Beatification of Mother Candelaria of San Jose
The representative of the Vatican, His Eminence Jose Cardinal Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, officially announced that the Venezuelan nun Mother Candelaria of San Jose, founder of the dear Carmelite Sisters in the country, had been considered worthy of receiving the honor of the altars. This was first proclaimed by the Holy Father the Pope Benedict XVI on July 6, 2007, and on Sunday, April 27, 2008, all Venezuelans celebrated with great joy. This is another reason for everyone to reaffirm our faith, just as His Eminence Jorge Cardinal Urosa Savino expressed during the act of beatification that was held at the Baseball Stadium of Caracas and the adjacent Football Camp where over 50.000 people gathered together.
Present at the Baseball Stadium, they were able to share the significant beatification of Mother Candelaria of San Jose, an example of life, of faith, of hope, of tireless struggle for the poor and sick. She renounced all worldly matters. She only sought God in the heart of the man who suffered. And as Cardinal Urosa Savino manifested, she is an example of the victory of faith over adversity, of love over hatred, of solidarity and mercy over selfishness and indifference, and of peace over violence and war.
In this Eucharistic celebration he also expressed the gratefulness and affection the Venezuelan people had for Pope Benedict XVI; and he told His Eminence Cardinal Saraiva that all Venezuelans truly embraced him.
On the other hand, the Portuguese Cardinal, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, invited everyone to follow the example of Mother Candelaria who with the simpleness of her life “proposes with her modernism a true and unique theology of consolation”. He added, “Blessed Mother Candelaria, whom today we proclaim, witnessed during her life that love is the basis of life, because only love can change the life of a human being with his basic demands. [...] She invites us to care for the sick, the elderly, the difficulties so many poor have […].”
In his homily, he also quoted the reflections of the Saint Augustine when he said, “If the four Gospels are destroyed in a fire and only the words God is love survive, the essence will have remained intact.” And he added, “Christian faith is an act of love. Jesus in the Gospel of today tells us, ‘If you love Me, you will observe my commandments.’ Whoever loves does everything for love, even what is impossible, with no regrets, because he is observing and inner law that is more demanding than any external discipline.”
At the end of the ceremony, during a TV channel interview the president of the Civil Association Betania Foundation, Mr. Geo Bianchini, manifested, “I believe that all Venezuelans should deeply admire a person who gave her life for her brothers. These are great human beings. We are joyful. Venezuela is a great and wonderful people. It has great love in its heart and it loves the strong human beings, the true human beings, the heroes of faith.”
And on a interview for Radio Maria, one of the daughters of Mrs. Maria Esperanza de Bianchini (+), Maria Coromoto de Marrero, expressed, “What we have lived this afternoon is the most wonderful thing that could had ever happen to Venezuela, to have another blessed Venezuelan, the second blessed one. We hope that this will bring a renewal in the faith of the Venezuelan people, and that it will impel us to be better, because we all are called to be saints.”
Act of beatification of Mother Candelaria of San Jose that was held at the Baseball Stadium of Caracas
and the adjacent Football Camp where over 50.000 people gathered together
Holy Mass was concelebrated by His Eminence Jose Cardinal Saraiva Martins,
His Eminence Jorge Cardinal Urosa Savino and hundreds of other priests
Our country has another blessed Venezuelan, Mother Candelaria of San Jose
The Bianchini family, the Betania Choir, and members of the Betania Foundation joined the people
in this important religious event
Reverend Father Juan Carlos Silva, Parish Priest of the Cathedral of Caracas;
Reverend Mother Evelin Gonzalez, Mother Superior of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters
of Mother Candelaria; and Mr. Geo Bianchini, President of the Betania Foundation
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