The Cuban Church Should Not Have Fear

I want to take advantage of this opportunity to thank Cardinal Jaime Ortega, head of the Cuban Catholic Church, and many others who under his direction and leadership gave our people the opportunity to receive the message of courage, hope, and liberty taken to Cuba by his Holiness Pope John Paul II on his recent visit to Cuba.

The members of Liga Cívica Martiana, opposition group based throughout the island convoked a mass this past February 24 in the Iglesia del Carmen, in the Cuban capital. This mass had been solicited beforehand to pray for the souls and remember the deaths of the four members of Brothers to the Rescue: Armando Alejandre, Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales y Mario de la Peña, compatriots assassinated by the Castroite dictatorship two years ago in the Florida Straits.

With pain we saw how the parish priest of that wavering church, due to the pressures of the Castroite truncheons and the visits of Cuban state security to this and other churches of the capital. Never would we have imagnied--only a few days after the departure of His Holiness

It was very evident for those who bravely congregated that there was no desire to carry out the planned religious ceremony. Is it not then logical to ask the Cardinal what is the Cuban catholic church's interpretation of Pope John Paul II statement: "Do not be afraid?"

The members of Liga Cívica Martiana there congregated knew that at the end of the Mass, their planned non-violent demonstration, taking a Cuban flag and flowers to be deposited in the coastal waters of Havana, would be sufficient motive to be attacked by a terrorist band, known in Cuba as "rapid action brigades."

In spite of knowing what fists, clubs, and rocks are the usual arms employed by these groups, directed by the Cuban government to intimidate it's opposition, the plans of Liga Cívica Martiana were never cancelled. As was expected fists and clubs were used, rocks were thrown and even a camera of one of the protesters was brutally smashed against his mouth. More than 20 of the protesters were arrested and interrogated for hours.

The youth of Liga Cívica Martiana knew how to interpret the words of the Blessed Father: "Do not be afraid." We hope that it will not be necessary for another visit of the Blessed Father to the island, or that he stay permanently so that within the ranks of the Cuban church the content of his words be correctly interpreted: "Do not be afraid." This cannot be preached if first one is not disposed to do it as an example, and have the courage to accept the consequences.

Jay Fernández
Representative in Washington
Of Liga Cívica Martiana
Fairfax, Virginia