CARACAS, Venezuela, FEB. 1, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Messages of solidarity from bishops around the world have been sent to the Church in Venezuela, victim of President Hugo Chávez´s harsh verbal attacks.
“We are surprised and profoundly lament the delicate situation being endured by the Church in Venezuela,” states a letter addressed to the Venezuelan episcopal conference by a group of Catholic leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., for a forum on economics.
“It is always dangerous to mock the Church, its doctrine, life and pastors, going to the extreme of including the Holy Father´s representative,” the letter adds.
The letter was signed by Cardinal Bernard Law, archbishop of Boston; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C.; and Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez, archbishop of Tegucigalpa and president of the Honduran episcopal conference.
Other episcopal signatories included Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. episcopal conference; William Skyland, vice president; Brendan O´Brien, vice president of the Canadian episcopal conference; Peter Schonenback, secretary-general; Colombia´s Jorge Jiménez, president of the Latin American bishops´ council (CELAM); Mexico´s Carlos Aguiar, vice president of CELAM; Laurent Monsengwo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar; and Oswald Colman, secretary of the Federation of Asian Episcopal Conferences.
“We accompany you with our prayers, convinced of the Lord Jesus Christ´s words: ´Do not be afraid. I shall be with you until the end of time,´” the bishops´ letter concludes.
On Sunday, President Chávez referred to the Church as a “tumor” because it does not support uncritically his “revolution.” On several occasions, without offering any evidence, Chávez has said the bishops are part of the country´s corrupt class.
