On 17 February at the Community of Sant'Egidio's "House of Peace
and Dialogue" in the centre of Havana (Cuba), a dream came true, with the
inauguration of the "Friends of the Street" out-patient clinic to
treat, support and accompany people experiencing difficulties, the homeless and
the elderly.
After initial discussions in Rome, the Hospitaller Order and the
Community of Sant'Egidio, which share the same values and charism, have now
completed a joint project in response to Pope Francis' invitation to Church
institutions to work together for the benefit of people in need.
Attending the inauguration ceremony were the Auxiliary Bishop, Eloy
Ricardo Domínguez, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Havana, Mgr Mos Ramon
Suarez, Roberto Noa Frómeta, an official of the Office of Religious Affairs of
the Central Committee of the PCC, the architect Perla Rosales, the assistant
director of the History of Havana, and Alessandro Totaro of the AKTIS centre.
Representing the Hospitaller Order were Brother Jesús Etayo Arrondo,
Superior of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, with Brother Erik
Castillo, Provincial of Latin America and the Caribbean, Brother Jose Merced
Ulloa, Provincial Councillor for Latin America and Head of the centres in
Mexico, Cuba and Honduras, the Community of Brothers in Havana, and the
Director General of the Province of Latin America and the Caribbean, Eng.
Julian Medina, the director of the Order's centres in Havana, Dr. Francisco
Bouza, and other leading figures with connections to the Order.
The ribbon was cut in front of the internal door of the clinic,
following which Mgr Eloy blessed the premises after a short act of worship.