Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Managua (Agenzia Fides) - “As the Bishops of Nicaragua, we wish to ratify and express our concern and grief as pastors, for the violence taking place in various parts of the nation, which is re-opening deep wounds that had already been healed after a great effort and good will on the part of our people.” With these words, the Bishops of Nicaragua expressed their concern in a statement issued at the close of their Plenary Assembly held November 17-19 in the Shrine of El Tepeyac, in San Rafael del Norte (see Fides 17/11/2008) and that was entitled: “The Church is the first one interested in peace.” In the statement, the Bishops once again refer to the national electoral process, to express their concern for the post-electoral violence reported in the country since the release of the provisional results.
The Bishops showed their disagreement with any kind of violence, from any side, as a means to an end. They also show their concern for the violence that goes against the integrity of persons and life itself, and thus in families, “they are full of anxiety and worry for the fate of their relatives, the stability of an income, the emotional and psychological wounds inflicted on their children, who themselves even feel resentment and even hate.”
The Prelates, aware of their responsibility to defend the value of human life, ask “that all constitutional, juridical, and democratic recourses be used in finding a solution to the present crisis, in a spirit of truth and justice.” They also condemn “the use of signs and vocabulary of the Catholic faith for political ends and purposes that are completely contrary to the values that they represent in and of themselves.”
The statement concludes with a call to prayer and conversion amidst these moments of national crisis and ask that this Sunday, feast of Christ the King, a Eucharistic Procession be held in as many locations as is possible.
At the close of their Assembly, the Bishops, along with Apostolic Nuncio Henryk Josef Nowaki, celebrated a Mass in the stadium of Jinotega, in which they officially launched the Continental Mission in the country. Bishop René Sándigo Jirón of Juigalpa, Secretary of the Bishops' Conference, read a decree stating that “from this moment onwards, our Ecclesial Province declares itself in a special state of perpetual Mission, which should lead us to a renewal of all things in Christ Jesus.”
Following the elections held on November 9, and the posting of results, the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference denounced several of the illegal actions which occurred during elections (see Fides 12/11/2008) and asked that a revision of the acts be held, as a solution to the problem of generalized mistrust among the people.
Since then, violence has broken out this week between supporters of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and those of the opposition. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 20/11/2008)
