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.
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.
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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