Óscar Romero
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (August 15, 1917 – March 24, 1980), commonly known as Monseñor Romero, was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in El Salvador. He later became prelate archbishop of San Salvador.
As an archbishop, he witnessed numerous violations of human rights and began a ministry speaking out on behalf of the poor and victims of the country's civil war. His brand of political activism was denounced by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and the government of El Salvador. In 1980, he was assassinated by gunshot while consecrating the Eucharist during mass. His death finally provoked international outcry for human rights reform in El Salvador.
From Wikipedia.
In the sermon just minutes before his death, Archbishop Romero reminded his congregation of the parable of the wheat. "Those who surrender to the service of the poor through love of Christ will live like the grains of wheat that dies. It only apparently dies. If it were not to die, it would remain a solitary grain. The harvest comes because of the grain that dies… We know that every effort to improve society, above all when society is so full of injustice and sin, is an effort that God blesses; that God wants; that God demands of us."
From Caritas Europa.
On December 2, 1980, four American churchwomen were killed by El Salvadoran National Guardsmen: lay missionary Jean Donovan, Maryknoll sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, and Ursuline sister Dorothy Kazel .
On November 6, 1989, six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter were killed by armed men who broke into their house: Ignacio Martín-Baró, SJ, Joaquín López y López, SJ, Juan Ramón Moreno, SJ, Amando López, SJ, Ignacio Ellacuría, SJ, Segundo Montes, SJ, Elba Ramos, and Celina Ramos.
In 2009, the General Convention of The Episcopal Church voted to add San Romero de las Américas and the Martyrs of El Salvador to the church calendar. Their feast day is observed on the date of Romero's martyrdom, March 24.
PRAYER
Almighty God, you called your servant Oscar Romero to be a voice for the voiceless poor, and to give his life as a seed of freedom and a sign of hope: Grant that, inspired by his sacrifice and the example of the martyrs of El Salvador, we may without fear or favor witness to your Word who abides, your Word who is Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen.
“LET THOSE WHO HAVE A VOICE, SPEAK OUT FOR THE VOICELESS.”
Óscar Romero
San Romero, ruega por nosotros.
