On 29 November 2008, the Venerable José Olallo Valdés, a Brother of the Hospitaller Order of St John of God was beatified on a beautiful sunny morning in the Cuban city of Camagüey, which was recently named part of the Heritage of Humanity.

On the eve of the beatification, a Cultural Gala was organised in homage to Fr Olallo by the people of Camagüey, beginning at 9 p.m., with beautiful gala programme superbly performed by brilliant Camagüey artists. It began with the inscription of the funeral monument in Camagüey Cemetery, followed by a performance given by Conjunto de Guitarras de Santa María Ex Corde, the Dúo Dalmau and the solo performances of “Décimas al P. Olallo”, “Y si llego a besarte”, and “Guarina”, magnificently interpreting the life of our new Blessed. The Camagüey choir sang two magnificent pieces, “La tarde pidiendo amor” and “Quien fuera”. The Camagüey Chamber Orchestra delighted us with “La bella cubana”, and “Y tu que has hecho”. Then there was the magnificent performance by the Ballet Contemporáneo Endedans of “A los confines de la tierra”, a wonderful artistic feat. Dúo de Cámara Scherzo, brilliantly performed “Danza de fin de siglo” and “Un recuerdo”. Dúo de Liudmila y Samuel offered us the “Elegía al P. Olallo”, either prize-winning Miguel E. Pérez Martínez, which was followed by the brilliant performance of “Lacrimosa” and “Aleluya” by the Ballet de la Academia Vicentina de la Torre. With the invaluable cooperation of the Conjunto Dramático de Camagüey number of texts based on the biographies of Fr Olallo were enacted, together with “Oración a la Santísima Trinidad”. All of this was staged under the masterful management of Osvaldo Gallardo González, drawing on advice from Mgr José Sarduy Marrero. In addition to the art, all of them gave proof of their love for Fr Olallo, each one in their own particular field with heart and soul, and everyone was left in wonderment at this elegant and exemplary cultural event.

At 8 a.m. on the 29th, the beatification ceremony in Plaza de la Caridad which was bursting at the seams with the faithful, began with Mass, presided over by the Cardinal Emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, José Saraiva Martins, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr Luigi Bonazzi, Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, Archbishop of Havana, the Archbishop of Camagüey, Mgr Juan García Rodríguez and all the Cuban archbishops and bishops with the emeritus bishops and the Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, Mgr José Luis Redrado OH., the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers; practically the whole of the Hospitaller Order worldwide was represented there, led by the Prior General, Bro. Donatus Forkan and his Council, priests and Religious from Cuba, and the huge congregation of the faithful together with the little girl who had been graced by the miracle, Daniela Cabrera with her parents and her sister. Also present was the President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers, Raúl Castro Ruiz, with members of the Politburo: Esteban Lazo Hernández, vice president of the Council of State, and the Army General Ramón Espinosa Martín, Caridad Diego, head of the Central Committee's Office of Religious Affairs; the Havana historian, Eusebio Leal Splenger, Julio César García Rodríguez, first Secretary of the Camagüey Party, and Jesús García Collazo, President of the Government in the Province and numerous other dignitaries representing civil society. All of them were greeted by the cardinals and bishops. The singing and the music were beautifully performed by the Choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Camagüey, conducted by a Servant of Mary Sister.

The principal celebrant, Cardinal Saraiva, was assisted by concelebrants Cardinal Jaime Ortega, the Archbishop of Camagüey Juan García Rodríguez, all the other Cuban bishops and about 100 priests and deacons. The bishops were given a picture of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, the Patron of Cuba; the President of the Republic, Raúl Castro Ruiz was presented with a polyglot Bible. The Archbishop of Camagüey requested the reading of the Beatification Decree, which was followed by the reading of the Apostolic Letter proclaiming the Brother of St John of God José Olallo Valdés as Blessed, signed by Pope Benedict XVI on 15 March 2008. The urn bearing the remains of Fr Olallo was brought into the square and placed by the side of the altar. After a beautiful homily, highlighting the figure of Blessed Olallo, who was born in Havana on 12 February 1820 and reached Camagüey as a newly professed Brother of the Hospitaller Order of St John of God and remained there until his death on 7 March 1889. "He is beatification is a landmark for the Church of Cuba and for all the people," he said, describing Blessed Olallo as the "champion" and "Apostle of Christian charity with a poorest of the poor, the needy and the sick”, against the background of a materialistic culture which was then gaining the ascendancy, bypassing the weak and the defenceless. “Let us learn from Fr Olallo the virtue of trusting in Christ, and of learning to love our neighbour in a universal fashion,” concluded the Cardinal.

After Mass, the Prior General, Bro. Donatus Forkan, and the Postulator, Bro. Félix Lizaso OH, gave a beautiful reliquary containing the relic of Blessed Olallo to all the bishops present there, and for Our Lady's National Shrine, dedicated to “Nuesta Señora de la Caridad del Cobre”. The Prior General thanked everyone for their tenants and emphasised the figure of the Hospitaller Brother, Fr Olallo as the "father of the poor", "a man of God and man of prayer", "unassuming and sober", an outstanding Hospitaller who gave himself wholly to the Charism as St John of God had done, with a sense of humanitarian service and self-sacrifice which he pushed to the very limits, such as when he cared for and cleaned the blood-spattered and mud-covered face of Major-General Ignacio Agramante y Loynaz, the hero of the 10-year war, pray for his eternal rest and took him lovingly into the St John of God Hospital. As the Chief Nurse he exercised hospitality in Camagüey for 54 years with total dedication and without fear or favour, he taught catechism to the children and every day stood at the hospital gate with a basket of bread for the poor. He cared for the sick victims of plague whenever the city was stricken, as a true apostle of charity and icon of mercy. He gave himself wholly to all, in total compliance with the gospel of mercy.

When Mass was over, the urn containing his remains was translated again to the Church of St John of God travelling through the main streets of Camagüey, crowded with the faithful who all honoured him with the silence and admiration and love which the people of Camagüey feel for him. I was deeply impressed by this beautiful experience of seeing so many people taking part. It was a joyful day of celebration for this beautiful and hospitable city of Camagüey.

The news of Fr Olallo's beatification was taken up widely in the mass media throughout the world.

All the Brothers and Co-Workers of the Order, living in Cuba and coming from the rest of the world, experienced those days run through with joy and hospitality, acknowledged by the Cuban people and ratified by the Church by raising to the honour of the Altars the last Brother of the Hospitaller Order in America, following the enforcement of the laws dissolving the Religious Orders in America.