Posted on Sun, Apr. 08, 2012
Pope Benedict XVI, fresh from a visit to Cuba and Mexico, has given his approval for Father Felix Varela to be given the status of “venerable” — bringing the Havana-born priest who died 159 years ago a step closer to sainthood.
Becoming venerable means that Varela could be beatified with the recognition of one miracle granted and canonized with the recognition of a second miracle.
The pope’s approval was announced on Easter Sunday by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The pope was following the unanimous recommendation of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes.
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski praised the announcement: “In his homily in Havana, Pope Benedict called Father Felix Varela a shining example of the contributions a person of faith can make in building a more just society... In recognizing this holy priest’s heroic virtue by conferring on him the title of venerable,’ the pope offers to the world a role model who in was ‘the first to teach his people how to think’ and also show us a path to a true transformation of society.”
Already in Miami-Dade, there is a high school named in Varela’s honor.
Born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788, Varela was ordained a priest at age 23. By then, Varela already had distinguished himself as “a man of culture and profound learning,” the archdioces said, and had even written a philosophy text that had been adopted by other schools.
In 1821, he was elected to represent Cuba in the Spanish Parliament. Among the laws he proposed were one calling for the abolition of slavery and another calling for self-rule for Spain’s colonies in the Americas.
After his exile from Cuba in 1823, Varela worked for 30 years in the Archdiocese of New York, as vicar general and advocate for Irish immigrants.
Varela died in 1853 in St. Augustine, Fl. His remains were later moved to the Aula Magna of the University of Havana, where they can be viewed today.
The declaration by the Congregation for Saints’ Causes can be seen at www.miamiarch.org.
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