival in Avana, the Pope recalls, “Today, as always, the Church in Cuba wishes to have the necessary space to continue serving everyone in accordance with the mission and teachings of Jesus Christ” (20). A few days later, in the square José Martí, he defined freedom of conscience as “basis and foundation of all other human rights” (21). “
Interesting is the comments in this regard from then archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who retracing the highlights of Pope Wojtyla’s visit to Cuba, states: “The Church is sovereign (Catholic, universal) and its mission transcends the physical limitations of the nations. Therefore, its duty is to search an area of freedom to teach, preach and worship. At the same time, it is necessary for the church-state relations that there is total and friendly harmony, as men and women develop their life in the ecclesial as much as in the civil field. To ignore one of the two areas would result in an absurd juxtaposition. We must not forget that the Gospel message is not limited solely to the sphere of worship and religious practice, but is intended to illuminate all of humanity, all and each human actions. The Church makes constant efforts to understand and be an active part of human reality” (22) The right to religious freedom is never understood in isolation, nevertheless Giovanni Paolo II, in addressing the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, jointly speaks of “freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression, political and cultural pluralism “(23).
These reflections, which could be called “programmatic” even though the word is not quite appropriate, are the litmus test of these confidential conversations, which have been going on for over a year between episcopal delegation and the Cuban government. Reflections, which will be certainly used by the Vatican as a grid of analysis of today’s life of the Catholic Church in Cuba. The declared purpose of these talks is the definition of a shared legal status to channel the Church’s regular activities, while respecting its autonomy and specificity, within the institutional framework of the country.
A look at the Cuban Church
We went to Cuba in mid-February and after meeting with several among scholars, experts, journalists, academics and clergymen in three different cities (Havana, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba) we formed an overall opinion that was confirmed especially from under 35 interviewers. We believe the majority of the Cuban people support the Cuban revolution, despite its shadows, its limitations and its shortcomings, because they feel it guarantees dignity. Of course, they live a humble life, with the minimum necessary, but it is quiet and safe, and everyone has guaranteed a “decent minimum”. Cubans obviously aspire to see this “decent minimum” grow, though they see two major obstacles on the horizon: first, a monetary system with two coins (the “Cuban Peso”, the main currency used for everyday transactions, and the “convertible Cuban peso,” required to purchase certain, often technological, goods whose unit corresponds to one US dollar, and that is obtained by converting 25 “normal” pesos). Secondly, the US blockade, which still drastically penalizes the domestic economy, and that, goes back more than 50 years ago, when Washington thought it would accelerate the fall of Fidel Castro.
Investigating on the perception that the average Cuban has on the Catholic Church I often heard: “It seems absent,” not because it really is, but because we have the impression that it goes “with the handbrake on, it with such discretion that its presence cannot be perceived.” “It doesn’t seem that its indisputable pastoral presence is brave and bold,” I was answered when I asked why the ecclesial communities appear so ducked out.
Most of my interlocutors were eager to know about Pope Francis’ “Church which goes forth” “sensing it might have concerned the Cuban Catholics. In Cuba, it is not easy to find the texts of Francis’ magisterium. The official press does not publish the Pope’s interventions. It sometimes simply highlight a few sentences or small reflections but these texts are not even on the website of the Episcopal Conference or other sites like Palabra Nueva and Vitral. What circulates are some of Francis’ teachings related to speeches of his visit in 2015.
One could say that to the great demand coming from both inside and outside the Church, about the teaching of the Pope, there is no adequate offer of texts, analysis and appropriate comments. Yet we understand that there is a great need of these teachings, however what reaches the island are only very few reflections and indirect references, often partial and incomplete. The Church in Cuba is alive and working hard in every diocese, whether large or small, of the East and the West, but we got the impression that the hierarchy is surveilling on the laity, which is old-fashioned, in an almost pre-conciliar way, and that laity itself is quite clerical. A different kind of dynamism is still lacking and therefore the most active and committed lay people quickly move in groups like those of the Community of Sant’Egidio and other apostolic movements. Recently, for example, a large group of lay volunteers who work in the fields of Sant’Egidio has lived in Italy an experience that will give many fruits.
The local episcopate lacks this kind of openness, and seems to have special care towards Cubans abroad, particularly in the United States. Of course, it is also true that these people are part of the Cuban Church and so should be treated, but there no Cuban Church in exile. The list of challenges for the Church in Cuba of today and tomorrow is long and complex, but there is no doubt that the main, the decisive, the most urgent need is to overcome a constantly self-defensive attitude against a changing society, which certainly has its historical reasons. The causes are to be found within the relationships with the country’s institutions but also in the intrinsic limits of the ecclesial community.
