大象传媒

In a grand, 18th Century former seminary in Old Havana, the Catholic Church is quietly helping to shape the new Cuba. Where once it trained future priests, it is now helping to train young entrepreneurs - preparing a new generation of young Cubans, keen to take advantage of the economic and social reforms under way on their island.

鈥淭aking the spirit of this house from the past, we want this to be a place of union, dialogue and reflection once again 鈥� and a place for projecting the future for Cubans,鈥� Father Yusvany Carvajal, the rector, explains of the old seminary which also houses two magazines and discussion groups. Some of the great thinkers of Cuba鈥檚 history once passed through its classrooms.

鈥淭he church has a very serious social responsibility to Cuba. Just as in other eras it trained lay people who could think and work in the world of politics, culture and religion, the Church today sees a need to form lay people to participate in the social life of the current Cuba.鈥�

For three decades, Communist-run Cuba was an atheist state. Many Cubans worshipped secretly, to avoid problems. Now officially secular, the island鈥檚 churches have been filling up again and the Catholic Church has been emerging from the shadows to adopt an increasingly important role.

Sarah Rainsford explores this new, resurgent Church in the midst of a changing Cuba. She meets young Cubans like Sandra who turned to the old seminary for training to set-up her new soap business. Sandra was a teacher, earning $12 a month. Now, she鈥檚 one of a breed of hopeful new entrepreneurs.

鈥淭here is a risk,鈥� Father Yusvany explains to Sarah, 鈥渢hat Cubans wake up and see that being a businessman is no longer a crime; that they鈥檙e allowed to create a private business, a restaurant, or a hostel say, in their homes. They don鈥檛 have the tools to do that, so we give them to him,鈥� he says.

But the Church wants to impart more than that.

鈥淭he Church has an ethical view of the economy, and that鈥檚 what we teach here. We don鈥檛 want Cuba to be converted into a jungle of enrichment - at any cost.鈥�