The Visitation of the Province of Andean Caribbean is in progress at this time. The Province consists of the 3 Countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
The Visitation of the Communities in Venezuela was conducted by Fr. Joseph Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R, General Consultor. Due to issues concerning visas the other visitors were not able to visit Venezuela given the fragile political situation of the Country.
Fr. Ivel visited the 4 Redemptorist Communities in Venezuela from the 19th to the 28th of April 2026, Caracas, Valencia, Barquisimeto, and San Cristobal.
Caracas: The Redemptorist community in Caracas serves a very large parish of over 40 thousand parishioners with the Bario of El Paradiso which has 3 chapels with each chapel having around 10 thousand people. The community takes care of the parish Church which is also a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Coromoto. This is one of the largest churches in the city of Caracas. Fr Ivel met with the community, the lay partners in mission who are a group of over 100 lay collaborators and missionaries assisting in the parish and in the itinerant missions that the community conducts each year. The Bario of El Paradiso is served by the Redemptorists but ably assisted with a team of lay collaborators who assist in different social work projects like feeding of the poor, providing food hampers, formation and catechesis for children, young adults, and adults. The shrine of Coromoto is very well frequented for daily services, confessions, sacraments, and other pastoral services which the Redemptorist community provides.
Valencia: The Redemptorist community in Valencia serves a geographically large area but with a population of around 10 thousand parishioners dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The Parish has Basic Ecclesial Communities in different sectors of the parish. The parish is served by a very large group of lay collaborators in different ministries under the guidance and animation of the Redemptorist community. The parish also serves a Bario in a very impoverished area, the Mangita community.
Barquisimeto: The Redemptorist community in Barquisimeto which is the first and oldest parish and community of the Redemptorists in Venezuela serves a geographically small area but with a population of a couple of thousand parishioners dedicated to St Joseph. The Parish lies in the centre of the city and so has many people attending services from other areas of the city. The Parish has Basic Ecclesial Communities in different sectors of the parish. The parish is served by a very large group of lay collaborators in different ministries under the guidance and animation of the Redemptorist community. The parish has a dispensary that offers subsidised medical care to the poor and needy of the area through the voluntary services of doctors and nurses.
San Cristobal: The Redemptorist community in San Cristobal serves a parish dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help which is also a shrine. The Parish has Basic Ecclesial Communities in different sectors of the parish. The parish is served by a large group of lay collaborators in different ministries under the guidance and animation of the Redemptorist community. The parish also runs a dispensary and clinic with the help of a dedicated staff of doctors and nurses serving voluntarily daily the poor and needy of the parish with medical consultation and assistance. The Redemptorist community is also chaplain to the Redemptoristine Sisters whose monastery is near the community.
A characteristic of the Mission of the Redemptorists in Venezuela is the Shared Mission with the laity. Each parish community has around 50 to 100 dedicated lay collaborators and missionaries who serve with joy the mission of the Congregation and are supported with formation and accompaniment by the confreres.
Another characteristic of the Mission of the Redemptorists in Venezuela is the Itinerant mission done by each Redemptorist community in the months of July to October involving a dedicated team of lay missionaries, mostly young adults who work together for a parish mission in one of the parishes of the city or of the neighbouring dioceses.
A further characteristic of the Mission of the Redemptorists is the Social Outreach through various programs of care for the elderly, sick, young mothers, the poor through food programs, literacy programs, and above all dispensaries providing free if not subsidised medical care especially to the elderly.
At this time, 4 young men are in formation which began in Barquisimeto but has now moved to Merida where the Redemptorists have once again opened a house that for a long time was closed. This house serves as the postulant house for the formation of the young men prior to novitiate with two confreres serving in the community.
Despite the challenges that the country has endured, a financial crisis from 2015 to 2018, the pandemic, political instability, socio and economic issues with a volatile currency and large scale poverty resulting in major immigration the confreres continue to serve the poor and abandoned, the desperate and needy as Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer in each community of the Country.
Fr. Ivel Mendanha, CSsR.
General Consultor
