ABSTRACT
The Catholic church in Central America has traditionally been viewed as a powerful institution that speaks with one voice, reflecting a coherent worldview shared by the vast majority of its leaders and members. This chapter analyzes the different roles being played by the Catholic church in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua in order to establish its capacity to help resolve the conflicts plaguing Central America. The Catholic church in Honduras is institutionally the weakest and least politicized in Central America, largely because of its lack of resources in a country that has the lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. Pope John Paul II most visibly involved himself in the Central American crisis during his visit in March 1983, when he repeatedly appealed to Central Americans to abide by the teachings of the Catholic church on socioeconomic justice and human rights.
