Pope Francis Worried For Nicaragua After Bishop's Arrest

Pope Francis has now spoken about the arrest of Matagalpa Bishop Rolando Alvarez, as well as several members of the Roman Catholic clergy in Nicaragua.

Bishop Alvarez is a staunch critic of the Ortega administration, with the Nicaraguan government shutting down many Catholic radio and TV stations, some of which were run by the bishop.

The first pope hailing from Latin America called for an "open and sincere dialogue" following the detention of the bishop and several other priests. He made the statement during his customary Sunday noon remarks in front of the faithful in St. Peter's Square. He added that one "can still find the bases for respectful and peaceful co-existence."

He also said that he is filled with "worry and sorrow" about the recent happenings in Nicaragua. However, he did not mention the detentions. This is the first time the pope has addressed Nicaragua since the bishop and the other priests were detained, according to the Associated Press.

Bishop Rolando Alvarez Now Under House Arrest in Managua

Following the closure of eight Catholic Church-owned radio stations around Matagalpa, police besieged the rectory of the Diocese of Matagalpa for several days, culminating in the arrest of the bishop.

According to Vatican News, Bishop Alvarez has been taken to the capital, Managua. There, he was placed under house arrest in his parents' home. However, the five priests and two seminarians who were with him during the raid at his residence are still detained in El Chipote Prison.

Although initially not allowed to see anyone, Vatican News has confirmed that Bishop Alvarez was finally able to meet Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, the Archbishop of Managua.

The Ortega administration accused the bishop and other members of the Roman Catholic clergy of "organizing violent groups" and inciting them "to carry out acts of hate against the population." Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan National Police said that they carried out the arrests to "recover normalcy" in Matagalpa. However, they did not specify the charges against Bishop Alvarez or the other priests.

The Complicated Relationship Between Daniel Ortega and the Roman Catholic Church

Daniel Ortega has a long history with the Catholic Church. The leftist leader has infuriated the Vatican since the Sandinista Revolution but has agreed with him on several issues, such as abortion.

However, due to harsh government crackdowns on the opposition and the media, as well as members of the Church's clergy, the relationship has become tumultuous. This includes the Nicaraguan government expelling the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Wladimir Stanislaw. The Papal Nuncio is considered the Vatican's top diplomat, and this did not help the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Ortega administration.

However, one of the biggest moves that the Ortega government did against the Church was when it expelled eighteen nuns belonging to the Missionaries of Charity, which was founded by Mother Teresa, now Saint Teresa of Calcutta. According to the Vatican, the nuns were helping run several orphanages around Nicaragua.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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