In its traditional Christmas message, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba called to jointly build “a better Cuba” and asked that “things change for the better and in peace.”
“The message of Christmas is an invitation to a fraternal embrace, to dialogue, to build bridges instead of walls. To forget offenses, silence resentments and call each other brother so, together, we can build a better Cuba,” the religious stated.
The Catholic Bishops recognized that “Christmas will be difficult for many people and families, especially those who were damaged by Hurricane Melissa, in eastern Cuba” and recalled that “they have been recipients of the solidarity of many.”
“We will all continue to pray and help them in these holy days,” they assured.
Likewise, they highlighted that “Christmas is a family holiday” and pointed out that it is a blessing “to be able to gather at this time around the same table or together in church.”
“May we all know how to value those who gave us life and, with effort and sacrifice, wanted to make us good people! We owe them our gratitude and commitment to help,” they said.
In their message, the Cuban Bishops recalled their Christmas message from five years ago.
Then they considered that “good news for Cubans would be that things change for the better and in peace… that the stress of getting food becomes a peaceful sharing of daily bread… that the readjustment of the economy helps to support the family with decent work, sufficient wages and social justice.”
They also stated “that intolerance gives way to plurality, dialogue and negotiation… that we Cubans do not have to look outside the country for what we must find within; that we do not have to wait for what they give us from above… that all blockades, external and internal, cease, and give way to creative initiative and laws that favor the initiative of each Cuban…”
“All of this continues to be necessary and current ‘good news’,” they said now, while calling to “be sowers of hope, inspiring with our actions the construction of a new Cuba.”
Finally, they asked for divine protection and blessing, and wished all Cubans a “Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year 2026.”
