First Nicaraguan Bishop in the U.S. Seeks to Empower the Voiceless in Newark

During Friday night's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey, the newly appointed Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau will lead from the altar.

Familiarly known as Bishop Bismarck, he has the distinction of being the first Catholic bishop in the United States born in Nicaragua.

Fleeing Danger: A Journey Beginning in 1983

Born in 1967 amidst Nicaragua's turbulent Civil War, which claimed 50,000 lives, Bismarck fled the unrest and crossed into the United States covertly in 1983.

He recounted feeling immense fear as a teenager making the crossing at 16, eventually starting life in a new country while undocumented.

Bismarck described the United States as a land where opportunities abound, a beacon for those seeking a safer, better life.

Without envisioning such an outcome, Bismarck gained U.S. citizenship, feeling a call to priesthood when he was 40. Recently, he embraced his latest role as a U.S. bishop.

"It's a profound honor," he remarked, "to be chosen by God to serve in the United States as a Latino, an immigrant, and a Nicaraguan."

Championing the Voiceless

Partnering with Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Bismarck will help guide the archdiocese, with a special focus on aiding immigrants in Hudson County. His personal experiences provide a deep understanding of their search for refuge.

His mission: "I want to speak for those without a voice, to assure them 'God stands with you, as we do.' Hopefully, these words provide comfort."

Bismarck emphasized, "The church's presence is crucial. We must show solidarity, offering resources and connections to those in need."

His consecration as bishop included a significant, reflective gesture: lying prostrate before the altar.

"In that moment," he shared, "it's about dying to oneself, inviting the Lord to take over and allowing God's will to prevail."

A pilgrimage from trepidation to trust, spanning from Nicaragua's turmoil to the security of Newark.