Holy Virgin of Coromoto, pray for faith and freedom for the Venezuelan people I have family connections with this beautiful country and it is frightening to hear accounts of what is happening there. It is turning into Zimbabwe as you read this. The town of San Cristobal, left, which is a beautiful colonial city set in the Andes and just 10 days ago was a peaceful and calm, now has no water, no electricity and an internet blackout. All imposed by the Chavista state governer. Squads of government backed vigilantes are roaming the suburbs randomly shooting and killing and thowing tear gas grenades into people's homes. This is spreading throughout the country. You can read about this here in an article called The Game Changed in Venezuela Last Night. The people of the world need to know about what is happening and the people of Venezuela need your prayers.

This is the inevitable result of the gradual erosion of freedom and gross economic mismanagement from the government and the decay of a culture of faith and beauty of the population. It is the latter that must be restored first if a free economy is ever to flourish again.

The Virgin of Coromoto is the patroness of this country. In a story similar to Guadelupe, Our Lady appeared to a Coromoto indian in the town of Guanare, the story is here. (Her image is, coincidentally, like Our Lady of Walsingham - seated but in red shawl rather than a blue one.)

This is a country that needs our prayers so that it might transform. The answer to such suffering is spiritual first, a renewal of faith.  Our Lady of Coromoto, pray for us and for Venezuela! Beauty can change the world. Here is her prayer:

Beautiful Lady Mary, Virgin Mother of the Redeemer, with you we praise and glorify the Father in the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. We beseech you that, just as in Coromoto you guided the steps of the Indians towards the baptismal grace, you may now capture the heart of the Venezuelans, and bring them to the renewal of their faith.

Virgin of Coromoto, patron of Venezuela, bless the evangelistic action of the Church  so that Venezuela might be fortress and defense of the faith of your children, and beginning of a renewal of the Christian customs. 

This is a beautiful prayer which places Our Lady in the right place relative to us and our worship of God. When we worship God in the sacred liturgy, we praise and glorify the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. And Our Lady is right there with us a model for our worship.