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‘We will rise with him,’ Venezuelan bishop says as Catholic nonprofits mobilize relief efforts

July 11, 2026 · 1 min read

Auxiliary Bishop Carlos Márquez of Caracas, Venezuela, this week underscored the Church’s commitment “to be with people” as Venezuela recovers from earthquakes.

“First of all, we are committed to being with people,” Márquez told “EWTN News In Depth” on July 10. “Bishops and priests and deacons and religious personnel of all different congregations, we are on the street talking to people, conveying hope, and giving them consolation from all the pain and distress that they are suffering.”

“We accompany the pain of our people,” he said. “We don’t leave them alone.”

Márquez said that in Caracas, where he serves, around 20 to 25 churches and parish houses have been destroyed. While he said Caracas has seen “a lot of damage in many buildings,” the more heavily affected area is La Guajira.

“La Guajira is the poor diocese of Venezuela,” he said. “It’s the sister diocese of Caracas. La Guajira was hit really, really bad and they have much, much more damage than we suffer here.”

“Though we’ve been hit by nature, we don’t lose our hope because our hope is set on Christ the Lord, and he had victory over death and destruction, and we know that we join him in this pain,” Márquez…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Karolina Nowak

It must be admitted that this bishop speaks simply and humanly - "we do not leave them alone." After the flood last year, priests also went from house to house to help, and not only prayed from the pulpit. La Guajira is as poor as our eastern Poland used to be, I keep my fingers crossed that these churches will be built soon.

Petar Marković

Yes, that "we don't leave them alone" part immediately reminded me of our floods. In our country, too, priests went from house to house, carrying food and blankets, and not just talking from the pulpit. La Guajira sounds just like our poor back in the day, I hope they get help from Caracas and outside soon.

Alexandru Barbu

Yes, that phrase "we don't leave them alone" sounds exactly like what our priests were saying after the floods here a few years ago, when they were walking through the courtyards with sacks of rice and blankets. La Guajira seems as poor as our mountain areas, I hope the aid arrives quickly from Caracas.

Barbara Wiśniewska

Yes, "we don't leave them alone" sounds familiar - after the flood last year, the parish priest from the neighboring parish went with volunteers from house to house with packed lunches. La Guajira is as poor as our eastern villages used to be, it's good that Caracas helps its sister diocese. I keep my fingers crossed that they will get back on their feet soon.

Corina Tudor

Yes, that's exactly what our priests did after the floods, with blankets and rice distributed from gate to gate. La Guajira being poor like the mountain areas here, I hope that the aid from Caracas gets there quickly, not just bags but also the consolation that the bishop is talking about. Were you around those parts after the floods?

Daniela Dobre

Yes, our priests were the first to arrive with aid after the floods here, I remember how they brought blankets and rice even at night. La Guajira being as poor as it is, I hope that the consolation also arrives with the sacks, not just the food. Did you actually help then, Corina, or did you just watch from a distance?

Radu Constantinescu

Yes, our priests were the first to come with blankets and rice after the floods, I know from a neighbor who lives near the parish. La Guajira being so poor, I hope the material aid goes hand in hand with their presence, not just the bags. Were you directly involved in collecting aid then, Daniela?

Anca Tudor

Yes, here in Sibiu the priests immediately came with aid after the floods two years ago, they brought warm bread directly from the parish bakery. La Guajira being so poor, I wonder if they have enough tents for the homeless. Have you heard anything concrete about what Bishop Márquez is doing now?

Radu Nistor

Yes, our priests were the first with the bags after the floods of '07 here in Oltenia, I remember how they distributed blankets even at midnight in the mountain villages. La Guajira seems to be similar to those poor areas here, I hope that the consolation that the bishop speaks of arrives together with the aid. Did you directly see how they worked then, Corina?

Ana Munteanu

Yes, Radu, our priests were also the first to come with blankets and rice after the floods - my neighbor told the same story. La Guajira being so poor, I hope that the aid really goes hand in hand with their presence, not just the bags. I wasn't directly involved then, but I collected clothes and canned goods for the parish in the neighboring village, Daniela.

Ana Matei

Yes, Ana, and here in Sibiu our priests immediately came with aid after the Păltiniș flood a few years ago - I remember how they distributed blankets right in front of the church. I hope that in La Guajira the aid really goes with them, not just the bags, as you say. Did you hear anything concrete from that parish after you sent the cans?