Mgr Rolando Alvarez, Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, celebrates this Wednesday, December 7, 28 years of priestly ministry. Unlike other years, the prelate will not be able to celebrate it with his parishioners because he has been a prisoner of the Daniel Ortega regime since August 19.
In 1994, at the age of 28, Álvarez was ordained a priest in the Managua Cathedral. He has been bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa for 11 years. He also celebrates this day, one year and five months – July 7, 2021 – as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Estelí.
Related news: Monsignor Álvarez, “the people’s bishop” and victim of Ortega, turns 56
On this special date, the parish Saint John the Baptist of Matagalpaexpressed through his Facebook page his expressions of affection for Monsignor Álvarez, priests and laymen kidnapped by the Ortega Police.
“Always in prayer for Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Estelí, for the priests, seminarians and lay people. We entrust them to you heavenly mother.”
Likewise, the religious digital program all for jesus He urged on the occasion of the traditional laundering of the silver – held on December 6 – to ask “the good Mother for Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez so that she intercede for him.”
Ortega Prisoner
In interview with Article 66a friend of Monsignor Álvarez regretted that this is the first year that the parishioners of Matagalpa will not be able to celebrate another year of their bishop’s priestly life.
“It is the first year that we will not celebrate his anniversary of being a priest with Holy Mass at 7 am, we will be longing for that celebration in which hundreds of parishioners come to the cathedral to greet him, express their affection with a gift and offer him their prayers”.
Related news: Parishioners sing “Las mañanitas” to their Bishop Álvarez in the Cathedral of Matagalpa
He added that this day there are “mixed feelings”, as they regret not having their bishop in their cathedral, “but on the other hand, as it is the day of the Crying, the eve of the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we have hope, hoping she the miracle».
“We expect her protection and trusting that she, in the midst of the situation, will cause the inner and serene joy that comes from Christ, in the heart of our Pastor,” he stressed.
On the other hand, a religious source stated that this day “will be lived as a prayer to the mother of God and our mother, also pleading for the imprisoned priests and laymen.”
Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, who recently turned 56, has been deprived of his liberty for almost four months, by order of the Daniel Ortega regime.
The Police, under the command of the sanctioned General Commissioner Francisco Díaz, argues that the religious is in “home shelter” and allegedly investigated for organizing “violent groups.”
Officially, the place where the prelate is kidnapped is unknown, the Nicaraguan dictatorship has limited itself to informing that he is at the home of some relatives, but is silent about the physical condition and legal situation against Álvarez.
