"EACH OF US CAN DO SOMETHING."
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
MartÃn-Baró, SJ, JoaquÃn López y López, SJ, Juan Ramón Moreno, SJ,
Amando López, SJ, Ignacio EllacurÃa, 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.
