Cienfuegos

“Mission Cienfuegos” was established in 2024, responding to the call of Bishop Domingo Oropesa Lorente. It is the Saint Martin Community’s newest presence in Cuba. Three priests were sent to serve a local Church that is experiencing a true revival.

The heart of the mission beats in several key locations: the Cathedral of Cienfuegos, city’s true spiritual center; the Shrine of Saint Joseph of Paraíso, a beloved pilgrimage site for the people of Cienfuegos; and the Ariza parish, which brings together three communities.

Cienfuegos, known as the Pearl of the South, is a city of great historical and cultural significance, built on the shores of a beautiful bay. Yet the city also faces major economic and social challenges which affect the daily lives of many families.

The mission seeks to respond to these realities by promoting a joyful, close-knit, and fraternal parish life. Through youth catechesis, family support, service to the most vulnerable, and charitable works, the charity of Christ shines forth and never fades.

The priests can rely on the generous dedication of many faithful: volunteers who assist the sisters in social projects, teams that organize the soup kitchens, catechists, choirs, and enthusiastic altar servers. This vitality is a sign of a Church that, even amid material poverty, remains profoundly rich in faith and hope.

Still young, the Cienfuegos Mission continues to grow everyday thanks to the faithfulness of its priests, religious, and laypeople, united in their desire to proclaim the Gospel and support the Cuban people in their faith.