Trip impressions: Life still tough in Cuba, but signs of change seen

The 24-member delegation from the Capital District hoped to learn more about Cuba and improve U.S.-Cuban relations, so Ms. DiTommaso (who represented Bishop Howard J. Hubbard on the trip) approached the pastor of a Havana parish where she attended Mass, hoping to speak with him.

Instead, she was introduced to "Juan" (whose name has been changed to protect his privacy), a layman active in the parish, who spoke English.

"He is a single professional, and his faith in Christ is the center of his life," Ms. DiTommaso noted.

Hard life

However, Ms. DiTommaso said she also learned a great deal about everyday life in Cuba from Juan. "He said he simply can't afford ever to buy meat," she remembered. "He gets up at 4 a.m. every day and is on the street by 4:30 looking for transportation to get to his job by 7 a.m."

Juan owns a car, but said since he is only allowed two liters of gas per month, he can rarely drive it. Buses in Havana may be too crowded or not arrive at all, he added.

Ms. DiTommaso noted that in Cuba, "every bit of life is hard for most people."

Dialogue with bishop

"I asked if it would help if there was no [American] embargo [against Cuba], and he said it would give them more breathing space if they didn't have the embargo," Ms. DiTommaso said.

During an hour-long conversation, the group also asked the bishop whether there is still religious persecution in Cuba. "No, not now," he answered.

However, Ms. DiTommaso told The Evangelist, "there's this subtle non-support. For instance, the bishop of Havana can speak once a year on the radio, for 15 minutes, but there's no advance notice of when that will be, and it's one of the minor radio stations."

Papal power

Later, Juan told her that since the Pope's last visit to Cuba, the country has seen more public expression of its people's faith.

"In the past, there was a climate of fear to express your faith, because you might not get a job or get into higher education," she explained. "There's less of that now."

Time of change

Tourism has become an important focus for the Cuban economy, and Ms. DiTommaso applauded it. "Contact with the outside world makes things healthier," she said. "Anything that opens people up is a path to God."

Aside from the Catholics she met, the delegate visited two homes for children with developmental disabilities. She came away from the visits impressed with them, as well.

"At the first home, [the children] were severely retarded," she noted. "The director told us they're prone to respiratory infections, and `in a lot of places, they would let nature take its course; but we do everything we can to help them live as long as possible.'"

Children's plight

Two of the children living at the home were there because their mothers were being "rehabilitated" from treating them badly. Ms. DiTommaso said this encouraged her, as well, because it showed a high regard for children.

In all, she said, "the people were friendly. It was obvious they had nothing against the American people."

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