Canonization Commission — Fr. Felipe Rey de Castro, SJ
Following the passing of ACU’s founder to the Agrupación Triumphant on February 12, 1952, then Jesuit Superior General Jean-Baptiste Janssens wrote to ACU President Dr. Jorge S. Casteleiro: “In 1950 when the International Congress of Directors of Marian Sodalities led by the Society of Jesus was celebrated here in Rome, I had the good fortune to meet your founder, Fr. Felipe Rey de Castro; I admired his initiatives [he would later cite the successful promotion of vocations and social works, particularly at the indigent neighborhood of Las Yaguas), his knowledge of men, his adaptation to modern times and the fruits of the grace garnered thanks to your generous and constant collaboration. Later, I had occasion to promote your Sodality as a model for other nations. I am also cognizant that since that time it has not lost any of the esteem I had for it, but rather that today, just like yesterday, its line of conduct has not wavered, forming its members solidly, wherein a 230-strong group of professionals and a similar number of university students powerfully influence the public square of the nation.
Today’s ACU President Dr. Manny Antón, and Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Ignatius of Loyola parish (“Iglesia de Reina,” and headquarters of the Jesuits in Cuba) and near-term future ACU Director Fr. Jorge Rojas have informed that Archbishop of Havana Juan de la Caridad Cardinal García and Jesuit Antilles Provincial Fr. Martin Lenk have issued instructions to have the remains of our dear founder moved from the Necropolis of Christopher Columbus (“Cementerio de Colón”) to a niche to be built in an internal wall of the Iglesia de Reina, community to which Fr. Rey de Castro belonged during his entire 25-years of service to Colegio de Belén initially and to the ACU later, until his death. This brings his memory closer to his two main places of ministry (Fr. Rey also served as superior of Camagüey for a short period), to the faithful, to the community he lunched with daily (he walked back and forth from the ACU to Reina in order to spend time with his Jesuit brethren) and complements the recent dedication of the parish’s largest meeting room to Fr. Rey de Castro.
Fr. Rojas has not wasted any time in making the edict a reality, as the attached video he took of one of his workmen can attest.
