Havana: Despite a persistent decline in religious vocations, consecrated men and women in Cuba continue to play a vital role in sustaining the Church’s mission and evangelization across the island. While the number of religious communities has dwindled, their presence remains indispensable to pastoral care, education, and social services.
Father Ricardo Alberto Sola, president of the Cuban Conference of Religious, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language partner, that Cuba faces a significant vocational crisis. “We are losing almost one women’s religious congregation per year,” he said, attributing the decline to a combination of emigration and the inability to maintain active communities amid dwindling numbers.
Currently, Cuba hosts approximately 118 religious congregations, the majority being female, encompassing around 700 sisters and just over 140 priests from 65 countries. According to Aid to the Church in Need, the country has a total of 370 priests, including both religious and diocesan clergy, ministering to roughly 20,872 faithful. Father Sola stressed that without these consecrated men and women, “more than half of the services would collapse today; they wouldn’t be sustainable.”
The priest highlighted the urgent need to nurture and reinforce consecrated life, emphasizing its fundamental role in pastoral outreach and faith formation. “Consecrated life in Cuba is essential to fulfilling the mission of the Gospel on the island,” he said, noting that their work touches the most vulnerable communities, often providing vital education, healthcare, and social support.
To assess the situation firsthand, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, pro-prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, along with Daniela Leggio, head of the promotion and formation section, visited Cuba from November 22 to December 2. The delegation traveled extensively, including a 15-hour road journey from Havana to La Caridad de Cobre, where they held multiple meetings with local religious and community leaders.
Father Sola described the visit as a reaffirmation of the commitment of consecrated men and women to serve the people of Cuba. “The cardinal spoke with everyone, gave his blessing, listened to their problems, and addressed the urgent needs of the country,” he said. The visit underscored the resilience and dedication of Cuba’s consecrated life, which continues to sustain faith and hope in communities facing social and economic challenges.
Through ongoing formation, encouragement, and international support, Cuba’s religious communities hope to maintain their presence and inspire a new generation of vocations, ensuring that consecrated life continues to anchor the Church’s mission on the island.