Cardinal Urosa urges that death of university student not go unpunished

Caracas, Venezuela, Jul 15, 2008 / 20:29 pm

The Archbishop of Caracas, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, deplored the death of Douglas Rojas Jimenez, a college student who was killed during a student protest in Merida, and has asked officials to punish those responsible for the crime.

During a Mass celebrated at the Central University of Venezuela, Cardinal Urosa called on police to “enforce the law to prevent excesses and that acts such as the killing of this student do not happen again.” Rojas Jimenez died 48 hours after being shot during a student protest near the University of the Andes in the city of Merida.

“We deplore this act of violence and we lift our prayers to the Lord for the eternal repose of this young student, who was full of life and hope for building a better world. We ask that those guilty of this crime be duly punished according to the law,” the cardinal said.

Cardinal Urosa also encouraged Catholics to strive for holiness by living according to God’s commandments, “which are summarized in this one: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself.”

“Each Christian, in his own state of life and social condition, whether in the world of politics, academia, or economics, has the obligation to work for a better world,” he said