Caracas – When the first images of destruction disappear from the media, communities affected by an earthquake enter a long and silent phase: living in shelters, mourning the loss of loved ones, caring for the injured and seeking to recover hope.
While in Colombia the network of ecclesial fraternity continues to accompany the communities affected by the earthquake that struck the department of Chocó on 10 August, in Venezuela, more than two months after the tremors of 24 June, the Church remains close to those who are still suffering the consequences.
The Servants of the Home of the Mother have joined these efforts. Four Spanish religious sisters, after contacting the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martín, and the Archbishop of Caracas, Raúl Biord Castillo, travelled to Venezuela this summer to offer spiritual accompaniment to those affected.
The mission, led by Sister Paqui Morales, took them to hospitals, shelters and communities in La Guaira. “There is a great need for God,” the religious sister observed as she met people affected by the tragedy.
In the hospitals, they were able to “help bring Holy Communion to the sick, pray with them and comfort them, conveying peace and hope,” Sister Paqui recounts.
In La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake, the sisters organized a Eucharistic mission, visiting shelters and inviting people to participate in Holy Mass and in a Holy Hour. One of these celebrations took place amid the ruins of the city, offering those who had lost their homes and those who continue to live in shelters the opportunity to remain before Jesus present in the Eucharist.
With the emergency still ongoing, needs remain numerous. The religious sisters nevertheless highlight the response of the local Church. “We are proud of the Venezuelan clergy and religious, who are giving themselves without reserve for everyone,” Sister Paqui says. Food, clothing, hygiene products and medicines have been collected and distributed by parishes, while priests and religious bring the sacraments to the sick, listen to those who suffer and offer them consolation. Material assistance is handed over to the civil authorities, who are responsible for distributing it in the shelters.
In Colombia, aid efforts continue to be coordinated through Caritas, dioceses and parishes, with particular attention to rural and hard-to-reach areas. At the end of August, the Episcopal Conference announced that the national “Dona Nobis 2026” collection would also allocate resources to the dioceses affected by the earthquake, as part of the initiative “Con Colombia, hasta el último rincón” .
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