Cuba in midst of transition period
Bishop laying groundwork for two new dioceses in growing church
Solange De Santis
staff writer
Vianney Carriere
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Canadian primate, speaks with Nerva Cot
Aguilera, suffragan bishop of Cuba, outside the annual diocesan synod.
It was Archbishop Hiltz's first trip to Cuba as advisor to its synod.
A sense that change is coming to Cuba as leader Fidel Castro's era comes
to an end was present as Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Canadian primate,
and a group of church leaders visited the Caribbean nation from Feb. 4
to 11.
A week after they returned, Mr. Castro, who has held power in the
Communist nation since 1959, announced he would step down at the age of
81.
The Canadian delegation, which also included General Secretary Michael
Pollesel and Bishop Michael Bird of the diocese of Niagara (which has a
companion relation****p with the diocese of Cuba), met with Cuba's
federal minister of religious affairs, Caridad Diego.
Ms. Diego gave the group "some of the perspective of government and
church," said Archbishop Hiltz in a recent briefing to staff at the
Anglican Church of Canada's national office in Toronto. He noted that
although Mr. Castro had said that he is not a believer, he respects what
the church does in terms of outreach. Churches operate freely in the
island nation.
Discussion of Mr. Castro's future was more lively a year ago, said
members of the Canadian delegation, when he became ill and was not seen
in public; still, there is a sense that Cubans feel they are in a
transition period
The presence of U.S. presiding bishop (primate, or national bishop)
Katharine Jefferts Schori also underscored the fact that the United
States, which has greatly influenced Cuba's fortunes, is preparing for
the transition to a new president after a November election.
Canada's primate, along with the U.S. presiding bishop and the primate
of the West Indies, make up the Metropolitan Council of Cuba, which has
oversight over the Anglican church there. The Canadian primate also
advises the annual synod.
Archbishop Drexel Gomez of the West Indies is a well-known conservative
concerning the ***uality issues roiling the Anglican Communion today,
but the issue did not arise during the council's meetings. All three
primates concelebrated the eucharist.
The Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba, which includes 10,000 Anglicans in 45
parishes, (out of a population of 11.4 million) is also looking ahead to
a period of transition. Due to various tensions, Cuba has not elected
its own diocesan bishop in 17 years. It is currently led by Bishop
Miguel Tamayo of Uruguay, on an interim basis, and two local suffragan
(assistant) bishops, Nerva Cot Aguilera and Ulises Mario Aguero Prendes.
"Bishop Tamayo is laying the groundwork for the creation of two
dioceses, eastern and western Cuba, and it is a sign of the growing
strength of the church in Cuba. He was looking for comment and sup****t
in that direction," noted Archbishop Hiltz. The council, which has
administered the diocese since it left the Episcopal Church in 1967 due
to political tensions between the countries, approved the move in
principle and asked for a detailed plan for next year's meeting.
Bishop Tamayo and the two suffragans are close to retirement and "Miguel
wants to be sure plans are in place for ongoing episcopal ministry in
the diocese," said Archbishop Hiltz.
Synod's closing service saw the ordination of three priests and one
deacon, including a young woman, in an atmosphere that was "quite
moving," he said.
The Canadians toured the Matanzas Seminary, an e***enical institution
that receives a $5,000 annual grant from the Canadian church's
partner****ps department. They also visited the Martin Luther King
Centre, an adult educational facility that is sup****ted by the Primate's
World Relief and Development Fund.
In his first visit, said Archbishop Hiltz, he saw a "passion and joy" in
wor****p and in the church that he wished he could always see in Canada.
Added Archdeacon Pollesel, "They are able to do so much with so little.
The church works really hard at faith in action. They really live out
what they believe."
http://www.anglicanjournal.com/issues/2008/134/apr/04/article/cuba-in-midst-of-transition-period-1/
|
