Venezuelan Bishops' Council Appeals to Freedom of Religion

It's not wise to make concessions to these people, and appealing to freedom of religion is an unfortunate thing which basically concedes the point and will spell out the eventual destruction of Catholic education in Venezuela as it has been imperiled so many times before in other countries dominated by Marxist regimes. In contrast to earlier martyrs for Catholic education in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Croatia, the Venezuelan bishop's committee on education seeks to make concessions the increasingly hostile government there. This will only temporarily forestall inevitable restrictions and attacks on the Catholic Church in Venezuela as reported by CNA today.

Cardinals Mindzenty of Hungary, Stepanic of Croatia and Frantisek of Bohemia were all charged with trumped up charges and in each of the nations in question, the issue was centered on education. The Communists were eager to get the Catholic Church out of education and none of these men were willing to relinquish that trust. While these Cardinals did invoke religious freedom, they were unwilling to compromise the point that the Communists or anyone else has the right to teach error. Venezuela's Bishops have unfortunately made this point.

The president of the Venezuelan bishops' committee on education,Bishop Jose Angel Divasson, said last week that the Catholic Church does not seek to impose Catholic education on schools but only asks that the religious dimension of each person be respected.

His preoccupation with religious freedom may be a necessary ploy in this game of survival, but it provides no lasting solution, or shield, to the continuing menace of Venezuela's government against Catholic Education. As the Bishop continues, the contrast between his compromise and the stolid resistance of his episcopal forebears is disappointing.

“We hope the government realizes this and seeks out alternatives that benefit all of Venezuela and not just a single group,” the bishop concluded.