Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) – Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, Archbishop of Caracas, denounced that in the East, Christians are persecuted by “continuing secularism, more aggressive and intolerable every day”, which means “to eliminate God from public life, hit the Christian religion and reduce the Church to silence.” This was in the text of the message sent to Fides from the Archdiocese of Caracas, according to which the Cardinal also expressed himself in this way during the Mass over which he presided in the Maronite temple in San Charbel, on the fifth day of celebrations for Christian unity, also held in Caracas from 18 to 25 January.
The central theme has been the unity of diverse Christian confessions and, for this reason, the Archbishop of Caracas said that despite the attacks against Christian churches, Christians have the primary task of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, who wishes to establish “the kingdom of truth and of life, holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace.” “We are called,” said the Cardinal, “to have just one heart and soul: in the home, amongst familial affection; in our social, working and political lives, considering others as brothers and sisters; in our life of faith, following the teachings of the apostles and always seeking the truth.”
Card. Urosa Savino voiced his concerns for the situation that the Christian community is going through in Pakistan, in India, in the Philippines, in Nigeria and in Iraq, where Christians are even being killed. “When the Churches speak out against abortion and for the defence of life, when they speak of the family and of marriage, there are those who are particularly offended by this,” said the Cardinal.
The celebration saw the participation of Father Agustín Saab, Superior of the Maronite mission in Venezuela; of Bishop Luis Tineo, Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas; of other representatives of the Council of Historical Churches of Caracas. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 25/01/2011)
