Pray for the Church of Nicaragua

The Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, has held the presidency for 16 years, and has held his power through ever more tyrannical practices, of arresting and imprisoning political opponents. As his government has grown more and more corrupt and oppressive, and people’s freedoms and human rights have been violated, the Catholic Church in Nicaragua has actively spoken out against it.

Thus, Ortega has been actively cracking down on the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. In 2022 he arrested several priests, expelled missionaries – including the Missionaries of Charity, the sisters founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta to care for the poorest of the poor – he shut down catholic radio stations, closed down a catholic university and banned a catholic procession and pilgrimage in a cathedral where the priest prayed for the nation. Ortega also expelled the “apostolic nuncio” which is the Pope’s diplomatic delegate to the country.

Bishops in surrounding countries have begun to speak out against the President of Nicaragua as well.

In an attempt to “relieve” political pressure, last February, President Ortega “released” 222 political prisoners, including several catholic priests and catholic lay activists. “Released” by exiling them to the United States, and stripping them of their Nicaraguan citizenship.

One who was not released, however, was Bishop Rolando Álvarez.

Because of his outspoken criticisms of Ortega’s regime, in August of 2022 Bishop Álvarez was placed under house arrest and later imprisoned. The Nicaraguan regime has tried to negotiate his exile, but Bishop Álvarez has repeatedly refused. He will only leave prison if he is allowed to stay in Nicaragua. Bishop Álvarez also added as a condition the release of the five other jailed priests in Nicaragua and the unfreezing of bank accounts of Catholic institutions throughout the country. The Ortega Regime has refused.

Those who know Bishop Álvarez have said of him, “He has always been humble, simple, intelligent, and a person of a lot of faith, devoted to God and to his people… it doesn’t surprise me that he didn’t bend … I am sure Rolando has not experienced fear because he knows what he is doing is correct. He would not leave his people because a dictatorship wants him to …”

I think Bishop Álvarez is a courageous witness of standing for what is right, for standing what Christ calls us to even in the face of great persecution.

As Jesus told the Twelve Apostles:

“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts…and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them…” (cf Mt 10:16-18)

And as he says in his famous Sermon on the Mount:

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Mt 5:10)

Peace,

– Fr. Kevin