Thursday, January 25, 2018

El Salvador braces for a “spiritual earthquake”


JUBILEE YEAR for the CENTENNIAL of BLESSED ROMERO, 2016 — 2017



Empty canvas on which new Romero image for the San Salvador Cathedral will be created in connection with his expected canonization. Photo courtesy B. Hernandez.




#BlessedRomero #Beatification

The signs that 2018 will be “the year” of Blessed Oscar A. Romero continue to pile up. One of the most recent is the publication in his blog and on Twitter by postulator of the cause Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, of information originally published in this blog on the very subject, suggesting a swift conclusion of the process.  [See also Prediction: “Saint Romero,” 2018.]

Asked about the canonization prospects, Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez, visiting Barcelona, ​​Spain, responded: “We expect that the news will arrive at any moment.” According to several sources, Cardinal Rosa Chavez added that “the Holy Father is impatient for the day to arrive,” and described the process as a “spiritual earthquake” that awaits his country, insisting that El Salvador is “discovering” Archbishop Romero after his beatification in May 2015.

If what is coming is a “spiritual earthquake”, then Bellini Hernandez, a member of a secular group called Cultura Romeriana in San Salvador, experienced a bit of a foreshock when she arrived at the Metropolitan Cathedral last Sunday and discovered that the images of Romero that had adorned the temple had been removed. Disturbed by the fact, because Cultura Romeriana had donated one of the images, the parishioner decided to question Fr. Francisco Gongora, the pastor of the Cathedral.

He answered that it is because they are preparing a large altarpiece and likewise a large picture of Archbishop Romero,” says Hernandez, “on the occasion of the canonization of Archbishop Romero.”

Contacted by Super Martyrio, Father Gongora confirmed the plans. “I proposed to the archbishop to make a place in the cathedral dedicated to Archbishop Romero, and since we do not have a chapel, I drafted some plans for him on how to make an altarpiece in line with the background of the presbytery wherein he [Romero] represents the Good Shepherd who walks with his people and that’s how it will be done,” he says.

The Cathedral has undergone a small restoration. Last year, local media reported a donation from Taiwan to help with the process. “Not only has Taiwan donated; there are around eight companies that have donated to allow us to restore the Cathedral,” says the pastor. “All the money that has been received has been fully invested in the works of the Cathedral including the change of sewage pipes and the waterproofing of the interior roof which was in bad shape. In addition, the Crypt has not only been painted but we have also invested through donations from the different companies in the floor, to crystallize it; in the same way the entrance to the Crypt has been decorated with a false ceiling and lighting,” he summarizes.

As a footnote, not everyone is satisfied with these measures. On Facebook, Fr. Héctor Fernando Martínez Espinoza, Vicar General of the Diocese of Tarahumara, Mexico, expressed consternation at the removal of Romero’s images. “We believe that if you are going to put some other image of Romero, you could in the meantime, not remove the picture from Cultura Romeriana, since it is the only explicit reference in the cathedral temple,” the priest wrote from Mexico.  Father Gongora dismisses the criticism, asserting that “the Church is hierarchical, not democratic,” and that the decision has been vetted and deserves to be respected, “because I respect each diocesan territory and therefore I ask respect for mine.”

The Cathedral prepares for a canonization, but El Salvador must prepare for a “spiritual earthquake” in which there will surely be many rumblings and murmurings about the best way to receive and venerate the new saint.

El Salvador se prepara para un “terremoto espiritual”


AÑO JUBILAR por el CENTENARIO del BEATO ROMERO, 2016 — 2017:
 

 
Lona vacía sobre el cual se creará una nueva imagen de Romero para la Catedral de San Salvador en relación con su esperada canonización. Foto cortesía B. Hernández.




#BeatoRomero #Beatificación

Siguen llegando las indicaciones de que el 2018 va a ser “el año” del beato Óscar A. Romero.  Una de las más recientes es la publicación en su blog y por Twitter del postulador de la causa, Mons. Vincenzo Paglia, de información publicada originalmente en este blog sobre el mismo tema, augurando la próxima conclusión del proceso.  [Ver también Predicción: “San Romero”, 2018.]

Interrogado sobre las perspectivas de canonización, el cardenal salvadoreño Gregorio Rosa Chávez, de visita en Barcelona, España, respondió: “Esperamos que la noticia llegue cuanto antes”.  Según varios medios, el Cardenal Rosa Chávez agregó que “el Santo Padre está impaciente porque llegue el momento”, y definió el proceso como un “terremoto espiritual” que le espera a su país, asegurando que El Salvador está “descubriendo” a Mons. Romero después de su beatificación en mayo del 2015.

Si lo que viene es un “terremoto espiritual”, entonces Bellini Hernández, una integrante de un grupo laico llamado Cultura Romeriana en San Salvador, experimentó un sismo premonitor cuando llegó a Catedral Metropolitana el domingo pasado y descubrió que las imágenes de Romero que habían adornado el templo habían sido removidas.  Perturbada por el hecho, ya que Cultura Romeriana había regalado una de las imágenes, la feligresa decidió cuestionar al P. Francisco Góngora, el párroco de Catedral.

Él me contestó que es porque están preparando un retablo grande y así mismo un cuadro grande de Mons. Romero”, dice Hernández, “con motivo de la canonización de Mons. Romero”.

Contactado por Súper Martyrio, el P. Góngora confirmó los planes.  Le propuse al arzobispo hacer un lugar en la catedral dedicado a Mons. Romero, y cómo no tenemos una capilla le hice unos planos para hacer en lo alto un retablo siguiendo la sintonía del fondo del presbiterio y así que él [Romero] represente al Buen Pastor que camina con su pueblo y así se hará”, relata.

La Catedral ha experimentado una pequeña restauración.  El año pasado, medios locales reportaron un donativo por parte de Taiwán para ayudar en el proceso.  No sólo Taiwán ha donado; hay alrededor de ocho empresas que han donado para poder restaurar Catedral”, asegura el párroco.  Todo el dinero que se ha recibido ha sido íntegramente invertido en los trabajos de Catedral incluyendo el cambio de tuberías de aguas negras y la impermeabilización del techo interior que estaba destruido. Además, la Cripta no ha sido solo pintada sino también hemos invertido a través de donativos de las distintas empresas en el piso para cristalizarlo; de igual manera la entrada a la cripta se ha decorado el techo con cielo falso y luminaria”, finaliza.

Como nota de pie, no todos están satisfechos con estas medidas.  En Facebook, el P. Héctor Fernando Martínez Espinoza, Vicario General de la Diócesis de Tarahumara, México, expresó consternación por la remoción de las imágenes de Romero.  Creemos que si se va a poner alguna otra imagen de Monseñor, podría no quitarse mientras tanto, el cuadro de Cultura Romeriana, siendo la única referencia explícita en el templo catedralicio”, escribió el sacerdote desde México.  El P. Góngora descarta la crítica, postulando que “la Iglesia es jerárquica no democrática”, y que la decisión ha sido ventilada y merece ser respetada, “porque yo respeto cada territorio diocesano y por ello pido respeto al mío”.

Catedral se prepara para una canonización, pero El Salvador debe prepararse para un “terremoto espiritual” en que seguramente habrá muchos rumores y murmuraciones sobre la mejor manera de recibir y venerar al nuevo santo.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Blessed Romero, ‘flagship of the Church’


JUBILEE YEAR for the CENTENNIAL of BLESSED ROMERO, 2016 — 2017

Romero poster at Congregation for the Causes of Saints; Francis kisses Romero cross; Card. Amato.

#BlessedRomero #Beatification
The year has opened with favorable expressions regarding Blessed Archbishop Oscar A. Romero resonating in the highest circles of the Catholic Church in Rome.
In an annual speech at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the ecclesial body currently considering Romero’s canonization cause, the Cardinal Prefect of said body highlighted Romero among the distinguished saints of the Church. Musing on the phrase “factory of saints” to describe his work, Cardinal Angelo Amato said in a speech on January 8:
Like the 'factories' that produce, for example, excellent luxury cars, such as Mercedes, Ferrari or Chevrolet, the result of continuous research and innovation, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints also ‘produces’ Blesseds and Saints, like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Father Pio of Pietrelcina, John Paul II, and Archbishop Oscar Romero, who, because of their extraordinary evangelical witness, are in our times the flagship of the Church and of society.
The inclusion of Romero among the greatest saints of the last decades in a prepared speech by the highest authority in the saint-making process in the church after the Pope himself is especially noteworthy given that Archbishop Romero has not been canonized yet and his cause is up for consideration in these days. [See Prediction: “Saint Romero,” 2018.]
Without uttering a word, Pope Francis also manifested himself in Romero's favor during the Pope's meeting with the Vatican’s accredited diplomatic corps on the same day, January 8. In the words of Vaticanista Andres Beltramo on Twitter, "the Ambassador of El Salvador in the Vatican [Manuel Roberto Lopez Barrera] gave [Francis] a cross with the image of Archbishop Romero and the Pope kissed it immediately." The Pope receives many gifts during such encounters, including religious images, but it is rare to see such a show of reverence and affection.
A few days later, the leaders of various Christian churches in Italy quoted Romero in a joint message for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Signed by representatives of the Catholic Church, the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, and the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta, the statement reads:
The Lord asks us to be prophets again in this world, wearing the gospel armor of peace and justice to respond to evil with good, hatred and enmity with love. Oscar Arnulfo Romero, archbishop of San Salvador murdered on the altar for his love of the Gospel and the poor, said that ... “The only violence that the gospel countenances is that which one does to oneself.” It is the continuous testimony of the martyrs, whose blood is, therefore, a seed of unity.
That same day, the postulator of Romero’s cause, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, was appointed to the commission of bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Celebrating his nomination on Twitter, Archbishop Paglia stated, “Today’s appointment reminds me I must re-double my efforts as Postulator of the Causes of the Martyr-Bishop Oscar Romero and the Cuban-American Priest Ven. Felix Varela.”
All these citations to Romero by the highest Roman authorities suggest that the officials of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints are also redoubling their efforts to bring Archbishop Romero to the altars as soon as possible.


Beato Romero, ‘buque insignia de la Iglesia’


AÑO JUBILAR por el CENTENARIO del BEATO ROMERO, 2016 — 2017:

Poster de Romero en Congregación para las Causas de los Santos; Francisco besa cruz Romero; el Card. Amato.

#BeatoRomero #Beatificación
Se ha abierto el año con expresiones favorables sobre el beato Mons. Óscar A. Romero resonando en los círculos más altos de la Iglesia Católica en Roma.
En un discurso anual de la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos, el ente eclesial que está considerando la causa de canonización de Romero, el Cardenal Prefecto de dicho órgano, destacó a Romero entre los santos insignes de la Iglesia.  Comentando la frase “fabrica de santos” para describir su trabajo, el Cardenal Angelo Amato dijo en un discurso del 8 de enero pasado:
Al igual que las ‘fábricas’ que producen, por ejemplo, excelentes automóviles de lujo, como Mercedes, Ferrari o Chevrolet, resultado de la investigación y la innovación continua, la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos también ‘produce’ Beatos y Santos, como la Madre Teresa de Calcuta, el Padre Pío de Pietrelcina, Juan Pablo II, y Mons. Óscar Romero, quienes, por su extraordinario testimonio evangélico, son en nuestros tiempos el buque insignia de la Iglesia y de la sociedad.
La inclusión de Romero entre los más grandes santos de las últimas décadas en un discurso preparado de la máxima autoridad en la iglesia después del mismo Papa en la proclamación de santos es especialmente notable dado que Mons. Romero no ha sido canonizado todavía y su causa estaría siendo ventilada en estos días. [Ver Predicción: “San Romero”, 2018.]
Sin pronunciar palabra alguna, el Papa Francisco también se manifestó a favor de Romero durante el encuentro del Papa con el cuerpo diplomático acreditado en el Vaticano el mismo día 8 de enero.  En las palabras del vaticanista Andrés Beltramo en Twitter, “el Embajador de El Salvador en el Vaticano [Manuel Roberto López Barrera] le regaló a [Francisco] una cruz con la imagen de Mons. Romero y el Papa la besó inmediatamente”.  El Papa recibe muchos obsequios en tales encuentro, incluyendo imágenes religiosas, pero es raro ver tal muestra de afecto y reverencia.
Unos días después, los líderes de las Iglesias cristianas en Italia, citaron a Romero en un mensaje común por la Semana de Oración por la Unidad de los Cristianos. Firmado por representantes de la Iglesia Católica, la Federación de Iglesias Evangélicas en Italia, y de la Arquidiócesis Ortodoxa de Italia y Malta, el comunicado reza:
El Señor nos pide que seamos profetas otra vez en este mundo, vistiendo la armadura del evangelio de la paz y la justicia para responder al mal con el bien, el odio y la enemistad con amor. Óscar Arnulfo Romero, arzobispo de San Salvador asesinado en el altar por su amor al Evangelio y a los pobres, dijo que … “La única violencia que admite el evangelio es la que uno se hace a sí mismo”. Es el testimonio continuo de los mártires, cuya sangre es, por lo tanto, una semilla de unidad.
Ese mismo día, el postulador de la causa de Romero, Mons. Vincenzo Paglia, fue nombrado a la comisión de obispos de la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos.  Celebrando su nominación sobre Twitter, Mons. Paglia declaró, “el nombramiento de hoy me recuerda que debo redoblar mis esfuerzos como Postulador de las Causas del Obispo Mártir Óscar Romero y del Sacerdote Cubanoamericano el Venerable Félix Varela.”
Todas estas alusiones a Romero por las máximas autoridades romanas hacen pensar que los funcionarios de la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos también están redoblando sus esfuerzos para llevar a Mons. Romero a los altares cuanto antes.

Beato Romero, ‘fiore all’occhiello della Chiesa’


ANNO GIUBILARE per il CENTENARIO del BEATO ROMERO, 2016 — 2017

Poster di Romero nella Congregazione per le Cause dei Santi; Francesco bacia croce Romero; il Card. Amato.

#BeatoRomero #Beatificazione
L’anno si è aperto con espressioni favorevoli sul Beato Vescovo Oscar A. Romero che hanno risuonato nei più alti cerchi della Chiesa cattolica a Roma.
In un discorso annuale della Congregazione per le Cause dei Santi, il corpo della chiesa che sta valutando la causa di canonizzazione di Romero, il Cardinale Prefetto di quel dicasterio, ha incluso Romero tra eminenti santi della Chiesa. Commentando la frase “fabrica de santi” per descrivere la sua opera, il cardinale Angelo Amato ha detto in un discorso l’8 gennaio:
Al pari delle ‘fabbriche’ che producono, ad esempio, eccellenti auto di lusso, come la Mercedes, la Ferrari o la Chevrolet, frutto di ricerca e di continua innovazione, anche la Congregazione delle cause di Santi ‘produce’ Beati e Santi, come Madre Teresa di Calcutta, Padre Pio da Pietrelcina, Giovanni Paolo II, Mons. Oscar Romero, che, per la loro straordinaria testimonianza evangelica, sono nel nostro tempo il fiore all’occhiello della Chiesa e della società.
Includendo Romero tra i più grandi santi degli ultimi decenni in un discorso preparato per la più alta autorità della chiesa nella proclamazione dei santi dopo il stesso Papa è particolarmente notevole, dato che Mons. Romero non è stato ancora canonizzato e la sua causa deve essere considerata in questi giorni.
Senza dire una parola, il Papa Francesco ha parlato anche a favore di Romero durante l’incontro con il corpo diplomatico accreditato in Vaticano lo stesso 8 gennaio. Nelle parole del vaticanista Andres Beltramo su Twitter, “l’ambasciatore di El Salvador in Vaticano [Manuel Roberto Lopez Barrera] ha dato a [Francesco] una croce con l’immagine di Mons. Romero e il Papa la baciò subito.” Il Papa riceve molti doni in tali incontri, tra cui ci sono immagini religiose, ma è raro vedere tale manifestazione di affetto e riverenza.
Pochi giorni dopo, i leader delle chiese cristiane in Italia citarono Romero in un messaggio comune per la Settimana di Preghiera per l’Unità dei Cristiani. Firmato dai rappresentanti della Chiesa cattolica, dalla Federazione delle Chiese evangeliche in Italia e dall’Arcidiocesi ortodossa d’Italia e Malta, la dichiarazione recita:
Il Signore ci chiede di essere di nuovo profeti in questo mondo, indossando l’armatura del vangelo della pace e della giustizia per rispondere al male con il bene, all’odio e all’inimicizia con l’amore. Oscar Arnulfo Romero, arcivescovo di San Salvador ucciso sull’altare per il suo amore per il vangelo e i poveri, diceva che “L’unica violenza che ammette il vangelo è quella che si fa a se stessi […]”. È la continua testimonianza dei martiri il cui sangue è perciò seme di unità.
Lo stesso giorno, il postulatore della causa di Romero, Mons. Vincenzo Paglia, è stato nominato alla commissione dei vescovi della Congregazione per le Cause dei Santi. Celebrando la sua nomina su Twitter, Mons. Paglia ha dichiarato: “L’appuntamento di oggi mi ricorda che devo raddoppiare i miei sforzi come postulatore delle cause del vescovo Mártir Óscar Romero e del sacerdote cubano-americano venerabile Félix Varela”.
Tutte queste allusioni a Romero da parte delle più alte autorità romane suggeriscono che anche i funzionari della Congregazione per le Cause dei Santi stanno raddoppiando i loro sforzi per portare Arcivescovo Romero sugli altari il prima possibile.

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Prediction: “Saint Romero,” 2018


JUBILEE YEAR for the CENTENNIAL of BLESSED ROMERO, 2016 — 2017

Montini and Romero, bound for the altars.

#BlessedRomero #Beatification
A year ago, I went out on a limb to predict that, although Archbishop Romero would not be canonized this year, there would be a 2017 announcement. Obviously, that did not happen, but my mistake related to the intentions for the announcement and not to the progress of the cause, which has progressed as I anticipated. Therefore, I update my prediction by estimating that we will have a canonization announcement before the anniversary of Romero's martyrdom (March 24), and that the ceremony will be held during the sixth year of Franciscus Papam (i.e., between March 13, 2018 and the same date in 2019).

[See also: Top 10 Romero news 2017.]
If so, the canonization would occur while this pontificate is in full bloom. It was similarly during his sixth year that Benedict XV (pope between 1914 and 1922) canonized the Maid of Orleans (Joan of Arc), and many other popes have made their most memorable canonizations well into their papacy. For example, Pius XI (pope 1922-1939) canonized Bernadette Soubirous, Saint Thomas More, Don Bosco and Therese of Lisieux, during his second decade on the throne of Saint Peter. Saint John Paul II (1978-2005) canonized Maximilian Kolbe in the fourth year of his papacy, but the canonizations of Edith Stein, Padre Pio, Juan Diego and Josemaria Escriva had to wait. Pope Francis (2013-to date) has already canonized prominent saints such as John Paul II, John XXIII, Junipero Serra and Mother Teresa, but he still needs a saint who represents the grand values ​​of his pontificate.

All this will change in 2018, when Francis will have the opportunity to canonize both Romero and Paul VI, his favorite pope. We can entertain the daring fantasy of Montini and Romero being canonized together! In fact, Romero and Montini will be the first saints to be beatified and also canonized by Francis. How awesome it would be if the Pope of the Second Vatican Council were canonized in the same ceremony as his seminary student, Romero, the Martyr of the Council, who quoted Paul VI more than any other authority to justify his ministry. The encyclical that Romero cited the most was «Evangelii Nuntiandi»—the same that Francis has calledto my mind the greatest pastoral document that has ever been written to this day.” It was also Pontiff Paul who unhesitantly supported Romero when he debuted his preferential option for the poor.

For this reason, it is possible to project that 2018 will be the year of Pope Francis’ defining canonizations, and that the canonization of Archbishop Romero will be principal among them.  In fact, Pope Francis, along with the other popes mentioned above, is already among those who have had the most impact on canonization. Previously, he has reformed the system for financing causes (imposing limits), has promulgated new rules for miracles (making them stricter), and has created a new path to the sainthood (broadening the concept of giving one’s life for the faith).

The importance will be reinforced by other factors in the life of the Church. First of all, 2018 will mark 50 years since the conference of the Latin American bishops in Medellin, Colombia (presided over by Paul VI himself), which defined the “preferential option for the poor.”  Romero put the teachings of Medellin at the center of his ministry and it is impossible to think of a larger proponent of Medellin than Romero in the entire continent. The possibility that Francis will issue a document on the doctrine of the Just War, or that he will make some important pronouncement on nuclear weapons (which we can see a hint of in his New Year’s Eve message publishing a photo of the consequences of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima). Finally, 2018 will be important for its emphasis on youth vocations and the role of the family, due to important gatherings devoted to these issues, for which Romero can become an important saint (the postulator of the Romero cause has been president of the Vatican dicastery on the family and has called Romero a saint for the family).

Undoubtedly, canonizations do not depend on recurring motifs for their reason for being, and I do not mean to suggest that the canonization of Archbishop Romero will need the coincidences related here to become a reality. The canonization of Archbishop Romero will fall by its own weight, but these factors will situate it in its proper place in the history of this pontificate and of the Church. A canonization that may be announced in the first quarter of the year, and is likely to arrive in the following twelve months.

Predicción: “San Romero”, 2018


AÑO JUBILAR por el CENTENARIO del BEATO ROMERO, 2016 — 2017:

Montini y Romero, próximos a los altares.

#BeatoRomero #Beatificación
Hace un año, me atreví a predecir de que, si bien Mons. Romero no sería canonizado este año, se anunciaría su canonización. Obvio que no fue así, pero mi equivocación ha sido con respecto a las intenciones sobre el anuncio y no sobre la marcha de la causa, que ha proseguido según lo había anticipado.  Por ende, actualizo mi predicción calculando que tendremos un anuncio sobre la canonización antes del aniversario del martirio de Romero (el 24 de marzo), y que la ceremonia será durante el sexto año de Franciscus Papam (es decir entre el 13 de marzo de 2018 y la misma fecha en el 2019).

[Ver también: Top 10 noticias Romero 2017.]
De ser así, la canonización ocurriría en pleno apogeo del pontificado.  Fue en su sexto año que Benedicto XV (papa entre 1914 y 1922) canonizó a “la Doncella de Orleans” (Juana de Arco), y muchos otros papas han realizado sus más memorables canonizaciones ya bastante entrados en su papado.  Por ejemplo, Pio XI (papa 1922-1939) canonizó a Bernadette Soubirous, Santo Tomás Moro, Don Bosco y a Teresa de Lisieux, en su segunda década sobre el trono de San Pedro.  San Juan Pablo segundo (1978-2005) canonizó a Maximiliano Kolbe en el cuarto año de su papado, pero las canonizaciones de Edith Stein, el Padre Pío, Juan Diego y Josemaría Escrivá tuvieron que esperar.  El Papa Francisco (2013-hasta la fecha) ya canonizó santos prominentes como Juan Pablo II, Juan XXIII, Junípero Serra y la Madre Teresa, pero le hace falta un santo que represente los grandes valores de su pontificado.

Todo eso va a cambiar en el 2018, cuando Francisco tendrá la oportunidad de canonizar tanto a Mons. Romero como a Pablo VI, su papa favorito.  Podemos entretener la fantasía atrevida de que ¡Montini y Romero sean canonizados juntos!  De hecho, Romero y Montini serán los primeros santos beatificados y también canonizados por el Papa Francisco. Que tremendo sería que el Papa del Concilio Vaticano II fuera canonizado en la misma ceremonia que su estudiante en el seminario, Romero, el Mártir del Concilio, que citó a Pablo VI más que cualquier otra autoridad para justificar su ministerio.  La encíclica que Romero más citó fue la «Evangelii Nuntiandi»—la misma que Francisco ha llamadosegún mi parecer, el documento pastoral más grande escrito hasta nuestros días”. Fue también el Pontífice Pablo quien respaldó sin dudas a Romero cuando este estrenó su opción preferencial por los pobres.

Por eso, es posible proyectar que 2018 será el año de las canonizaciones definitorias del Papa Francisco, y que la canonización de Mons. Romero será una de las principales entre ellas.  De hecho, el Papa Francisco, junto a los otros papas anteriormente mencionados ya figura entre los que más impacto han tenido sobre las canonizaciones.  Anteriormente, ya ha reformado el sistema de financiamiento de las causas (imponiendo límites), ha promulgado nuevas reglas para los milagros (haciéndolas más estrictas), y ha creado una nueva vía para la santidad (ampliando el concepto de dar la vida por la fe).

La importancia será reforzada por otros factores en la vida de la Iglesia.  Ante todo, el 2018 marcará 50 años desde la conferencia del episcopado latinoamericano en Medellín, Colombia (presidida por el mismo Pablo VI), que definió la “opción preferencial por los pobres”.  Romero puso las enseñanzas de Medellín al centro de su ministerio y es imposible pensar en un expositor de Medellín más grande que Romero en todo el continente.  También se baraja la posibilidad que Francisco emita un documento sobre la doctrina de la Guerra Justa, o que haga algún pronunciamiento importante sobre las armas nucleares (sobre cual podemos ver alguna indirecta en su mensaje en vísperas del año nuevo en que publicó una foto de las consecuencias del bombardeo atómico de Hiroshima).  Finalmente, el 2018 será importante por su énfasis sobre las vocaciones juveniles y el papel de la familia, por importantes jornadas dedicadas a esos temas, ante cuales Romero puede ser un santo importante (el postulador de la causa de Romero ha sido presidente del dicasterio vaticano sobre la familia y ha llamado a Romero un santo para la familia).

Sin lugar a dudas, las canonizaciones no dependen de motivos recurrentes para su razón de ser, y no quiero insinuar que la canonización de Mons. Romero va a necesitar de las coincidencias relatadas para hacerse realidad.  La canonización de Mons. Romero caerá por su propio peso, pero estos factores la van a situar en su lugar dentro de la historia del pontificado y de la Iglesia.  Canonización que podrá ser dada a conocer en el primer cuarto del año, y probablemente llegará en los próximos doce meses.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Top 10 Romero news of 2017


JUBILEE YEAR for the CENTENNIAL of BLESSED ROMERO, 2016 — 2017


#BlessedRomero #Beatification
For the tenth and probably the last time, here is the customary review of the top ten developments relating to Oscar Romero from the year that is about to end.

1. The Centenary

The predominant event in relation to Romero this year has surely been the commemoration of the centenary of his birth. On the one hand, there is everything that has to do with the institutional observation of the milestone. The Latin American Bishops’ Conference (CELAM), the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama (SEDAC), the Catholic and Anglican churches in England, and other private churches in the United States and elsewhere have organized commemorative events. But aside from this, the one hundred years of Archbishop Romero has left us a new reflection on his legacy that looks beyond his martyrdom to a certain model of a new way to be a bishop, which takes on greater importance in the context of the teachings of the Bergoglio papacy. In a message to SEDAC, Pope Francis urged the bishops of the region to “follow the example of Blessed Oscar Romero, to commit yourselves more and more to ‘Feel and Cause to Feel with the Church,’ so that the love of Jesus and the commitment to solidarity with the poorest and most excluded grows among the faithful of your lands.”

2. The Miracle

The Vatican has been studying a miracle through the intercession of Blessed Romero to complete the process of his sanctification. It is “a woman from El Salvador who was in the seventh month of her pregnancy and was at risk of dying and losing her own child due to a serious complication,” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the postulator of the case, explained in March. “Her friends prayed to Blessed Romero, and after a few weeks the woman not only did not die, but she was able to give birth to her son, the medical records, in the opinion of the doctors document, an extraordinary and miraculous event.” Sources in the Church say that the evaluation “seems to be going very well, proceeding in a good way.”

3. The Cardinal

On another front, the appointment to the college of Cardinal of auxiliary bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez, a “disciple” of Romero, has been recognized as a papal hommage to the legacy of the Salvadoran martyr.

4. The Holy Year

In relation to the Romero centenary, the Salvadoran Church decreed a jubilee year, which has entailed several activities, including a massive pilgrimage to the small town where Romero was born, tours of his relics inside and outside of El Salvador, and others.

5. «Ad limina apostolorum» Visit

The Salvadoran bishops visited Pope Francis in March. Naturally, the subject of Romero—both his canonization and the need to imitate him—dominated the meeting.

6. The doctoral proposal

The idea of ​​promoting Romero as one of the “doctors of the Church” arose from Fr. Robert Pelton, at the annual seminars organized by the University of Notre Dame in the USA.

7. The London indult

An unusual sign of Romero’s universality, even as a blessed, was the decision of the Congregation for Divine Worship to grant an “optional memorial” to celebrate Romero at Saint George’s Cathedral Southwark (London), every March 24.

8. New category of saints / Stanley Rother Beatification / Escobar Alas Pastoral letter

The introduction of a new path for canonization, the beatification of the American Stanley Rother as a martyr in Guatemala, and the pastoral letter of Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas on the other martyrs of El Salvador, will all help contextualize Romero’s martyrdom.

9. Legal proceedings for Salvadoran war crimes

The advances—sometimes at a glacial pace—in the trials for the massacres of the Jesuits at Central American University in 1989, and of a thousand peasants in El Mozote in 1981, seem to disentangle a possible future of justice for war crimes that include the Romero assassination.

10. Patronage of the World Youth Day Panama 2019

It was confirmed that Blessed Romero will be, together with St. Martin of Porres, St. Rose of Lima, and others, one of the patron saints of the great Catholic youth meeting. The nomination will become more important when the canonization kicks into high gear.

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Finally, in the blog we can highlight the activity undertaken to promote the celebration of the centenary, with publication of notes in L’Osservatore Romano, CRUX, Emmanuel, and other forums. With great joy we can proclaim mission accomplished and with some sadness announce that 2018 will be the last year of this blog. Thank you all for your readership and for the friendship.

Prior Year Reports:

Top 10 of 2016
Top 10 of 2015
Top 10 of 2014
Top 10 of 2013
Top 10 of 2012
Top 10 of 2011
Top 10 of 2010
Top 10 of 2008
Top 10 of 2007
Roundup of 2006 (Spanish)