Meeting in synod last month, the Episcopal Church of Cuba voted 39 to 33 to return to their former affiliation with the Episcopal Church. When Cuban revolution, led by Fidel Castro, overthrew the former government in 1959 relations between the United States in Cuba were sundered. To provide support for the church in Cuba the Metropolitan Council of Cuba, consisting of Primates from Canada, the West Indies and the Episcopal Church, was established.
However, in light of improving relations between the two nations, the motion was put before the synod. The diocesan council had also prepared a resolution that would have established a task force to study aligning the diocese with a province in the Anglican Communion without specifying which province that might be. And despite some debate regarding the parliamentary process for deciding which resolution should be considered first, the one for joining the Episcopal Church was voted on first, making the second moot.
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of Canada, was present and with permission of the bishop, spoke prior to the vote addressing the differences in the two resolutions, suggesting one offered multiple options, while the other closed those options off. When asked about the vote afterwards, Hiltz said; “I said what I could. I’m not the chair of their synod. I’m just there to represent the MCC and provide a bit of guidance.”
For more on this story, please check out the excellent article from the Anglican Journal