Pope Francis reinstates priest who held office in Sandinista regime

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Pope Francis has reinstated an 81-year-old Maryknoll priest suspended 30 years ago for his involvement in Nicaragua's Sandinista government.

Pope John Paul II instituted a ban on priests holding political office, and suspended Father Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann in 1984.

Fr. Brockmann, no longer a politician, recently wrote to Pope Francis asking the Holy Father to lift his suspension so that he could "celebrate the Holy Eucharist ... before he dies."

With Pope Francis' blessing, the Vatican said it will move forward "with the process of reintegrating Fr. Brockmann into the priestly ministry."

Fr. Brockmann was appointed by the Sandinista government to serve as Nicaragua's foreign minister in 1979. He held the office until 1990.