MISSION IN VENEZUELA AND NICARAGUA OF MARCH 2007 

 

 

On March 3rd, I began the mission in Venezuela in the city of Caracas. I preached at a two-day conference for the charismatic renewal which is led by an Italian priest who has lived in Venezuela for 30 years, and has a powerful ministry for the poor and a true power house of evangelization. Thousands showed up at a Baby Jesus shrine within the city limits. I spoke on moving towards a true conversion, on rising above luke-warmness, on becoming real Catholics and using this Lent's blessings to reach out for the transforming Mercy of Christ. I exhorted them to be loyal to the magisterial of the church, to be obedient to sacred Tradition, and to observe the Divine Liturgy as a perfect way of being in line with a heavenly living on earth in spite of it all. To understand the magnificent invitation of Jesus through Saints Peter and Paul, and to be brave and courageous about the faith. To testify without fear that Jesus is Lord. To embrace the heavenly maternity of the Virgin Mary as a perfect door to all of the graces placed before us at the foot of the cross.

It was a much anointed weekend. Lots of praising and powerful praying. A good and Holy charismatic moment.

 

I moved on to Valencia the following Monday and held a few more individual talks in parishes and convents. I Spoke to the youth and the elderly. This city in particular has been going through an awakening in the last five years, especially due to the enormous pressure placed upon them from the government changes of the last eight years which have not been exactly welcoming for the Catholic Church. Many persecutions to the faithful have been escalating from different sides of the government. On the other hand, all of this has contributed to a sense of reconciliation with God that appears to me to be of great blessings for everyone. It seems to me that the people of Venezuela have grown far from God for a while, and for a Catholic country it is not a good idea, because the responsibilities given to the Eucharistic faithful are of great dimensions in the spiritual warfare of the human family. One could see the difference of heavenly ruling over  protestant countries like the USA and Canada where God's justice is a little slower on His showing as opposed to a Catholic country where God's justice does not delay the Angel of correction to show. It is clear that protestant and pagan nations do not have the same level of spiritual awareness and responsibilities. As Catholics we are responsible for the rest of humanity, only because of the fact that we are receiving the very body and blood of Christ as daily nourishment. The true bread of life.

 

The following weekend I moved on to Punto Fijo, a city on the north east of the country; an oil refinery center. I attended as the main speaker for an archdiocesan lent retreat. I spoke to thousands that gathered with the assistance of the local bishop. The theme was all about conversion and about realizing the importance of knowing the faith, the doctrine of the church, of building solid grounds on the social doctrine of the Catholic faith. This area of the country has been badly hit by the protestant sects like the evangelicals who are especially aggressive against the Catholic Church. It is a serious battle they are facing to combat the errs that those people are preaching.

 

I left Venezuela on the 12th of March to Managua Nicaragua and began a three days mission in that country.

It was my first visit to Nicaragua and I was so very happy to find such a brave Catholic country where against all odds they rebuke all of the forces of evil that were fighting to legalize abortion. We are talking about a small country that went against giants like the European Union and the North American countries who threatened with economical sanctions in the event they would not pass the abortion laws.

I began at a prison in the outskirts of Managua. The National prisons system director was present and gathered about one thousand prisoners, among them 100 women. I spoke about my testimony of conversion and prayed for a while for the releasing of anger, revenge, hatred, and all of the suppressed emotions that come along with a prison sentence. It was a magnificent experience. It was a beautiful blessing to find a Catholic prison system. Something very unusual due to the fact that the Catholic church in many countries has overlooked the prison ministries, and as a consequence all of the heretic preaching of the Protestants have reached thousands of prisoners throughout America, who in turn have evangelized their families away from the Catholic faith.

The day after, I had a conference of three talks at a Hotel hall in Managua which was filled above capacity.

On my last day, I taped a talk show which is centered on values and is a true flag of the Catholic faith, and is viewed all around the continent of America through cable.

I found the Nicaraguan people to be living a cycle of peace after a war of ten years which ended in so many deaths and so much havoc.

Let's pray, so that the Nicaraguan people continue to be brave supporters of the right to life and for them to keep the Catholic faith strong and renewed as it is transpiring at this moment in time.