In the document, dated January 24, 2026, the Caracas clergy highlights their “unity around their pastoral mission” and calls on ecclesial communities, men and women of good will, and public opinion in general to support the work of the prelate.
The Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Caracas, after extensive consultation with parish priests and priests of the local Church, published this weekend a statement in which it expresses its full adherence to the metropolitan archbishop, Mons. Raúl Biord Castillo, and reaffirms its commitment to the pastoral mission he leads in the Venezuelan capital.
In the document, dated January 24, 2026, the Caracas clergy highlights their “unity around their pastoral mission” and calls on ecclesial communities, men and women of good will, and public opinion in general to support the work of the prelate.
The text recalls and values the words recently issued by Pope Leo XIV, in which the pontiff reiterates his call for dialogue, justice and peace, and invites the construction of “a culture of encounter”, with special emphasis on serving the most vulnerable as an “absolute priority of the Church.”
In that spirit, the priests who subscribe to the statement emphasize their support for Biord Castillo, whom they describe as a pastor close to his flock, with intellectual preparation and tireless dedication, qualities that, they assure, have strengthened the capital’s Church and given continuity to the work of his predecessors.
The statement also addresses the public tensions generated by questions directed against the integrity of the archbishop and his ministry, in reference to sectors that have raised criticism about his management and positioning on social and political issues. In this context, the clergy rejects “any narrative that attempts to generate internal divisions or fracture trust between the pastor and his people,” and highlights that the Church’s response to these circumstances must be “the coherent announcement of the Gospel” based on the truth and love of Jesus Christ.
The writing also reaffirms the commitment of the Caracas Church to the defense of human dignity and justice, including the rejection of arbitrary detentions and any exercise of power that deviates from the common good. “As pastors, we urge the restoration of justice, the full freedom of those who suffer captivity for their political convictions and the reparation due to families who have suffered the pain of exclusion or violence,” the text states.
This statement occurs in the midst of a climate of debate and questions about the role of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, particularly in relation to judicial processes and situations of political detentions, about which Archbishop Biord has recently issued statements in which the Church insists on its mediating and humanitarian role.
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The clergy also makes a broad call to the entire Venezuelan society to work for a Venezuela of reconciliation, concord and full justice, where each citizen has a dignified place based on mutual respect and the recognition of differences as a wealth and not as a reason for confrontation.
Finally, they urge the people to intensify prayer for the Church of Caracas, for Mons. Raúl Biord Castillo, for those who feel hurt or confused by the current situation and for the peace of the country, so that, they assure, the Holy Spirit grants wisdom, serenity and unity.
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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