Our Work in Cuba
In the summer of 2021, Cuba became part of the Piarist Fathers Province of the United States and Puerto Rico. We have ministries in Guanabacoa, Cuba: Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Mary; Guanabacoa, Cuba: Socio-educational Center for Non-Formal Education; and Havana, Cuba: San Judas and San Nicholas de Bari Parish. This is a very unique ministry within the Province that navigates the challenging political climate currently in Cuba. The need for Cuban Piarist community support, building and structural repair to The Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Mary and St. Jude/St. Nicholas parish, vocation efforts, support for the Socio-educational centers in Guanabacoa and Havana and basic humanitarian aid is our current focus.
Because of the complex nature of this ministry, it is best to contact the Piarist Fathers Province of the United States and Puerto Rico Development Director, Mr. Kevin Owens, at [email protected] with any specific questions you may have.
The Province is blessed with a very large, supportive and loving community of Cubans. We are working hard, hand in hand, to make a difference.
Donations received for the Cuba Project will be dispersed to the donors wish.
We are excited to announce our collaboration with ITAKA to help fund our work with youth in our Cultural Centers in Havana and Guanabacoa. ITAKA assists to cover some of the the costs of this ministry including scholarships, teacher training, transportation, meals, materials for the various educational programs offered and maintenance of the facilities. The goal is to offer these much needed programs without further burdening the severe economic hardships that most families in Cuba currently face.
Who is ITAKA?
“ITAKA ESCOLAPIOS is a Foundation created and encouraged by the Piarist Fathers and the Scolopi fraternity.
We are convinced that education of the most disadvantaged people is the better way to change the world and to create a better future by encouraging new generations to take responsibility in sharing the best of themselves.
We think it is possible to make a world as God dreamed only if we try to make it real. Because of this, our path is education, which announces the Gospel of Jesus and gets deeply involved in our environment, involving our whole life.”
https://www.itakaescolapios.org/en/quienes-somos/entidades-fundadoras/
2023-2024 Somewhere in the world
The needs in Cuba are vast and varied. Reach out to Province Development Director. Mr. Kevin Owens, at [email protected] for more information.
One of our keys to promote the Piarist mission throughout the world, is the work in a model of awareness that seeks social transformation. For that reason, together with other initiatives, for many years we especially take care of the solidarity campaigns with which, every year, we give better know the actions, projects and works shared in the international network of Itaka-Escolapios.
It isn’t strange to hear slogans like, for example: ““To the encounter with Atambua”, “The treasure of Senegal”, “To the rhythm of the Congo”, “Centres that change, change your centre”, or in the last course, ” A voice, a million changes“.
During this course, through the slogan “Somewhere in the world…”, we want to invite you to know and reflect on the various realities that exist beyond our immediate environment, as well as to explore, understand and improve our world from education, both formal and non-formal. This slogan encourages us to recognize that every corner of the planet has its own unique history, culture, and challenges, and reminds us that our actions can have a significant impact on the well-being of others and on building a more just and human world.
For this, from Itaka-Escolapios, we want to encourage you to promote in our children and young people: curiosity, empathy and respect for other cultures and contexts not always close; but also, to accompany them in the discovery of certain social problems and in the search for solutions. Because they, have a lot to say and contribute to the world. They are the future and hope.
