Nicaragua

Priests Respond To Bishops' Communiqué

Envío team

As an initial response to the communiqué of the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference, we wish to say the Bishops of Nicaragua, to our brother priests and our lay brothers and sisters, to our brothers and sisters in the Christian faith, to the Nicaraguan people, and to all men and women of good will:

That we believe in God the father, creator of the world and of all human persons;

We believe in Jesus Christ, son of God, our brother and saviour;

We believe in the Church, the visible body of Christ to which we belong;

We believe in justice, the basis of human community;

We believe in love, first and foremost among the commandments of Jesus;

We believe in our priesthood, which is our vocation for serving our brothers and sisters;

We believe in our country, the large family to which we belong, and to which we have responsibilities;

We believe in Nicaragua's popular revolution, carried out by the people to overthrow tyranny and implant justice and love;

We believe in the poor, who will be the ones to construct a more just country and to help us toward salvation;

This is our faith and our hope, and in accord with our beliefs we have wished to serve the Nicaraguan people in those positions we have been asked to fill, and we will continue to do so wherever our presence and services seem necessary, because our responsibilities have made it possible for us:

To serve, not to dominate;
To give up our comforts, not accumulate wealth;
To become like Christ in the service of our brothers and sisters
To live out our priesthood, not abandon it;
To remain disposed to hear and obey the voice of God.

So that we may remain firm in our faith, hope and love, and in our intent to serve as well, we rely an the good will, the understanding, the advice and the prayers of our brother bishops and priests, and of our lay brothers and sisters.

Finally, we express our unshakable commitment to the Sandinista Popular Revolution, in faithfulness to our people, which is to say, in faithfulness to the will of God.

Managua, June 8, 1981

P. Miguel D'Escoto
P. Ernesto Cardenal
P. Edgard Parrales
P. Fernando Cardenal
Authorized by Miguel D'Escoto.

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