Even before the Communist takeover, many Cubans had long harbored resentment against the Catholic Church, whose hierarchy had supported Spain when the Cuban people were fighting for independence. When the Spanish finally departed the island, Cuban authorities rebuked the church by passing laws that clearly separated church and state. As a result, the church lost much of its influence on the hearts and souls of the Cuban people.

A general disinterest in Catholicism was replaced by outright hostility when Castro came to power. Though Castro never went so far as to ban religion, he made life unpleasant for believers. From the start of the revolution, he proclaimed that Cuba's new government was atheistic and accused religious organizations of offering false hope and empty promises to the Cuban people. Despite the fact that the Cuban constitution protects individual freedom of religion, the state...