I
knew Juan Moreno slightly at St. Marys, Kansas when we were theologians
there. He was probably three years ahead of me which would have made
him a 4th year theologian when I was a first year. He struck me as
a quiet and a good person.
So when the news broke of the killing of the Jesuits and their friends, it struck close to home since I knew him. I knew Jon Cortina and Jon Sobrino better earlier when we were in philosophy together at St. Louis and had followed their work a bit more in recent years.
My impression, then, is of people (like Juan Moreno and Cortina and Sobrino, and the people who worked with them) of great conviction who speak of that conviction despite its danger. These are Jesuit brothers of great stature and I am proud to be able to say that I knew them.
My prayers are with them and the people that they have influenced. I am glad that we are taking the time to remember such a momentous event. My hope is that they all did not die in vain.
My
first response to the news of the assassination of the Jesuits and the
women was one of horror. Disagreements, arguments, threats, and possibly
some verbal and physical trashing of these people I might have understood.
But murder was utterly shocking. My horror was accompanied by wonder
and great respect. These men surely must have known the danger they
were in, but they remained a voice of justice for the poor. It was
a humbling experience for me; would we have the courage to follow our call
and our consciences in the face of such evil designs?
Simply
put, when I heard of this and other martyrdoms of my Jesuit brothers (i.e.
in Bierut, Lebanon) I experienced a deep grief along with the accompaniment
of a deep gentle strength from Jesus' Spirit. I think we are invited into
sharing in that martyr's strength in a small but real way each day. My/our
strength from Jesus' Spirit was enlivened through the course of these awful
events. It resounds with the glory of God where love is the final Word.
This
anniversary brings three emotions to the surface for me. I feel deep
pride that, for all our failings as Jesuits, these Jesuits got it right.
They promoted a faith that does justice without qualification. In
an age when we are tempted to soften the demands of justice, so
as not to offend benefactors or board members, these men stand out for
us as witnessness to the power of standing up to the forces of oppression
on the side of the oppressed.
The second emotion I feel is deep anger. Though we eventually cut off funding for this war, I am deeply angry that my government had a hand in this elimination of my brothers, precisely because they were voices of truth that spoke out against injustice. And Elba and Celina were murdered so there would be no witnesses. To this day, we have not admitted what happened, so that the story would be told and a commitment would be make to change our involvement in these dirty wars.
The third emotion is deeper passion for a greater solidarity with the poor here and around the world. Remembering the martyrs of El Salvador gives me more courage and a greater desire to know those who are oppressed and to be on their side, by more freely speaking out against unjust structures, on their behalf.