Nicaragua is recognized as a land of lakes and volcanoes, with great natural wealth, but it is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country has a history of suffering, marked by civil wars, ruled by bloody dictatorships, including the current Ortega Murillo dictatorship, led by President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo. Yes, you read that right! His wife is vice president. In good Nicaraguan, we say: "Things like that only happens in Nicaragua.”
In spite of the suffering we live through — poverty, violence, illegal detentions, exile, migration — more than six million Nicaraguans are sustained by the grace of God, that is why we say that we are "Nicaraguan by the grace of God.”
Most Nicaraguans practice the Catholic faith, with deep love for the Holy Mother Church, the Supreme Pontiff and our bishops and priests. This love is rooted in faith, but it is also the result of the fundamental role that the Nicaraguan Catholic Church has played throughout society, announcing the Gospel and denouncing social injustices. This has made it the most credible institution within the country — but also the most persecuted.
For Nicaraguans, the Catholic Church, as a model of Christ, is living its cross. It is on Calvary, crucified, but one also hears, "Nicaragua, crucified, will rise again."
Now I will tell you my story. I am Maria Victoria, Catholic, living the vocation to sacramental marriage with Manuel Antonio, and our little son Luis Manuel.
We currently reside in Michigan. You may wonder, “What are they doing in the northern part of the United States?” My country is in a serious socio-political crisis, and the Catholic Church has been the voice of the most vulnerable.
As a result of this prophetic work, our bishop is currently in prison, accused of treason. His name is Bishop Rolando Alvarez, of the Diocese of Matagalpa – my diocese and my bishop. And I am his chancellor.
In the last eight years, I have served in the Diocese of Matagalpa in different pastoral areas. I am a law graduate, a lawyer by profession and a notary public. I also have a degree in Catholic theology, so I have trained more than 400 peasant leaders (promoters of justice and peace) on issues of human rights, justice and peace and Catholic social doctrine. I had under my direction the diocesan Association of Legal and Juridical Counsel, the ordering of diocesan territory and the service of diocesan judicial facilitators, or promoters of justice and peace, and also the radio and television program, "Pacifying the Community.” Such work is very delicate to perform under a government like ours, especially in the context of what has been happening in my country.
And as if this were not enough, my husband, Manuel Antonio, is engaged in social media, a journalist and the director of the media of the Diocese of Matagalpa, for which he was imprisoned on Dec. 11, 2022, accused of treason and banished on Feb. 9, 2023, to the United States, without nationality. This forced my son and I into a forced exile.
We fled Nicaragua on March 29, 2023, to the neighboring country of Costa Rica by hiking cow paths. We crossed the Costa Rican border illegally, because there was a high risk of being detained at a migration post and imprisoned.
On April 6, 2023, we arrived in Traverse City, with God's help and the help of the Diocese of Gaylord, to be reunited with my husband and live again as a family. That is why my family and I are now here safely.
The Diocese of Gaylord was the instrument that God used to perform the miracle that my husband and I asked God for, which was to be together again as a family.
We have in our hearts a great love for this diocese that has welcomed us as sons, as brothers and sisters in faith. Our everlasting gratitude goes to Bishop Jeffrey Walsh, Father Wayne Dziekan and for all the efforts made for our family reunification. We would not have enough life to thank them for all the good they have done for us. But, as believers, we offer you the simplicity of our daily prayers, thanksgiving and intercessions.
We also beg God for all kinds of spiritual and material blessings for this diocese, for Bishop Alvarez, Bishop Walsh, and for every lay person in this part of our Church. For us, as a family, the welcome we have received from the diocese and from the bishop has been God himself smiling upon us.
Today, we feel blessed to be free. Christ has liberated us, and we also feel resurrected. Therefore, we firmly believe that our bishop, Rolando Alvarez, and our Nicaragua, crucified, will also one day rise again.
