The First Cuban to be appointed Bishop in the United States, Monsignor Agustín Alejo Román Rodríguez, Former Auxiliary for the Metropolitan See of Miami and Bishop of the Titular See of Sertei, was born in San Antonio de los Baños, in a small house in the countryside of Havana, Cuba, on May 5, 1928, one of three children of a poor farm worker.
Román was a quiet, asthmatic child. Illness kept him out of school until he was eight years of age. He studied philosophy at the San Alberto Magno Seminary in Matanzas, and then traveled to Montreal to study theology at the Seminary of Foreign Missionaries. Ordained to the priesthood on July 5, 1959, he worked in backwater Cuban parishes. The next two years were difficult in a country turning Marxist, but Román was never tempted to leave. But then, Román and 132 other priests, including Bishop Eduardo Boza Masvidal, were rounded up by Fidel Castro's henchmen, loaded at gunpoint aboard a ship and sent to Spain.
Months later, he traveled to Chile to work with the poor. In 1966, his sister, Iraida, left her husband and Cuba to move to Miami with her two children. Román joined her there.
An outsider within the church hierarchy and one of its few Hispanics, he was made associate pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral. As the exile community grew roots, he served as hospital chaplain from 1968 until 1973, director of the Spanish‐speaking Cursillo Movement between 1978 and 1979, spiritual director of the Charismatic Movement from 1977 till 1979, member of the Committee on Popular Piety and episcopal vicar for the Spanish‐speaking people of the Archdiocese.
At 50 years of age, Father Agustín was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami by Pope John Paul II, becoming thus the first Cuban to be raised to the episcopate in the United States. He received his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Sertei on March 24, 1979, from Archbishop Edward Anthony McCarthy, assisted by Bishops René Henry Gracida and John Joseph Fitzpatrick.
A staunch advocate for Cubans and human rights, considered the spiritual leader of South Florida's Cuban exile community, he was viewed by older Cuban exiles as a champion of freedom and faith.
Retiring from office on June 7, 2003, he was active at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, where for decades he lovingly served his flock and carried the Cuban exile banner, and where in his later years, he was often found greeting visitors, responding to letters from fellow Cuban exiles, and answering the phone. The shrine, on South Miami Avenue along the edge of Biscayne Bay, opened in 1967. Known in Spanish as Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre, it attracts almost 500,000 visitors a year. In the early 1960's, Román led the campaign to build the Shrine, asking each exile for 10 cents. He ended up collecting $240,000.
The Bishop gained national attention as a mediator when Mariel detainees rioted in 1987, and seized portions of federal prisons in Atlanta and Oakdale, La.
Almost to the end, Román lived an ascetic life. His long-time home: a small chamber and tiny kitchen next door to La Ermita. Awake at 5.45 am. Breakfast: salt-free, sugar-free bread. Back in bed at 12.30 am., the time between filled shepherding his flock.
Bishop Román suffered from persistent cardiac disorders, survived several heart attacks and, in 1992, quadruple-bypass surgery. He also battled diabetes. Found slumped over the wheel of his car on the grounds of Our Lady of Charity Shrine, he was stricken in his car as he was being driven home after his daily prayers at his beloved Shrine. Suffering from a cardiac arrest, he was transported to nearby Mercy Hospital and, following extensive resuscitation efforts, was pronounced dead shortly before 8.45 pm., on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, aged 83.
On Thursday, April 12, reception of the body of Bishop Román began at 6 pm., at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, 3609 South Miami Avenue, Miami. Wake service was celebrated and Bishop Román remained at the Shrine for public viewing, visitations and last respects through Thursday night and Friday all day and night.
On Saturday, April 14, at mid morning, the body of Bishop Román was transported from the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity to the Cathedral of St. Mary, 7525 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, where at 1 pm., Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated a funeral Mass. Interment followed at 3 pm., at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 NW 25 Street, Miami.
Román was a quiet, asthmatic child. Illness kept him out of school until he was eight years of age. He studied philosophy at the San Alberto Magno Seminary in Matanzas, and then traveled to Montreal to study theology at the Seminary of Foreign Missionaries. Ordained to the priesthood on July 5, 1959, he worked in backwater Cuban parishes. The next two years were difficult in a country turning Marxist, but Román was never tempted to leave. But then, Román and 132 other priests, including Bishop Eduardo Boza Masvidal, were rounded up by Fidel Castro's henchmen, loaded at gunpoint aboard a ship and sent to Spain.
Months later, he traveled to Chile to work with the poor. In 1966, his sister, Iraida, left her husband and Cuba to move to Miami with her two children. Román joined her there.
An outsider within the church hierarchy and one of its few Hispanics, he was made associate pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral. As the exile community grew roots, he served as hospital chaplain from 1968 until 1973, director of the Spanish‐speaking Cursillo Movement between 1978 and 1979, spiritual director of the Charismatic Movement from 1977 till 1979, member of the Committee on Popular Piety and episcopal vicar for the Spanish‐speaking people of the Archdiocese.
At 50 years of age, Father Agustín was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami by Pope John Paul II, becoming thus the first Cuban to be raised to the episcopate in the United States. He received his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Sertei on March 24, 1979, from Archbishop Edward Anthony McCarthy, assisted by Bishops René Henry Gracida and John Joseph Fitzpatrick.
A staunch advocate for Cubans and human rights, considered the spiritual leader of South Florida's Cuban exile community, he was viewed by older Cuban exiles as a champion of freedom and faith.
Retiring from office on June 7, 2003, he was active at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, where for decades he lovingly served his flock and carried the Cuban exile banner, and where in his later years, he was often found greeting visitors, responding to letters from fellow Cuban exiles, and answering the phone. The shrine, on South Miami Avenue along the edge of Biscayne Bay, opened in 1967. Known in Spanish as Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre, it attracts almost 500,000 visitors a year. In the early 1960's, Román led the campaign to build the Shrine, asking each exile for 10 cents. He ended up collecting $240,000.
The Bishop gained national attention as a mediator when Mariel detainees rioted in 1987, and seized portions of federal prisons in Atlanta and Oakdale, La.
Almost to the end, Román lived an ascetic life. His long-time home: a small chamber and tiny kitchen next door to La Ermita. Awake at 5.45 am. Breakfast: salt-free, sugar-free bread. Back in bed at 12.30 am., the time between filled shepherding his flock.
Bishop Román suffered from persistent cardiac disorders, survived several heart attacks and, in 1992, quadruple-bypass surgery. He also battled diabetes. Found slumped over the wheel of his car on the grounds of Our Lady of Charity Shrine, he was stricken in his car as he was being driven home after his daily prayers at his beloved Shrine. Suffering from a cardiac arrest, he was transported to nearby Mercy Hospital and, following extensive resuscitation efforts, was pronounced dead shortly before 8.45 pm., on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, aged 83.
On Thursday, April 12, reception of the body of Bishop Román began at 6 pm., at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, 3609 South Miami Avenue, Miami. Wake service was celebrated and Bishop Román remained at the Shrine for public viewing, visitations and last respects through Thursday night and Friday all day and night.
On Saturday, April 14, at mid morning, the body of Bishop Román was transported from the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity to the Cathedral of St. Mary, 7525 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, where at 1 pm., Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated a funeral Mass. Interment followed at 3 pm., at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 NW 25 Street, Miami.
The First Cuban to be appointed Bishop in the United States, Monsignor Agustín Alejo Román Rodríguez, Former Auxiliary for the Metropolitan See of Miami and Bishop of the Titular See of Sertei, was born in San Antonio de los Baños, in a small house in the countryside of Havana, Cuba, on May 5, 1928, one of three children of a poor farm worker.
Román was a quiet, asthmatic child. Illness kept him out of school until he was eight years of age. He studied philosophy at the San Alberto Magno Seminary in Matanzas, and then traveled to Montreal to study theology at the Seminary of Foreign Missionaries. Ordained to the priesthood on July 5, 1959, he worked in backwater Cuban parishes. The next two years were difficult in a country turning Marxist, but Román was never tempted to leave. But then, Román and 132 other priests, including Bishop Eduardo Boza Masvidal, were rounded up by Fidel Castro's henchmen, loaded at gunpoint aboard a ship and sent to Spain.
Months later, he traveled to Chile to work with the poor. In 1966, his sister, Iraida, left her husband and Cuba to move to Miami with her two children. Román joined her there.
An outsider within the church hierarchy and one of its few Hispanics, he was made associate pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral. As the exile community grew roots, he served as hospital chaplain from 1968 until 1973, director of the Spanish‐speaking Cursillo Movement between 1978 and 1979, spiritual director of the Charismatic Movement from 1977 till 1979, member of the Committee on Popular Piety and episcopal vicar for the Spanish‐speaking people of the Archdiocese.
At 50 years of age, Father Agustín was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami by Pope John Paul II, becoming thus the first Cuban to be raised to the episcopate in the United States. He received his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Sertei on March 24, 1979, from Archbishop Edward Anthony McCarthy, assisted by Bishops René Henry Gracida and John Joseph Fitzpatrick.
A staunch advocate for Cubans and human rights, considered the spiritual leader of South Florida's Cuban exile community, he was viewed by older Cuban exiles as a champion of freedom and faith.
Retiring from office on June 7, 2003, he was active at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, where for decades he lovingly served his flock and carried the Cuban exile banner, and where in his later years, he was often found greeting visitors, responding to letters from fellow Cuban exiles, and answering the phone. The shrine, on South Miami Avenue along the edge of Biscayne Bay, opened in 1967. Known in Spanish as Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre, it attracts almost 500,000 visitors a year. In the early 1960's, Román led the campaign to build the Shrine, asking each exile for 10 cents. He ended up collecting $240,000.
The Bishop gained national attention as a mediator when Mariel detainees rioted in 1987, and seized portions of federal prisons in Atlanta and Oakdale, La.
Almost to the end, Román lived an ascetic life. His long-time home: a small chamber and tiny kitchen next door to La Ermita. Awake at 5.45 am. Breakfast: salt-free, sugar-free bread. Back in bed at 12.30 am., the time between filled shepherding his flock.
Bishop Román suffered from persistent cardiac disorders, survived several heart attacks and, in 1992, quadruple-bypass surgery. He also battled diabetes. Found slumped over the wheel of his car on the grounds of Our Lady of Charity Shrine, he was stricken in his car as he was being driven home after his daily prayers at his beloved Shrine. Suffering from a cardiac arrest, he was transported to nearby Mercy Hospital and, following extensive resuscitation efforts, was pronounced dead shortly before 8.45 pm., on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, aged 83.
On Thursday, April 12, reception of the body of Bishop Román began at 6 pm., at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, 3609 South Miami Avenue, Miami. Wake service was celebrated and Bishop Román remained at the Shrine for public viewing, visitations and last respects through Thursday night and Friday all day and night.
On Saturday, April 14, at mid morning, the body of Bishop Román was transported from the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity to the Cathedral of St. Mary, 7525 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, where at 1 pm., Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated a funeral Mass. Interment followed at 3 pm., at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 NW 25 Street, Miami.
Román was a quiet, asthmatic child. Illness kept him out of school until he was eight years of age. He studied philosophy at the San Alberto Magno Seminary in Matanzas, and then traveled to Montreal to study theology at the Seminary of Foreign Missionaries. Ordained to the priesthood on July 5, 1959, he worked in backwater Cuban parishes. The next two years were difficult in a country turning Marxist, but Román was never tempted to leave. But then, Román and 132 other priests, including Bishop Eduardo Boza Masvidal, were rounded up by Fidel Castro's henchmen, loaded at gunpoint aboard a ship and sent to Spain.
Months later, he traveled to Chile to work with the poor. In 1966, his sister, Iraida, left her husband and Cuba to move to Miami with her two children. Román joined her there.
An outsider within the church hierarchy and one of its few Hispanics, he was made associate pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral. As the exile community grew roots, he served as hospital chaplain from 1968 until 1973, director of the Spanish‐speaking Cursillo Movement between 1978 and 1979, spiritual director of the Charismatic Movement from 1977 till 1979, member of the Committee on Popular Piety and episcopal vicar for the Spanish‐speaking people of the Archdiocese.
At 50 years of age, Father Agustín was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami by Pope John Paul II, becoming thus the first Cuban to be raised to the episcopate in the United States. He received his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Sertei on March 24, 1979, from Archbishop Edward Anthony McCarthy, assisted by Bishops René Henry Gracida and John Joseph Fitzpatrick.
A staunch advocate for Cubans and human rights, considered the spiritual leader of South Florida's Cuban exile community, he was viewed by older Cuban exiles as a champion of freedom and faith.
Retiring from office on June 7, 2003, he was active at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, where for decades he lovingly served his flock and carried the Cuban exile banner, and where in his later years, he was often found greeting visitors, responding to letters from fellow Cuban exiles, and answering the phone. The shrine, on South Miami Avenue along the edge of Biscayne Bay, opened in 1967. Known in Spanish as Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre, it attracts almost 500,000 visitors a year. In the early 1960's, Román led the campaign to build the Shrine, asking each exile for 10 cents. He ended up collecting $240,000.
The Bishop gained national attention as a mediator when Mariel detainees rioted in 1987, and seized portions of federal prisons in Atlanta and Oakdale, La.
Almost to the end, Román lived an ascetic life. His long-time home: a small chamber and tiny kitchen next door to La Ermita. Awake at 5.45 am. Breakfast: salt-free, sugar-free bread. Back in bed at 12.30 am., the time between filled shepherding his flock.
Bishop Román suffered from persistent cardiac disorders, survived several heart attacks and, in 1992, quadruple-bypass surgery. He also battled diabetes. Found slumped over the wheel of his car on the grounds of Our Lady of Charity Shrine, he was stricken in his car as he was being driven home after his daily prayers at his beloved Shrine. Suffering from a cardiac arrest, he was transported to nearby Mercy Hospital and, following extensive resuscitation efforts, was pronounced dead shortly before 8.45 pm., on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, aged 83.
On Thursday, April 12, reception of the body of Bishop Román began at 6 pm., at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, 3609 South Miami Avenue, Miami. Wake service was celebrated and Bishop Román remained at the Shrine for public viewing, visitations and last respects through Thursday night and Friday all day and night.
On Saturday, April 14, at mid morning, the body of Bishop Román was transported from the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity to the Cathedral of St. Mary, 7525 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, where at 1 pm., Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated a funeral Mass. Interment followed at 3 pm., at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 NW 25 Street, Miami.
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