“The Virgin Isn’t Packing Her Bags in Venezuela”

This past September 11, we in Venezuela celebrated the feast of our patroness, Our Lady of Coromoto. Many mass celebrations were organized in her honor in the city of Guanare, in Caracas, and in other cities of the country and the world (we heard of Masses celebrated in Australia, Boston, Colombia, Chile, Madrid, Mexico, Rome and elsewhere).

Here in Caracas the parishes (even though it was a Thursday) were full of faithful who wanted to celebrate in grand style the feast of this beloved Virgin who came to our lands and appeared within an indigenous family, to bring all the Venezuelans of that time a message of conversion and reconciliation.

In the homily at the Mass I attended, we heard some beautiful words from the priest.

Since the situation in the country has been very critical these past months, and many families have considered leaving their Homeland, the priest told us: “Remember one thing: the Virgin is not packing any bags in Venezuela, because She is staying with us to help us, and She will stay with us always.”

Everyone in that church smiled from ear to ear when the priest said those words.

For us Venezuelans, knowing ourselves to be children of God, with a wonderful Mother in Heaven who protects us from all harm, has been one of the fundamental pillars that sustain us, with hope and joy, in the tireless struggle for Truth, Freedom, Justice and Peace to reign in our homeland.

Devotion to Our Patroness, the Virgin of Coromoto, grows greater every day in Venezuela, and in Caracas. Those who come to our country realize immediately that we are a Marian country through and through. On every corner there is an image of the Virgin. On every bus we see a Virgin of the Valley, or La Chinita, or the Divina Pastora. And for some time now the Virgin of Coromoto has become a muchloved patroness, deeply venerated and very much prayed to!

Dear Virgin of Coromoto, we your Venezuelan children love you so much! Do not allow more innocent people to suffer the consequences of injustice! Do not allow hatred to enter our hearts! Help us pray for the conversion of sinners! Help us work to spread the word of your beloved Son Jesus Christ in every corner of the country! Renew faith throughout our homeland! May all Venezuelans come to receive the sacraments your beloved Son left us: Baptism, Communion, Confession, Confirmation, Marriage…! Help us to be better Christians every day, even in the worst circumstances we may be living through! Help us to be reconcilers and sowers of peace, joy and hope at every moment! And tireless fighters, so that Truth, Freedom, Justice and Peace may shine in our Homeland!

Thank you, Mother Coromoto, for not thinking of packing your bags! You know you have to stay with your Venezuelan children forever and ever…! You know there are many of us who will stay to sow the good news in our country, and we are counting on you! And we know that you will never, ever, abandon us! Bless us from Heaven, protect our families, and ask Papa God to give us great fortitude and to help us always stay faithful in these very difficult times for all of us who are here!