Monsignor Rolando Alvarez was able to finally hold Mass, his first one since he was banished from Nicaragua by communist dictator Daniel Ortega. Alvarez, the bishop of the diocese of Matagalpa, celebrated Mass in the nation of Spain. Alvarez was tossed behind bars back in August 2022, along with other folks who were part of his diocese, toward the end of a two-week raid conducted by Nicaraguan officials on his parish. Again, folks, I want to remind you that in other parts of the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ face extremely harsh persecutions.
It’s not just being made fun of on social media or being uninvited to Christmas parties. They are imprisoned for their faith in Jesus. Some are beaten, tortured, and others shed every drop of their blood on behalf of their Savior. Please spend time in your daily devotions praying for persecuted believers all over the world, also taking an opportunity to thank God you live in a free country where you can worship the Lord without fear of imprisonment by the government.
The service was held on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Matagalpa diocese. Álvarez served as the bishop since 20011 and was the ninth bishop in the area. He offered prayers for his countrymen amid Ortega’s relentless persecution campaign of Catholicism in the Central American nation. Ortega’s goons sentenced the Bishop to 26 years in prison on “treason” charges and stripped him of his Nicaraguan nationality.
Bishop Alvarez went on to say say, “In honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, in memory of Our Lady of Hope, and on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the canonical foundation of my blessed and beloved Diocese of Matagalpa, we pray for our beloved Nicaragua.” Alvarez spent a total of 500 days in prison until the ruthless communist dictator banished him to the Vatican earlier in the year.
As a means of encouraging other believers in Nicaragua, the bishop read a letter that was written by Pope Francis. “Do not forget the loving Providence of the Lord, who accompanies us and is the only sure guide. Precisely in the most difficult moments, when it becomes humanly impossible to understand what God wants from us, we are called not to doubt His care and mercy.”
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He ended by saying, “The filial trust you have in Him and also your fidelity to the Church are the two great beacons that illuminate your existence.” Bishop Álvarez offered his own thoughts as well, “I would like that all my faithful of Matagalpa, of the countryside and the city, could contemplate it telling them that from La Puebla de los Infantes, I am praying for them.”
He also offered his pectoral cross to Our Lady of Sorrows as a sign of thanksgiving for the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Matagalpa diocese. “And I am making this gesture of love for them, for the Lord, for the Church, for the Blessed Virgin. I hope that the Brotherhood of Our Lady keeps this pectoral in her hands” he said.
Ortega, the cruel communist dictator of Nicaragua actually declared “war” on Christians in the area, overseeing a relentless campaign of persecution against the faithful in Christ. And it’s only grown worse and worse since 2022. He has taken important religious figures and put them in prison where he had them tortured. Alvarez isn’t the only bishop to be banished either. Ortega has cast out two others.
God bless those who suffer for the sake of the gospel.