Preacher theologian and political activist who sought in his ministry to integrate the spiritual and political dimensions of Christianity.
"The Christian faith does not cut us off from the world, but immerses
us in it." (Oscar Romero: Reflections on His Life and Writings, Orbis,
2000, page 16) - from a lecture he gave at the University of Louvain, Belgium.
We will divide the time spent with the text into three Monday evening sessions:
Monday, February 6th - Introduction to Romero. Background to El Salvador
and Liberation Theology (pp. 7-17)
Monday, February 13th = The Centrality of the Poor. Historical Demands
of the Gospel. Heart of the Poor (19-84)
Monday, February 20th - Testimony of the Martyrs. The Word Remains. Summary
Discussion (85-119)
Monday, February 27th, 2006 - Live phone conversations with Jacques and
Pat Goulet who both have longterm interests in Merton (and) the Rev. Brian
Rude, ELCIC Missionary in El Salvador, inspired by the example of Romero.
Monday, March 6th, 2006 - Viewing of the Movie: Romero (Video 1989) - Raul
Julia plays the archbishop/martyr in a biography that chronicles the story
of a mild-mannered cleric forced by conscience to fight representatives
of the El Salvadoran government and military.
Some key insights from the Introduction:
Romero is an unofficial saint (not yet canonized by the Catholic Church but fully believed a saint by the majority of El Salvadorans and many others around the world). Romero spoke truth to power and paid the ultimate price for it.
A salvific witness/martyr in both life and death, he was brutally slain March 24th, 1980. The 26th anniversary of his death will be remembered around the world in about a month.
A man of peace, he was forced much against his will to enter a bitter political conflict. After being elected archbishop (he was considered a safe candidate by both government and church authorities) he experienced a gradual awakening to what was actually going on in the country. This began when some of his priests who took the side of the poor were killed by death squads. He had always tended to look casually at violence against the poor and saw it as unfortunate, but part of traditional life in El Salvador, even though he himself came from the lower classes.
Now, however, the violence was affecting leaders of the church itself because they followed the Gospel message in their solidarity with oppressed people around them.
Following his death, the cycle of terror continued as four Maryknoll sisters were raped and murdered (December 1980) and six Jesuit university professors were slain (1989).
His spiritual discipline included solitary prayer, self-criticism and asceticism. These disciplines had been part of his priestly formation, and he continued to practice them, even in the midst of his political engagement.
Romero was both a contemplative and an activist. He was part of a community and has chosen a vocation devoted to serving the poor, he never lost his understanding and empathy.
He sought to link the historical (daily issues) with transcendent (supernatural) dimensions of his faith. In his dynamic pulpit and radio preaching, he called all to repentence. He began with himself, and included the majority poor as well as the minority rich and powerful in his proclamation. Of course, many of those addressed did not always hear him speak of his own faults but heard only his challenge to them.
He sought to embrace with love those who considered him an enemy.
His holiness was cultivated and sustained in community. In other words, he did not go-it-alone but sought the affirmation and support of those who stood by him. Community is essential for all those who would speak truth to power in church or state.
Romero was not only a theological theorist (theologian). He journeyed with the people and trusted them to find their own way, guided by the Holy Spirit (and for that, he was criticized by some as operating like a Protestant).
He saw in the poor the face of God - the Good News of God. He gave the people hope, even as he was sustained by them. He found in them a prophetic voice and focused them on giving attention to this world, not only a world to come (and for that, he was criticized by some as operating like a Marxist).
To those, in church and state, who viewed him as a Marxist, he said that his message was not about class warfare but about mutual love and respect In that, he sought to be both ultruistic and realistic - contemplative and active.
Concluding Thoughts:
The powerful in church and state did not see what he saw or hear what he heard - perhaps because he was looking with different eyes and listening to different voices. The powerful still do not see and hear.
Romero was converted by the poor to serve the poor. He believed that they knew what was best for themselves and could solve many of their own problems, if only they were given the chance to freeky allow the Spirit of God to work in and through them.
The situation in El Salvador is still grim (as our phone interview with Brian Rude may well confirm) but now the people have something they lacked before. They celebrate a rich legacy and a contemporary prophetic voice in their true saint, Oscar Romero.
Though he has been dead for more than a quarter century, Romero continues
to inspire and encourage all of us forward.
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