The Month of the Sacred Heart: Entering into the Mystery of Christ’s Love

Each year, the month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion, deeply rooted in the tradition of the Church, is far more than a simple symbol of piety. It leads us to the very heart of the Christian faith: God’s love revealed in Christ. The Heart of Jesus reveals both the human and divine love of the Savior, a love that remains open to all people in every age.

In his encyclical Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis reminds us that “the Heart of Christ is ecstasy, openness, gift, and encounter.” To contemplate the Sacred Heart is to discover a God who does not remain distant from humanity, but who comes to meet us, sharing our joys, our sufferings, and our hopes. Christianity is not first and foremost the story of an idea or a moral code; it is an encounter with a Person who loves.

The Three Signs of the Love of Jesus’ Heart

The Sacred Heart first reveals an incarnate love. The Son of God did not merely speak about love; He lived it in His very flesh. His Heart beat for His friends, was moved by suffering, and knew fatigue, abandonment, and tears. As Pope Francis writes, “Christ chose to love with a human heart.” Thus, no aspect of our existence is foreign to God.

The Sacred Heart also manifests a self-giving love. On the Cross, Christ’s side was opened by the soldier’s lance. Since the earliest centuries, Christians have recognized in this wound the supreme sign of God’s gift of Himself. The pierced Heart remains the proof that nothing was held back. “He loved us,” recalls the very title of the encyclical, echoing the words of Saint Paul. Christ’s love is not an abstract promise; it is an act, a sacrifice, a faithfulness carried through to the very end.

Finally, the Sacred Heart is the sign of a love that endures. Risen from the dead, Christ never ceases to love. His Heart remains open to humanity. “In this Heart, we can find the whole Gospel,” Pope Francis writes. Whoever draws near to Christ discovers a living source of mercy, consolation, and peace.

This trust in the Heart of Jesus is particularly vibrant in Cuba. In many Cuban families, sometimes tested by economic hardship or isolation, an image of the Sacred Heart watches over the home. In humble houses as well as in parish churches throughout cities and rural communities, this quiet presence is a reminder that Christ remains close to His people and never ceases to accompany them.

“His open Heart goes before us and waits for us unconditionally, asking nothing of us beforehand in order to love us and offer us His friendship. He loved us first.”
(Dilexit Nos, no. 1)

The Sacred Heart and Our Times

Our age is marked by constant acceleration, isolation, and at times a spirit of indifference. Many people communicate more than ever before, yet struggle to truly encounter one another. In this context, devotion to the Sacred Heart appears strikingly relevant. Pope Francis notes that the world risks losing its heart when it forgets how to love and how to allow itself to be loved.

Contemplating the Heart of Christ invites us to rediscover the path of interior life. “We need to rediscover the importance of the heart,” Dilexit Nos affirms. It is there that essential decisions are made; it is there that our relationship with God and with others is shaped. The Sacred Heart reminds us that the Christian life does not consist merely in performing good works, but in abiding in a love that has first been received and then shared.

For the friends of Mission Cuba, the month of June is also an opportunity to hold the Cuban people in a special way in our prayers. Let us entrust to the Sacred Heart families, the elderly, young people, priests, and all those who bear witness to the Gospel amid trials and difficulties. May the Heart of Jesus be for them a source of courage, hope, and peace.

The month of June is therefore an invitation to turn our gaze toward Christ. In His Heart, we discover the truth about God and the truth about humanity. There we learn that we are loved even before we have responded to that love. And there we find the strength to become, in turn, witnesses of that charity which transforms hearts and renews the world.

Our Missionary Teams

The missionary teams we established this year in our three parishes are not simply a practical solution to covering a vast territory and responding to the lack of vocations. They reflect our desire to involve lay people more deeply in our mission. While pastoral responsibility belongs properly to the pastor, nothing prevents him from engaging the faithful in a genuine missionary dynamic.

It is in this spirit that we have created teams in several villages throughout our three parishes. Their mission is to revive communities that have declined due to emigration, COVID, and other difficulties; to involve the faithful in a concrete and persevering mission, especially those who have been confirmed; and to foster pastoral solidarity within our parishes.

The goal of these teams is, over time, to identify local leaders who can help structure and strengthen the communities, so that after two years the missionary team can step back and allow what they have sown to continue growing.

Testimony of Idania, leader of the missionary team in Fidencia

For the past six months, together with the missionary team in Fidencia, we have been working to help build a community that is more united and more alive. Every week, we visit families, the sick, people who have drifted away from the Church, or those discouraged by the difficulties of daily life. Little by little, we discover not only wounds, but also the human and spiritual richness present within this community.

This work requires a great deal of patience and perseverance, because the fruits are not immediate. Yet we already see some lay people regaining confidence, participating more actively in Mass, and becoming involved in prayer, catechesis, and works of charity.

We try to live this mission with joy, simplicity, and without imposing, convinced that evangelization begins above all with closeness, listening, and personal witness. Our hope is that one day the community itself will be able to continue this missionary journey on its own.

Curso Alpha 2026: Holiness for All, a Path that Transforms

Ninth Edition of the Curso Alpha in Placetas “Holiness for All, a Path that Transforms”

Since the beginning of Lent, the mission in Placetas has been living to the rhythm of the ninth edition of the Curso Alpha, a formation and sharing program designed to help each person deepen their faith. The theme chosen this year — “Holiness for All, a Path that Transforms” — recalls an essential truth of Christian life: holiness is not a distant ideal reserved for a few exceptional people. It is a call addressed to everyone, in the concrete reality of everyday life.

In a context often marked by material difficulties and uncertainty, this journey seeks to show that the Gospel can transform each person’s life through the simplicity of everyday gestures: within the family, at work, and in relationships with others. Holiness is built patiently, through fidelity and through concrete love for one’s neighbor.

Since the beginning of the program, several meetings have already taken place in the different communities of our pastoral area. During the first week, participants discovered the luminous figure of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, a witness of Christ’s compassion in service to the poorest. Her life reminded everyone that holiness is often lived through simple gestures filled with love.

The second week was dedicated to Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, a physician and mother, whose courageous testimony invited participants to reflect on the value of life and the gift of self.

During the third meeting, the groups explored the life of Saint Josephine Bakhita. Her story, marked by slavery and suffering, deeply moved the participants. Her ability to forgive and to transform pain into love through faith opened many rich conversations within the groups.

This week, participants will discover the figure of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian layman known for his joy, his deep faith, and his commitment to serving the poor. His witness shows that holiness can also be lived in youth, in friendship, in social commitment, and in a simple but coherent Christian life.

The program follows a dynamic that encourages the participation of everyone. Each meeting begins with a time of sharing in small groups, allowing participants to express what they are experiencing and to create a fraternal atmosphere. This is followed by a moment of common prayer, before the presentation of the theme of the week and the life of the saint.

This year, however, the organization of the program had to adapt to a very concrete reality. Normally, the priests travel each week to the different communities to give the main talk. But the significant fuel shortages currently affecting the country have made these trips very difficult.

In order to continue the program, a simple solution was put in place: the priests record their teachings on video, and these videos are then shown in each community during the meeting. After the viewing, participants gather again in small groups for a time of discussion and exchange about the theme.

An essential role is played by the hosts, lay people who accompany the small groups throughout the program. Their mission is to ensure that everyone can express themselves freely in an atmosphere of respect, listening, and fraternity. Thanks to their faithful and discreet presence, the meetings become a true space for dialogue and spiritual growth.

Week after week, this Curso Alpha is becoming a privileged place of encounter, reflection, and sharing. Walking with the saints, participants gradually discover that holiness is not something distant, but a path that is possible for everyone.

We continue to entrust this journey to prayer, so that these meetings may bear much fruit and help many people move forward with confidence on the path of the Gospel.

The Caritas volunteers gathered in Placetas

Caritas Volunteers Gathered in Placetas

On February 3rd, our three parishes came together for Caritas Day.

This special occasion allowed us to gather and thank, in the parish hall of Placetas, the volunteers dedicated to serving the Church through charitable works.

The event brought together about sixty volunteers involved in a variety of activities: members of the Comedores (community kitchens), visitors to the sick, companions for people with disabilities through the Renacer project, as well as those in charge of the pharmacies.

Overview of the Volunteers’ Work

The volunteers distribute nearly 500 meals per week, run pharmacies in various locations two to five days a week, support 25 families with a child with disabilities, and organize monthly gatherings for them. They also visit hundreds of sick people.

Serving Together with the Diocesan Caritas

We were able to count on the support and presence of the Caritas team from the Diocese of Santa Clara, represented by five people who led a workshop reminding us of our interdependence: we are each a member of the Body of Christ!

Deepening Charity in Service

Another highlight of the day was a teaching session by Don Paul Préaux, General Moderator of the Saint Martin Community, who shared reflections on charity. He reminded us how to practice this virtue by looking to Christ, and how to grow in charity to give it more depth in our service.

After the mass and the traditional group photo, a lunch brought together all the volunteers, allowing them to continue exchanging experiences about their respective missions.

Through this event, we were able to witness the impact of Caritas in our community and in each parish. We thank every volunteer and pray that our mission continues to grow and bear fruit.

A new Minibus: Christmas Gift for the Mission

This Christmas season, the Placetas mission received a very special and hope-filled gift: the purchase of an 18-seat minibus, locally known as the Toano. This acquisition represents a major step forward for the mission as it faces significant pastoral and logistical challenges.

A Vast Mission with Limited Resources

The territory entrusted to the mission is extensive, with only five priests serving numerous parishes and rural communities. Many of these communities are isolated, and a large number of faithful are unable to attend Mass or participate in pastoral activities regularly due to the lack of transportation.

This situation is made even more difficult by the unprecedented crisis currently affecting Cuba. Fuel shortages have largely paralyzed public transportation, and only a very small minority of the population owns a personal vehicle. In rural areas, people often travel on foot or by horse-drawn carts, making the journey to the parish a real challenge.

Fragile Communities That Still Endure

The massive migration of young people to the United States or to major cities has led to the decline of many small rural parishes. Some chapels have had to close due to the lack of parishioners. Nevertheless, the mission remains committed to the faithful who continue to persevere and remain deeply rooted in their Christian faith.

Thanks to the purchase of the Toano, the mission is now able to bring together these scattered communities. The recent reopening of the church in Placetas also allows the mission to welcome more parishioners from former rural chapels, especially for major liturgical celebrations and key moments in parish life.

Reaching the Most Isolated Faithful

This minibus is far more than a means of transportation. It enables priests and pastoral teams to reach isolated parishioners, maintain strong connections with rural communities, and accompany them on their faith journey. It also makes it possible for many faithful to take part in Mass, formation programs, and other mission activities.

Heartfelt Thanks to Our Donors

This purchase would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. We extend our sincere thanks to all those whose financial support allows the mission to reach isolated communities, accompany the faithful, and help them live out their Christian commitment more fully, despite the challenges of the current context.

The Toano was officially blessed after the Christmas Mass, placing this new vehicle at the service of the mission and entrusting it to the Lord’s protection for evangelization and pastoral outreach.

Christmas 2025 in Cuba

This year, we experienced a particularly intense and beautiful season of Advent in our missions in Cuba.

In Placetas, after three years of restoration work, we redoubled our efforts to reopen our church before Christmas. With immense joy, the community was able to return to the church for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The church was full, and an atmosphere of celebration and hope could be felt in every corner.

In Cienfuegos, it was our second Christmas in the mission, and it was a great joy to welcome the Child Jesus with a community we now know better and that continues to grow.

Reviving a Latin American Tradition: La Posada

We also revived a beautiful Latin American tradition that had been lost in Cuba: La Posada. On Christmas Eve, following the example of Mary and Joseph, our teenagers went from house to house in the neighborhood, knocking on doors. After the traditional short dialogue, with three “symbolic” refusals, the doors were finally opened so that everyone could sing Christmas carols and bring joy and warmth, especially to the elderly or those who live alone.

The Christmas Mass

On the evening of December 24, everything was ready: the choirs had rehearsed their most beautiful hymns, the altar servers had adapted to the new church space, and the Christmas Mass in Placetas was celebrated in a festive and fraternal atmosphere.
The Child Jesus was placed in the manger to the sound of Cuban maracas and tambourines, a living symbol of our culture and of the joy of Christmas in Cuba.

A Mission Radiating Beyond Cuba

During a recent trip to the United States, Don Stéphane Fernandes and Don Grégoire de Lambilly had the opportunity to bear witness to their missionary commitment in various American dioceses.

It was through these encounters and in the context of this journey that they were invited to take part in an interview on the television program This Is the Day.

Bearing Witness to the Mission in Cuba

The interview, conducted by Deacon Franklin Mejía, gave Don Stéphane and Don Grégoire the opportunity to share their experience within the Cuba mission: how they were called to serve the Cuban people, the charisms of their community, their daily life in the mission field, and the social programs developed in service of the most vulnerable.

They also testify to how their faith has been deepened and strengthened through the trials, joys, and encounters lived on the island, reminding us that mission is above all a path of personal and communal conversion.

A Structuring Missionary Journey in the United States

This trip to the United States had several objectives. One of the main goals was to expand our American network by visiting new cities and new parishes within dioceses already known to us. This mission bore much fruit with stops in Washington, D.C., Boston, New York / New Jersey, and Miami.

Another important focus of this stay was to work toward the creation of a U.S.-based association intended to support the priests of the Cuba mission as well as our French association. This essential step was fully accomplished: the association was created, its bank account opened, and tax-exempt status granted.

Encounters Filled with Hope

One of the great joys of this journey was meeting parish pastors who did not yet know us.

Their warm welcome, their desire to learn more about the Cuba mission, and their invitation to return — within a more institutional framework and in communion with their bishops — are very encouraging signs for us.

Once again, we experienced the vitality of the Catholic faith in the United States, as well as the prompt and joyful generosity of the faithful, who are happy to support the missions of the Church, even beyond the borders of their own country.

In Thanksgiving

Providence was clearly at work throughout this journey. We are now working to structure our American network, while of course continuing to make the Cuba mission known and supported from France. It seems natural to us to seek particular support from our American brothers and sisters, while remaining firmly rooted in our missionary commitment.

Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre

One of the most beautiful religious celebrations in Cuba is the Feast of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Patroness of Cuba.

In Cuba, there is a date no one can forget: September 8, when Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Patroness of Cuba, draws near to her people.
For nine days, the parishes of our missions live to the rhythm of vigils and confessions.
Through the streets, mission groups are sent out, house to house, to invite everyone to the celebration.
In every home, the Virgin is present — in a medal, a small statue, or an image.

And for those who cannot come, their prayers rise with ours, united in this great feast for the nation.

Then comes the long-awaited day.
The churches, adorned with flowers, resound with songs prepared for weeks.
The statue of Our Lady of Charity finally comes out, carried high in the arms of the faithful, and an entire people sets out on pilgrimage.
The streets become a procession: families, children, the elderly, fervent believers, and simple onlookers — all walk behind her.

Even those who never enter the church bow as she passes.
For here, devotion knows no boundaries: she is Mother to all, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

We ourselves, coming from afar, are deeply moved.
Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre dwells in the prayers and hopes of the Cuban people, accompanying their history marked by wounds and struggle.
As we walk behind her, we feel the fervent faith of a people worn and weary, yet who raise their prayers to the Virgin with unshakable hope, certain that she can do all things.
Yes, Our Lady of Charity watches over Cuba, and in her radiant wake, we entrust with them the future of this island with a great and generous heart.

Corpus Christi

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Feast of Corpus Christi has become the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

It commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and invites the faithful to deepen their understanding of its meaning.

This feast celebrates the God of love who gives Himself as the bread of eternal life, placing greater emphasis on the mystery of the Eucharist as lived, rather than solely on the adoration of the Real Presence.

On June 22, the day of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, the church is filled to capacity. At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament goes out in procession, banners held high, and amid a cloud of incense, makes its way around the main square, ending its route at the foot of the church bell tower, still under renovation. For a few moments, the voices of the choir and the songs of thanksgiving fade away, and the entire procession, kneeling, adores in silence, offering their intentions. Time seems suspended — quiet and reverent. Then the litany breaks the silence, the final blessing is given, and Jesus in the Host, enclosed in the monstrance, returns to the tabernacle, accompanied by the altar servers.

The crowd disperses, calm and joyful. A thought crosses our minds: we remember the copes of our country churches which, together with their banners (when they have not been burned), wait humbly in the dust for a few brave souls to carry them once again at the head of the procession. A vast task indeed!

Placetas: A Light of Hope Through Solar Energy

For several months now, Cuba has been facing a severe energy crisis. The shortage of electricity produced by the state has turned a temporary difficulty into a lasting reality.

This shortage weighs heavily on daily life: gas cylinders now cost nearly 60 dollars, while the average monthly salary does not exceed 12 dollars (around 6,000 pesos).

Without stable energy, life unfolds according to the rhythm of power cuts. Household appliances, lighting, and phone charging all depend on the return of electricity. As soon as the power comes back, many leave their work to cook, disrupting both professional and family life.

In response to this situation, some Cubans who are fortunate enough to receive financial help from abroad invest in batteries or, for the wealthier, in solar panels.

From Batteries to Solar Independence

In January, our parish was able to acquire its first Ecoflow battery. Then, in May, thanks to a fundraising campaign in the United States, we equipped our living spaces with more powerful models.
But one challenge remained: to produce our own energy.

Our needs are significant — about 30 kW in Placetas and 20 kW in Cienfuegos — far more than what two solar panels can supply. Without having planned or budgeted for it, we therefore launched a solar installation project.

The beginnings were difficult: three attempts with local companies failed due to a lack of reliability and resources.
But through a wonderful providence, some encounters in Havana opened a new path forward.

A Light in the Night

In June, a concrete opportunity arose: to install 54 solar panels and 3 batteries in Placetas — enough to ensure almost complete energy autonomy, except during long cloudy periods.

On September 1, 2025, the parish house regained a stable source of energy. As evening fell, the bell tower shone once again in the darkness of the city — a sign of hope and renewed life.

A Mission That Continues

Now, our wish is to open our parish spaces even more to welcome parishioners — a place where they can recharge their batteries, work or study in an atmosphere that is bright, peaceful, and fraternal.

light solar solar energy

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