Oscar Romero on Good Friday

Good Friday is an appropriate day to remember once again the example of slain archbishop Oscar Romero.    The crucifixion of Jesus Christ which is celebrated today is echoed in the martyrdom of Romero as a prophet, preaching a gospel which was good news to the poor and an indictment of those persons and institutions who would harm and oppress them.

In March, a new documentary about Oscar Romero was released on DVD.  The film,  Monseñor: The Last Journey of Óscar Romero, compiles extensive audio and video recordings of Romero together with interviews of from those whose lives were changed by Archbishop Romero, including church activists, human rights lawyers, former guerrilla fighters and politicians.  You can order a copy from First Run Features at this link.  Highly recommended.

Our friend Polycarpio has posted a lengthy overview on his blog of the lack of progress of the canonization of Romero as a saint of the Roman Catholic church.  Although Oscar Romero is widely beloved and cherished as a saint by millions in El Salvador and the rest of Latin America, official recognition of sainthood by the Vatican seems to be permanently stalled.

From a Holy Week sermon by archbishop Romero:

Christ would not be Redeemer 

if he had not concerned himself with giving food 

to the crowds that were hungry, 

if he had not given light to the eyes of the blind, 

if he had not felt sorrow for the forsaken crowds 

that had no one to love them, no one to help them.

Christianity cares about human development, 

about the political and social aspects of life. 

Redemption would not be complete 

if it did not consider these aspects 

of the Christ who chose in fact to be an example 

of one oppressed under a powerful empire 

and under a ruling class of his people 

that savaged his reputation and honor 

and left him on a cross. 

MARCH 26, 1978

Source, The Violence of Love