The Venezuelan most Venezuelans consider a saint wasn鈥檛 a priest. He was a doctor: Jos茅 Gregorio Hern谩ndez.
The Roman Catholic Church will beatify Hern谩ndez Friday 鈥� and Venezuelans in South Florida are celebrating the rare moment of bright news from their beleaguered home country.
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Hern谩ndez, who died in 1919, was Roman Catholic; but Venezuelans of all religious and political stripes revere him as 鈥渢he doctor of the poor鈥� for his faithfully tireless and scientifically innovative work helping the needy 鈥� in an age before Venezuela had discovered its oil wealth.
The Vatican鈥檚 beatification of Hern谩ndez is one step away from possibly canonizing him as a saint. Per Catholic tradition, one more miracle attributed to him needs to be verified by the Church.
Venezuelans expats here, who work with the poor 鈥� including newly arrived Venezuelan refugees fleeing their country's catastrophic economic collapse 鈥� call Hern谩ndez their inspiration.
鈥淗e epitomizes how a very well trained individual can have the sensitivity towards people in need," says Miami computer software executive Eduardo Santaella, who helps low-income families as a member of his St. Vincent de Paul Conference at Holy Rosary-St. Richard Catholic Church in Palmetto Bay.
"He鈥檚 been throughout my entire life a beacon,鈥� he said.
Even non-Catholic Venezuelans here are hailing Hern谩ndez鈥檚 beatification and especially his charitable example, as Venezuelans back home struggle through one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淓ven though I am Jewish, I will celebrate his beatification," said Lesly Simon, who heads the Miami-based Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and consults social impact NGOs.
"I honestly think that this is going to be a day of hope for the whole country. And we need that.鈥�
Because of the pandemic, the beatification ceremony for Hern谩ndez will take place at a small Catholic school chapel outside Caracas.
