The Church in Venezuela has been present in the streets of La Guaira and Caracas to care for and accompany the thousands of victims of the double earthquake that wrought great destruction on 24 June. In a press conference organised by Aid to the Church in Need International (ACN), Archbishop Raúl Biord of Caracas said that even though many Church structures had been damaged, its ministers and faithful were tireless in their efforts:
“As Christians, and as Church, we have been present in the street since Day 1. We have over 35 damaged churches and Church buildings in La Guaira and Caracas, but the Church is more than buildings, and we are present in the streets, visiting the people and taking consolation to hospitals, food to the tents, and celebrating the sacraments in the street, with the people”.
Street presence and pastoral work of the Church in Venezuela
As an example of this solidarity, the archbishop highlighted the seminarians from Caracas and its suffragan dioceses, who have been out in the streets every day accompanying the broken-hearted who have suffered so much. The Church continues to distribute material, medical, and food aid through Caritas, which has proven to be one of the most reliable institutions working in the country. However, Archbishop Biord insists that the people need more than just material help:
“It is also important to take consolation and spiritual aid. There are some very tough stories and people are grateful when the priest or deacon arrives, as they feel it makes God present. Recently someone commented to me that since the earthquake, even atheists believe in God”.
Almost one month after the earthquakes, official figures still put the dead at between four and five thousand, but the magnitude of the tragedy is much greater. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people are still missing, and an even greater number have lost their homes. In places like La Guaira, where people mostly work in tourism or at the port, those whose homes remain standing have lost their jobs. Many people are living in makeshift tents during the local winter, which brings heavy rain.
Rebuilding lives and supporting frontline carers
As talk begins to turn to rebuilding, Archbishop Biord emphasizes that the trauma of the survivors needs attention as well:
“First, we need to rebuild lives and stories. Later we can rebuild infrastructure, starting with hospitals and schools, because life goes on and kids need to go to school and the sick need to be tended to. As a Church we are at the service of our people, to accompany them in their sorrow and their trauma”.
Furthermore, the Church realizes it is essential to care for those on the front lines: priests, deacons, religious, and lay volunteers. Priority is being given to supporting Church ministers, especially from La Guaira, who lost their own homes and families, as it is necessary to «care for our carers». One of their key roles is helping survivors deal with personal losses and providing dignified burials, a task rendered difficult as many corpses remain under 13 stories of rubble.
Auxiliary Bishop Carlos Márquez of Caracas described what the Church sees as its primary mission at this time:
“We are trying to be agents of Heaven in Venezuela. When people talk to us, when they see us helping people, we want to convey a message of hope and show them that God does not abandon us, He is with us and He walks with us. That is our firm belief. We try to convey that with words and actions. We are trying to ease the pain of our people. We might not be able to rebuild buildings, but we can be the hands and voice of God to convey hope to our people. That is what we are trying to do”.
ACN commitment and institutional collaboration
Archbishop Biord noted that the tragedy has allowed many, including in government, to see the Church in a different light, recognizing its unique ability to provide aid where needed most. Caritas is recognized and respected in coordinating aid, allowing the Church to distribute relief in an organized manner while acknowledging that the primary responsibility falls on the state.
Regarding international support, when the tragedy first struck, ACN pledged 100 thousand euros in immediate support. During the press conference, the foundation’s executive president, Regina Lynch, announced that a second aid package is being prepared:
“A delegation from our project department will travel to Venezuela soon and meet with the Church there to listen to them. By then they will have drawn up a list of priorities, and it will be easier for us to announce the next package, which will certainly be much higher than the initial 100 thousand. It will be about reconstruction, but also trauma healing”.
