Cubans Are Coming to Parishes Saying They Haven’t Eaten in Days, Bishop Laments

The president of the Cuban Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Marcelo González Amador, has reported that people are arriving at parishes across Cuba, saying they “have gone days without eating.”

In a conversation this week with Aid to the Church in Need/Spain, the 70-year-old prelate expressed deep anguish over the ongoing crisis, stating that “Cuba is hurting.”

González, who serves as the bishop of Santa Clara, described a dire situation: “There are people showing up at the parishes saying they’ve gone days without eating and don’t know where to turn. Food can’t be kept fresh due to the lack of electricity, and recently, people have been frequently fainting in church because many of them haven’t eaten.”

“Everything is a struggle to survive. The present is precarious; the future, totally uncertain. This is the most difficult and saddest moment in the history of my people that I have ever witnessed,” he said.

The crisis is also severely impacting healthcare. “In some major hospitals, surgeries are not being performed due to a lack of water and surgical supplies,” González noted. He shared that “more than one case required patients to obtain every necessary resource— even suture thread— from family or friends abroad in order to undergo surgery.”

Additionally, Bishop González addressed the growing fear of a potential conflict with the United States. “The fear of war is tremendous; it’s part of the daily concern of many people. People are talking about it all the time, which is very stressful, especially for children and the elderly. On the street, you can hear people saying: ‘We can no longer bear such suffering, and we have nowhere to turn.’”

Across conversations, one can sense “sadness, hopelessness, and uncertainty” among the population. “Those who are able to emigrate are doing so. What’s left is an increasingly aging country, just with old people devoid of resources and with meager pensions,” he stated.

The lack of electricity has also forced an end to overnight Eucharistic adoration and has led to a surge in street and home robberies.

Despite these challenges, the Church is striving to “keep the spirit alive, offer hope where there is none, listen, and provide accompaniment.” Among the faithful, “initiatives are springing up to aid those living in destitution— small soup kitchens and meal delivery services for the physically impaired and bedridden sick. They’re coming up with food and resources out of nowhere.”

Bishop González recounted that at one soup kitchen serving over 300 people, religious sisters had to mix “cans of black and white beans in order to provide more servings. People see that; they see that the Church is sharing, giving whatever it has.”

He described this action as “evident proof of what God’s providence and Christian charity are capable of doing. The day a nun or a priest dies of hunger or for lack of medication is the day no one is left alive, because everyone shares the little they have.”

“It’s truly beautiful that this aid is carried out without manipulation by any party, simply thanks to people who wish to help. And you can also see the gratitude of those who receive it,” he remarked.

Nevertheless, rising prices and fuel shortages have pushed the Church into “pastoral maintenance mode,” as priests are often unable to celebrate Mass in rural villages and hamlets due to a lack of resources. “There are places where people are much more isolated and vulnerable. Religious congregations, too, are in a precarious state, and many lack sufficient resources to sustain their presence on the island,” González explained.

“Although many people are leaving the island, the Church remains; the people recognize and appreciate this choice,” the bishop said, urging that Cuba not be forgotten. “Not everything can be solved, but any help counts. The people of Cuba are suffering, and the Church is part of that people.”

Amid this situation, Caritas Cuba continues its work of distributing humanitarian aid sent from the United States to those affected by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. This assistance, consisting of food and hygiene supplies, is being distributed in the dioceses of Holguín-Las Tunas, Bayamo-Manzanillo, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo-Baracoa.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.