In a moving letter, Pope Francis expressed his closeness with the people of Nicaragua as Central American bishops called for a day of prayer for the country amid constitutional changes that will lead into an even darker dictatorship. Source: Catholic Review.
Expressing his “affection,” Pope Francis said: “I profess for the Nicaraguan people, who have always been distinguished by an extraordinary love for God,” noting that the people affectionately call God “Papachú”.
“Precisely in the most difficult moments, when it becomes humanly impossible to understand what God wants of us,” he wrote, “we can understand what God wants from us, we are called not to doubt his care and mercy.”
Central American bishops have called earlier for a day of prayer for Nicaragua as the country slides deeper into totalitarianism and constitutional changes threaten the Nicaraguan Church’s relationship with the Vatican.
The Episcopal Secretariat of Central America called for the day of prayer on December 8, when Nicaraguans celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception – a national holiday in the deeply Catholic country.
The feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is widely celebrated in Central America. But it has special significance in Nicaragua, where it is known as La Purísima and is observed with a novena.
The ruling Sandinista regime, however, has curtailed religious celebrations, including a ban on processions during La Purísima. Parishes have limited celebrations to Church property.
Celebrations of La Purísima this year follow the introduction of a constitutional overhaul granting President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, sweeping powers, which include making the couple “co-presidents” with the authority to “coordinate” the other branches of government.
The draft constitution, which is expected to be enacted in January, declares Nicaragua a “revolutionary” country with “socialist ideals.”
It regularises “voluntary police,” which would effectively be paramilitaries — thugs used to besiege protesters in 2018 demonstrations that human rights groups say left more than 300 dead.
The revised constitution also says that religious groups must remain “free from all foreign control.”
FULL STORY
Faith, hope ‘work miracles,’ pope tells people of Nicaragua ahead of Immaculate Conception (By David Agren, OSV News via Catholic Review)
