Venezuelan Seminarians Struggle to Follow Christ’s Call

The National Catholic Register ^ | 7/18/18 | Jonathon Liedl

[marshmallow]

Venezuelan seminarians are struggling to continue their formation for the priesthood in the midst of a deepening national crisis

I’ve known Oscar for only a couple days, but I already think he has some gifts that would make him a great priest.

The 19-year-old seminarian, who is just finishing his second year of formation, has been a translator of sorts for me during my visit to Buen Pastor Seminary in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. Although he doesn’t speak any English, he patiently and clearly explains things in a way that I can understand with my limited Spanish—a welcome contrast to the typical Venezuelan speech that comes out fast and with letters missing. I can almost see him instructing his future parishioners on the revelations of our faith in the same empathetic and patient manner.

But Oscar’s progress to ordination is anything but certain, and, at least for the time being, will not be moving forward.

Like so many other seminarians in this country, currently in the fifth year of a crisis that’s made food, medicine, and other basic goods increasingly hard to come by, Oscar is interrupting his studies to support his family. His mother, already living alone and now unable to work or walk much after losing part of her foot to diabetes, is not faring well. With many of his older siblings no longer around to support her, Oscar, the youngest of seven, feels the pressure to provide. His seminary journey has already been filled with adversity, including opposition from many of his Evangelical family members, but the suffering of his mother is one obstacle that he is unable to surmount.

Last we talked, Oscar is looking for a passport so he can leave the country to find work that pays more than Venezuela’s current monthly minimum wage, which, due.......

[BlackVeil]

Perhaps Aid To The Church in Need could help. Although they must have many calls on their purse.