08 Aug 2017
The summer of 2017 marked 50 years since our MSCs first reached out to help the people of Venezuela in 1967. To commemorate our Golden Jubilee Fr Joseph McGee MSC, during his time as Irish Provincial Leader, visited our Venezuelan missions in June of 2017. Here, he shares his thoughts on our ongoing mission as we look ahead to the future of this troubled region.
Fr Joe writes, “I have been coming here for the past 12 years and have had much food for thought on each visit. Nevertheless, on this occasion, I left feeling very disturbed by what I witnessed. The feeling of unrest is palpable in this region of social and political turmoil.
An inflation rate of 700% means that food shortages and exorbitantly high prices are the order of the day. Long queues in shops and at petrol stations are a regular occurrence. When, for example, word gets out that the local bread shop has bread for sale, people will queue for hours to buy a loaf of poor-quality bread.
Soap for personal hygiene or for laundry is a luxury item and is rationed. Clean water is a scarce commodity, and one is conscious when drinking filtered water that it too is in short supply and very expensive. The most difficult thing I witnessed was seeing people scavenge in the rubbish heaps for scraps that have burst through the overflowing rubbish bags and appear to be edible.”
“People are doing all they can to leave the country and start a new life.”
“Public transport is always dangerous and not for the faint-hearted. I was fortunate enough to travel by air between Maracaibo and Caracas. The single journey cost a mere €10, but in local currency, this is simply out of the reach of the vast majority of citizens who have to make the 12-hour journey by coach overnight.
Travellers on this arduous journey must endure at least one hold-up by the National Guard searching for drugs or illegal substances – saying nothing of the poor quality of the roads and the danger of armed robberies and hold-ups.
The average monthly wage of all citizens, whether they are school teachers or labourers, doctors or street sweepers, is the same and is standardised by the government. Medical necessities are scarce, and while doctors give prescriptions, patients will often find that the necessary medication is not available in the pharmacy. Poor public transport and lack of finances means that sick people or their carers find it extremely difficult to seek out a pharmacy that may have the required medication.
The political system is heavily weighted in favour of the government. TV and radio channels must be careful what they broadcast; if they make any criticism of the government, they can be shut down without warning. It is difficult for an outsider to understand the political system, but it’s clear that there is no such thing as freedom of speech – something that we would take for granted in any democratic society.
People who can get their hands on financial resources, usually sent from relatives abroad, are doing all they can to leave the country and start a new life elsewhere.”
“It was a privilege to celebrate the Golden Jubilee with the faithful.”
“During all of this turmoil, the MSCs working in the region managed to gather and celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the MSC presence in this troubled land. It was a privilege to be with them, and with the faithful people who gathered for the celebrations in Maracaibo and Caracas.
On behalf of the whole Province, I offer sincere congratulations to our MSC brothers, past and present, who have worked and continue to work in this beautiful but troubled land.”
Fr Joseph McGee MSC
PLEASE HELP US TO CONTINUE OUR VITALÂ WORK IN VENEZUELA
For more information on the current situation in Venezuela, BBC Radio’s Briefing Room has posted an informative discussion titled “Is Venezuela on the brink of collapse?”. Fr Joseph highly recommends this programme: “This discussion gives a brief and comprehensive understanding of the current situation in Venezuela where our men have been working for these past 50 years, and where they remain in solidarity with the people. This year, as we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the presence of the Irish Province in that part of the world, I urge everyone to listen to this programme and to keep the Venezuelan situation in your prayers.”
For more about Fr Joseph’s experiences in Maracaibo and Caracas, read The Irish Catholic’s front-page feature on the ongoing work of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Venezuela.