New primate of Nicaragua: The Gospel needs more witnesses of faith

Managua, Nicaragua, May 23, 2005 / 22:00 pm

During his installation Mass as Archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua, Archbishop Leopoldo Brenes told those in attendance that “what the Gospel needs most is personal witnesses of the faith,” and he exhorted the faithful to be “a missionary and pilgrim Church” because Catholics “can and should be evangelizers.”

Archbishop Brenes expressed his trust in God for the grace and strength necessary to be a pastor, father and friend to those under his care.

“I ask for these prayers from the bottom of my heart, that you offer them daily for this humble servant of the Lord’s vineyard,” he added.

He also expressed his thanks to the late Pope John Paul II for his appointment as well as to the outgoing archbishop, Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, whom he considers a father.

National dialogue

Speaking later to reporters, Archbishop Brenes expressed support for calls by his predecessor for a restarting of the national dialogue in order to find solutions to the problems facing Nicaragua.

“I think we need to carry out a sincere dialogue, and I think that the Cardinal was a great teacher in this area, and I will also contribute to this in whatever way I can,” he said.

The new archbishop said he would be willing to act as a go-between in the national dialogue as long as the parties involved requested it and his schedule would permit.

“I think that however we can cooperate with our observations, we will do so in the best way possible, with the idea that as a Nicaraguan, I want what’s best for my country,” the archbishop said.