As fuel shortages deepen Cuba’s humanitarian crisis, nuns struggle to sustain ministries

Religious sisters in Cuba say ongoing electricity shortages are threatening key church ministries, including the production of Communion hosts for every Catholic parish on the island.

In a message shared with priests and made public 3 June, the Discalced Carmelites in Havana said limited power supplies have made it difficult to operate the equipment used to produce the hosts.

The sisters said remaining supplies will be rationed to ensure they last as long as possible. The shortages come amid a broader crisis affecting daily life across Cuba.

Sister Noemy Ayala, a Carmelite Sister of St Joseph in Havana, said religious communities face the same struggles as other Cubans, including difficulty obtaining food and other necessities needed to carry out their mission.

Church leaders warn the situation is taking a toll on religious life. In a 20 May interview, Bishop Arturo González Amador, president of the Cuban bishops’ conference, said some religious communities have been forced to leave the country after being unable to secure basic resources for ministry.

He did not specify how many had departed. The bishop described the shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine, along with concerns about conflict, as bringing Cuba to what he called its “saddest moment.”