Monsignor Carlos Herrera, bishop of the diocese of Jinotega, in northern Nicaragua, was appointed as the new president of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference (CEN) for the period 2021-2021, during the Annual Assembly held by the bishops between the 15 and on November 17, they confirmed this Wednesday, through a statement.
Bishop Herrera, who also chairs the social pastoral care of the Catholic Church Caritas Nicaragua, He relieves Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes, Archbishop of Managua, who will now continue as Vice President.
“According to the statutes, in article 30, both Board of Directors positions and the presidents of the areas, institutions and commissions have been appointed for the next period, November 2021 to November 2024,” indicates part of the document released by the CEN.
Other elected offices in the Episcopal Conference
The Episcopal Conference also reported that Monsignor Jorge Solórzano Pérez and Monsignor Marcial Humberto Guzmán will be in the positions of secretary general and treasurer, respectively.
In the area of Attention to the Clergy and Communication, Monsignor Francisco José Tigerino Dávila, Bishop of Bluefields, and Monsignor Rolando Álvarez Lagos, Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, respectively, will be responsible.
They also indicated that in the area of Culture and Education, Monsignor Sócrates René Sandigo Jirón, head of the Diocese of León, was elected as manager.
Some religious, such as Monsignor Álvarez and Cardinal Brenes, are in charge of more than one area of work in the CEN. The bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, in addition to being in charge of communications, will also be in charge of the Laity area. While the Archbishop of Managua will also be in charge of the Misiones area.
The new president of the Episcopal Conference
Monsignor Carlos Enrique Herrera, new president of the Episcopal Conference, was ordained a priest on January 10, 1982 at the San José de Matagalpa Church. He has philosophical studies, carried out at the Salesian Philosophical Institute of Guatemala. In addition, he completed a specialization in Family Ministry and a diploma in Pastoral Theology in Colombia.
As president of Cáritas Nicaragua, Monsignor Herrera denounced the customs blockade that the Government imposed on pastoral care since 2019, preventing the receipt of donations from abroad.
Monsignor Herrera has also warned about the advance of the covid-19 pandemic in the department of Jinotega, including the confirmation of infections and deaths in rural areas.
Likewise, prior to the November 7 vote, widely described as an “electoral farce” due to the lack of minimum guarantees to guarantee a transparent, fair, free and competitive process, Monsignor Herrera was one of the bishops who warned that there were no guarantees of transparency vote. In addition, he insisted that citizens must promote social change, despite the “fear, mistrust and insecurity” that exists in the country.
