ELMHURST — The suffering in Venezuela is “unspeakable,” Bishop Robert Brennan told the Tablet before parishioners gathered for a special Mass at St. Bartholomew Church dedicated to the people of Venezuela following the recent devastating earthquakes.
“We pray for the people in the city, those who have died, those who are injured, their families,” Bishop Brennan said. “We pray for those involved in search and rescue. And now, it’s been a few days, so prayers are urgent.”
Bishop Brennan celebrated the Mass organized by the diocese’s Venezuelan Apostolate, led by Father Ernesto Alonso-Aguila.
“It’s a very sad situation because there are a lot of people suffering because of the loss of their loved ones,” Father Alonso-Aguila told The Tablet. “There is a lot of uncertainty at this point, but there is also a lot of solidarity with people around the world who are helping and want to help.”
The twin earthquakes struck on June 24 near San Felipe, in northern Venezuela, west of Caracas. A 7.2-magnitude quake was followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude quake, which was the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century, devastating Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira.
At least 1,700 people have died, 5,000 are injured, and roughly 2,500 structures have been damaged or destroyed as of June 29, according to Venezuelan officials.
Bishop Brennan said the tragedy hits close to home for many parishioners who have family members in Venezuela.
“This is a very good opportunity for us to be together, to pray, to be united in our prayer, and to be on the lookout for ways that we, as a church, and we as a nation, can be of assistance,” he said.
Bishop Brennan has asked all pastors in the diocese to conduct special monetary collections for the victims in Venezuela. The donations will be sent to Catholic Relief Services to provide humanitarian aid and support relief efforts.
Father Alonso-Aguila said volunteers have been collecting nonperishable food, medicine, clothing, and baby supplies that the parish will send to the country. There were two collections during the special Mass, as well.
“It’s very sad. We’re all thinking about them,” Consuelo Roque, a lector at St. Bartholomew, said of those affected by the earthquakes. “We are praying with them, and we’re going to try to help them in the best way possible.”
Grace De La Rosa, another lector, said a friend, a Venezuelan priest now living in Boston, told her his mother lost her apartment in the earthquake.
“It’s very painful for me what happened there,” said De La Rosa, who is from the Dominican Republic. “This is just the beginning. We have to keep praying for them, and hopefully the government is going to help recuperate the country and the people.”
Father Alonso-Aguila closed with an appeal beyond the Catholic community.
“I want to call the people of goodwill, not only Catholics, everyone who wants to help — this is the moment to do it,” he said. “First and foremost, with our prayers, and also with everything that we can give to them, because they really are in need of everything at this point.”
