General Government

 

ANCHE CUBA CI ASPETTA

 

From February 6 – 10, 2012, Sr. Marta Finotelli, Superior General, and I, shared life with the Cuban people in the Diocese of Matanzas, who welcomed us with much openness and joy. At the airport of La Habana, Fr. Jesús Marcoleta, parish priest of Nuestra Seńora de la Caridad of Cantel and Santa Elvira in Varadero, in the North West of Cuba and Alejandro, a young man, were waiting for us.
 

An aerial view of Matanzas

 

The Church and statue of Nuestra Seńora de la Caridad del Cobre

 

The people of Cantel on the way to the Eucharistic Celebration

 

Interior of the Church

 

Under torrential rain which we interpreted as a blessing of the Lord, because it was not the rainy season, we went immediately to Matanzas, about two hours drive from La Habana to greet the Bishop, Mons. Manuel Hilario de Céspedes who asked for a pastoral collaboration from our Congregation.
 

That same evening, we transferred to Cantel, where we were warmly hosted by Sonia and Gerald, a couple of the parish of Cantel.
 

The house and surroundings of the house of the family who gave hospitality to Sr. Marta and Sr. Marisa

 

During these days, from morning to night we visited, with Fr. Jesús, the different communities that are under his pastoral care. Here we had firsthand experience of the simplicity, the reception, the expectation and the solidarity of the people, but also their great need and their deep desire to be accompanied in a journey of faith in their search for God and someone who would speak of Him and would permanently proclaim the Good News.
 

A moment of sharing with the people of Cantel
 

Presbytery adjacent to the Church of Cantel
 

Interior of the presbytery

 

Garden of the parish Church of Cantel

 

Fr. Jesús cannot reach all the communities in his pastoral area, since there are many and he is also engaged in other pastoral services within the diocese. For this, together with the Bishop, they have solicited the presence of the Pastorelle Sisters, precisely because we have the specific charism of animating the Christian communities most in need of evangelization in communion with the pastors of the Church.
 

We were witnesses of the hope that lies in their hearts in regards to a presence of the Pastorelle Sisters in the diocese, be it by the Bishop, the parish priest and the people themselves.
 

Sr. Marta Finotelli, superior general, while explaining to the assembly at the Eucharistic celebration

the reason of our visit
 

During our brief stay in Cuba, every moment we felt the closeness and the prayer of the whole Congregation and others who have closely accompanied us.

 

A view of the landscape northwest of Cuba: the palm tree is the symbol of the nation

 

We thank all those who have supported our mission in Cuba, another portion of the people of God to whom Pastorelle who are generous and willing to give their lives, hopefully can go soon to share the joy of following Christ, to make him known to the Cuban people in the simplicity of seeking the Lord together.

A view from the belfry overlooking Matanzas  

 

Sr. Marisa Loser

General councilor