St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero - witness to justice

On the 14th of October last, Pope Francis canonised Oscar Arnulfo Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador who was assassinated by the military of that country while he was celebrating Mass in 1980. His murder caused international uproar and when, at his funeral, the military opened fire on the crowds, they totally underestimated the reaction of the world's nations and the press. In fact, his murder led directly to the downfall of the regime which had governed El Salvador in the lead-up to, and during, one of the bloodiest civil wars in history: a war in which the state itself showed itself to be the terrorists - murdering thousands of innocent people who were only trying to live their lives.

The government, backed by the United States, was a right-wing government, determined to eradicate what it claimed was communism. However, what they were dealing with was not communism, but the struggle for justice and an end to oppression of a people who had already had to bear too much.

Romero had been one of the conservative bishops of his country's episcopate. He was considered a safe pair of hands and, when he was appointed, he was considered to someone who would not rock the political boat and who would accept the status quo. The government, externally catholic, wanted the support of the church - not because of anything to do with the kingdom of God, but because they saw it as a way of controlling the population of this deeply Catholic country.

What changed? What happened to make Romero become the leader that he became?

Really, two things changed him or, to put it in terms of our Lenten liturgies, two things transfigured him.

Firstly, his friend, Fr. Rutilio Grande SJ, was killed by the regime. Rutilio was committed to helping the poor to set up self-help and self-reliance groups. This was considered harmful by those in power as it was the first step towards an independent mindset among the poor. Rutilio was killed because of his commitment to social justice. He was one of those who was committed to the basic principles of what would come to be known as the Theology of Liberation.

Rutilio's murder brought the reality of what was goin on in El Salvador home to Oscar Romero. Seeing his friend dead meant that this was not just something that happened elsewhere, it was something that implied, influenced, oppressed, damaged, and threatened every Salvadoran person.

Romero's action after Rutilio's murder, however, is still quite measured. He condemns violence but with a weak voice.

The second thing that happens is a real example of the action of the Holy Spirit. The Second Vatican Council had spoken of the fact that the Spirit moves the hearts of all members of the church, not just the hierarchy or the clergy. The Salvadoran people became the leaders in their own church and, bit by bit at first, but then with greater strength, made it clear to their Archbishop that they needed him - not just as someone to "do the confirmations", but as someone who would be their leader and who would give a voice to the voiceless poor.

And so it was. Romero came to be the fearless advocate for justice and for the transformation of Salvadoran society.

This did not go down well with the regime who eventually, in 1980, when they had had enough, sent a death squad under the command of Major Robert D'Aubuisson to put an end to this troublesome priest. And so it was, having completed his sermon, Romero returned to the presider's chair to continue with the celebration of the Eucharist when he was shot and killed.

Nobody was ever prosecuted for his murder but it is claimed that the assassins' names are well-known in Salvadoran society.

Romero's funeral, a massivly-attended event was not, as I have mentioned already, a peaceful affair. Between 30 and 50 people were killed by the army, and a great number more were injured. You may remember that the late Bishop Eamonn Casey, who was present at the funeral, gave a very vivid account of what had happened on his return to Ireland including, if I am not mistaken, an interview with Gay Byrne on The Late Late Show.

40 years later, and El Salvador is once again in turmoil with rampant violence and civil unrest. Other countries in Central and South America are also facing huge challenges: oppression continues to be a plague; people are hungry; poverty is endemic; basic foodstuffs and medicines are unavailable; corruption is unashamed; and in some countries we can see the growth of violence and armed struggle: Venezuela, as you may be aware, is currently suffering through an undeclared civil war.

The voice of Romero and others like him still needs to be heard.

In less than three years, more than fifty priests have been attacked, threatened, calumniated. Six are already martyrs--they were murdered. Some have been tortured and others expelled [from the country]. Nuns have also been persecuted. The archdiocesan radio station and educational institutions that are Catholic or of a Christian inspiration have been attacked, threatened, intimidated, even bombed. Several parish communities have been raided. If all this has happened to persons who are the most evident representatives of the Church, you can guess what has happened to ordinary Christians, to the campesinos, catechists, lay ministers, and to the ecclesial base communities. There have been threats, arrests, tortures, murders, numbering in the hundreds and thousands.... But it is important to note why [the Church] has been persecuted. Not any and every priest has been persecuted, not any and every institution has been attacked. That part of the church has been attacked and persecuted that put itself on the side of the people and went to the people's defense. Here again we find the same key to understanding the persecution of the church: the poor.

— Óscar Romero, Speech at the Iniversité catholique de Louvain, Belgium, 2 February 1980.

The relics of St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero were brought to Panama to coincide with Pope Francis' visit here for World Youth Day (JMJ). They have been kept in the seminary since that date and are due to be transferred to the cathedral in the next few weeks. In the photos below you can see his Mitre, a bust of his head, and part of the alb he was wearing when he celebrated what turned out to be his last Mass - with the bloodstain clearly visible.
St. Oscar - Pray for us.

Romero's episcopal motto: "To Feel With the Church", adorns his mitre