Havana--Catholic commemorations in ...

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 recently made known moment for the Church. Father Varela loom large in the minds of Cuban Catholics, the paper said, especially since John Paul II neared 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 selected to the Spanish legislature, where he commited recognition ...