Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio Báez, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, has called on his fellow countrymen to dedicate 2025 to fervent prayer, asking God for the “miracle” of a liberated, prosperous, and peaceful Nicaragua.
“Let us not forget our country or our people, especially in prayer,” urged Bishop Báez during a Mass he celebrated at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Los Angeles on January 4, according to ACIPrensa. Addressing Nicaraguan exiles and supporters, he acknowledged the nation’s profound suffering under oppression and declared, “The moments we are living are marked by great uncertainty and deep darkness.”
A message of hope amid persecution
Bishop Báez reassured the congregation that despair does not have the final word.
“It may seem that all paths of hope for a better future for our homeland are closed, but that is not so. History is in the hands of the Lord, and He will allow Nicaragua to rise to new life,” he said.
The Mass, concelebrated with another exiled Nicaraguan priest, was a poignant moment for the diaspora community, many of whom have fled their homeland due to the escalating repression under President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.
The regime has relentlessly targeted the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, expelling religious orders, seizing Church properties, and silencing Catholic media such as Radio María Nicaragua. The government also forced the closure of the country’s leading Catholic university and has exiled numerous clergy, including four bishops.
A call to persistent prayer
In his homily, Bishop Báez called on Nicaraguans to remain steadfast in faith and to seek divine intervention.
“Do not lose hope, do not lose trust,” he exhorted. “Let us pray throughout this year that the Lord grants us the miracle that all Nicaraguans long for: to see our country liberated, prosperous, filled with justice, peace, joy, and fraternity,” ACIPrensa quotes.
His prayerful appeal comes as the Church continues to endure persecution, with nearly 1,000 documented attacks against it since 2018, according to a recent report by exiled researcher Martha Patricia Molina. The dictatorship’s oppressive measures aim to silence the Church, which has been a vocal advocate for justice and human rights in Nicaragua.
