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Catholic Deacon publicly joins Cuban opposition
By Andrés Eduardo Rodríguez Tejeda

 

As a result of the harassment and repression to which I am being subjected, I want to leave in writing the motivations I have to take the option to participate in the civic struggle in Cuba. My name is Andrés Eduardo Rodríguez Tejeda, 48 year-old Cuban citizen, neighbor of Holguín; married with three adolescent children, Christian and practicing Catholic sin my birth. I joined the seminary in 1978 when I was 21 years old, in which I spent 7 years and from which I withdrew out of my own will due to a long vocational crisis. I received the sacrament of marriage in 1990 and was ordained a deacon on December 27th, 1999.

 

I have been catechism teacher to children and adults, leader of a youth group and group of disabled people, as a lay person I animated the community of the Chapel of the Cemetery of Holguín. I worked with diocesan charities for almost 8 years with the senior citizen program, and I served with the program for families with children with Down’s syndrome, and was also the coordinator of projects and in charge of accompanying people with HIV/AIDS in the province. My last pastoral duty was to attend to the parish community of Saint Bonaventure, 48 kms from Holguín. Today, I collaborate with parish of the cathedral.

 

Like thousands of Cuban Catholics, we have been harassed and persecuted, since our early years, by the system and its repressive apparatus, for the mere fact of being a catholic and trying to live out our faith. Due to what this community has suffered I made the decision to not continue with my arms crossed and to raise my voice seeking peaceful change in Cuba. I decided to work in conjunction with other Cubans for democratic changes, to seek freedom of expression, religious freedom, freedom of association, freedom of man in its most basic form, respect for the rights of every human on this earth, for the “plain dignity of man,” as our apostle, Jose Marti, would say, and to seek a State of Rights, peace and reconciliation for all Cubans.

 

In the spring of 2003, the Cuban regime unjustly condemned and incarcerated 74 men and one woman, all Cubans, the majority of them Catholic, some of which are my friends, spreading them throughout the island far away from their provinces. By an act of God, three priest friends of mine (one from Bayamo, one from Havana, and the other from Las Tunas) without agreeing among themselves, all asked me support them in helping the family members of the men who had been imprisoned in Holguin, and I could not refuse this petition.  

 

The following year, by God’s will and a decision from my bishop, I was released of all my pastoral duties, and by act of the Holy Spirit, I discovered canon 288 which makes reference to canon 287, which clearly states the duty we have as deacons to actively participate in politics. After observing the injustice committed against those 75, and which were continually committed against them in the prison and against their families and the repercussions this had for all Cubans, I saw the call from God to once again take active participation within the Christian Liberation Movement, whose leader is Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, a catholic from the Cerro community in Havana.

I do not shield myself behind my condition as minister of the Church in taking this stance. Nor have I asked my bishop to do anything special for me if anything were to happen to me, not even in these moments in which I find myself seriously threatened by repression and harassment. From the Church, all I ask is to be treated as its son, which I am. With the experience of 46 years under the system, the physical and emotional torture, the imprisonment, forced exile, or death if it was necessary; I am willing to utilize all the weapons of the non violent struggle. Yet, I publicly make the Cuban regime responsible for whatever may happen to me. Among the consequences that I assume by making this decision, are repercussions that my actions may have with my family, my wife and my children. Whatever the repercussions may be, I have faith in God’s mercy.

 

I place myself in the hands of Mary, Mother of Charity, as our grand intercessor. I also ask for the prayers of all those that believe in God.

 

Cordial greetings to all,

 

Andrés Eduardo Rodríguez Tejeda, Permanent Deacon

Diocese of Holguín, Cuba

obiholguin@cocc.co.cu

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