-DATE- 19601221 -YEAR- 1960 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- MESSAGE -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- CASTRO GIVES LENCE HIS FULL SUPPORT -PLACE- HAVANA -SOURCE- HAVANA AFP CORRESPONDENT -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19601221 -TEXT- CASTRO GIVES LENCE HIS FULL SUPPORT Havana, AFP, Correspondent's Dispatch to New York, Dec. 20, 1960, 1910 GMT--E (Excerpts) Premier Fidel Castro today finds himself in a challenging position vis-a-vis the Catholic Church, facing and perhaps anticipating possible excommunication for himself and his government. Speaking this morning to sugar representatives and workers, the leader of the Cuban revolution gave his complete support to Father German Lence, a revolutionary priest, who has just fallen under ecclesiastic sanctions for statements in which he urged the faithful to disobey the Catholic hierarchy. Castro declared there is a rumor that Lence would be excommunicated. He added that in such an event "The revolutionary government would have to be excommunicated and with it the Cuban people." Authorized ecclesiastic sources indicated that at the moment only Father Lence is affected by the "suspension," which prevents him from exercising his priestly duties of saying mass and hearing confessions. The next sanction would be excommunication, but these sources declared that this has not been invoked. On the other hand, the entire official press stated today that his sanction was definitely invoked. They attribute this report to "completely reliable sources," although admitting that it was not announced by the foreign office of the archbishopric." Among the speculation which began this morning one can mention the possibility of greater tension with Spain, target of violent attacks for the past several days. Some diplomats believe that the possibility of a breaking of relations should not be discarded. This situation would complicate the position of Spanish priests who minister in the island, but at present nothing has been heard to confirm such a possibility. -END-