[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 61 (Thursday, April 26, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 443--HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF AUXILIARY BISHOP 
                             AGUSTIN ROMAN

  Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Menendez) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 443

       Whereas Agustin Roman was appointed auxiliary bishop of the 
     Archdiocese of Miami, Florida in 1979, becoming the first 
     Cuban to be appointed bishop in the United States;
       Whereas Agustin Roman was expelled from Cuba in 1961 by the 
     regime of Fidel Castro, along with many other Roman Catholic 
     priests;
       Whereas Agustin Roman ministered in Chile for 4 years 
     before coming to Miami, Florida in 1966, where he quickly 
     became a spiritual leader and advocate for the Cuban 
     community in Miami, as well as for many other immigrant 
     communities, including Haitian refugees;
       Whereas Agustin Roman was fluent in Latin, English, French, 
     and Spanish, and served on the Bishops' Committee for 
     Hispanic Affairs, worked as a hospital chaplain, and became 
     episcopal vicar for the Spanish-speaking people of the 
     Archdiocese of Miami;
       Whereas Agustin Roman was the son of humble Cuban peasants, 
     which influenced his commitment to humility, tenacity, and 
     unceasing devotion to his ministry in southern Florida;
       Whereas Agustin Roman was instrumental in the construction 
     of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity on Biscayne Bay, which 
     serves as a monument to the patron saint of Cuba, the Virgin 
     of Charity of Cobre, and attracts hundreds of thousands of 
     visitors each year;
       Whereas in 1980 Agustin Roman served as a mediator during 
     the Mariel boatlift incident, helping more than 100,000 
     Cubans flee the island and safely resettle in the United 
     States;
       Whereas Agustin Roman helped negotiate a peaceful 
     resolution to the 1987 riots of Mariel prisoner uprisings in 
     Federal prisons, earning him national recognition for his 
     compassion, gentility, and humble spirit;
       Whereas after his retirement at the age of 75, Agustin 
     Roman remained active at the Shrine of Our Lady Charity, 
     greeting visitors and responding to letters from fellow Cuban 
     exiles; and
       Whereas Agustin Roman passed away on Wednesday, April 11, 
     2012: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and honors the life of Agustin Roman;
       (2) recognizes and honors the spiritual leadership of 
     Agustin Roman and his dedication to freedom and faith;
       (3) offers heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, 
     and loved ones of Agustin Roman; and
       (4) in memory of Agustin Roman, calls on the United States 
     to continue policies that promote respect for the fundamental 
     principles of religious freedom, democracy, and human rights 
     in Cuba, in a manner consistent with the aspirations of the 
     people of Cuba.

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