Havana, Cuba, Nov 26, 2008 / 14:15 pm
With the beatification of Br. Jose Olallo Vales just days away, the bishops of Cuba issued a message this week calling on Cubans to learn the lesson of charity and love of God from the future blessed.
“We hope that the example of holiness of Father Olallo awakens in all Cubans the desire to turn towards God and remain in Him, and strengthens in each one the decision to go with Mary to encounter Jesus Christ, since He is the face of true love experienced by Father Olallo,” the bishops said. Most Cubans refer to Olallo as a priest even though he was a consecrated religious brother.
According to the Fides news agency, the bishops underscored in their message how the virtue of charity “was lived out by him with a courageous and creative, generous spirit towards those who found themselves in desperate situations, never worrying about his life, his health, the wear on his body, or fatigue.”
They recalled that Br. Olallo turned the hospital in which he worked into “a great family, in spite of the many differences among the patients,” and that he “prayed in the morning, afternoon, and evening, walking down the ‘Calle de los Pobres,’ a street that is now named after him, helping the poor materially and spiritually. He helped the imprisoned, gave food to the hungry, and evangelized through his famous evening talks in which he educated many in the faith, saving marriages and reconciling enemies. In this manner, he became a father and mother to a countless number of people.”