from exile, Mgr Silvio Jose Baez, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua, celebrates his 38th year of priestly ordination this Sunday, January 15.
The chief, originally from Masaya, is one of the most critical and dissonant voices against the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which since 2018 has intensified its wave of repression against Nicaraguans.
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At the end of today’s mass from the Santa Agatha church, in Miami, United States; the parishioners applauded and cheered the name of the religious, who thanked God for reaching another year of priesthood.
«Lord God and Holy Father, you who have strengthened me with the bread from heaven and have given me to taste the chalice of the new alliance. As a priest for 38 years, grant me the grace to continue serving you faithfully, with strength and love to spend my life entirely for your holy people,” the prelate prayed.
Anniversary with “bittersweet taste”
Addressing Catholics, Monsignor Báez said that he lives this anniversary “with a certain bittersweet flavor” because his brother in faith, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez is a prisoner of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega.
«I ask the Lord for the grace of his freedom, – Monsignor Álvarez – because he is innocent. I ask you to make it strong,” said the bishop, who also asked for the more than 235 political prisoners in the country, as well as prisoners of conscience from other Latin American countries.
Regarding the years of ministry, the priest expressed that “38 years are said fast, but they are 38 years. They have not been 38 years of conquest, of achievements, of wonder, they have been 38 years of loving fidelity of the Lord and of closeness and tenderness of Jesus in my life.
«The Lord called me to be a priest of the Church and for 38 years he has not left me alone for a moment; his love and his strength have accompanied me, he has been faithful and has not abandoned me. I thank him because he put his eyes on me, his unworthy servant, without deserving it ».
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He took the opportunity to thank the support of many people who “have opened their hearts and have supported me. I couldn’t name them all, and I thank my family, especially my brother —voice faltering— Javier».
For his part, priest Marcos Somarriba, parish priest of the Santa Agatha Church, congratulated Báez and took the opportunity to demand the release of Bishop Álvarez of all the priests kidnapped by Ortega, “because they are innocent,” he affirmed with aplomb.
Ortega White
Since his arrival in Managua in 2009, he has been a prophetic voice within the Nicaraguan Church and a harsh critic of the dictatorial couple. In 2018, he defended the role of youth in the civic rebellion, calling them “the moral reserve” of Nicaragua. He participated as a member of the Mediation Commission in the first and failed National Dialogue.
His prominent role in defense of the human rights of Nicaraguans forced him into exile, a decision by Pope Francis to protect his physical integrity. When announcing his exile, Bishop Báez revealed that the Ortega-Murillo regime had planned an attack against him, a fact that was alerted to him by the United States Embassy in Managua, he even denounced that several drones were flying over his residence.
The Catholic hierarch was ordained a priest in the city of San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica on January 15, 1985. Since his ordination he has carried out various pastoral tasks in Guatemala, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, the United States, Italy and Peru.
