February 21, 2023 / 4:12 p.m
The bishops of Cuba have called on the faithful to offer prayers on Ash Wednesday for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua, where the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega has expelled several priests and sentenced the Bishop of Matagalpa, Mons. Rolando Álvarez, to 26 years in prison. .
In a message published on February 18, the Cuban prelates recalled Pope Francis’ request to pray for Nicaragua.
On Sunday the 12th, at the end of the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father expressed his concern and sadness over the expulsion on February 9 of 222 political prisoners – including some priests – and the sentence against Bishop Álvarez announced the following day. “I pray for them and that dear nation, and I ask for your prayers,” Francis said.
In their text, the Cuban bishops announced that they accept the “Pope’s invitation to prayer” and endorse the Pontiff’s call for the Lord to “open the hearts of political leaders and all citizens to the sincere search for peace.” , which is born of truth, justice, freedom and love, and is achieved through the patient exercise of dialogue”.
In this sense, “in fraternal communion with our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, we invite the Cuban Catholic faithful to pray for that suffering Church and people.”
For this, they encouraged offering “a special intention” for the Church in Nicaragua during the Masses on Ash Wednesday, “and also during the exercise of the Via Crucis that we usually do on Fridays of the holy season of Lent.”
“The Lord walks with us through the paths of pain and the cross. And he assures us with his Resurrection that love is stronger than hate. And life always triumphs over death”, recalled the prelates.
In this sense, they encouraged that “this certainty strengthens us in Hope and helps us to live the Lenten season with a renewed commitment to love God and our brothers and sisters.”
“To the Blessed Virgin, so loved by Nicaraguans and Cubans, we beg for her intercession so that our peoples can walk along paths of peace and respectful acceptance of all,” concludes the message of the Cuban bishops.