GLA Advisor Fr. Fernando Hería Calls for Cuban Bishops to defend religious liBERTY in cuba

The following is a letter from Fr. Fernando Hería, Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami, Florida (pictured), to all Cuban bishops, urging them to demand that Cuban respect the dignity of its citizens. A lawyer too, Fr. Hería also volunteers and advises the Global Liberty Alliance Board and Alliance network members. 

My Brothers all,

The Doctrine of Social Justice of our Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church must always demand the worthy respect that all our brothers must receive in the humane treatment of one another.Dictatorships, whether left or right, have never respected the dignity of being, nor their existential freedom — there is no such thing as a “benevolent” dictatorship.

For almost 62 years the Castro family have been the dictators, “stewards” of what was once the free and sovereign Cuban republic and its people. I share the cries of hunger and thirst for justice that a brother priest, Father Camagüeyano, Alberto Reyes, has bravely shouted on behalf of all the children of the Nation, from the throats of our Patriots: Mariana Grajales, José Martí, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, Máximo Gómez, Antonio Maceo, and so many other brothers — a strong cry for the freedom and dignity of the brothers.

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For years in each Ad Limina visit with the Pope, they always ask him: Why are there so many Cuban priests who leave their homeland and go to serve in the Diaspora? To which the Cuban bishops have always responded unfairly: “because of the attraction of money.” Enough of so many farces! Creole priests who stay in the Diaspora do so because they are tired of living under two types of dictatorships: Ecclesiastical and Government, and that is the simple truth!

Thank you Father Alberto Reyes for making clear what this priest (I) has been saying to the Cuban bishops, it is their fallacy, regarding you priests smelling of sheep, who are the only hope of a noble people who wait, wait and wait for His Freedom and Respect for His dignity of being. It is time for the 17 Cuban Bishops, Ordinaries and Emeritus united to shout: ENOUGH NOW!

With the outrage against our noble Cuban people Beginning with: His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinaliza, + Mons. Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez — Havana; the Primate of Cuba— + Mons. Dionisio Guillermo García Ibáñez; The President of the Episcopal Conference of Cuban Bishops— + Mons. Emilio Aranguren Echeverria, Holguín; + Mons. Wilfredo Pino Estévez — Camagüey; + Mons. Juan Gabriel Diaz Ruiz — Ciego de Ávila; + Mons. Domingo Oropesa Lorente, Cienfuegos; + Mons. Manuel Hilario de Cespedes and García Menocal, Matanzas; + Mons. Juan de Dios Hernández, Pinar del Rio; + Mons. Marcelo Arturo González Amador, Santa Clara; + Mons. Álvaro Julio Beyra Luarca, Santísimo Salvador de Bayamo-Manzanillo; + Mons. Silvano Herminio Pedroso Montalvo, Guantánamo — Baracoa; with the express solidarity of the Emeritus Bishops (Retired but NEVER WITHDRAWN): + Mons. José Siro González Bacallao — Pinar del Rio; + Mons. Mario Eusebio Mestril Vega, Ciego de Ávila; + Mons. Héctor Luis Lucas Pena Gómez, Holguín; + Mons. Carlos Jesús Patricio Baladrón Valdez, Guantánamo Baracoa; + Mons. Jorge Enrique Serpa Pérez, Pinar del Ríos; + Mons. Alfredo Víctor Petit Vergel, Havana.

One day we will all be judged for our love and mercy to our neighbor, plus we priests — of all ecclesiastical ranks, we will be asked what we did for the brothers, not only for the faithful under our ministerial protection, but for all the Children of God —For the blood, the tears and the inhuman pain suffered by a noble people, will demand before the throne of God, as must be the cry of the Just Nabott from the planes of Yisrael, the just sentence of divine justice that we are going to deserve.

Brothers priests ALL, the time has come for the Nineveh call for us priests of all kinds of ecclesiastical rank — let us recognize our weaknesses regarding the ways in which we have led our peoples, and if in our hearts we know that we can do something better for all the brothers, let us change, all united by the journey to holiness, to which we are ALL called. It is time to tighten our “breeches” and shout, even if it is the last thing we can say:

“ENOUGH NOW (BASTA YA)— SET OUR NOBLE CUBAN PEOPLE FREE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE COUNTRY!

May God always bless and protect us for His Highest Glory.
P. Heria — the priest of the Hermitage of love!