osted on Sat, Aug. 12, 2006

RELIGION
Evangelism wave may wash across post-Fidel Cuba
South Florida religious organizations and churches have developed plans to respond to spiritual and material needs in Cuba once the Castro government has ended.
BY ALEXANDRA ALTER
aalter@MiamiHerald.com

As Fidel Castro's health crisis raised hopes among Cuban exiles of a political transition on the island, some South Florida Christian groups began preparing to send humanitarian aid, missionaries and volunteers to help Cuban churches expand their influence in a post-Castro society.

Catholic and Protestant leaders say they expect a political transformation, whenever that might occur, will open up opportunities for evangelism.

''We anticipate that any kind of change will start a tremendous growth cycle within the Cuban church,'' said Teo Babún, president of Evangelical Christian Humanitarian Outreach (Echo Cuba), a Miami organization that conducts humanitarian missions through churches in Cuba.

Echo Cuba -- one of several U.S. Protestant groups seeking to strengthen their foothold on the island -- has developed a multipronged plan to help Cuban churches and religious leaders take a leading role in restoring civil society.

The group plans to equip Cuban church leaders to distribute supplies, coordinate volunteers and participate in forming a new government, Babún said. They have also contacted major Christian donors from around the world to contribute humanitarian aid to Cuba, he said.

Most church leaders in Cuba are warily monitoring the political situation, said Babún, whose organization tracks developments on the island through a phone network of 20 Protestant Cuban pastors.

Cuban churches of all denominations reported more people turning to prayer after Castro temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raúl. Some groups expressed support for Castro after news of his illness broke. The Cuban Yoruba Association, a coalition for practitioners of Afro-Cuban religion, asked its followers to pray for Castro, Radio Habana reported.

In a pastoral message, the bishops of Cuba called on citizens to pray ``that God accompany President Fidel Castro in his illness and illuminate those who have provisionally received the responsibilities of government.''

Last Sunday, Cardinal Jaime Ortega celebrated Mass at the colonial-era Catholic cathedral in Old Havana and prayed ''for Cuba and those who are leading it,'' the Associated Press reported.

The Archdiocese of Miami, meanwhile, has shied away from mentioning the ailing leader's name. In a statement, Archbishop John Favalora urged Catholics to remain calm and pray that any power shift in Cuba will benefit the Cuban people.

While many in South Florida joined prayers for stability on the island, some religious groups planned for possible change.

For well over a decade, U.S. Protestants have worked to establish an evangelical base in Cuba in anticipation of Fidel Castro's death and the possible lifting of U.S. trade and travel embargoes. Protestant groups, including members of the National Council of Churches, the Florida Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church have partnered with churches and seminaries in Cuba to provide humanitarian assistance and in some cases theological training.

MISSION TRIPS

The Florida Baptist Convention sends four or five mission trips to Cuba a year, and has maintained close ties to the Western Cuba Baptist Convention for a decade, said Barbara Denman, communications director for the Florida Baptist Convention.

''What we're trying to do is strengthen the churches there; to help the churches grow,'' she said.

Christian groups working in Cuba still face substantial hurdles, including detentions and deportation.

The Cuban government denies churches permits to build new structures and requires home churches, or casas cultos, to register with the government.

Some South Florida religious groups are reluctant to publicize their plans to step up evangelizing efforts out of fear members of their organization would be deported from Cuba.

One Miami seminary has been working underground to train pastors in Cuba and has opened 20 new religious studies centers throughout the island in the last month, according to a representative of the seminary, who asked not to be identified.

CATHOLIC PLANS

U.S. Catholic leaders say they anticipate a more prominent role for Cuban Catholic institutions in coming months if a political transition occurs.

''The church would be able to expand both its social services as well as more spiritual programs,'' said Bishop Thomas Wenski of the diocese of Orlando, who is also a member of the Bishops' Committee for the Church in Latin America. ``Everybody's prayer is that when a transition takes place in Cuba, it would be smoother and more like Poland.''

Some Catholic leaders, however, say the church may face even greater challenges as it struggles to rebuild its infrastructure after decades of repression.

''Things are very hard for the church today; things will be harder from the church tomorrow in terms of organization, growth and skills needed,'' said Bishop Felipe Estévez, a Cuban exile and bishop in the Archdiocese of Miami who has worked closely with Cuban bishops.

``There will be a great desire to support Catholic education on the island.''

Miami Herald translator Renato Pérez contributed to this report.
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