Oscar Romero

[Francis_Pio]

I’ve got to write a paper about him for my Theology class, after watching the movie “Romero”. I’m not comprehending why Traditional Catholics seem to dislike him so much. Looking at the terrible horrors inflicted on the Salvadoran people, I don’t see how any good Catholic would be able to act differently from him. He rightly condemned these things, but didn’t associate himself with the Marxists who were resorting to violence in their opposition to the government.

If I’m missing something, I really would like to know. I find it hard to believe that a well educated Traditionalist would dislike the man for these reasons, and want to be able to articulate the proper Catholic view in this paper. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chatter163]

Do NOT use the movie as a source. Like all movies, it strongly embellished the truth. In this case, the liberal Paulist fathers were eager to disassociate Romero from the Marxist revolutionaries that he was accused of coddling.

 

[bpbasilphx]

He was killed while celebrating the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In Orthodoxy, this would be sufficient to consider him a martyr and saint.

 

[rwoehmke]

He was killed while celebrating the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In Orthodoxy, this would be sufficient to consider him a martyr and saint.

Although not officially, there are many Catholics who consider this to be the case. I would guess that one’s politics here in the U.S. would have a lot to do with attitudes toward him. I may well be “going out on a limb”, but I suspect most of us who call ourselves traditionalists are Republicans or conservatives of one stripe or another. Those South of the border who strongly espouse the cause of the poor are usually painted as communists or socialists, either of which would not be high on a conservatives list of great or good people.

Don’t depend on the movie alone. I would suspect that “Googling” his name would bring up a plethora of information from all points of view. God’s blessings on where you go with this paper. If its for a catholic School class, I am guessing that your teachers will see Romero as a saint.

 

[TMGallyon85]

Alot of traditionalists dislike him because he was a fan of liberation theology.

 

[East_and_West]

Alot of traditionalists dislike him because he was a fan of liberation theology.

And a there’s the problem: Liberation Theology.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I don’t have enough details to comment on this. I do recall something about his cause for canonization being delayed while they decide whether he was killed for his religious belief or his political belief. It appears difficult to draw a definitive line on that.

I think this also affects some other causes but don’t have any names.

 

[SanJudas]

Dear Francis Pio,
Archbishop Oscar Romero was not a fan of liberation theology. His own theology was entirely orthodox. He had had a reputation as a conservative bishop before becoming the archbishop of San Salvador in 1977. In fact, he was chosen for archbishop precisely because he was considered to be acceptable by the other bishops and by the country’s wealthy landowners. Romero had always expressed a concern for the poor, as is fitting in a country where so many live in poverty. He did have several Jesuit friends who were active in liberation theology: some of them were murdered by an army death squad at the university where they taught in San Salvador. (I was in a neighboring country when that occurred, in 1989). Unfortunately, El Salvador became a pawn in the Cold War, and arms were flowing in from both the US and its allies and from the Warsaw Pact and its friends. As both sides in the conflict became increasingly intransigent, Romero, who had many friends among the wealthy and in the armed forces, tried to serve as a bridge and head off the coming civil war. He was always vociferous in his condemnations of the violence perpetrated by right and left.
Romero was conservative in his religious beliefs and practices. Every night, no matter how late the hour, he prayed the Rosary. His homilies often mentioned the Real Presence in the Eucharist, and he always insisted on recognition of the special status of the clergy. Vocations during his brief time as archdiocesan head and after his assassination increased.
The situation we have today is that Romero has been adopted by the Marxist left as “one of theirs,” clouding many’s judgements of his true character and motives. Conversely, he has been demonized by some on the right, who tend to confuse the platform of the Republican Party with the teachings of our Church. Please discover the truth about this fine servant of God and the situation which led him to act as he did. He predicted his own death months before, but was not cavalier about this foreknowledge–sometimes he locked himself into his quarters and wept, begging God to “let the cup pass,” but in the end he refused offers to leave the country or have an armed guard, and he paid the price his faith commanded him to pay.

 

[palmas85]

Alot of traditionalists dislike him because he was a fan of liberation theology.

He wasn’t precisely a fan of liberation theology itself. He didn’t follow the marxist principles of that movement. However, he was friends with some in that movement, mainly Jesuits who were involved in a big way, and the assasination of several of them, one a Priest, had a big impact on him. He decried the violence in El Salvador on both sides of the political issue, although he was very critical of the army and of the government. . Shortly before his death he had called upon El Salvadorn soldiers to obey Gods law instead of the orders of their commanders if those orders infringed on human rights…

That did not sit well with the Army commanders as you might imagine. .

His assasination however was at the hands of an extreme right wing faction led by aa Army Officer named De Abussion, which while including other Army members was not specifically a branch of the military. During his funeral a bomb exploded in the Cathedral square and shots fired from neighboring buildings. Estimates ranged from 30-50 dead and both sides blamed the other. The truth never came out as to who was responsible.

In his case there are many factors which will probably never be known.

 

[Chatter163]

He did have several Jesuit friends who were active in liberation theology: some of them were murdered by an army death squad at the university where they taught in San Salvador. (I was in a neighboring country when that occurred, in 1989).

But Romero was murdered in 1980. Did you mean 1979?

 

[SanJudas]

Dear Chatterbox,

You are right, Romero was murdered in 1980. The 1989 I mentioned was the date in which six of his Jesuit friends, along with their housekeeper and her teenage daughter, were killed at the Jesuit university in San Salvador.

 

[TMGallyon85]

Forgive me for my error.

 

[SanJudas]

No reason to apologize, TM. Sometimes, with all the disinformation being propagated these days, it’s difficult to arrive at the truth of a matter without having had either personal experience with it or by doing a lot of research on it. I’ve learned the hard way never to let politicians or academics do my thinking or my investigating for me. Nonetheless, the fact that the Vatican is still studying Archbishop Romero’s case indicates that there continues to be some doubt as to the assassin’s motives. In any case, Romero to me is a man who tried to integrate his words and deeds with Catholic teaching. He was a shepherd who was willing to give his life in defense of his flock.

 

[TMGallyon85]

It’s hard as well with documentarys that get played on the Discovery channel and quasi-history channel about People Like Romero or John Paul II that bias the views of them. Sort of like how I just recieved time magazines Issue on Pope Benedict coming to America. of course it leaves out all traditional things the Pope has revived. Typical Time Magazine liberalism

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . . Nonetheless, the fact that the Vatican is still studying Archbishop Romero’s case indicates that there continues to be some doubt as to the assassin’s motives. In any case, Romero to me is a man who tried to integrate his words and deeds with Catholic teaching. He was a shepherd who was willing to give his life in defense of his flock.

I got the impression that The Vatican study was not limited to this case. It was just that this case brought to the fore the need to determine the distinction between political and religious martyrdom.

It somehow seemed clearer when Thomas More and Henry VIII went head to head.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

I may well be “going out on a limb”, but I suspect most of us who call ourselves traditionalists are Republicans or conservatives of one stripe or another. Those South of the border who strongly espouse the cause of the poor are usually painted as communists or socialists, either of which would not be high on a conservatives list of great or good people.

I think you have hit the nail on the head with this statement. I was in Guatemala in the 70’s & 80’s and had a preconceived impression of those in the Church going over to communism from what our totally unbiased press (tongue in cheek) put out as fact. After being down there on two separate occasions and seeing first hand what our priests, nuns, religious and lay missionaries were up against, I came out with a total different impression. The Guatemalan government was most oppressive. A classmate of mine who was a priest in Guatemala introduced me to a bishop there and my eyes were really opened. This bishop could not even communicate with the Vatican as mail was confiscated and read and people persecuted as a result. In his behalf, I smuggled out (with much fear) almost a suitcase full of letters to be mailed to Rome. I succeeded in this and know of no results. My friend, the priest informed me that the bishop “died of a heart problems” in his mid 40’s… My friend died of “heart problems” at age 51. To this day, I do not know if these are the true facts or not. I can only say, do not believe all that the press would have you believe of the Church in Central and South America. From my perspective, I would say anywhere. This is why I keep saying, pray for the Church and those who serve her. Prayers and more prayers are needed more than most of you will ever know.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[Geremia]

In the movie, right after Romero hears a priest’s confession for believing in Liberation Theology ([Read this](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_co n_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html) by then-cardinal Jospeh Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI.) and says that it is not a sin, the movie becomes very liberally biased. Liberation Theology is Marxist, and Marxism is sinful; the Vatican has remained unwavering in its condemnation of it. Just as a minority of voters believed in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, a better economy or “change” is not the end-all, save-all of today’s most terrible injustices like abortion, where over a million Americans are murdered in the U.S. alone every year. Economic disparity is not the sole root of injustices, and our savior is not a reformed government. Only Christ Himself is a our savior. We must worship Him first and above anything else; then the secondary goods, which it seems the people in this movie seek first over God, will automatically follow.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice: and all these things “what you shall eat or what you shall drink”] shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:31)

Christ does not say “seek ye first the kingdom of man [as through reforming man’s governments] and his justice;” He says: “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice.”

 

[tpw]

Not all forms of liberation theology were Marxist. You need to recogniz the distinctions which were made in Ratzinger’s report in 1984. Don’t dare think allowing human rights abuses to go on unabated is somehow detached from the Kingdom of God.

Take a look at a good resource like the Compendium on the Social Doctrine of the Church for a clearer perspective.

 

[Hesychios]

…

Take a look at a good resource like the Compendium on the Social Doctrine of the Church for a clearer perspective.

This is excellent advice.

I bought it as soon as it came out and kept it until I moved last year. I firmly believe that it should be a ‘must read’ on the list of every Latin Catholic.

And if it gives some people indigestion, they really need to read it.