Bishop Katia María Cortez, following her installation as the new leader of the Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope. Photo: Álvaro Javier Cruz Ruíz
Bishop Katia María Cortez affirms service with commitment, “humility and hope”
(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has welcomed Rev. Katia María Cortez as the new bishop of the Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope (Iglesia Luterana de Nicaragua Fe y Esperanza - ILFE), affirming the communion's accompaniment to a church whose ministry prioritizes the most vulnerable communities.
“We give thanks to God for the life and ministry of Bishop Katia Cortéz and for her witness of faith and hope. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will accompany the bishop and the ILFE communities in their mission. May she always feel accompanied and part of the communion in Christ, both in times of joy and in times of difficulty,” said Rev. Sonia Skupch, LWF Regional Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.
Cortez’s installation on 26 April in the Faith and Hope Lutheran Church in Nicaragua’s capital, Managua, was a moment to also honor the legacy of the previous ILFE bishop, pastors and lay leaders who have helped shape the church’s witness over the years.
I receive this call with humility and hope, trusting that God guides us to be a church that accompanies, listens, and acts—especially alongside those who suffer most—proclaiming the gospel with commitment and courage in our context
Bishop Katia María Cortez, Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope
“I receive this call with humility and hope, trusting that God guides us to be a church that accompanies, listens, and acts—especially alongside those who suffer most—proclaiming the gospel with commitment and courage in our context,” Bishop Cortez said. “I have been deeply moved by seeing the faces of the people from the communities. Seeing them there, expressing their gratitude and joy, confirmed to me that I am not alone. And, as I expressed during the celebration, the episcopacy is a service with them, not over them.”
The ceremony brought together members of ILFE’s congregations, representatives of other local Christian communities, delegations from companion synods, international partners, and other guests.
Rev. Dr Rafael Malpica Padilla, professor at the Lutheran Theology of Theology at Chicago, and former executive director for Service and Justice at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) delivered the sermon. He encouraged the new bishop to “embrace your calling with courage, to be light amid difficult realities, and to trust fully in divine guidance in your work of bringing transformation.”
The community, gathered with guests from various places and countries, to witness ILFE celebrate the installation of its new bishop. Photo: ILFE
Guests from other churches alongside the ILFE leadership. Photo: ILFE/Carlos Aguirre
Reflecting on the bonds of unity within the global church, ELCA South Dakota Synod Bishop Constanze Hagmaier expressed hope that during challenging times, María would recall the people present at her installation and “find joy that sustains you in your calling as bishop of ILFE.”
Bishop Katia María Cortez is the successor of Bishop Victoria Cortez Rodríguez, who passed on in 2023. The Nicaraguan church has over 10,200 members and it joined the LWF in 1994.
