Pope 'pained' by Nicaraguan bishop's 26-year prison sentence

After reciting the Angelus prayer with about 20,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square Feb. 12, Pope Francis spoke about his concern for Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, and the 222 political prisoners Nicaragua deported to the United States.

Pope 'pained' by Nicaraguan bishop's 26-year prison sentence

Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, a frequent critic of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, prays at a Catholic church in Managua May 20, 2022. A Nicaraguan court sentenced Bishop Álvarez to more than 26 years in prison Feb. 10, 2023, for conspiracy and spreading false information. (OSV News photo/Maynor Valenzuela, Reuters)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Just days after Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, was sentenced to 26 years in prison, Pope Francis expressed concern over his condition.

After praying the Angelus in St. Peter's Square Feb. 12, the pope said he was "pained" by the news coming out of Nicaragua and recalled "with concern" the situation of Bishop Álvarez, who had been arrested in August by the regime of President Daniel Ortega; the bishop was sentenced Feb. 10 and stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship.

Pope Francis prayed for Mary's intercession to open the hearts of the "responsible politicians and all citizens" to the pursuit of peace, which he said is achieved through the "patient exercise of dialogue."

Bishop Álvarez played an important role in mediation efforts between the Nicaraguan government and protesters in 2018 following waves of civil unrest which killed more than 360 people. Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, has since accused the bishop and the church of attempting to overthrow him.

In his comments the pope also noted the 222 political prisoners deported from Nicaragua to the United States Feb. 9, a group which included five priests, a deacon, two seminarians and two media professionals employed by the Diocese of Matagalpa. Bishop Álvarez was on the list of deportees to be sent to the United States but refused to leave Nicaragua.

Those who did go to the United States were stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship and were given a two-year humanitarian visa by the U.S. government. Spain has offered to give them citizenship.

One day after the deportees reached the United States, Bishop Álvarez was convicted of treason and undermining national integrity, among other charges, resulting in the 26-year prison sentence. He had been under house arrest since August.

The bishop's arrest followed other moves by the Ortega regime targeted at the Catholic Church, including expelling Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity and Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, the former papal nuncio to Nicaragua.

In August, Pope Francis publicly called for dialogue to resolve the tensions between the church and the Nicaraguan government but did not specifically address the arrest of Bishop Álvarez.

Speaking after a Mass in the Nicaraguan capital Feb. 12, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, archbishop of Managua, asked for prayers that the Lord would give Bishop Álvarez strength and discernment in all his actions. He also asked his congregation not to be hateful, because Christians "must love and forgive intensely."

 

Pope prays for Nicaraguan bishop

Pope prays for Nicaraguan bishop

During his Angelus Feb. 12, Pope Francis prayed for Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was convicted and sentenced by a Nicaraguan court to 26 years in prison Feb. 10.

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

With its Rome bureau founded in 1950, Catholic News Service has been providing complete, in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years.  CNS Rome continues to be your fair, faithful and informed connection to the Holy See.