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As It Happened In 1980 US GOVERNMENT REACTS MAR 26, 1980 FR. ROMERO AND THE TREADMILL OF HEROISM By
Henry Mitchell "Romero had the only uncensored voice in San Salvador, a small radio station. It broadcast the names of people who were missing. It would happen that a man would be taken off and never heard from again, and his family would ask a priest for help in tracing him. These things soon wound up in the archbishop's lap. He wanted answers, why people were arrested and what was happening to them." ... 40 KILLED AT ROMERO'S FUNERAL SAN
SALVADOR, MAR 31, 1980 As the panicked crowds surged outside, and many rushed into the already packed cathedral, Romero's body was taken to a crypt below the sanctuary and buried. The archbishop was killed by a gunman Monday night as he was saying a memorial mass for a friend's mother. He died within minutes. A highly popular and controversial figure and outspoken critic of the military that has long dominated this Central American nation, Romero was looked upon as one of the few people who could keep the violence-ridden society from plunging into all-out civil war. ...
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"My disposition must be to give my life for God, whatever the end of my life is" - Archbishop Oscar Romero Oscar Romero was gunned down while saying mass on March 24, 1980. The 30th Anniversary of the Murder of Oscar Romero is March 24, 2010. Creighton will celebrate with speakers, a mass of commemoration, and a send-off service for members of the Creighton Community attending the Peace Vigil at the School of the Americas. "Dangerous Memories...Prophetic Voices" Past Events at Creighton Quotations from Archbishop Oscar Romero "You can tell the people that if they
succeed in killing me, that I forgive and bless those who do it. Hopefully,
they will realize they are wasting their time. A bishop will die, but the
church of God, which is the people, will never perish." "The church would betray its own love for God and its fidelity to the gospel if it stopped being . . . a defender of the rights of the poor . . . a humanizer of every legitimate struggle to achieve a more just society . . . that prepares the way for the true reign of God in history." "While it is clear that our Church has been the victim of persecution during the last three years, it is even more important to observe the reason for the persecution. ...The persecution comes about because of the Church's defense of the poor, for assuming the destiny of the poor." "You say that you are Christian. If you are really Christian, please stop sending military aid to the military here, because they use it only to kill my people." From a letter to President Carter: "A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth - beware! - is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call." |
Links to Learn More Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Romero's birth - with many resources. A reflection for the 35th Anniversary of the murder of Oscar Romero by Fr. Andy Alexander, S.J. "Death Comes For the Archbishop" "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Canonizing Romero" "Archbishop Oscar Romero: A Shepherd's Diary" "A
Remembrance" An article series on the life and impact of Romero. "The
Reluctant Conversion of Oscar Romero" Memories of the Archbishop from March, 2000, the 20th anniversary of his assassination.
"Oscar Arnulfo Romero: Prophet to the Americas" UN
Truth Commission Report The Romero Trust Romero Statue Boston College Powerpoint Archbishop Romero's Last Sermon Foundation for Self-Suffiency in Latin America San Romero Online Discussion Bi-lingual reflection and discussion group on Oscar Romero. The forum includes links to Romero websites. For Further Reading and Research |
"Oscar Romero of El Salvador", By Br. Robert Lentz, OFM. 1987. Courtesy of Trinity Stores (