Desde Dentro de Cuba.

Distribuido por Cuba Free Press, Inc. - http://www.cubafreepress.org

January 7, 1999.

ANTONIO MACEO SAID HUMAN RIGHTS ARE NOT A MATTER OF CHARITY By Margarita Yero, Cuba Free Press.

SANTIAGO - Human rights are not a matter of charity, said Archbishop Pedro Meurice, quoting from an earlier century the words of Gen. Antonio Maceo, one of Cuba's liberators and founding fathers. The words as originally spoken in Spanish were: "Los derechos no se mendigan." (Literally, that says, "The rights are not to be begged for" or less literally, "One does not beg for human rights.")

The message was part of the mass that began at 10 a.m. in Santiago's Roman Catholic cathedral on January 1. That day is celebrated as the Day of the Mother of God, and also is known as the World Day of Peace. The Peace Mass is a yearly event presided over by Monsignor Pedro Meurice, the archbishop, and is coordinated with the local church under Father Rafael Ángel, and other religious leaders of the locality. This year the cathedral was overflowing with people.

During his homily, Monsignor Meurice spoke about the 18-page message for World Peace Day from the pope entitled, "The secret of true peace rests in respect for human rights."

During his discussion, the archbishop, who has been ill for several months, was overcome by coughing and had to stop speaking. Father Rafael Ángel then read the archbishop's message.

At the end of the message, Monsignor Meurice's words were: "I want to recall the words of Antonio Maceo when he said, 'Rights are not begged for, rights are not proclaimed, they are conquered.'" And then the message added: "The church does not invite violence to reclaim the rights, rather it invites their realization in response to the call of the conscience."

The archbishop also recalled what Pope John Paul II said during his visit to Cuba last year: "Don't wait for others to do what you yourselves must do;" and, "You have to be the protagonists of your own history."

The archbishop's message concluded by noting that the first anniversary of the visit to Santiago by St. Peter's successor will occur on January 24 and that date also is the anniversary of the coronation of the Patron Saint of Cuba, the Virgin of Charity in the Antonio Maceo Plaza at the town called EL Cobre (in English, The Copper; once the headquarters of copper mines).

He said the best way to celebrate these anniversaries would be to have a massive attendance that day at the sanctuary at the town of El Cobre so as to render homage to the patron saint.

The archbishop's message was accompanied by a multi-parochial chorus. The eucharist concluded at 11 a.m.

The Peace Mass was not held at 6:30 that afternoon, as is the usual custom, because the area in front of the Cathedral was taken up by the government's celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the triumph of revolution.

Margarita Yero, Cuba Free Press.