The Diocese of Matagalpa, that remains without bishop after Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez was exiled to Rome, continues to be the main target of attacks by the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, to the point of leaving it in a ‘deficit of pastoral activity,’ denounced lawyer and author of the report Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church? Martha Patricia Molina.
The Nicaraguan lawyer indicated that the situation the Diocese of Matagalpa has experienced in recent days “has been completely chaotic,” because “in addition to violently kidnapping the priests (now exiled) and then transferring them to the Seminary of Fatima, the other exiles, expulsions, and entry bans have caused a deficit in pastoral activity because they are left without pastors, without priests.”
Molina emphasized the importance of the presence of priests for Catholic rites. ‘To celebrate Mass, it is necessary to have a priest, as he is the one who consecrates the host and the wine. So, without a priest, obviously, churches and temples are in trouble because there is no one to consecrate the elements.’
According to the researcher, the Diocese of Matagalpa currently has 13 active diocesan priests. “There are 13 active priests left, and nine religious members, such as friars, most of whom are foreigners who could be expelled at any moment,” warned Molina.
Fewer Catholic rites due to the absence of priests
This situation, according to the researcher, leads to fewer Masses and other religious activities being celebrated, such as baptisms, funeral Masses, confessions, and pastoral activities specific to a consecrated priest.
This has turned into chaos because more than 70 percent of the priests and deacons (of the Diocese of Matagalpa) are forcibly outside Nicaragua. The few priests who remain and the other auxiliary persons supporting the work of the Diocese, such as the deacons, are doing their work, but they are under siege and surveillance; several of them have been visited by the Police that threatens them,” Molina denounced.
On Thursday, at the San José Obrero parish in El Tuma, the Mass dedicated to the Eucharistic Thursday was not celebrated, and instead, Deacon Byron Flores presided over the celebration of the word.
The absence of priests causes the faithful to miss out on their Catholic rites, such as confession and even the anointing of the sick. “All the harassment and what has happened is having an impact because all the pastoral activity that is usually carried out in the Diocese is not being done due to the lack of priests, and the deacons have a limited role. They cannot, for example, hear confessions, and there are people who have the habit of confessing weekly. They also cannot consecrate the elements, the wine, and the bread,” Molina said.
“A critical and painful situation”
The researcher acknowledged that if just about eight more priests are exiled, which “will possibly happen, the Diocese will be left without the presence of the Catholic Church. And this is a large Diocese, with more than 500 Catholic communities, and without priests to serve them, nor deacons, who are also being harassed by the Police. They are also visiting leaders of lay groups, many of whom have been summoned.
Molina emphasized that the situation in the Diocese of Matagalpa “is very critical and painful for the Catholic community.” Amid this hostile scenario, the researcher stated, “I believe this will continue because, even up to today, I have also been receiving reports of harassment and persecution. So what this means is that the dictatorship will not stop until the presence of the Catholic Church in that area is completely eradicated.”
Episcopal Palace taken over by the Police
Molina also reported that the Episcopal Palace, or Curia, of the Diocese of Matagalpa, where Monsignor Álvarez carried out all his work, “continues to be occupied by the Police.”
She further criticized that “in fact, they don’t allow anyone to go near it, and they rarely let any priest enter it, but recently they haven’t allowed any priests to enter. Some businesses around the area have been forced to close due to police harassment; they are always there, armed, both inside and outside the Curia”.
According to Molina, this situation only demonstrates that the dictatorship “continues its hatred towards the pastoral work of Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez, despite the fact that the bishop, since being arbitrarily exiled to Rome, has remained in complete silence, and in Matagalpa there has been very limited pastoral activity, practically only the masses”.
Molina added that “no priest has made any reference to political issues for years in the diocese, but the hatred that the dictatorial couple has for Bishop Alvarez makes him continue attacking the diocese”.