Puerto Rico Sends 300,000 Communion Wafers to Cuba Amid Energy Crisis

The energy crisis in Cuba has reached an alarming level, where even the nuns responsible for producing communion wafers for the nation's churches can no longer do so due to the lack of electricity.

In response to this dire situation, the Archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico organized the shipment of approximately 300,000 communion wafers to support the continuation of Masses in Cuban churches, as reported by InfoCatólica.

These wafers have begun arriving on the island over the past few weeks and are being personally received by Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, the Archbishop of Havana.

Impact of Power Outages on Host Production

The Discalced Carmelite Mothers of the Monastery of Saint Teresa and Saint Joseph, located in El Vedado, have been the sole producers of communion wafers for Catholic parishes across Cuba for many years. However, their operations have virtually come to a halt due to prolonged power outages.

Dominican priest George Payano explained to AFP, "The Carmelite sisters produce the hosts for all of Cuba. They require time and electricity to operate the machinery and baking irons. Two hours of power are very limited, resulting in reduced production."

The nuns themselves have recently acknowledged the severity of the situation. In a statement, they said, "Due to the lack of electricity, we are unable to produce the hosts," and announced that the available reserves would be rationed to try and supply all Catholic communities in the country.

Immediate Response from Puerto Rico

The Archbishop of San Juan, Monsignor Roberto González Nieves, promptly called upon parishes, priests, and religious communities to assist the Cuban Church. Through this campaign, they managed to gather around 300,000 hosts, many of them prepared by the Dominican Sisters of the Monastery Madre de Dios in Manatí.

This initiative coincided with the celebrations of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, one of the most significant dates in the Catholic liturgical calendar.

Puerto Rico was not alone in aiding the Cuban Church. The Archdiocese of Panama contributed another 35,000 hosts made by the Sisters of the Monastery of the Visitation. This shipment was transported for free by Copa Airlines to Havana and received by the Parish of the Miraculous Medal in Guanabacoa.

In an accompanying letter, Panamanian Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta emphasized the evangelical duty to support communities when they lack what is necessary to celebrate this mystery.

Broader Implications of Cuba's Energy Crisis

The interruption in host production is just one more manifestation of the broader crisis affecting the country.

This is the second time in less than five years that the Carmelites have had to cease or limit production. In 2022, it was due to a flour shortage; now, it's the absence of electricity.

Cuba is currently enduring one of its worst energy crises in recent history, with power generation deficits exceeding 2,000 megawatts and blackouts lasting over 20 hours in some provinces.

The challenges also extend to the distribution of humanitarian aid. Miami's Archbishop, Monsignor Thomas Wenski, recently highlighted how fuel shortages have complicated the transport of donations within the island, even necessitating the use of horse-drawn carts to deliver food to impoverished communities.

Last May, the President of the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops, Monsignor Arturo González Amador, poignantly described the situation as "the most difficult and saddest moment in the history of my people that I can remember."