Raúl Comesañas: A Global Life
Learn about of the life and activism of a Cuban-American priest from Union City, New Jersey.
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One Life, a Worldly Impact
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1943, Father Raúl Comesañas was ordained into the priesthood on June 17, 1977. While most of his work for the church would be completed within the Union City, NJ area, Father Comesañas had a global life that went beyond borders. He served through the Consolata Missions, based in Somerset, NJ, as a missionary in Nairobi, Kenya, and as the Director of Communications at the Mission in Caracas, Venezuela. In between his time abroad, Father Comesañas would conduct a tour of the Midwest of the United States to encourage others to serve on mission trips through the Consolata Missionaries. He would run as the first Cuban-American to run for federal office in 1970 and serve as resident of the Northeastern chapter of the Union of Cuban Exiles.
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Reminders of La Habana
Comesañas’s life began in Havana, Cuba with his two parents. While he would only live in Cuba for three years, his homeland would remain central to his identity. Being Cuban was not just an aspect of Father Comesañas's life – rather, it is what drove him and encouraged him to connect with others.
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A Vote for Comesañas…
The United States and being a Cuban-American meant as much to Comesañas as his connection with his homeland. In 1970, he ran for political office to represent his community. The first Cuban-American to run for federal political office, Comesañas ran for the US House of Representatives in the 13th District of New Jersey. Before this position, he was already known as a spokesperson for the Latin American population in New Jersey and was involved in local issues. Although he would lose his election, he continued to serve his community in other ways.
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A Mission for God
After his time running for federal office and serving his community in various political positions, Father Comesañas moved his career towards another important area in his life – religion. Father Comesañas became ordained as a priest for the Catholic Church on June 17, 1977 after years of study.
After his ordination, Father Comesañas became a missionary for the Consolata Fathers, with his first position in Nairobi, Kenya in the Fall of 1977. Here, he studied the local language and became involved in local issues, something that he would be interested in for the remainder of his life.
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Return to the States
Once he returned to the United States in 1978, Father Comesañas went on a Mission Appeals trip across Middle America. One of his locations was...
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Edson, WI
In Wisconsin, Father Comesañas appealed at Sacred Heart Church. He was there on behalf of the Consolata Fathers on Saturdays and Sundays. Another stop after Edson, Wisconsin, Father Comesañas went to...
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Holden, MO
Father Comesañas traveled to St. Patrick's Church to make an appeal once again for donations to the Consolata Fathers. Missouri was the farthest South Father Comesañas would travel for his appeals. He spent a period six months traveling around the mid-western United States encouraging others to give time or donations to the mission to support the Consolata Fathers. After 1978, he would leave the United States once more for a new position.
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Director Comesañas
Father Comesañas served as the Director of Communications for the Consolata Fathers in Caracas, Venezuela in 1979. He oversaw the publication of newsletters and other communications from the mission. In addition to his work for the Fathers, Father Comesañas worked to increase church attendance in the area.
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Return to the states and back to his community
By 1980, Father Comesañas would return to the United States to serve as the Director of the Union of Cuban Exiles (U.C.E.), Northeast Region located in Union City, NJ. While Father Comesañas would travel internationally a few more times on pilgrimages with his parishioners (Church of Saint Anthony of Padua and Church of St. Thomas Aquinas), his activities become more based in the Union City area. He would go on to serve for U.C.E. for over fifteen years and the immigrant community in New Jersey for the remainder of his life.
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A life without borders
While Father Comesañas life began in Havana Cuba, it ended in Tom’s River, NJ in 2018. His experiences were beyond just his positions and titles – rather, it took aspects of the communities he lived in and shaped the decisions and roles he took in life.
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