Last Thursday, July 2, our basilica hosted a diocesan Mass in support of and solidarity with the people of Venezuela.
The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Omella, with the presence of Auxiliary Bishop Javier Vilanova, our rector, Fr. Salvador, several priests who also wished to accompany us, and Monsignor Tomás Jesús Zárraga, Bishop Emeritus of Venezuela. During the homily, Bishop Zárraga offered words of hope, reflecting on solidarity, life in community, and the power of prayer.
More than 1,000 people, the majority of them originally from Venezuela, took part in this celebration. At Santa Maria del Mar, we are grateful to have been able to welcome and accompany all these people—many of them members of our parish community—at a time that we know is especially difficult.
In the words of Bishop Zárraga, when we love and pray for others, we become a casita (“little home”) of the Holy Spirit, and when we welcome others and offer them a place to rest, we also become a casita for our brothers and sisters.
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this church a true casita: a place of peace, comfort, and hope for the Venezuelan people, a living sign of the communion and love of Christ.
More information here.
