By Charles Igwe
Pope Francis extended a heartfelt prayer for renewed hope to the people of Nicaragua, who are currently facing severe persecution under President Daniel Ortega’s regime. Speaking at the end of his Angelus address on August 25, the Pope urged the faithful in Nicaragua to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“To the beloved people of Nicaragua: I encourage you to renew your hope in Jesus. Remember that the Holy Spirit always guides history toward higher designs,” Pope Francis said, as he entrusted the nation to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“May the Immaculate Virgin protect you in times of trial and make you feel her maternal tenderness,” he added. “May Our Lady accompany the beloved people of Nicaragua.”
The Catholic Church in Nicaragua has been under increasing attack in recent years. The Ortega government has expelled nuns, seized Church assets, shut down Catholic media outlets, and imprisoned or exiled priests and bishops. Just days before the Pope’s address, the Nicaraguan government revoked the legal status of 1,500 nonprofit organizations, including hundreds associated with the Catholic Church, and exiled two more priests to Rome.
The priests, Father Denis Martínez García from the Diocese of Matagalpa and Father Leonel Balmaceda from the Diocese of Estelí, were arrested earlier in the month and subsequently expelled. Both dioceses are overseen by Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was himself exiled to Rome in January after being imprisoned by the regime.
In his Angelus address, Pope Francis reflected on Saint Peter’s words to Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel of John: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). He noted that while the disciples did not always fully grasp Jesus’s teachings, they remained faithful because they recognized in him the answer to their deepest desires for life, joy, and love.
“Brothers and sisters, for us too, it is not easy to follow the Lord, to understand his way of acting, to make his criteria and his examples our own,” the Pope acknowledged. “However, the more we stay close to him — the more we adhere to his Gospel, receive his grace in the sacraments, stay in his company in prayer, imitate him in humility and charity — the more we experience the beauty of having him as a friend, and we realize that only he has ‘the words of eternal life.’”
After leading the Angelus prayer in Latin with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis offered prayers for those suffering from war, particularly in Ukraine and the Holy Land, as well as for individuals facing health challenges.
The Pope expressed his solidarity with those affected by mpox (monkeypox), particularly in Africa, where the disease has been declared a global health emergency. He specifically mentioned the Democratic Republic of Congo, offering prayers for those afflicted and calling for governments and private industries to share technology and treatments to ensure adequate medical care.
Additionally, Pope Francis greeted young people with physical and mental disabilities participating in Italy’s “Relay for Inclusion” and welcomed new seminarians from the North American College. He encouraged them to live their vocations with joy, emphasizing that “true prayer gives us joy.”
Concluding his address, the Pope invoked the intercession of Mary, praying, “May Mary, who welcomed Jesus, the Word of God, help us to listen to him and never abandon him.”
