{"id":2015,"date":"2024-11-03T09:55:11","date_gmt":"2024-11-03T09:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2024-11-11T08:25:06","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T08:25:06","slug":"msgr-lisandro-rivas-is-the-new-bishop-of-san-cristobal-de-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/msgr-lisandro-rivas-is-the-new-bishop-of-san-cristobal-de-venezuela\/","title":{"rendered":"Msgr. Lisandro Rivas is the new bishop of San Crist\u00f3bal de Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2016\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bishop Lisandro Rivas at the IMC General House in Rome, Italy. Photos: Jaime C. Patias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pope Francis has appointed the Consolata missionary, Msgr. Lisandro Alirio Rivas Dur\u00e1n bishop of San Crist\u00f3bal de Venezuela (Venezuela), until now he was auxiliary bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Caracas. In an interview with our Communications Office in Rome, the bishop spoke about the Church&#8217;s mission facing the grave social and political situation in Venezuela.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>By Jaime C. Patias *<\/strong><\/em><br><br>A few days ago, Msgr. Lisandro Rivas was in Rome to participate in the canonization of Saint Joseph Allamano and spoke about the social and political situation of Venezuela and the mission of the Church in a country that in recent years has been experiencing a serious economic, social and political crisis. Let&#8217;s listen to the bishop in Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of San Crist\u00f3bal de Venezuela, presented by Bishop Mario del Valle Moronta Rodr\u00edguez, on 10 February, on the occasion of his 75th birthday, as reported by the Holy See Press Office in the daily<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/press.vatican.va\/content\/salastampa\/es\/bollettino\/pubblico\/2024\/10\/31\/311024b.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bulletin of 31 October 2024<\/a><\/strong>. At the same time, Msgr. Lisandro Rivas, until now titular Bishop of Dardano and Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas, was appointed Bishop of the same diocese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mons. Lisandro  Alirio Rivas Dur\u00e1n, vescovo di San Crist\u00f3bal de Venezuela\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4NKMz3gc0iM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt this moment I am accompanying the poorest people in the neighborhoods on the outskirts of Caracas. When the Holy Father appointed me bishop, I began to enter into this complex, difficult and demanding reality,\u201d explains the bishop. \u201cAfter July 28, 2024, when the presidential elections were held, we have a different Venezuela, due to the situation of violence, violation of human rights and the dignity of the human person in his fundamental rights to life, education, freedom of expression and the right to freely choose the destiny of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro8-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro8-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro8-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro8-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro8.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Neighbourhood on the outskirts of Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Bishop Lisandro says that the elections were \u201can extraordinary experience of democracy, because so many people expressed their preferences, but what we experienced after the runoff was a great electoral fraud.\u201d The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared the victory of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, leaving out Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia, who was elected by the great majority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even in the face of international pressure, the regime of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has still not presented the minutes showing the results of the elections. Since the principle of transparency has not been respected, many countries do not recognise the proclaimed victory of the current president with 51.2% of the vote. The opposition has not recognised the result and speaks of irregularities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"949\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro5.jpg 949w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro5-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 949px) 100vw, 949px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Demonstrations after the 28 July 2024 elections in Caracas.<\/em> <em>Photo: Brasil de Fato<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis has had serious consequences,\u201d the bishop explains. \u201cFirst of all, there is a persecution of all those who opposed this decision: many young people, more than 1,200, especially minors, have been arrested by the police. At the same time, those who participated in demonstrations have been persecuted. This has had consequences at the economic, political and social levels, and above all in terms of migration, it is expected that by the end of this year more than 9 million Venezuelans will leave the country in search of opportunities, leaving a huge void. Only children, adolescents and the elderly will be left in the country. The workforce is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monsignor Lisandro Rivas also spoke about the challenges the Church is facing. \u201cThe Church, which has always accompanied the people, is on the side of those who suffer and is also an expression of hope with concrete actions. Faced with hunger, the Church seeks to feed the hungry by strengthening solidarity so that people can take home some food. Caritas also takes care of health with the distribution of medicines and days of medical assistance\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro7-1024x624.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro7-1024x624.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro7-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro7-768x468.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro7.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Venezuelan immigrants receive food in Boa Vista, Roraima State, Brazil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The voice of the Venezuelan bishops<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Church has always <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/conferenciaepiscopalvenezolana.com\/mensajes-de-la-presidencia-de-la-cev-con-motivo-de-las-elecciones-presidenciales-el-28-de-julio-de-2024\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spoken out through press releases<\/a><\/strong>, especially after the last elections, making its prophetic mission felt from a moral and ethical point of view,\u201d emphasizes Bishop Lisandro. \u201cThe Church is also trying to reflect on how to deal with this reality. One thing that is clear to us as pastors is that we must accompany the people who cry out to heaven begging for justice in terms of human dignity and fundamental rights. As a Church, we are part of this people and we are a sign of hope. As pastors, we must be with the people in the places where they cry out, sometimes in front of the people, sometimes in the middle, sometimes behind, so as not to allow anyone to take the wrong path,\u201d reiterates the bishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro6-1024x575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro6-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro6-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro6.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Community soup distribution in Carapita, on the outskirts of Caracas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bishop Lisandro sees the future of Venezuela as uncertain and it is not known when there will be a change in the presidency. \u201cThe mission of the Church in the different scenarios is to continue accompanying the people who want an alternative to the current situation. The people who come out to demonstrate are those who live in the outskirts of Caracas and who previously supported \u2018Chavismo\u2019, but who today are suffering the greatest consequences of what is happening. As a Church, we are called to be missionary disciples in the existential outskirts as a sign of hope that accompanies the people in the search for solutions for the good of Venezuela,\u201d concludes the bishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Thanksgiving and prayers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The press office of the Diocese of San Crist\u00f3bal shared the words of Bishop Mario del Valle, who encouraged the community to welcome Bishop Lisandro Rivas with affection and prayers: \u201cWelcome him with affection, enthusiasm and as a son of T\u00e1chira&#8230; I ask you with all my heart to pray for him and for his ministry at this time.\u201d Msgr. Lisandro Rivas is the sixth bishop of the diocese and expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for his appointment: \u201cThe Holy Father truly surprised me with this news, which makes me go out to meet the people who are on pilgrimage to San Crist\u00f3bal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NUEVO OBISPO PARA LA DI\u00d3CESIS DE SAN CRIST\u00d3BAL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OIlt4eBucdY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Diocese of San Crist\u00f3bal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Erected by Pope Pius XI on October 12, 1922, the diocese of San Cristobal is located in the state of T\u00e1chira, on the border with Colombia, and is a suffragan of the archdiocese of M\u00e9rida. During these 100 years of history it has founded the Catholic Newspaper, the St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, the Catholic University of T\u00e1chira, several Catholic schools, 94 parishes, and three churches have been elevated to minor basilicas. Currently, the diocese has 173 priests, including several Redemptorists, Augustinians, Franciscans and Dominicans, among others, and 225 seminarians. Msgr. Juan Alberto Ram\u00edrez, has been the auxiliary bishop, since 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brief biography of the new bishop of San Crist\u00f3bal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2021\" style=\"width:380px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro2-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/20241103Lisandro2.jpg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bishop Lisandro Alirio Rivas was born on July 17, 1969 in Bocon\u00f3, in the state of Trujillo. In 1985 he entered the Consolata Philosophical Seminary. At the end of his novitiate, he made his religious profession on January 7, 1990 in Bucaramanga (Colombia) and his perpetual profession on December 3, 1994. From 1990 till 1995 he studied theology in London (UK) and on August 19, 1995 he was ordained a priest in his hometown and left for the mission to Kenya where he worked until 2000; upon his return to Venezuela he was responsible for formation and made rector of the Philosophical Seminary; vice superior and superior of his own congregation; rector of the Theological Seminary of Bogot\u00e1 in Colombia; and in 2014 named rector of the Pontifical College of Saint Paul in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On December 23, 2021, he was appointed titular bishop of Dardano and auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Caracas and received episcopal ordination on March 12, 2022.<br>Within the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, he is director of the National Pastoral Institute (INPAS), a member of the Episcopal Commission for Consecrated Life and the Commission for Missions, Indigenism and Afro-Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fonte wp-block-paragraph\">* Father Jaime C. Patias, IMC, General Communications, Rome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pope Francis has appointed the Consolata missionary, , Msgr. Lisandro Alirio Rivas Dur\u00e1n bishop of San Crist\u00f3bal de Venezuela (Venezuela), until now he was auxiliary bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Caracas. In an interview with our Communications Office in Rome, the bishop spoke about the Church&#8217;s mission facing the grave social and political situation in Venezuela.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2016,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8,20,4,16,24],"tags":[195,51,193,60],"class_list":["post-2015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-featured-news","category-mission","category-news","category-spirituality","category-vocational","tag-bishop-lisandro-rivas","tag-bishops","tag-chuerch","tag-venezuela","post_format-post-format-video"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2015"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2030,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions\/2030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}