Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - At the conclusion of the 104th Ordinary Assembly, the Episcopal Conference of Venezuela issued a pastoral exhortation that is inspired by the Biblical verse "I know the suffering of my people" (Exodus 3.7), to express the Bishops’ concern and their requests to the national community.
In 29 points, the document sent to Fides invites us to reflect on the events that the continent and the country experiences: the Pope’s apostolic visit in Latin America, the publication of the encyclical Laudato Sì, the beatification of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, the enthusiasm for the next National Meeting of Youth (ENAJO).
Therefore the exhortation analyzes the main problems that society experiences: "The people of Venezuela call for better daily life conditions; calls for greater security and protection for the right to health and nutrition.
The whole nation suffers the lack of medicines and hospital care and many other shortcomings. It asks for greater security against unbridled violence, impunity and drug trafficking. Scarce electricity and service of drinking water across the country, affect both family life and work and generate distress and damage".
Faced with this situation, the Bishops recall: "We are all necessary. Venezuela belongs to everyone. Everyone has a moral obligation to provide the best, in the pursuit of the common good, taking into account the interests of the poor". Then they added: "We want to build a country that conceives politics as the art of harmonizing the different ways to search for consensus and the common good of all Venezuelans, not insisting on polarization, differences, the refusal to recognize the other".
Recalling that "all people should participate responsibly in the electoral process next December", the Bishops point out that this "is the opportunity of social and political reconstruction of the country". The document concludes : "As citizens and as believers, we know that the Christian experience must lead to social consequences". (CE) (Agenzia Fides 10/07/2015)
