LOS CATУLICOS DE VENEZUELA
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LOS CATУLICOS DE VENEZUELA
A SU SANTIDAD EL PAPA BENEDICTO XVI
Carta dirigida a manifestar su solidaridad con los planteamientos hechos por el Cardenal Rosalio Castillo Lara en su homilia mariana de Barquisimeto, el 14 de enero de 2006.
El 1 de mayo de 1957, mientras en Venezuela reinaba una ominosa dictadura, se leyу en todas las iglesias del arzobispado de Caracas una carta pastoral, con motivo del dнa de San Josй Obrero, firmada por su pastor, Monseсor Rafael Arias Blanco. En su virtud, el prelado se dio a demostrar que, contra lo que pretendнa el rйgimen polнtico de turno, Venezuela estaba lejos de alcanzar un progreso nacional cimentado en la verdadera justicia social.
Un gesto tan audaz provocу una intensa conmociуn nacional e internacional. Y aunque el arzobispo debiу sufrir por ello la reprimenda de las autoridades, los historiadores del paнs concuerdan en que aquйl marcу el principio del fin de un rйgimen despуtico y cruel.
Las campanas de las iglesias venezolanas saludaron poco despuйs, el 23 de enero de 1958, la caнda de la dictadura antes criticada por el arzobispo Arias Blanco y una nueva pastoral, esta vez colectiva, del episcopado venezolano, de fecha 15 de junio de 1958, expedida en la oportunidad de los nuevos horizontes que se le abren a la patria despuйs de la caнda del rйgimen imperante, marcу un nuevo hito para la Iglesia nacional, al seсalar la misma la opciуn por la democracia como el rйgimen polнtico mбs recomendable para el paнs polнticamente renacido. Se escribiу en ella asн:
La democracia () se adapta perfectamente a la funciуn espiritual de la Iglesia sin que cree para ella problema de ningъn gйnero. El que los pueblos escojan sus propios jefes y representantes y deleguen en ellos su autoridad para la labor legislativa, ejecutiva y judicial; el que los pueblos tomen parte activa en los problemas de la naciуn; el que los vivan, los resuelvan y se sientan responsables del curso de los sucesos se adapta mejor a la misma naturaleza humana.
Posiciones de la Iglesia como las citadas contribuyeron de modo sustantivo para que, despues de mбs de un siglo de desencuentros historicos, se firmara en 1964 la paz entre la Iglesia y el Estado venezolanos, bajo la forma de un modus vivendi entre Venezuela y la Santa Sede.
De aquellos dнas hasta hoy, ya individualmente, ya congregados en conferencia nacional, nuestros obispos han venido brindando orientaciуn a los catуlicos venezolanos en lo atinente a las relaciones entre polнtica y espнritu. Y cualquiera que examine las cartas pastorales del episcopado venezolano encontrarб que la Iglesia se ha exhibido en ellas como una celosa defensora de las libertades, de los derechos humanos y de la democracia entre nosotros, circunstancia puesta de relieve de manera especial en cada ocasiуn en que se han celebrado elecciones para elegir nuevas autoridades polнticas. Y todo ello ha contribuido para que la propia Iglesia haya llegado a disfrutar de un alto y mantenido prestigio institucional.
Esta carta de hoy al Padre espiritual de la Iglesia catуlica, que encabezamos con tales recuerdos, la hemos suscrito, sin embargo, para darle a conocer que, desgraciadamente, un vuelco polнtico indeseable ha venido a trastocar desde hace algunos aсos para aca la arduamente alcanzada paz religiosa venezolana.
Citaremos apenas algunas de las iniciativas que a ello han colaborado: un intento inicial, afortunadamente fraca sado, de poner a las Iglesias para comenzar, la Catуlica- al servicio del rйgimen, por la via de la formacion de una estrafalaria Asamblea Constituyente religiosa; tentativas de control creciente sobre la educaciуn privada; hostilidad manifiesta hacia la jerarquнa eclesiбstica, puesta de relieve hasta en un momento tan cristiana y humanamente conmovedor como lo constituyу el sepelio del Cardenal Arzobispo de Caracas, Josй Ignacio Velasco; profanaciуn por sus parciales de imбgenes sagradas; utilizaciуn politica de la Cruz y del Santo Evangelio y hasta una escandalosa intromisiуn de la polнtica endeterminadas conmemoraciones religiosas. Expresiones, hay que decirlo, de un gobierno que ha manchado de sangre y lodo su desempeсo desde 1999, al responder a sus opositores con la muerte, la cбrcel, la exclusiуn o el exilio.
Pero esta carta a Su Santidad, no hubiera adquirido tal vez forma, de no haber acontecido ъltimamente el incidente de que fue vнctima un eminente hombre de Iglesia y ejemplar ciudadano, el Seсor Cardenal Rosalio Castillo Lara.
Hombre atento a asemejarse al apуstol Pedro en aquello por йste dicho de que primero debe obedecerse a Dios que a los hombres (Hechos de los Apуstoles, 5, 29), Castillo Lara ha unido su voz a la de otros valientes varones de la historia de la Iglesia para reclamar de un gobierno renuente a ello las libertades, la democracia y el respeto a los derechos humanos que garantiza la propia Constituciуn de Venezuela, jurada cumplir por los primeros mandatarios, bajo pena de ser demandados por Dios y la patria, en caso contrario.
Frente a un desempeсo de tal naturaleza la reacciуn del gobierno, empezando por su mбs alta cabeza ha sido la de cubrirle airadamente de injurias que han causado la mбs profunda pena al pueblo venezolano entero.
Tal conducta gubernamental ha tenido, sin embargo, su mбs lasstimosa expresiуn a raнz de la homilнa de se valiу el propio Cardenal, en la conmemoraciуn mariana de la Virgen de la Divina Pastora, en la ciudad de Barquisimeto, el pasado 14 de enero de 2006, ante centenares de miles de peregrinos, para pedirle a la Madre de Dios que salvara a Venezuela. Hizo el eclesiбstico en la ocasiуn, entre diversas y graves afirmaciones, las siguientes:
Nos encontramos en una situaciуn de extrema gravedad Un gobierno elegido democrбticamente presenta visos de dictadura no para procurar el mayor bien de la naciуn, sino para un torcido y anacrуnico proyecto polнtico: el de implantar en Venezuela un rйgimen desastroso como el de Fidel Castro
Los principios fundamentales de la democracia son ignorados o violados La libertad de expresiуn es restringidaLa disidencia perseguida decenas de prisioneros polнticos La corrupciуn se multiplica Al mismo tiempo crece la pobreza, abunda el desempleo
Esta carta, Santнsimo Padre, busca haceros saber que hacemos nuestras las palabras dichas en tan solemne oportunidad por el Cardenal Castillo Lara y pediros que volquйis los ojos sobre Venezuela y la bendigбis de modo especial en esta hora de graves dificultades y tambiйn haceros conocer que, lejos de amilanarnos, los catуlicos venezolanos hemos hecho bandera de estas palabras a nosotros dirigidas por vuestro inolvidable predecesor Juan Pablo II, en una de sus dos visitas a Venezuela: No tengбis miedo. Y aseguraros que, con la ayuda de Dios, defenderemos nuestra fe, lucharemos por nuestra libertad y sostendremos a nuestros valiente pastores porque no tenemos miedo.
----------------------------------------------------
From the Catholics of Venezuela
to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI
(A letter to be sent to manifest their solidarity with the affirmations made by Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara in his Mariana Homily in the city of Barquisimeto, on January 14,2006)
On May 1, 1957, while in Venezuela, there was an ominous dictatorship, in all of the Churches of the Caracas Archbishopric, a Pastoral Letter was read, for the celebration of St. Joseph, the Worker, signed by the Pastor, Mgr. Rafael Arias Blanco.
In it, the Prelate tried to demonstrate that, in spite of what the existing government at that time pretended, Venezuela was far from attaining a national progress founded in a true social justice.
This daring statement provoked an intense commotion, both nationally and internationally. And although the Archbishop should have suffered a rebuke from the civil authorities, the historians of the country agree that this statement marked the beginning of the end of a despotic and cruel regime.
The bells of the Venezuelan Churches celebrated a little later, the 23rd of January of 1958, the fall of the dictatorship, which was criticized by the Archbishop Arias Blanco, and a new Pastoral Letter, this time collective, from the Venezuelan Episcopacy, dated June 15, 1958, marked a new milestone for the National Church, in indicating that the democratic choice was the best option for this country, now politically reborn. In this Letter appeared the following text:
Democracy (...) is perfectly adaptable to the spiritual function of the Church, without creating any kind of problem. The right of the people to choose their own leaders and representatives and delegate to them their authority for their legislative, executive and judiciary duties; to take an active part in the problems of the nation; that they should live, and resolve and feel personally responsible of these same problems, is more compatible with our human nature.
The aforementioned positions of the Church contributed in a substantial way that after more than a century of historical conflicts, there should be signed a peace agreement in 1964 between the Church and the Venezuelan State.
Since that time and up until now, our Bishops, individually or in Conference, have been giving orientation to our Venezuelan Catholics in that which concerns the relationship between politics and spiritual matters. And those who study the Pastoral Letters of the Venezuelan Episcopacy, will find that the National Church, has proven itself to be a zealous defender of liberty, human rights and democracy among us, which has been manifested specially in every election where new political authorities have been chosen for our country. All this has contributed that our Church has attained a high and sustained level of institutional reputation.
Todays letter to the Spiritual Father of the Catholic Church, that we begin with these remembrances, we have subscribed, nevertheless, to inform you, that sadly enough, an undesired political turn of events, has come, beginning a few years ago, to disturb this religious peace.
We will mention some of the events that have contributed to this situation: Beginning with an intent by the government, which fortunately failed, to put all the religious groups into the governments service by an outlandish constitutional religious assembly; next a continual intent to control private education; hostility towards certain Church hierarchs, manifested even as in such an emotional moment, as the burial of the Cardinal Archbishop of Caracas, Josй Ignacio Velasco; the profanation of sacred images by supporters of the government in a public plaza; political manipulation of the holy cross and of the holy gospel and up to a scandalous intrusion of politics in religious celebrations. Shameful expressions of a government, which we must declare, that have marred its functions since 1999, to have responded to its political adversaries with death, prisons, exclusion or exile.
But this letter to your Holiness, would not have been written, if it were not that lately an incident by which affected an outstanding Church authority and excellent citizen, Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara.
This man, being an imitator of St. Peter, in his saying, We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts of the Apostles 5:29), has joined his voice with other valiant men of Church history, to plead liberty, democracy and respect of human rights, which are guaranteed by the Venezuelan Constitution, with an unwilling government.
Considering the aforementioned affirmations, the Venezuelan government, beginning with its highest leader, has reacted by covering the Cardinal with numerous insults, which has caused the deepest pain in all the people of Venezuela.
Such conduct in the Venezuelan leaders has had, nevertheless, its worst expression, in the occasion of the homily given by our Cardinal in the ceremony of the Virgin of the Divine Shepherd, which was celebrated in the city of Barquisimeto on January 14, 2006, before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, asking the mother of God to save Venezuela. On this occasion the Cardinal, among various and grave statements, said the following:
We are at present in an extremely grave situation ... A government which was democratically elected ... presents appearances of a dictatorship ... not to seek the well-being of the nation, but rather a twisted and anachronistic political plan: that of implanting in Venezuela a disastrous regime like that of Fidel Castro ...
The fundamental principles of our democracy are ignored or violated ... the liberty of expression is restricted ... the dissidence ... persecuted ... dozens of political prisoners ... increase of corruption ... at the same time poverty increases and unemployment grows ...
This letter, Holy Father, seeks to make known to you, that we make our own, the words spoken to our country by Cardinal Castillo Lara and ask you to cast your eyes upon Venezuela and to bless it with a very special blessing in this hour of grave difficulties, and also make known to you that, far from being intimidated, the Venezuelan Catholics, have made a banner of these words given to us by your unforgettable predecessor, Pope John Paul II, in one of his two visits to Venezuela: Dont be afraid. And to assure you that, with Gods help, we shall defend our faith, fighting for our liberty and supporting our brave Pastors because we are not afraid.
A SU SANTIDAD EL PAPA BENEDICTO XVI
Carta dirigida a manifestar su solidaridad con los planteamientos hechos por el Cardenal Rosalio Castillo Lara en su homilia mariana de Barquisimeto, el 14 de enero de 2006.
El 1 de mayo de 1957, mientras en Venezuela reinaba una ominosa dictadura, se leyу en todas las iglesias del arzobispado de Caracas una carta pastoral, con motivo del dнa de San Josй Obrero, firmada por su pastor, Monseсor Rafael Arias Blanco. En su virtud, el prelado se dio a demostrar que, contra lo que pretendнa el rйgimen polнtico de turno, Venezuela estaba lejos de alcanzar un progreso nacional cimentado en la verdadera justicia social.
Un gesto tan audaz provocу una intensa conmociуn nacional e internacional. Y aunque el arzobispo debiу sufrir por ello la reprimenda de las autoridades, los historiadores del paнs concuerdan en que aquйl marcу el principio del fin de un rйgimen despуtico y cruel.
Las campanas de las iglesias venezolanas saludaron poco despuйs, el 23 de enero de 1958, la caнda de la dictadura antes criticada por el arzobispo Arias Blanco y una nueva pastoral, esta vez colectiva, del episcopado venezolano, de fecha 15 de junio de 1958, expedida en la oportunidad de los nuevos horizontes que se le abren a la patria despuйs de la caнda del rйgimen imperante, marcу un nuevo hito para la Iglesia nacional, al seсalar la misma la opciуn por la democracia como el rйgimen polнtico mбs recomendable para el paнs polнticamente renacido. Se escribiу en ella asн:
La democracia () se adapta perfectamente a la funciуn espiritual de la Iglesia sin que cree para ella problema de ningъn gйnero. El que los pueblos escojan sus propios jefes y representantes y deleguen en ellos su autoridad para la labor legislativa, ejecutiva y judicial; el que los pueblos tomen parte activa en los problemas de la naciуn; el que los vivan, los resuelvan y se sientan responsables del curso de los sucesos se adapta mejor a la misma naturaleza humana.
Posiciones de la Iglesia como las citadas contribuyeron de modo sustantivo para que, despues de mбs de un siglo de desencuentros historicos, se firmara en 1964 la paz entre la Iglesia y el Estado venezolanos, bajo la forma de un modus vivendi entre Venezuela y la Santa Sede.
De aquellos dнas hasta hoy, ya individualmente, ya congregados en conferencia nacional, nuestros obispos han venido brindando orientaciуn a los catуlicos venezolanos en lo atinente a las relaciones entre polнtica y espнritu. Y cualquiera que examine las cartas pastorales del episcopado venezolano encontrarб que la Iglesia se ha exhibido en ellas como una celosa defensora de las libertades, de los derechos humanos y de la democracia entre nosotros, circunstancia puesta de relieve de manera especial en cada ocasiуn en que se han celebrado elecciones para elegir nuevas autoridades polнticas. Y todo ello ha contribuido para que la propia Iglesia haya llegado a disfrutar de un alto y mantenido prestigio institucional.
Esta carta de hoy al Padre espiritual de la Iglesia catуlica, que encabezamos con tales recuerdos, la hemos suscrito, sin embargo, para darle a conocer que, desgraciadamente, un vuelco polнtico indeseable ha venido a trastocar desde hace algunos aсos para aca la arduamente alcanzada paz religiosa venezolana.
Citaremos apenas algunas de las iniciativas que a ello han colaborado: un intento inicial, afortunadamente fraca sado, de poner a las Iglesias para comenzar, la Catуlica- al servicio del rйgimen, por la via de la formacion de una estrafalaria Asamblea Constituyente religiosa; tentativas de control creciente sobre la educaciуn privada; hostilidad manifiesta hacia la jerarquнa eclesiбstica, puesta de relieve hasta en un momento tan cristiana y humanamente conmovedor como lo constituyу el sepelio del Cardenal Arzobispo de Caracas, Josй Ignacio Velasco; profanaciуn por sus parciales de imбgenes sagradas; utilizaciуn politica de la Cruz y del Santo Evangelio y hasta una escandalosa intromisiуn de la polнtica endeterminadas conmemoraciones religiosas. Expresiones, hay que decirlo, de un gobierno que ha manchado de sangre y lodo su desempeсo desde 1999, al responder a sus opositores con la muerte, la cбrcel, la exclusiуn o el exilio.
Pero esta carta a Su Santidad, no hubiera adquirido tal vez forma, de no haber acontecido ъltimamente el incidente de que fue vнctima un eminente hombre de Iglesia y ejemplar ciudadano, el Seсor Cardenal Rosalio Castillo Lara.
Hombre atento a asemejarse al apуstol Pedro en aquello por йste dicho de que primero debe obedecerse a Dios que a los hombres (Hechos de los Apуstoles, 5, 29), Castillo Lara ha unido su voz a la de otros valientes varones de la historia de la Iglesia para reclamar de un gobierno renuente a ello las libertades, la democracia y el respeto a los derechos humanos que garantiza la propia Constituciуn de Venezuela, jurada cumplir por los primeros mandatarios, bajo pena de ser demandados por Dios y la patria, en caso contrario.
Frente a un desempeсo de tal naturaleza la reacciуn del gobierno, empezando por su mбs alta cabeza ha sido la de cubrirle airadamente de injurias que han causado la mбs profunda pena al pueblo venezolano entero.
Tal conducta gubernamental ha tenido, sin embargo, su mбs lasstimosa expresiуn a raнz de la homilнa de se valiу el propio Cardenal, en la conmemoraciуn mariana de la Virgen de la Divina Pastora, en la ciudad de Barquisimeto, el pasado 14 de enero de 2006, ante centenares de miles de peregrinos, para pedirle a la Madre de Dios que salvara a Venezuela. Hizo el eclesiбstico en la ocasiуn, entre diversas y graves afirmaciones, las siguientes:
Nos encontramos en una situaciуn de extrema gravedad Un gobierno elegido democrбticamente presenta visos de dictadura no para procurar el mayor bien de la naciуn, sino para un torcido y anacrуnico proyecto polнtico: el de implantar en Venezuela un rйgimen desastroso como el de Fidel Castro
Los principios fundamentales de la democracia son ignorados o violados La libertad de expresiуn es restringidaLa disidencia perseguida decenas de prisioneros polнticos La corrupciуn se multiplica Al mismo tiempo crece la pobreza, abunda el desempleo
Esta carta, Santнsimo Padre, busca haceros saber que hacemos nuestras las palabras dichas en tan solemne oportunidad por el Cardenal Castillo Lara y pediros que volquйis los ojos sobre Venezuela y la bendigбis de modo especial en esta hora de graves dificultades y tambiйn haceros conocer que, lejos de amilanarnos, los catуlicos venezolanos hemos hecho bandera de estas palabras a nosotros dirigidas por vuestro inolvidable predecesor Juan Pablo II, en una de sus dos visitas a Venezuela: No tengбis miedo. Y aseguraros que, con la ayuda de Dios, defenderemos nuestra fe, lucharemos por nuestra libertad y sostendremos a nuestros valiente pastores porque no tenemos miedo.
----------------------------------------------------
From the Catholics of Venezuela
to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI
(A letter to be sent to manifest their solidarity with the affirmations made by Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara in his Mariana Homily in the city of Barquisimeto, on January 14,2006)
On May 1, 1957, while in Venezuela, there was an ominous dictatorship, in all of the Churches of the Caracas Archbishopric, a Pastoral Letter was read, for the celebration of St. Joseph, the Worker, signed by the Pastor, Mgr. Rafael Arias Blanco.
In it, the Prelate tried to demonstrate that, in spite of what the existing government at that time pretended, Venezuela was far from attaining a national progress founded in a true social justice.
This daring statement provoked an intense commotion, both nationally and internationally. And although the Archbishop should have suffered a rebuke from the civil authorities, the historians of the country agree that this statement marked the beginning of the end of a despotic and cruel regime.
The bells of the Venezuelan Churches celebrated a little later, the 23rd of January of 1958, the fall of the dictatorship, which was criticized by the Archbishop Arias Blanco, and a new Pastoral Letter, this time collective, from the Venezuelan Episcopacy, dated June 15, 1958, marked a new milestone for the National Church, in indicating that the democratic choice was the best option for this country, now politically reborn. In this Letter appeared the following text:
Democracy (...) is perfectly adaptable to the spiritual function of the Church, without creating any kind of problem. The right of the people to choose their own leaders and representatives and delegate to them their authority for their legislative, executive and judiciary duties; to take an active part in the problems of the nation; that they should live, and resolve and feel personally responsible of these same problems, is more compatible with our human nature.
The aforementioned positions of the Church contributed in a substantial way that after more than a century of historical conflicts, there should be signed a peace agreement in 1964 between the Church and the Venezuelan State.
Since that time and up until now, our Bishops, individually or in Conference, have been giving orientation to our Venezuelan Catholics in that which concerns the relationship between politics and spiritual matters. And those who study the Pastoral Letters of the Venezuelan Episcopacy, will find that the National Church, has proven itself to be a zealous defender of liberty, human rights and democracy among us, which has been manifested specially in every election where new political authorities have been chosen for our country. All this has contributed that our Church has attained a high and sustained level of institutional reputation.
Todays letter to the Spiritual Father of the Catholic Church, that we begin with these remembrances, we have subscribed, nevertheless, to inform you, that sadly enough, an undesired political turn of events, has come, beginning a few years ago, to disturb this religious peace.
We will mention some of the events that have contributed to this situation: Beginning with an intent by the government, which fortunately failed, to put all the religious groups into the governments service by an outlandish constitutional religious assembly; next a continual intent to control private education; hostility towards certain Church hierarchs, manifested even as in such an emotional moment, as the burial of the Cardinal Archbishop of Caracas, Josй Ignacio Velasco; the profanation of sacred images by supporters of the government in a public plaza; political manipulation of the holy cross and of the holy gospel and up to a scandalous intrusion of politics in religious celebrations. Shameful expressions of a government, which we must declare, that have marred its functions since 1999, to have responded to its political adversaries with death, prisons, exclusion or exile.
But this letter to your Holiness, would not have been written, if it were not that lately an incident by which affected an outstanding Church authority and excellent citizen, Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara.
This man, being an imitator of St. Peter, in his saying, We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts of the Apostles 5:29), has joined his voice with other valiant men of Church history, to plead liberty, democracy and respect of human rights, which are guaranteed by the Venezuelan Constitution, with an unwilling government.
Considering the aforementioned affirmations, the Venezuelan government, beginning with its highest leader, has reacted by covering the Cardinal with numerous insults, which has caused the deepest pain in all the people of Venezuela.
Such conduct in the Venezuelan leaders has had, nevertheless, its worst expression, in the occasion of the homily given by our Cardinal in the ceremony of the Virgin of the Divine Shepherd, which was celebrated in the city of Barquisimeto on January 14, 2006, before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, asking the mother of God to save Venezuela. On this occasion the Cardinal, among various and grave statements, said the following:
We are at present in an extremely grave situation ... A government which was democratically elected ... presents appearances of a dictatorship ... not to seek the well-being of the nation, but rather a twisted and anachronistic political plan: that of implanting in Venezuela a disastrous regime like that of Fidel Castro ...
The fundamental principles of our democracy are ignored or violated ... the liberty of expression is restricted ... the dissidence ... persecuted ... dozens of political prisoners ... increase of corruption ... at the same time poverty increases and unemployment grows ...
This letter, Holy Father, seeks to make known to you, that we make our own, the words spoken to our country by Cardinal Castillo Lara and ask you to cast your eyes upon Venezuela and to bless it with a very special blessing in this hour of grave difficulties, and also make known to you that, far from being intimidated, the Venezuelan Catholics, have made a banner of these words given to us by your unforgettable predecessor, Pope John Paul II, in one of his two visits to Venezuela: Dont be afraid. And to assure you that, with Gods help, we shall defend our faith, fighting for our liberty and supporting our brave Pastors because we are not afraid.
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