Barquisimeto – “We are called to rebuild a society in which we all participate. The Jubilee Year has ended, but hope has not; on the contrary, it remains alive in our hearts,” said Archbishop Polito Rodríguez of Barquisimeto during the Mass celebrated on January 14 in the town of Santa Rosa on the occasion of the 168th visit of the Divina Pastora, one of Venezuela’s most important religious figures.
The prelate emphasized that January 14 is “a great day for Venezuela,” not only in the region but also at the national level, and urged the defense of human dignity and fundamental rights. “We cannot resign ourselves to evil, neither as human beings nor as Christians, nor to anything that threatens dignity and destroys fundamental human rights.”
The statement released by the Archdiocese of Barquisimeto reads that Archbishop Rodríguez, referring to the situation in the country, expressed his thoughts for the hostages: “Let us pray for all those deprived of their freedom. We are grateful for the release of some, without forgetting that many others are still prisoners, and we cannot ignore their cries or those of their families,” he said. According to estimates, nearly 800 people remain imprisoned in Venezuela for political reasons. He also recalled that just days before Nicolás Maduro’s arrest in a US operation—on January 3—Venezuelan authorities released 88 political prisoners, a number that later increased to almost 200. For the archbishop, completing these releases constitutes “a gesture of reconciliation and justice” that must be carried out “as soon as possible.”
Rodriguez also addressed those who “have been forced to emigrate” in search of better opportunities, entrusting them to the protection of the Divine Shepherdess, and remembered those who have suffered hunger and poverty, pointing to the deep social wounds that have led millions of citizens to leave their country in recent years.
“Let us invoke a prayer for peace in Venezuela under the protection of our Mother, the Divine Shepherdess, who with her infinite love gathers her entire flock,” he said in conclusion, inviting everyone to overcome the current “wounds” of indifference, fear, and pessimism, and to live with hope. “This commitment calls us to be authentic members of the Church, acting as missionaries of peace for Venezuela and builders of a new society founded on love,” he emphasized.
The 168th visit of the Divine Shepherdess to Barquisimeto includes a rich program of activities until her return to Santa Rosa, with special Masses for educators and for youth and clergy at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
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