The following letter was written by a Jesuit travelling in Nicaragua in 1984. It was posted on the bulletin board of the Jesuit Residence at a major Catholic University. We bring it to the attention of our readers as an expression of the ethos of one segment of Catholic thinking on Nicaragua and the issues at stake there.
June 11, 1984
Jalapa, Nicaragua
Dear    :
I am sorry I have not written sooner—again. I have been in Nicaragua now for almost two months. My first week was with different communities (Jesuit) in the capital of Managua. I talked with Jesuits both for and against the process here. “What’s happening here” is the process. There is a division here. The fearful ones live grumbling most of the time, have some stories that are not usually verifiable, and seem to have rich friends who really have said some dumb things to me. The rich and conservative really fear, tell lies—real lies at times.
I came here with some fears of the Sandinista government and now I am very impressed with their selfless dedication to the majority of people in this country. This country is fantastic, i.e. there is freedom to do just about anything (but don’t take pictures of military things—they are at war with U.S. and the counterrevolutionaries). The Church has freedom to do whatever it wants; the freedom is simply here. The only persecution I have experienced here against the Church is from Obando (the Archbishop of Managua) against the Catholics who support the changes here. The controversies between the state and Church here are really a division within the Church itself. The government has made mistakes, but always is the first to seek reconciliation. The real division is between those who see the Church as involved in the cause of the poor, who see the needs of the poor as the call of the Church to serve—and those who fear this call. There really isn’t a popular Church and an official one, but two attitudes towards the poor people of this country. Obando calls the “popular Church” anybody who understands the call of Vatican II Church to share the work of helping the poor. The history of the bishops here for the last four years is sad. Anyway, the bishops, not the government, persecute the Church (the priests that support the left, or the work of the government, are persecuted, don’t get pulpits, or get their churches taken away, or get accused of things publically before the bishop even talks with them). Just about everything the bishop here accuses the Sandinistas of doing against the Church, the bishop, in fact, does to the Vatican II “progressive” Church.
That information surprised me a lot. I have studied the revolution here—it’s wonderful for the people, especially for the majority, the poor, the people of Nicaragua. I lived with a wonderful poor family and heard all about life under Samosa [Sic] (the U.S. dictator) and life now after the revolution, and then life with attacks from the U.S. paid and directed “contras.” They kill people in these towns I’m living in: I go to their funerals and cry with their mothers. It’s hard to be an American. The people are so nice, but it’s so hard to tell, them why we must kill their children, grandmothers and families. Truly our nation is horrible outside of our borders. I have steadily moved to cities closer and closer to the Nicaraguan and Honduran borders. Today I lived in an “asentiamento” three kilometers from the border. That word means a place in the hills where farmers have come together to live after the “contras” have blown up their houses, barns or family. About 300 lived there. Such beautiful, simple Catholics. The Sandinistas have helped them organize, and showed them how to live under these U.S. directed and funded attacks. I am this week in Jalapa, the main city the “contras” want to set up their provisional government in—if they can take it. They have attacked here many times. They have not attacked while I have been here, but my first night they surrounded us on three sides, and frankly scared the hell out of me. I found I have a gift for building defenses rather well out of certain types of furniture. There are shots just now within four blocks. Harassment is a lot of this. The people here are more used to it than I. I do not know why the people did not attack the other night. We were on the most serious alert possible. The Witness for Peace people, who I live with here, all sang amazing grace about 1:00 AM in the dark, really loud. We wanted them to know Americans, who sing in English, and damn loudly, are here.
11 have stayed here longer than I intended, but these last days have been worse than usual; there are no men in this house, only the permanent staff of Witness for Peace, so I decided to stay until things die down, as it were. I will go back to Managua tomorrow if the road is clear. The “contras” take a part of it; the people here drive them out, etc., etc. It is usually clear in the early morning, so I’ll head out about 4:30 AM. I have visited a few cities recently attacked by the “contras” last week. They change tactics, but in this area they now blow up any timber mills (with the people), radio stations, electric centers, tobacco processing places, and kill people—sometimes torturing them first depending on the time they have. They tend to come at night or early morning and the local people, with their own arms and local training, drive these killers away. Reagan calls them “freedom fighters” although most of them are the old famous National Guard of Samosa [sic]. They use the same torture, killing and terrorism they always used in past years. The people themselves are the ones who keep them from taking over. Eventually, the Sandinistan army comes, and then the contras run away, losing troops as they go. It has been a gift for me to make it here. God is the one who gave me peace about coming here, peace about coming to these little cities. I would not have wanted to come if I had heard descriptions ahead of time. But I thank Him now for letting me share in the life of these simple people who are working only for their kids, families, etc.
The people are great. They are full of hope and work very hard each day; they are very religious, and tough in their defense all at once. Very Catholic. The elections are coming up here. So far, eight parties have signed up to struggle for the people’s support. I don’t think the Sandanistas will lose, but the main reason is that they work so hard for so many people, and the people simply trust them more than any other group. Some of the other groups have been around for years, and are not very impressive or organized. I think the Sandanistas are the most Christian government in this entire region. They know who is poor, how to help them, and they move for these people first, and let the rich have their money and land and businesses, but they do not let the rich see the poor like under Samoza [sic]. What stories I have heard of life under that family, and life now. I understand why Reagan hates this government—it’s so good, successful and popular; it’s got private business, collectives and some government control, and it’s very impressive how they have solved the main problems of the 80 percent poor people during the first three years. What a tremendous example to all the other horrible oppressive governments the US supports. The U.S. must kill this, will attack it, and hates these people for their success and selfless generosity. I have not met any communists. There is a lot of socialist ideas about the political economy, and Marxist analysis. But I have never seen a mixed economy like this; there is so much to say.
I’m leaving Managua in a week or so for 2 to 3 weeks in Honduras, to see the military buildup in five cities, if possible. I’m hiding all priest stuff and will be Tommy tourist. Then I believe two weeks in El Salvador to see what life is like without a successful revolution. Peter Marchetti has been very helpful for me, and will give me some tips on these two countries that our government says are so wonderful and deserve our support. My 30-day retreat has been invaluable for me here. During it I recall the peace I had about living many years and dying a normal life later of some dumb disease. I know I can exit out of here a day early or delay His time. What peace and grace the Lord has given me—with some fear and dread at times. I know it isn’t my time. Hence, with some fear, I know I’ll be with you in the U.S. in August. At least I’ll be home in August. I miss you a lot—and I need some ice cream—chocolate. Please pray for me and work against our lies and undeclared war against these wonderful and beautiful little people. They are nice.