Cuban residents are hoping to build the country's first new Catholic Church since the communist island's 1959 revolution.

Fausto Veloz, the project's head engineer, plans to build the church in Santiago de Cuba out of scrap metal bars salvaged from a stage built for Pope Benedict XVI's 2012 visited to the city, BBC News reports.

"Re-using the metal means keeping alive the memory of something good for us Catholics," he said. "It gives it new life, so it can serve future generations."

A few things are still needed before the church can be built, however.

For one, the team needs one more permit to have the five permits required.

In addition, the church builders need to find more support from Catholics in the formerly atheist, now secular state. Although religious freedom is more tolerated in Cuba today, as things like secret baptisms have gone away, Catholics have only managed to renovate old churches, and the building of new ones were never sanctioned since Fidel Castro took over.

The church also needs more funding. Currently, the project is mostly backed by the St. Lawrence parish in Tampa, Florida, Fox News Latino reports, but officials still need $250,000 to fund the church.

The need for a new church is perhaps stronger now than ever as Hurricane Sandy destroyed seven churches and damaged another 28. One of the churches destroyed was Santiago's San Pedrito, which was 93-years-old.

Marta Perez, a parishioner of the church, managed to save some of the church's items such as candle sticks and nativity scene statues.

"The rest were carried off by thieves," she said. "We really need our church back."

Church officials have hope that despite obstacles, a new Catholic church will rise in Cuba.

"I think this doesn't only show improving attitudes in Cuba to the Catholic Church, but to churches in general," Archbishop of Santiago Dionisio Garcia said. "I think there's a better understanding of religious affairs."
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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