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Good evening. It is an honor to receive the prestigious Pacem in Terris award tonight, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this significant recognition. This award is not primarily a personal honor, but a recognition of the tireless struggle of many courageous and dignified Nicaraguans who have worked—and continue to work—for peace, freedom, and the defense of human rights in our country.
I sincerely thank those who made this recognition possible: the Diocese of Davenport, particularly its Bishop, my brother, Dennis Gerard Walsh, and all the members of the Pacem in Terris award committee. Thank you all for your solidarity with those who believe that the world can be transformed through compassion, hope, and commitment to peace and justice, beyond borders and cultural differences.
This award bears the name of the historic encyclical Pacem in Terris by Pope John XXIII, which is a universal call to understanding among people and nations, based on truth, justice, love, and freedom. It is a message that resonates today with more urgency than ever in Nicaragua and in many countries where violence, repression, imprisonment, and forced exile persist.
The Pacem in Terris award serves as a reminder that social peace cannot be defined simply as “the mere absence of violence achieved by the imposition of one sector over others” (Evangelii Gaudium, 219). Peace is built every day through listening, authentic dialogue, and the ability to build bridges, even when they seem impossible. Similarly, peace is fostered through social equity, inclusion of the poor, respect for human rights, and the courage to denounce injustice.
This evening, I accept this recognition on behalf of the Catholic Church of Nicaragua, for its faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus and its constant commitment to serving the people of God. The Nicaraguan Church, even amid adversities, has stood by those who suffer the most: the poor, the exiled, and those who have been victims of injustice, making it visible with its presence and testimony that God’s love does not abandon anyone. Like Jesus, the Church in my country has been like the Good Samaritan in the parable —a community that has bent down to listen and accompany those who suffer, to heal the wounds of those who bleed, and to communicate the hope of the Risen Christ to those who feel discouraged and downcast.
Working for peace in Nicaragua over the past few years has been a difficult challenge. In Nicaragua, voices calling for justice and freedom have been silenced, slandered, persecuted, and violated by a dictatorial regime that tries to impose acceptance of a false normality, making the international community used to coexisting with another dictatorship in Latin America. The regime has even tried to silence and discredit the Church, but the Church’s commitment to freedom, peace, and justice remains because it is rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. It doesn’t come from an ideology or a political program; rather, it stems from a deep spiritual experience inspired by the mysterious dynamics of Christ’s love, “who, though he was rich, became poor to enrich us with his poverty” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
In my case, from the day Jesus touched my heart, transformed my existence, and called me to follow him, I have dedicated my life to proclaiming the Gospel of peace. I am convinced that only through the word of Jesus can we build just and peaceful societies. As a bishop of the Catholic Church, I strive to live each day as a disciple of Jesus and dedicate myself as a pastor of God’s people. The saving power of Jesus sustains me every day and drives me, even amid shadows, to walk in the light of the gospel of Christ meditated and contemplated in the silence of prayer. It is in prayer and union with Christ that I find the strength and wisdom to be His witness amidst the darkness that envelops my beloved country.
Today, as I receive this award, I am also honored to represent the many brave men and women of Nicaragua who, despite persecution, repression, and exile, continue to fight for a future of freedom and justice for our people. Their faces, their stories of suffering and hope, enrich and inspire my episcopal ministry. I accept this award on behalf of those who have lost their lives fighting for the country’s freedom, those who have lost their freedom for denouncing injustices, those who have suffered and continue to resist; those who, even in prison or exile, amid great adversities, have not stopped dreaming of a Nicaragua where the dignity of every person is sacred, where difference is celebrated, and justice prevails over fear.
The challenges we face in Nicaragua at this moment are far from over. The dictatorial regime that has taken hold in my country continues to cling to power, brutally crushing all dissent, denying our people the most basic dignity, and turning the entire country into a vast prison. But with God’s grace, the spiritual support of the universal Church, and the adequate pressure from the international community, we will not tire of continuing to dream and fight peacefully for justice and freedom in Nicaragua. Every gesture of international solidarity, every embrace received from afar, strengthens our hope that peace is possible and that human rights must be defended without exception as the foundation for genuine human coexistence.
In my pastoral work, I have learned that no effort is small or struggle useless when it comes to defending people’s lives and dignity. The unwavering desire for freedom, the radical choice for peaceful solutions, and the respect for human life remain the light that illuminates the hearts, steps, and projects of Nicaraguans who dream of a free Nicaragua.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my sincere gratitude for this recognition. I also appreciate your solidarity and prayers for Nicaragua. Today, as I accept this award, I reaffirm my commitment to continue working with God’s grace for a world where no human being is denied their fundamental rights and for the ideal, so necessary and urgent, of peace on earth.
Thank you all very much. May God bless you.
