Archbishop Thomas Wenski
Miami: Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami in the United States welcomed the priests and seminary students deported by the dictatorial regime of Nicaragua with open arms. The archdiocese said that Nicaraguan families living in the United States were initially informed that the smugglers would be accepted, but later invited them to stay permanently at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami.
The archbishop said priests can begin taking English classes by the time they finalize their immigration paperwork.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski said that while he wants all to remain in the archdiocese, a few bishops have expressed a need for Spanish-speaking priests.
Priests and seminary students who were charged with treason by a court, permanently revoked and exiled at the instigation of Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega arrived in Washington, D.C., on February 9th. They were among a group of 222 political prisoners deported by the regime of Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.
The priests who arrived in the United States offered a thanksgiving service at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Hyattsville, Maryland. During the Mass, she asked for prayers for the families of Nicaragua and for Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa, who was convicted of treason and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
A Nicaraguan court sentenced 56-year-old Bishop Alvarez to prison after he refused to board a plane with 222 other protesters, including priests and students.
Father Reynaldo Tijerino Chavez said that the Lord gives strength and courage to Bishop Alvarez to continue preaching the Gospel even in difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, evil has taken over some hearts that need conversion, he added, and we should pray for the salvation of those souls, not try to condemn them.
Meanwhile, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom has asked the US government to intervene for the release of Bishop Alvarez, who was unjustly imprisoned by the dictatorial regime. Religious freedom is disappearing in Nicaragua.
Bishop’s sentence of 26 years in prison is unacceptable. The US government should ask the government of Nicaragua for his release.
Bishop Alvarez was a staunch critic of the Nicaraguan government. For the past five years, the dictatorial regime of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has been carrying out several attacks targeting the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with Bishop Alvarez during the Trident of Prayer on Sunday.
Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio Jose Baez, who lives in exile in Miami, has also been critical of Ortega’s authoritarian rule.
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