Nicaragua

Christian Communities In The Revolution

Christian Communities In The Revolution, In Reference To The Recent Pastoral Communiqué Of The Episcopal Conference.

Envío team

As Christian revolutionaries, we have been dismayed by the episcopal decision expressed in the communiqué of June 1 ordering the priests who participate in the Revolutionary Government to separate themselves from all responsibility within the area of public service, without having given them sufficient opportunity for dialogue. It appears that they were not even advised prior to the communiqué or at least informed of the episcopal position.

This attitude surprised us because the work of these brother priests has been unquestionable in evangelical devotion to the cause of the poor, sometimes even at the risk of their lives.

Father Miguel D'Escoto has many years of experience in the service of his country, from the foundation of the housing project in Leon to today when he is carrying at an international level the Christian image of Nicaragua before the other peoples or the world.

Father Ernesto Cardenal has been actively participating in the service of his people from his apostolic work in Solentiname to the creation of the Ministry of Culture, dedicated to the redemption of the cultural values of our people within a profoundly Christian perspective. His strength has always been in gaining international solidarity for the cause of the Nicaraguan revolution.

Father Edgard Parrales was an orientation leader of the university students with whom he fought shoulder-to-shoulder during the time of the greatest repression. Now his dedication and consequent Christian work administering the social well-being of the Nicaraguan people is noteworthy.

Father Fernando Cardenal was one of the founding pillars of the National Literacy Crusade, work which has won him international recognition expressed in his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. The revolution has given him important responsibilities in the direction and orientation of the Nicaragua youth.

It would be a great loss for the church if these priests were prevented from continuing this highly Christian work and it would diminish in our Church its evangelical character of active option for the poor.

We express our open desire that these valiant brothers continue Christianly serving their country and their community; we fervently ask that now more than ever they receive the purest inspiration so that their final decision be wise and just agreement with their consciences. Regardless of our wishes, we will respect whatever decision that they make and we will continue to support them with our friendship and our action because we are sure that their road will always be at the side of the people.

We are concerned as Christians who are firmly supporting the revolutionary process, that this decision will politically harm the Popular Sandinista Revolution, especially in the moment in which we are all patriotically engaged in search of national unity. We are concerned as well that the Church will be harmed, with the hierarchy absenting itself from the liberating process.

The active participation of the Church in politics is known by everyone, by both its hierarchy and other members, from historic times until the present. Only are now those who are serving their people threatened with sanctions. There is a contradiction between what the communiqué says are its desires not to be interpreted politically and the real consequence that this action has in the political development of the country.

Finally, if it is true that Centro Valdivieso, Instituto Histórico and CEPA are not official organs of the church we recognize in them a formidable work of Christian inspiration, food for faith, and orientation for our work of church.

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