A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman.

Whereas Agustín Román 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 Agustín Román was expelled from Cuba in 1961 by the regime of Fidel Castro, along with many other Roman Catholic priests;

Whereas Agustín Román 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 Agustín Román 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 Agustín Román was the son of humble Cuban peasants, which influenced his commitment to humility, tenacity, and unceasing devotion to his ministry in southern Florida;

Whereas Agustín Román 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 Agustín Román 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 Agustín Román 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, Agustín Román remained active at the Shrine of Our Lady Charity, greeting visitors and responding to letters from fellow Cuban exiles; and

Whereas Agustín Román passed away on Wednesday, April 11, 2012: Now, therefore, be it