Venezuelan bishops point to poverty, violence and corruption, angering Chavez

Also from FIDES:

Caracas (Agenzia Fides) – The Information Office of the Archdiocese of Caracas issued a statement of solidarity and support for Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, Archbishop of Caracas, after the insults uttered against him by President Chavez during the celebration for the beginning of the bicentennial anniversary of the nation's independence.

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The vice-president of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Baltazar Porras, said in an interview with a local radio station that "the words of the Head of State deserve to be reviewed carefully. We need to look at the real situation of the country, where there is poverty, violence suffered by the Venezuelan people at all levels, take a look at all the kinds of corruption that are coming to light, and see the desire to cover-up the real problems. [emphasis added]  The Cardinal has said nothing more thatn what we have already written in the various documents from the Episcopal Conference. Now, he has only appealed to the people of Venezuela in building a society open to all.” The offensive words of President Chavez came in reaction to an interview granted by Cardinal Urosa Savino to the “El Universale” newspaper on Sunday, June 27, in which among other things the Archbishop said that the country is on the road to dictatorship and ruin due to the mismanagement of the government. 

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The vice-president of the Bishops' Conference said that this should not be cause for hatred or insults, but for brotherhood, to allow us to live with serenity and joy, and added that the best response is that of the people of Venezuela, who once again show their "credibility and trust" in the Catholic Church and her authorities.

You can find President Chavez' statements here.

Venezuelan news

As is the case with almost every country, I enter the week with no real knowledge of what the state of the faith is there.  This story in FIDES really grabbed me though.  I tend to assume that martyrs are a thing of the past.  Not so:

2010-05-03

AMERICA/VENEZUELA - The violent death of Father Wood, who had just launched a 'Campaign to protect Life and Peace

Puerto Ordaz (Agenzia Fides) – A Catholic priest, Fr Esteban Robert Wood, aged 68, parish priest of Sagrada Familia parish in Puerto Ordaz, was murdered in the evening of Wednesday 28 April, near the parish house in the Unare district of Puerto Ordaz, in the state of Bolivar, Venezuela. Fr Wood, originally from Vancouver in the state of Washington (United States), had been on mission in Venezuela for more than 23 years. The parishioners gave the alarm when the priest failed to open the church doors at six in the morning, as usual. A man who works in the parish found the body of the priest, who appeared to have been stabbed.

Local sources told Fides that Bishop Mariano Parra Sandoval of Ciudad Guayana, diocese which includes Puerto Ordaz, visited the parish house where the priest was found and said the crime was a sign of the climate of violence present all over the country. Both the bishop and the local authorities suspect that the attack was a robbery and ended with the murder of the priest.

Local papers reporting the incident had words of praise for Fr Woods: “a person of excellence and humility, we are all very sad” said a women who lives in the vicinity. Fr Miguel Angel Garcia, who works in a neighbouring parish, said “Fr Wood worked hard to promote the community. He also worked with projects of Ciudad Guayana”. Only a few weeks ago he launched a Campaign to promote Life and Peace, and to fight the very violence of which he became a victim.

Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela

This week's countries.  Any requests?

Venezualan prayers

From a friend who worked with a faith-based organization in Venezuela:

The prayer request, that I would put forward - and, that others I am in contact with always talk about is: the control Chavez has over the country. Therefore, I would pray that all receive an equal chance to employment, education and freedom.