Work of future Venezuelan Blessed survives through “the providence of God”

Caracas, Venezuela, Jul 12, 2007 / 09:25 am

Catholics in Venezuela are rejoicing at the news of the upcoming beatification of Mother Candelaria de San Jose, especially the Carmelite religious communities who run a home founded by the future blessed, which relies on Divine providence for their resources.

The Venezuelan daily “El Universal” reported that Mother Candelaria de San Jose Home in Altagracia de Orituco currently cares for 17 girls between the ages of 5 and 14.  The home, which provides assistance for girls who have been abandoned, abused or are homeless, operates today in the same way it did when it was founded in the 1900s by Mother Candelaria: it depends on Divine providence, the article said.

Sister Ana Joaquina Acosta, the director of the home, said it receives around $600 a month from the local government, an amount no where near sufficient to provide food, clothing and education to the girls.  Sister Ana said the home’s main benefactors are “volunteers who donate food and other goods to sustain the work.” “Sometimes we don’t have enough money even for medicine for the three of us who work here,” she said.

Sister Ana said many officials have visited the home since the news of the beatification of the foundress but that so far no one has pledged to provide more assistance.  She noted that not only monks and priests are called to be witnesses of the faith and to help others, but that “there are even politicians who are in the process of beatification because we are all children of God.”

The home for girls was founded on September 13, 1903 by Mother Candelaria de San Jose.  At that time it was called the San Antonio Hospital, and the expenses to run the home were covered by volunteers.