I have a friend, a native Palma Soriano, who settled in Santiago years ago. My friend is a priest. For me, it’s as if he were a master electrician as we are friends despite his priesthood and my atheism. My husband calls him “Father” and uses the formal “you” when speaking to him, but to me, he’s “Hey you! José Conrado…”
He, far better equipped than I for any philosophical discussion and, a great conversationalist, he manages to leave me speechless. I prefer to listen to him because his erudition is always enriching. Such knowledge is shared among laughter and anecdotes, it only gets serious when talking about Cuba, and when he speaks of his parish, as simple a place as you could find. My friend the priest prays every day for the Cuban people. I like knowing that I am in his prayers, I like the relationships we have built, I like the philosophy of life he lives by: Between leaving or laughing, José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre has chosen laughter.
February 16 2011
