Venezuelan cardinal says bishops are not politicians and have no interest in politics

Caracas, Venezuela, Sep 25, 2007 / 09:31 am

The Archbishop of Caracas, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, said this week the Venezuelan bishops are “not political operatives, nor do we have any political bias or political interests,” reaffirming what the country’s bishops have already said on various occasions.

The cardinal made his comments during the celebration of his silver jubilee as a bishop.  “Our interest is that there be peace, prosperity, harmony, justice and freedom in every corner of Venezuela,” he said.

“The Church is the people of God and the people of peace, and the bishops are builders of peace.  Each Christian should be part of this people of peace, and we are all builders of peace,” the cardinal said.

“We need a Church that prays, that grows, that has more apostolic movements, and more seminarians with better formation. This is a Church that exists already and that we must continue to build up and strengthen,” he stated. 

Cardinal Urosa also called for greater unity in the Church.  “May they be one so that the world might believe,” he said, thanking Benedict XVI, “with whom I feel closely united and who has been so kind as to show his closeness through a beautiful letter which we read at the beginning of this Eucharistic celebration.”

Constitutional reform

Before Mass Cardinal Urosa spoke with reporters and expressed his concern about the lack of interest among Venezuelans in learning about President Hugo Chavez’s proposed constitutional reforms.
 
While he said constitutional reform is “very important for the future of all Venezuelans,” he urged the proposals be “studied and debated”.