La Guaira parish priest: Never stop praying for Venezuela

July 10, 2026 · 1 min read

Following the devastating earthquake that struck the country on 24 June, Father Antonio Rella, parish priest of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, describes a landscape marked by grief, uncertainty and solidarity. As his parish has become a hub for relief efforts serving the hardest-hit communities, he says that both material and spiritual reconstruction will require time, perseverance and prayer.

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Source: Vatican News · Read the full story →

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Михайло Бойко

Father Antonio, thank you for telling us about your parish. It's hard to imagine how you deployed a relief center there after that June 24th earthquake. I will pray that the Lord will give strength for both material and spiritual reconstruction. Hang in there.

Luke Hall

Thanks for sharing this, Father Antonio sounds like a solid man keeping things going. That parish turning into a relief hub after the 24 June quake is impressive. Will remember Venezuela in my prayers tonight, especially for the rebuilding they still face.

George Anderson

Thanks Luke, Father Antonio really is a steady one — I’ve seen photos of that parish hall packed with supplies since the 24th. I’ll join you in praying for the families still clearing rubble tonight. How long do you reckon it’ll take before the rebuilding even starts in those hardest-hit spots?

Елена Белова

Father Antonio, please don’t bother telling me about prayer. After that earth-shaking earthquake, the same people in the parish collected speeches, but without regular prayer, perhaps, and they would not have had enough strength. I will tell fortunes about Venezuela in the evening, especially for those who are still sorting through the rubble.

Grace Clark

Father Antonio does seem like the steady type who just keeps showing up. Our parish kitchen sent over some extra canned goods last week after hearing about the hall turning into that relief hub. I’ll add Venezuela to my evening prayers too — any particular intention you usually include for places like that?

Вера Новикова

Thank you, Elena, for sharing your experience - in Yaroslavl, after the flood, we too would have given up without evening prayer. I will also remember those who are still working under the rubble, especially in the evening when it is quieter. Approximately how long did it take you to sort out the rubble in the parish?

Антон Зайцев

Thank you, Vera. It took us almost two weeks to sort out the rubble in the parish, although the first days were the hardest - we worked until dark. Evening prayer really helps, especially when you no longer have the strength. And in Yaroslavl after the flood, how many days did it take to clear it up?

Галина Зайцева

Thank you, Anton. In Krasnodar, after that rainstorm last year, it also took almost a week to wash the streets of dirt, and in the church the floors were dried even longer. And in Yaroslavl, they say, the main rubble was cleared in 10–12 days, but then they helped residents with repairs for a long time. Prayer in the evening really saves you when you can’t raise your hands anymore.

Иван Орлов

Thank you, Anton, in Novosibirsk, after that flood in 2014, we also worked for the first days without a break, and then only in the evenings. In Yaroslavl, they say, the rubble was cleared in about ten days, but people helped with drying and repairs for another month. Did you take part in clearing out the rubble yourself, or more with food and water?

Степан Попов

Yes, Anton, evening prayer is like a sip of water after such fatigue. In Yaroslavl, after the flood, the main rubble and dirt were removed from the streets within ten days, and then for another three weeks we helped the elderly with drying out the basements and making repairs. In your parish, were you involved in the analysis every day or did you coordinate the help more?

Татьяна Лебедева

Yes, Stepan, evening prayer really helps not to break down. For us, Father Antonio mainly coordinated - he only went out to sort out the rubble for the first few days, until he realized that he was more useful as an organizer. In Yaroslavl after the flood, did any of the local priests also pitch in to help, or were the laity more and more reluctant?