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What's happening?

11/14/2022

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The Friends of Esquipulas held its annual retreat and business meeting in September. It was an inspiring and renewing time to reconnect.  It felt especially wonderful to be together in person, in the St. William space where this group has wrestled with challenging issues in the past.

For those of you who couldn’t be with us we wanted you to know we are exploring ways to get funds to Esquipulas in the face of government restrictions and other challenges. We offer the following "update and statement" that we used at the retreat to summarize our current situation and our view of the future.  We hope it captures our perspective on both our concerns and our reasons to be hopeful.

And we are thankful for each one of you!
Diana Pantalos 
Friends of Esquipulas Board 
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Friends of Esquipulas Update and Statement          
September 2022
 
Purpose:
Summary of current state of affairs, to anchor group at time of great uncertainty
To support members of group at a time that might be upsetting or worrisome.
To provide a framework for communication with others.
 
 
Situation
The political upheaval and repression in Nicaragua are forcing changes in our interactions with the committee in Esquipulas, and raising emotions of concern for our friends and the future.

*From our Sister Parish Prayer

 
*O God,
Our Father and Mother,
Place your hands on us,
Our communities of
St. William and
Our Lord of Esquipulas.
 
Uncertainties
There are plenty of concerns to worry about: 
How do we operate to minimize government scrutiny of our relationship and our friends as individuals?
How will we continue to send financial support? (What avenue, frequency, fees, accountability) What will happen if the money can’t get through?
How does this impact the functioning of our organization including fundraising?
What will happen to our relationship?
 
Our Response
We could speculate on the worst and best scenarios for each the uncertainties we face.
Beyond our feelings of concern for our friends, we could unleash emotions of anger, fear, anxiety, and pessimistic predictions of collapse ……..
 
That is when we are called back to the fundamental basis of what we are about: relationship.  Our commitment to a prayerful relationship will not change, even in the worst-case scenario.
 
*Through the waters of Baptism
You have brought us together,
To live in solidarity and friendship.
 
Moving Forward
For now, plants are still growing. They have the tools, knowledge, and passion to continue…
They are accustomed to uncertainty, and adapting to adversity.
They are working around the ban on gathering in groups by meeting with individuals.
 
*Help us to share our prayers
with each other
As we receive your grace
In so many blessings.
 
They will lead with their resilience.
They are coping and we can too.
 
Put our energy into creative ways to support our friends, whatever that looks like.
Stay focused as we learn and journey together.
 
*Give us all, we pray,
The peace of your resurrection
As we continue
Our journey together
To bring
The reign of God to this earth.
Amen

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Our Nicaraguan family needs our prayers

8/4/2022

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by Maria Price, Friends of Esquipulas Board
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The common prayer we share with our sister parish, Our Lord of Esquipulas, includes “You have brought us together to live in solidarity and friendship.”  Our prayerful solidarity is needed now.

On Monday, August 1, the Nicaraguan government seized control of 7 radio stations throughout the Matagalpa diocese that includes Radio Esquipulas from our sister parish, Our Lord of Esquipulas.  At Our Lord of Esquipulas church, police in full riot gear confiscated the equipment and shut down the radio station.  Leo Cisneros, who has visited Louisville and works as a technician in the Nutrition Project, is one of the volunteer radio show hosts.

News accounts speculate that this action was taken because the Bishop has spoken out against the Ortega administration.  Crackdown on public opposition to the government escalated in 2018.  More than 200 nonprofits have been closed in recent months.   Read the account in the National Catholic Reporter.

Please pray for the safety and well-being of our Nicaraguan family. For the participants in the Organic Project, the Nutrition Project and patients of San Guillermo Clinic, may they keep courage as they plant seeds of hope through their daily lives and community ministry.  

Our God, 
Our Father and Mother,
Place your hands on us, Our communities of 
St. William and Our Lord of Esquipulas.
Help us to share our prayers with each other 
As we receive your grace in so many blessings.
You have brought us together, to live in solidarity and friendship.
Give us all, we pray, the peace of your resurrection as we continue our journey together to bring the reign of God to this earth.  Amen

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Welcoming a New Pastor St. William’s sister parish, Our Lord of Esquipulas and  An Update on Casa Materna Mary Ann Jackman and its staff by David Hulefeld

7/3/2022

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Welcoming a New Pastor

St. William’s sister parish, Our Lord of Esquipulas, welcomed a new pastor earlier this year. Fr. Edwin Rodriguez Molinares is a local guy, born and raised in a neighboring parish. He is 45 and has been a priest for 17 years. In addition to his 15 years as a pastor, he has been a professor and director of the seminary in Matagalpa. Fr. Edwin represented his diocese in youth gatherings in Australia and in Rome and is secretary of Matagalpa’s Presbyteral Council. Leaders in our sister parish with whom we are in frequent contact have been very complimentary of Fr. Edwin, praising his rapport with parishioners and his support of the projects funded through Friends of Esquipulas. During the initial months in Esquipulas he has travelled to many of the outlying communities within the parish, no small feat considering road conditions. In light of his travel history, a visit to Louisville and the St. William community seems like a possibility. Please pray for him in this new assignment.









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An Update on Casa Materna Mary Ann Jackman and its staff:

Until 2017, St. William church and many members assisted the work of Casa Materna Mary Ann Jackman, a residential facility in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Casa provided critical support for women from rural areas experiencing high risk pregnancies, affording them a nurturing residential setting and health care, as well as transport to the regional hospital at the time of delivery. Follow-up community outreach was also extensive. Kitty Madden, a frequent visitor to and continuing member of St. William, lives in Matagalpa and worked integrally with Nicaraguan women to create and operate the Casa for its 27 years. The staff, which ultimately grew to 15 full time persons and Kitty as a nonpaid volunteer formed a close knit and dedicated team, more like a family than a group of employees. Sadly, 3 of the Casa staff have died in the past 3 years: Lucilla Mantilla, Gladys Chavarria and Miryam Garcia.

Casa Materna provided a very high level of care and created a warm and inviting home away from home for women in challenging circumstances. It enjoyed an excellent reputation and was a highly respected provider of maternal health care in Nicaragua. The Nicaraguan government decided to create a national network of residential facilities to allow rural mothers access to essential healthcare. Sadly, the Ministry of Health determined that Casa Materna Mary Ann Jackman would no longer receive clients, everyone was to use the public casas. CMMAJ closed its doors in 2017, after serving 17,750 women. 

Since that time, what has happened?

Kitty continues to live in Matagalpa and is in regular contact with the former staff members (and is a faithful participant in St. William Zoom liturgies). After undergoing major cardiac surgery last year, she has recuperated well and has resumed many of her usual activities, including her annual retreat at the Loretto Motherhouse and occasional visits to US family and friends. 

In April of 2018, in response to what many saw as the dictatorship of the Ortega-Murillo couple, there was a huge uprising. Over 325 were killed, hundreds seriously injured and over 700 imprisoned. To date, over 100,000 people are in exile and 167 remain in prison for “speaking truth to power.” All of this continues to greatly affect the people of Nicaragua. A major economic downturn occurred as foreign investment and tourist dollars were discouraged by widespread protests and violent government responses, further complicated by the disruption due to Covid-19.

A few staff members were able to find other jobs and some have family living abroad able to provide some support. However, a number are struggling to support themselves and their families doing odd jobs, raising their own food but their situation is desperate. It is hoped that the Casa building will one day be sold and provide some additional resources for the staff but that is unlikely at this time. However the NIcaraguan government has seized the assets of over 700 NGOs in recent months, and expropriation of the building is a significant risk.

In your prayer, please remember the dedicated Casa staff, as well as the citizens of Nicaragua as they cope with many challenges.
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