SW News: A Nicaraguan lawyer and rights researcher in exile has documented the persecution of the Church in the country, especially with regard to the missionary nuns who have been forced to leave by the Daniel Ortega regime. Martha Patricia Molina’s report says that as many as 65 nuns have been expelled from the nation over the past two years.

She said on Twitter that the expelled nuns belong to six congregations. According to Molina, 10 congregations are affected by the oppression of the regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president Rosario Murillo. The religious orders include the Missionaries of Charity, Trappist Nuns, Dominicans of the Annunciata, Religious of the Cross of the Sacred Heart and the Poor Sisters of Jesus Christ.

She desisted from naming the rest of the orders for fear of their safety. The lawyer said that the nuns who were thrown out of the country underwent psychological trauma. She cites the case of the Missionaries of Charity nuns founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who were forced to close down their charities and were taken to the border by police where they crossed into Costa Rica on foot.

Another case is that of the Daughters of Saint Louise de Marillac, who were expelled from their educational facility in San Sebastian de Yali by police who in turn occupied the building. Sisters of the Poor of Jesus Christ also suffered a similar fate and they were forced to move to El Salvador.
Molina said four priests from different dioceses and several nuns have vouched that the number of religious who have been targeted is much higher. Most of the congregations now do not have expatriate nuns as they have all been expelled.

The rights researcher also said that nuns from Nicaragua who are serving abroad and who wish to return have been denied permission by the dictatorship. She also explained that it is difficult to ascertain the exact number of attacks and cases of oppression as most religious houses tend to remain silent for safety reasons.

"They have decided to remain silent and offer this martyrdom for the conversion of the dictators of Nicaragua and those who work for them," she said.