We Venezuelan Catholics Demand Respect

Some days ago, at a political meeting of the current Venezuelan regime, a prayer was recited that manipulated the Christian prayer par excellence, the Our Father, to pay homage to a person who has died.

That day on Twitter you could read how hundreds of Catholics and non-Catholics (even some sympathizers of this regime) expressed their displeasure at such an act and demanded that our bishops speak out against this manipulation.

The first to issue a statement was Bishop Mario Moronta, who said clearly that “the Our Father must not be altered, changed or paraphrased in its content, because it was composed by God himself made man: Jesus Christ.” This statement by the bishop from Táchira carries great weight, not only because of his closeness to the late President, but because he is a consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that safeguards the Church’s traditions and doctrine.

Next, the bishops of Caracas, led by our Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, issued another statement saying: “The Our Father was taught by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, and therefore it is untouchable”… “Just as no one would be allowed to change the words of the National Anthem to honor a person, neither is anyone permitted to change the Our Father or any other Christian prayer, such as the Creed. Catholic religious symbols, prayers and elements must be respected”… “Whoever recited this new and improper version of the Our Father, keeping to its literal text, would be committing the sin of idolatry, by attributing to a human person qualities or actions proper to God”… “While respecting the affection many Venezuelans have for the late President, it must be remembered that the Our Father is part of the sacred patrimony of the Catholic Church and of all Christian Churches throughout the world. It is not lawful to modify it, manipulate it or use it as an instrument. We Catholics demand that the Our Father be respected.” He therefore asked leaders to avoid spreading this supposed prayer, so that it would not become yet another cause of division among the Venezuelan people.

After these necessary and very fitting statements from our Church hierarchy, some government officials described our bishops as a band of inquisitors who “did not know how to understand and love the people.”

As a Catholic of this country I can say that the bishops issued these statements in response to the demands of the Catholic people, who do not want our religion manipulated for political ends.

The politicians who govern us must understand that faith is one thing and politics another, and that our religious symbols and beliefs are sacred and cannot be manipulated (under any circumstances) to pay idolatrous homage to a man or a system.

Venezuelan politicians need to devote themselves to ending the shameless corruption in our country and to solving the thousands of problems we Venezuelans are suffering every day.

Leave our Catholic Church and our hierarchy in peace! Enough manipulating our Faith! Enough insults against our bishops! All of them are carrying out exemplary pastoral work, with absolute dedication and commitment to the needs of their flock! They have been persecuted, insulted and mistreated as never before in our history! Enough trying to discredit them through the government media!

Don’t our authorities understand that the millions of Catholics who come to our churches in growing numbers every day to pray to God for our country and its needs know very well which side our bishops are on? They are on the side of Truth, of Justice, of the people, on the side of those most in need, of those who cannot find food, of those who cannot find their medicines, of those who cannot buy school supplies for their children, of those who have no work, no home… They are giving their lives for this country and for their Venezuelan sons and daughters. Enough telling lies and slanders about who they are, how they live and what they do!

Stop playing games with the Church, because the Church is holy. Stop playing games with the Venezuelan Catholic people, and much less with the sacred name of God. Devote yourselves to solving problems and leave our Holy Catholic Church in peace.

Let us ask, as our Cardinal asked at the end of the statement, for the protection of the Virgin of Coromoto, and let us “unite around Jesus Christ, true God and true man, praying the authentic Our Father, to ask God for peace and harmony in our beloved Venezuela.”