Regular readers of our blog will recognize the name of Bishop Silvio Baez, our Discalced Carmelite confrere who is the Auxiliary Bishop of Managua. Let us pray for these negotiations in Nicaragua, that true justice and lasting peace may dwell in the hearts and homes of the people.
Yesterday, Daniel Ortega announced the start of negotiations between his administration and the Alianza Civica por la Justicia y la Democracia. This new round begins on February 27. Details about the negotiations have been trickling out since the official announcement. Here is what we know so far: The Alianza’s team: Business Interest Appropriately Represented The Alianza…
Roberto Zamora, president of the Lafise financial group, is in Madrid on business. He granted an interview to EFE press agency, in which he spoke about the ongoing crisis in Nicaragua, its economic and financial ramifications, and the need for a dialogue. Zamora is one of the five Nicaraguan businessmen who met with OrMu over the weekend. The Catholic Church, represented by Cardinal Brenes and Apostolic Nuncio Somertag, was also present.
Zamora told EFE that the “dialogue starts tomorrow…”
Dr. Minúscula covers the unfolding drama in Nicaragua from the perspective of an academic and as a native of Nicaragua. We share the professor’s insights to help our readers understand the current events in this nation where Bishop Silvio José Báez, O.C.D. serves as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua.
On the evening of February 16, Daniel Ortega’s administration released a press statement announcing a meeting with “representative members of the private sector”. Also in attendance were Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, archbishop of Managua, and Mons. Waldemar Sommertag, Vatican Ambassador to Nicaragua, who came as “guests”. It might be a new attempt at a National Dialogue,…
Members of the European Parliament visit La Esperanza Women’s Prison, Tipitapa, Nicaragua (Jan 2019) When a delegation from the European Parliament approached Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo (OrMu) for permission to visit Nicaragua, the two co-dictators said no because some of the members of the delegation had said uttered “threatening or disrespectful statements” against OrMu.…
Note from Elijah’s Breeze: From time to time we share images and quotes from Bishop Silvio José Báez, O.C.D., the Discalced Carmelite friar who is the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua, Nicaragua. Agenzia Fides, Crux, and other Catholic news services continue to report on the unfolding drama in that troubled nation as the Church and Catholic laity are violently oppressed. Blogger Dr. Minuscula offers great insight into the situation, particularly from her academic background as a university professor.
The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States took the first step towards the application of the OAS Democratic Charter this morning. The PC met today at the request of Secretary General Luis Almagro, who invoked Article 20 of the Democratic Charter. Article 20 states that when the constitutional order in a member state…
Jesus Christ is born today and the world will never be the same again. This is the truth we hold on to at Christmas; that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son. This is what gives us hope and that hope is sometimes all we need. I […]
Está claro que esta Navidad será muy triste para muchas familias en Nicaragua. Para los más de 600 presos políticos, para las madres que han perdido a sus hijos, para las familias que han sido divididas por el exilio o la cárcel o el asesinato, para los médicos, periodistas y maestros que han quedado sin trabajo por no pensar como el régimen, para los empresarios cuyas gasolineras han sido cerradas, y también para mí porque todos ellos son mi gente mis amigos y mi país. Hoy nos ha tocado vivir algo de lo que en muchas partes del mundo llevan años sufriendo. Déjame contarte algo.
Panajachel 6 de diciembre de 2018 Guatemala…”tierra de paz entre el azul del cielo y el azul del mar” (M. A. Asturias). Relatos de exploradores, investigadores y misioneros por Africa aborigen y la América India, están llenos de incidentes sorpresivos para ellos, en que una persona de repente sale del pueblo y se pone en…
“Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of the Old Man” has quite a history. Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion de El Viejo, patron of Nicaragua, literally means “Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of the Old Man.” In this case, El Viejo is a town, named in honor of one of St. Teresa of Avila’s brothers, who lived there in his old age. Multiple accounts suggest it was her brother Rodrigo.
Rodrigo was the sibling who shared one of St. Teresa’s earliest spiritual adventures. At the age of 7, the little girl believed that she could get to heaven most immediately by going to the land of the Moors and being martyred for the faith. She convinced Rodrigo…
We are grateful to Israel González Espinoza for his kind permission to translate and publish his marvelous article highlighting the media blitz campaign that is the brainchild of Bishop Báez, our Discalced Carmelite confrère.
The pope is rehabilitating many men of God misunderstood for being prophets, says the Auxiliary Bishop of Managua
October 11, 2018 | Israel González Espinoza
Bishop Silvio José Báez, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, launched the hashtag #OigamosARomero on social media platforms as part of a tribute to the martyred Salvadorean Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez [still lovingly referred to as “Monseñor Romero”], who was killed by a paramilitary commando from El Salvador´s political far-right in March 1980; he will be canonized this coming Sunday, October 14 by Pope Francis in Rome.
Bishop Báez explained that the purpose of the initiative is for Nicaraguans to get to know Monseñor Romero’s thoughts, and from that point on they can reflect on his pastoral and prophetic life and work.
“I created the hashtag #OigamosARomero to be able to talk about this extraordinary man of God who gave his life for his people,” Bishop Báez stated.
The hashtag is used to share all the references to the martyred Salvadorean archbishop Photo: I. González
Until now, the hashtag has been used to share famous quotes, photographs, audiovisual material, and even cartoons of the so-called “bishop of the poor” of Latin America.
The goal, according to Bishop Báez, is to establish a solid number of impressions and engagements for the hashtag during the rest of the week until Sunday, which is the day that Monseñor Romero will be raised to the full honors of the altar. Along with this, the objective is that Romero’s work may spread and that his words may have an effect upon the current sociopolitical situation in the country.
“Without a doubt, Monseñor Romero is a contemporary saint for our times; his life and his witness enlighten us,” the religious leader pointed out.
I believe that it is a mission of the successor of Peter to revendicate and rehabilitate all these incarnations of the Gospel who, with human eyes and pettiness of heart, were not understood.
Báez revealed that since his years in the novitiate with the Carmelite friars in San José, Costa Rica, he has been a professed admirer of the prophetic work of Archbishop Óscar Romero, whose total dedication to the poor and his ardent defense of human rights in the face of the Salvadorean military regime led to his martyrdom while celebrating the Eucharist.
“The Pope [Francis] has given indications of rehabilitating personalities who are deeply rooted in the Gospel, and who, forgetful of self, gave their lives for the poor, for social change, and for the fight for justice in history. In their day they were misunderstood, as were so many prophets or like Jesus himself.
“I believe that it is a mission of the successor of Peter to revendicate and rehabilitate all these incarnations of the Gospel who, with human eyes and pettiness of heart, were not understood. But today, the Pope invites us to see them as models of the Gospel and as paradigms to follow if we truly want to change the world,”Bishop Báez concluded.
Encuentro con una madre en Roma, an opinion piece written by Bishop Silvio José Báez, O.C.D., the auxiliary bishop of Managua, Nicaragua, was published 5 October 2018 online by Confidencial, an independent Nicaraguan media outlet that features world-class reporters, contributors, and editorial staff who have won international awards. It also was published 10 October in Religión Digital. Carmelite Quotes offers an original translation of Bishop Báez’s personal reflection on his meeting with Nicaraguan President Violeta Chamorro. We are grateful to the bishop for his permission to publish this translation.
In the mid-nineties, when I was in Rome preparing my doctorate in Sacred Scripture, Doña Violeta [Chamorro], as President of the Republic, came to visit the Eternal City. She kindly invited us — the few Nicaraguan priests who were studying there — through the Nicaraguan Embassy to the Holy See, to come and have an encounter with her. She herself received us at the door of the Embassy with a loving smile and a big hug:
“What a joy to see my beautiful little boys!” she told us. “What a pleasure it is to see you! Go on in!” And then she said to some of the Embassy staff: “Go, bring a Coke and a piece of cake to the Fathers.”
We had come to visit the president of our country, but we met a mother; we were attentive to the diplomatic protocol that had to be observed, but there was none, only a loving reception, full of human warmth. A couple of hours of pleasant and simple conversation went by with her about the situation in Nicaragua and her difficult presidential administration, but we also talked about what seemed to interest her a lot: how our studies were going, what needs we were experiencing in Rome, how were our families, etc.
We had come to visit the president of our country, but we met a mother
That encounter was unforgettable. I understood that Nicaragua, at that time wounded by long years of war and pain, of authoritarianism and poverty, was now in the hands of a mother. We had to establish peace and rebuild the country; and that mother, that simple, intelligent, and firm woman, was struggling to make our society a great family. She did what she could and she did a lot.
In the deep political and social crisis that we are experiencing today, we feel the urgent need for her human style, her honest management, and her great ideals of peace and democracy.
Doña Violeta will live eternally in the heart of God whom she loved and adored and she will always be remembered as the admirable protagonist of one of the most glorious pages of the history of Nicaragua. Thank you, Doña Violeta!
How do you overcome that nostalgia for the bread of slaves? Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty. What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my Father who gives you the real bread from heaven. I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
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