11 January 2019

Padre Floriano Vargas

     Known to most people as Father Floriano...or Padre Floriano...he is the Vicar General of the new diocese of Bluefields, the person who is second in command of the region's Catholic Church.  The church building itself is impressive and known locally as the cathedral.


     
     Below is a detail from the front of the building.



     Father Floriano is a member of one of Nicaragua's indigenous Indian tribes and speaks multiple languages, including his native tongue of Miskito, Spanish, Creole, and English.  These languages - and more - are spoken throughout the country's autonomous regions; and his parishioners are as diverse as the languages in the region.
     The photo below is from the news story early in 2018 which announced his promotion to Vicar General.



      I don't know how much of RACCS is covered by the Bluefields' diocese, but it's a lot of territory; and in the absence of the Bishop, Father Floriano is in charge, able and required to do all that the Bishop himself might do.  In an interview after his promotion he said "...it is a charge not of prize, but of much responsibility."       
     My introduction to Father Floriano was when he officiated at the marriage of a dear friend, and he was dressed for the occasion.  During most of my interactions with him since then he has been in more casual attire.  I asked him to dress up a bit for the two pics below...which he did.





     He's very much involved in the daily lives of his congregation; and during a recent visit I was invited along when he drove a bunch of us out NIC-71 one Saturday.  He seemed to enjoy the trip and the picnic just as much as the rest of us did.