Castro's tyrany continues. (News in Brief: Cuba).

Havana--Catholic commemorations in Cuba have been almost nonexistent since Castro's 1959 revolution. Nevertheless, the 150th anniversary of the death of Father Felix Varela, a founding father of Cuba, could mark a new moment for the Church. Father Varela looms large in the minds of Cuban Catholics, the paper said, especially since John Paul II presented him as a model of Catholic engagement with public life during his visit to Cuba five years ago.

Born in Havana in 1788, Varela became a leading educator and patriot. In 1821, he was elected to the Spanish legislature, where he recommended recognition of independence for the Spanish colonies in Latin America as well as an end to slavery. Because of his progressive ideas, he had to flee to the United States where he lived until his death in 1853.

In some places such as Santiago de Cuba, the diocese of the outspoken Bishop Pedro Meurice Estiu, the celebration of Valera's anniversary in February turned into an expression of the increasing Catholic impatience for reform. A petition circulated in Santiago asked the government to follow Valera's teaching regarding human rights and religious freedom.

The most important event of the anniversary, however, was the pastoral letter by Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, Archbishop of Havana--a 17-page statement condemning religious, social, political, and economic oppression. Many of our brethren turn to the Church, it said, asking for a word about the future, because the Cuban people are afraid of the future.

The Cardinal criticized the absence of Catholic schools and called for a reduction in the tax rate so that people would not have to resort to "illegal work activities." Orlando Marquez, head of communications for the archdiocese, was quoted as pointing out that the Cardinal had said on January 11 that little has changed since the Holy Father's visit to Cuba five years earlier.

Journalist Luis Ramon Hernandez says that daily life is not easy for Cuban Catholics; they have been facing increasing limitations on public expressions of their faith, such as processions or public prayers. Those who dare to bring their faith into the public square may find themselves sent to a labour camp.

Surprisingly, Castro was present at the dedication of a Brigittine convent in Havana on March 8. This was interpreted by much of the international press as a move to reach out to Catholics. Local analysts were much less optimistic; they pointed out the absence of Cuba's top Catholic leader, Cardinal Ortega. Castro did say that this was not the dedication of one of the thousands of social or economic works carried out by the revolution but the new home of a "noble, symbolic and prestigious religious institution." He also praised the Holy Father for his efforts to prevent war in the Persian Gulf. Oswaldo Paya, founder of a movement to democratize Cuba, said, however, that "the government's authorization for the sisters cannot be regarded as an openness to the Church. It is no more than an isolated event."

Ten days later, the government announced that the detention of dozens of persons was due to a "conspiracy" with the United States, especially with James Cason, head of the U.S. section in Havana. Those arrested numbered 75, including 13 journalists, 20 organizers of a movement for democratic reform named after Father Varela, and other dissidents and human rights activists. They were quickly brought to trial and given harsh sentences; independent journalist Omar Rodriguez Saludes was given 27 years in prison. The Cuban bishops profoundly lamented "that in our homeland inappropriate methods are being used to disqualify and detain people because they think and act in a different manner to the official ideology."

On April 14 the bishops also attacked the summary execution of three people who had seized a ferry in an attempt to flee from Cuba. The three hijackers were shot by a firing squad. "Violence is not eliminated by violence," the bishops said. "It is necessary to eradicate the cause of it, and this is not achieved by the application of the death penalty." They added that they were gravely concerned about the occurrence of "violent events in our country in recent times, also the sentences of long years of imprisonment of numerous political opponents."

In early April, the Conference of Religious of Cuba organized a Day of Prayer for Peace and the release of dissidents. Numerous religious of various Catholic congregations, together with a number of the faithful, met in St. John Lateran Church in Havana to pray for reconciliation, tolerance, and a better future for all Cubans.

In a letter made public on April 26, Pope John Paul deplored the harsh sentences of Cuba's dissidents and implored Castro to show some leniency. The plea, contained in a letter from the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Sodano was sent to Castro on April 13, Palm Sunday,--two days after the execution of the hijackers, which the Pope also denounced. Apparently Castro did not reply. (NCR, April 5; other sources)