That is, “If I am killed, I will rise in the Salvadoran people.”
Here are a few more resources on and quotes from Archbishop Oscar Romero who was killed by a u.s. funded and trained death squad 30 years ago today while celebrating Mass. My uncle has been serving as a priest in El Salvador since the early 1980s, and he has been looking forward to today’s celebrations. From a recent email from him:
This will be a big “Sorrows Week” as it’s known here. Our big local doings center around the 30th anniversary of the assasination of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. There will be a big Mass in the cathedral on Wednesday, celebrated by Cardinal McCarrick of Washington (retired) and a bunch of bishops from the U.S.A., Central America, and Europe, especially Rome, or so our archbishop has promised.
I am looking forward to hearing reports from him about today’s events. Until then:
BBC reports on the 30th anniversary celebrations.
NCR reports on Romero’s sainthood cause.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove reflects on Oscar Romero and the radical act of staying put.
The Daily Show reports on the Texas school board’s exclusion of Romero from the curriculum. “And that is how Oscar Romero got disappeared by right wingers for the second time.”
David Horstkoetter, a doctoral student in theology at Marquette, posted his very fine paper on Oscar Romero and Johann Baptist Metz some time ago at his blog. It is definitely worth your time.
A two-part extended trailer for the documentary Romero By Romero featuring amazing footage of the archbishop and testimony from eyewitnesses:
Pope Benedict on Romero
‘I have no doubt he will be beatified. I know that the cause is proceeding well at the Congregation for the Cause of Saints,’ but said he did not have precise information.’ He was certainly a great witness [witness = martyr] for the faith, a man of great Christian virtue who was committed to peace and against dictatorship.’ Recalling that Romero was assassinated during the Consecration of the Host, he said it was ‘an incredible death.’ [Source]
Noam Chomsky on Romero
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWfk_6BhQyQ
“Let it be quite clear that if we are being asked to collaborate with a pseudo peace, a false order, based on repression and fear, we must recall that the only order and the only peace that God wants is one based on truth and justice. Before these alternatives, our choice is clear: We will follow God’s order, not men’s.” – Archbishop Oscar Romero (July 1, 1979)
Archbishop Oscar Romero, presente!
St. Oscar of the Americas, pray for us!
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