One month after the devastating earthquake that shook Venezuela, the Catholic Church continues to walk with those most in need. With prayer and visible presence, priests and religious are bringing hope where pain is still very real.
While much of the country is slowly moving into recovery, the streets of La Guaira still carry deep wounds. Priests, sisters, and pastoral workers go through the hardest‑hit areas blessing homes, listening to those who have lost loved ones, and reminding everyone that God has not abandoned them — even in the midst of tragedy.
One of them is Father Xulio Ruiz, from the Sons of Mary Immaculate, who walks the streets giving funeral blessings, entrusting the souls of the deceased to God.
In videos shared by Venezuelan journalist Johan Zapata, you can see how faith also sustains those working in the rescue efforts. Amidst physical and emotional exhaustion, a young man approaches the priest holding several flashlights.
“Father, Father, bless my work tools,” he asks, before going back to clearing rubble in search of victims.
“You are not alone, God is with you”
Many families are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones, buried beneath the ruins. The pain of loss is raw — but so is the presence of the Church, trying to console those who are suffering the most.
One scene shows a woman who finds the body of her son in the remains of a collapsed building.
“I’m all alone now,” she cries, running toward Father Ruiz. She embraces him, asks for a blessing, and through tears tells him she wants to go with her son.
With a trembling voice, the priest responds: “You are not alone, God is with you.”
A Church organized to serve
From the very first days after the earthquake, the Church in Venezuela mobilized priests, religious, seminarians, and laypeople to care for communities in La Guaira, El Junquito, Falcón, and Caracas.
Beyond spiritual support, parishes, seminaries, and Church institutions have become collection centers and temporary shelters for those who lost everything. Thanks to the generosity of the faithful and benefactors, they continue to distribute food, water, medicine, and basic necessities.
“As a Church, we are organized and help many people. The donations we receive are well coordinated and reach everyone. Whoever needs something, we give it,” explains Sister Gisela Ortega.
But she also insists that material help is not enough for those who have suffered so much. Prayer remains a vital support to face grief and keep hope alive.
“Here we have a place to pray. Anyone who wants to come to pray, to bring their intentions before the Blessed Sacrament, with the Lord who keeps helping us — He is here. God is always with us. God loves us, and God is love,” she says.
One month after the earthquake — even as the emergency fades from the headlines — the Church’s presence stays firm among the ruins and in the affected communities.