No in Nicaragua

Political priests defy the Pope

Last year Pope John Paul II let it be known that he did not want Roman Catholic priests to play active roles in politics. As a result, U.S. Congressman Robert Drinan, a Jesuit priest, had to forgo a run for a sixth term. But in Nicaragua, ever since the revolutionary Sandinista regime took office in 1979, four priests have held high government posts, and a dozen others serve as key advisers. The four highly placed priests are Foreign Minister Miguel D'Escoto, Social Welfare Minister Edgard Parrales, Culture Minister Ernesto Cardenal, and Fernando Cardenal, director of the Young Sandinistas. D'Escoto is a member of the U.S.-based Maryknoll order.

The priests at first took office as a stopgap measure in a time of crisis. But last December, with the crisis largely past and the Catholic hierarchy growing increasingly critical of the Sandinistas' repressive measures, the bishops asked them to leave their government posts. They stayed on, claiming the country still needed their services, so the bishops came up with a compromise plan. The priests could retain their jobs but downplay their roles as priests. If Rome approved, that is.

This month the Nicaraguan church suddenly declared that any priests who do not forsake "public positions" immediately "will be considered in open rebellion and disobedience of the ultimate ecclesiastical authority." Vatican Spokesman Romeo Panciroli claimed that Rome played no part in the crackdown. In fact, John Paul has taken a firm line against priestly partisanship in the Nicaraguan test case.

Last week the four priests declared an "unbreakable commitment to the popular Sandinista revolution in loyalty to our people, which is the same as saying, in loyalty to the will of God. We will continue in whatever place our presence and service might be necessary." What now? One possibility is that the four will be forbidden to function as priests.

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