Bishop Silvio Báez: “Nicaragua is an orphaned country due to lack of freedom and justice”
During the first mass of Nicaraguan priest Cristhian David Mendieta in Miami, Bishop Silvio Báez called on priests to exercise a prophetic ministry in the face of injustice and affirmed that Nicaragua is going through a profound crisis of freedom and dignity.
TL;DR
- Bishop Silvio Báez described Nicaragua as an 'orphaned' country lacking freedom, justice, and dignity.
- The statement was made during the first mass of newly ordained Nicaraguan priest Cristhian David Mendieta in Miami.
- Báez urged the new priest to embody a prophetic ministry, supporting the poor, victims, and excluded, and denouncing social injustices.
- He criticized authoritarian regimes for stripping people of fundamental rights, including freedom, dignity, and the right to voice, memory, and future.
- Báez, who has been in exile since 2019 due to death threats, is a vocal critic of the Sandinista regime's repression.
- The bishop encouraged the new priest to be a listening and accompanying father, embodying service rather than distant authority.