Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 3—The Georgia Bulletin, July 19, 1979
Starvation Sets In Among Displaced Nicaraguans
MANAGUA, Nicaragua
(NC) -- Catholic relief
agencies first temporarily
stopped and later rationed
a dwindling supply of
foodstuffs as starvation
and pestilence set in
among many of the
reported 250,000 persons
displaced by Nicaragua’s
civil war.
The ''fighting itself,
prolonged by political
maneuvering aimed at
forcing the resignation of
President Anastasio
Somoza, and the lack of
safe transportation are
blamed for the scarcity of
basic supplies for the
civilian population in
Managua and elsewhere.
“We heard of a
U.S.-sponsored airlift of
food, but we have not seen
the results,” said a worker
of Caritas, the national
Catholic relief
organization.
The Confederation of
Religious (CONFER) said
the postponement of the
airlift was “causing untold
suffering to most of the
refugees, particularly the
poor . . . People are
actually starving to
death.”
Both Caritas and
CONFER as well as the
Red Cross have said that
the lack of medicines, plus
the wretched sanitary
conditions in the
bombed-out sections of
the cities and in many
improvised refugee camps,
are responsible for
outbreaks of polio, typhus
and tetanus.
Caritas cancelled all aid
for lack of foodstuffs the
first week of July. The
only available supply,
grains from fields close to
the cities, was being
delivered to the National
Institute of Grain Stocks
on government orders for
sale at selected
warehouses. Later Caritas y
was able to distribute food *
from other sources.
At about the same time
the Red Cross said it had
supplies for about 36
hours only. Two cargo
planes were able to land
near Managua with fresh
supplies from a
KENT, Ohio (NC) -
For most it was a weekend
with almost too many high
points to remember, yet
one they would scarcely
forget.
Most anyone who
attended the Worldwide
Marriage Encounter
convention June 29 to
July 1 would readily admit
that, because of the sheer
number of participants,
there was something “very
special” about the
gathering.
Married couples,
priests, and nuns totalling
about 15,000 attended the
convention on the campus
of Kent State University.
A festival of living,
loving, learning, praying
and growing together is an
apt description for the
convention. Even with a
national fuel shortage, the
convention drew
participants from
practically all the 50
states, including Hawaii,
and from even farther
away, like Spain and a
military base in West
Germany.
The encounter banner
stretched across the main
highway into town
proclaimed, “We’ve only
just begun.”
And it was more than
evident after spending
only moments at a group
discussion or speaker’s
presentation or Mass that
these enthusiastic people,
not just Catholic but of a
number of faiths — all of
whom had participated in
previous Marriage
Encounter weekends - had
truly just begun.
They had been taught
how communication with
and an interdependence on
their spouses would enrich
their married life. Now
they were ready to go out
and spread their message
of openness and love to
all.
The Marriage
Encounter movement,
begun in the 1950s in
Spain under the leadership
of Father Gabriel Calvo,
who encouraged husbands
and wives to become more
neighboring country the
next day.
CONFER, which has
been manning most of the
refugee centers - in
churches, Catholic schools,
convents, rectories and
social centers - limited aid
to 400 families at half the
previous rations because of
dwindling supplies,
according to a July 13
survey of the centers.
Although there has
been a lull in the fighting
in Managua between
Somoza’s National Guard
and Sandinista guerrillas,
refugees refuse to leave
camps and go to their
homes even if they are still
standing. There has been
indiscriminate air
bombardment and
straffing by the National
Guard of populous sectors.
“The main reason
refugees give is that they
cannot find food and
honest with each other,
has brought couples from
being “just two people
married to each other” to
a husband and wife relying
more on each other,
learning to talk with one
another. The result: the
family unit grows,
develops an interdepen
dence which in turn will
eventually affect the
parish.
Dr. Dick Westley, an
associate professor of
philosophy at Loyola
University, Chicago,
attested to that fact in his
talk on ministering to the
needs of the family.
“Our family motto has
always been, ‘Do what
love requires,’” he said.
Father Joseph
Champlin, a priest of the
Syracuse, N. Y. Diocese
and a noted lecturer and
author, provided the link
between family and parish
by explaining that just as
successful marriages can’t
be self-centered, successful
parishes must reach out to
others.
Frank and Barbara
Jelinek of Columbus,
Ohio, past national board
members of Worldwide
Marriage Encounter and
members of the planning
c ommittee for the
convention, put Marriage
Encounter and the future
of the Catholic Church in
simple, yet succinct terms:
“We (in Marriage
Encounter) are the
strength of the Church.”
In an interview they
explained, “We can be a
very strong force in our
parish, and our
relationship as husband
and wife will help
accomplish unity within
the parish.”
Father Fred Guthrie, a
priest of the Boston
Archdiocese and liaison
for Worldwide Marriage
Encounter in Washington,
D. C., added, “As a priest,
if I want to know what a
parish ought to be and
how it should be growing,
then my primary resource
would be couples like rred
and Barb.”
other basic needs,” said
Carlos Mendez, a Red
Cross worker.
Thus, for instance, the
67 refugee centers in
Managua, 31 of them
church-related, remain
packed with close to
150,000 refugees. There
are an estimated 15,000
persons living at home but
dependent on relief.
Until supplies
dwindled, the weekly
ration for an average
family of five was five
pounds each of rice, beans
and com, one pound of
salt, three pounds of sugar
and half a pound of lard.
Milk and meat were
provided occasionally and
to cases of extreme need.
The offensive of the
Sandinistas against the
Somoza government
started last September and
was renewed in May.
Meanwhile, continued
skirmishes and the
disruption of the economy
prevented farmers from
planting full crops.
There is another reason
for the reluctance of
refugees to return home if
their families include
youths. With the
announcement of a final
assault on Managua by
approaching Sandinista
columns, Guardsmen
began conducting
house-to-house searches
for potential rebels, often
arresting and executing
suspects, including young
people.
In mid-July 10 youths
were taken by soldiers
from the refugee center at
the National Seminary and
have not been heard from
since. Brothers at LaSalle
High School, also a refugee
center, protested against
similar attempts by the
Guard, but said they could
not guarantee refugees’
safety against further
raids.
In related incidents,
church sources said that
Father Estanislao Garcia,
pastor of San Jeronimo in
Masaya, was killed during
the fighting in that city.
They did not give details.
A Marist brother was
killed in Esteli and another
one wounded by aerial
rockets from a government
plane June 21. A young
girl and her mother were
killed during bombing in
Managua at St. Michael’s
Church a few days before
the Esteli incident.
Church sources added
that Bishop Manuel
Salazar of Leon, head of
the Nicaraguan Bishops’
Conference, had his
condition as a diabetic
worsened by lack of
insulin.
The Sandinistas control
the cities of Masaya, Leon,
Jinotepe, Matagalpa and
Diriamba, 15 smaller
towns and scattered rural
areas, both in the north
near Honduras and along
the southern border with
Costa Rica. Until the
occupation by rebel
forces, the cathedral of
Matagalpa was used by the
Guard as its headquarters.
Some relief shipments
including medical supplies
have reached these centers.
A five-member junta
appointed by the
Sandinistas and other
opposition groups said it
was getting ready to move
from San Jose, Costa Rica,
to one of the “liberated
zones” in Nicaragua.
Several Latin American
countries have broken
relations with Somoza,
and Costa Rica, Panama,
Venezuela and four other
South American countries
are openly helping the
rebels.
The Carter
administration has
dispatched a special envoy,
William G. Bowdler, in
what it said is an effort to
braoden the representation
in the junta, with the
promise of aid for the
reconstruction of the
country. Somoza so far
has refused to resign as
suggested by the
Organization of American
States, saying he wants
guarantees for the
National Guard and his
Liberal Party before he
leaves the country,
possibly for the United
States. The junta said it
will allow Somoza’s
soldiers and civil servants
to leave, except those
involved in “grave crimes
against the people.” A
cease-fire could follow if
an agreement is reached.
Meanwhile, there has
been criticism of the delay
in establishing a relief
airlift. Some leaders point
to red tape in Washington
and in Managua. Others
blame bureaucrats for
insensibility to the fate of
the refugees while they
hold evaluation meetings.
A CONFER
spokesperson recalled the
July 8 message of
Archbishop Miguel
Obando of Managua, who
lamented “the ambiguity
of those governments who
continue to think of their
own political interests
before the common good
of the people of
Nicaragua.’’ The
spokesperson commented
that “many here think of
their own political
interests before the
common good of the
people of Nicaragua.” The
spokesperson commented
that “many here think of
the delays in aid as
blackmail so that the new
leaders accept some form
of intervention.”
At about the same
time, Mary knoll Father
Miguel D’Escoto, who
joined the Sandinista cause
months ago and is now
ambassador at large for the
junta, said in San Jose that
the landing in Costa Rica
near the Nicaraguan
border of a U.S. Hercules
transport plane and two
helicopters “are a sign of
the scare tactics (used) as a
prelude to intervention.”
U.S. officials said the units
were there for evacuation
purposes. The Costa Rican
Congress decided a
presidential order granting
permission to land was
unconstitutional, and the
units left.
Help them get a
Priest ...please!
Since there is no priest in this area of the Congo, the catechist
gathers the community on Sundays for prayer and meditation
on Cod's word.
Vocations in Mission areas are plentiful — but the cost of a
seminary education, low as it is, is beyond the means of many
young men aspiring to the priesthood.
Could you help one of them .. .so that he might bring the
fullness of Christ's message to his people? Please?
i ram hbb mhb m urn hmb oh wmm m hm bssi ehh hhi wmm m bi ssra ggu ibh he ■■■ wkm i
Yes>, I’ll help a young man in (lie Missions complete his seminary'studies.
Enclosed is my sacrifice of:
□ 81,000 □ $500 □ 8200 □ $100 □ 850 □ 820 □ 810 □ 85 □ Other $
Value _
I
I
I
I
I
s
I
I
I
m
I
I
Address _
City
State
Saul your gift to:
_ Zip .
7 79
THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION
OF THE FAITH
The Reverend James A. Miceli
ok: 756 W. Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Vfosf Kev. Eduard T. O'Meara
.National ! )imior
Dept. » iiiii Aivnnv
New York, New York lOOOI
HOMELESS -- A Nicaraguan stuffed in a cardboard box and
refugee family waits among the encountering refugee centers running
debris in a bombed out area in out of food and medicine, this
Managua. With their home family faces a bleak future,
destroyed, their only possessions
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
Convention Large,
But 6 Very Special’
captivated both young and old alike.
Much to the delight of everyone Father
Bob Dyer and Tim Randall became prime
targets on the dunking tank.
The celebration concluded with an
outdoor Mass concelebrated by Fathers
Edward Randall and Dyer and guest
priest Father Ralph Olek. After the
liturgy the able chefs of St. Thomas
served over a thousand hamburger dinners
to the tired but happy parishioners.
It was an exhausting yet exhilerating
day. One of fun, fellowship and worship
in the true spirit of Christian love and
parish community.
— St. Thomas Festival Outreach
After a solid week of rain, the good
Lord decided to smile favorably on the
people of St. Thomas the Apostle, by
delivering a beautiful sunny day on which
to celebrate their 13th year as a parish
family.
In this year of evangelization, St.
Thomas got off to a good start with their
“Family Fun Festival” which was held on
the parish grounds for parishioners,
neighbors and friends. The festivities
began with a hot dog lunch followed by
many activities which included family
games, homemade ice cream,
carnival booths and a magic show that
“Seat ’WCote&ame &
*De>Uciau4' < 7%€eil& At *Voiqi*ua,
•dee & "NtucA
s4t H¥<uue —
fRlDW*
SiAWD0
SP£lW
$499
3539 NORTHS IDE PKY.
SUNDAY**
ALL VAymM
*3§Q
266-8274
ALL PR/CE5INCLUDE TAYW
BEVERAGE-CHILDREN UNDER
3 HALFPR/EE-UNDER 1 FREE
CHOOSEFPOMOUP OA/LVCHANOm
*<&»*». ween suchas-hm!
• maau/mm, coo/vre/fx/Eo
STEAK, POPK CHOPS FJSW
'O. oux SPEC/Airy >X/£P
CM/CtfEAC. ALSO SEL&FFPOP1
MW FAPM FEES* FSSETABLEi
" SOUTHEPNTMptnohj
THEMSELVES. THEN TOP
/T OAF WITH A PEiHEtf
fXEtH PA/LY
|E < _ SY -<*• PPEPAKEP /
ij r\ye Colonel bad OUR CHICKEN
(J^e’d be a General I)