Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, called for political, economic, and international decisions regarding Cuba to be aimed at seeking the well-being of the countryʼs population.
The cardinal made this appeal May 15 during the Mass for Peace and Social Development in Cuba, held at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Rome, an event organized by the Cuban Embassy to the Holy See.
“Let us pray that the beloved land of Cuba may experience days of greater serenity, of authentic human and social development, of harmony, and of hope. Let us pray that every political, economic, and international decision be illuminated by wisdom, prudence, and a sincere pursuit of the well-being of the people,” Czerny said.
This appeal comes amidst talks between the Cuban and U.S. governments and pressure from Washington for fundamental changes to take place on the island.
In his homily, the cardinal noted that “any logic of permanent confrontation runs the risk of compounding the burden that already weighs upon ordinary people, especially the poorest, the elderly, the sick, and children.”
Therefore, he called for humanitarian aid to arrive “in sufficient quantity and without obstacles, never being instrumentalized for political or geopolitical ends.”
Czerny’s remarks follow an offer by the U.S. to send $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba, to be distributed by the Catholic Church without the intermediation of the communist government.
The proposed aid would follow two previous shipments, totaling $3 million and $6 million, earmarked for those affected by Hurricane Melissa and which are being distributed directly by Caritas Cuba.
Other countries that have sent humanitarian aid include Mexico, Brazil, and Spain, although the extent of the Cuban governmentʼs involvement in the aid distribution is unknown.
Placing the person at the center
In his homily, the Vatican prefect noted that the social doctrine of the Church teaches that “authentic peace is founded on moral and spiritual pillars even before political or economic ones.”
Czerny also recalled the apostolic visits of St. John Paul II in 1998 and Pope Francis in 2015, highlighting the Polish pope’s prophetic call for “the world to open itself to Cuba, and for Cuba to open itself to the world.”
“It wasn’t a political slogan. It was a spiritual and human invitation to tear down walls of misunderstanding, to open up spaces of mutual trust, and to allow peoples to encounter one another without fear,” he noted.
Regarding Francis’ visit, the cardinal recalled the pontiffʼs invitation to “place the concrete individual at the center of social and political life,” because “service is ‘never ideological,’” but rather, stems from genuine care for one’s neighbor.
Czerny affirmed that Jesus’s promise that “sadness will turn into joy” is not naive, for it is grounded in “the Christian certainty that God continues to act within human history, even when darkness and bewilderment prevail.”
“The Holy Spirit continues to raise up men and women capable of building fraternity, reconciliation, and paths of peace,” Czerny said, inviting the faithful to ask the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, the patroness of Cuba, to “accompany this nation’s journey with her maternal protection and safeguard all her children in peace.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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