Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami extends the hospitality of the seminary to priests and seminarians from Nicaragua. In addition, he offers them the opportunity to get acclimated and acculturated to the culture of the United States and evaluate their further steps.
While finishing their immigration paperwork at the seminary, they had the opportunity to participate in "intense English sessions."
Long-term Housing and Opportunity in Miami
According to OSV News, in an interview with the Florida Catholic on Feb. 11, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski discussed the anticipated arrival in Miami of some of the political prisoners who had been released by the government of Nicaragua and flown to the United States on Feb. 9. Although Nicaraguan families will initially house the priests and seminarians, Archbishop Wenski offered them more extended-term residence at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami.
In addition, he mentioned that Catholic Legal Services of the Archdiocese of Miami and Catholic Charities were prepared to assist the refugees and help them with their immigration papers. "Miami is the epicenter for the Nicaraguan population in the United States, just as it is for the Cuban community," Archbishop Wenski added. On Feb. 12, the Nicaraguans were anticipated to arrive from Washington in time to participate in the Mass that is regularly celebrated at St. Agatha Church at 1 p.m. by exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio José Báez, who is the auxiliary bishop of Managua.
As mentioned, after receiving death threats in 2019 due to his criticism of President Ortega's government, Bishop Báez was forced to leave Nicaragua. Even though he is currently a professor of Scripture at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, he continues to celebrate that weekly Mass at St. Agatha. The Mass is reportedly live-streamed to Nicaragua via Facebook.
However, a recent report from Christianity Daily stated that Rolando Alvarez, former Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, who was removed from his position in Nicaragua, declined the option to depart Nicaragua. Reportedly, Alvarez changed his mind along with the other political detainees, priests, and seminarians while they were all waiting at the airport.
Also Read: Deported Bishop of Diocese of Matagalpa Refused to Leave Nicaragua
Nicaragua Releases Over 200 Prisoners to U.S.
A report from Inquirer.Net said that more than 200 political prisoners in Nicaragua were released and transported to the United States on Thursday, including five past presidential aspirants and other notable critics of President Daniel Ortega, in what Washington termed as a "constructive step" toward strengthening human rights. A judge in Nicaragua referred to the 222 convicts who had been freed as "traitors" and declared that they had been "deported."
In an interview with Reuters, an official from the United States stated that Managua's objective was to demonstrate its desire to restore relations with Washington, which had been icy for a considerable amount of time, and that Ortega's government did not ask for anything in return. According to a memorandum sent to Congress by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, formerly incarcerated individuals would be granted entry into the United States based on urgent humanitarian concerns.
Related Article: President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua calls Catholic Church a "Perfect Dictatorship"
