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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 443 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 443

    Honoring the life and legacy of Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 26, 2012

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Honoring the life and legacy of Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman.

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.
                                 <all>
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