Monday, September 30, 2013

Roncalli & Wojtyla





El Papa Juan XXIII (1958-1963), el papa campesino que convocó el Concilio Vaticano II, e inspiró a todo mundo con su humildad y apertura de corazón será beatificado el 27 de abril del 2014, a la par de Juan Pablo II.
Pope John Paul II (1978-2005), who encouraged and counseled Archbishop Romero to continue his ministry with “boldness and prudence” and later put him on the road to sainthood, will be canonized on April 27, 2014, alongside John XXIII.

Más:

Mons. Romero y los Papas


English
EspaÑol
Italiano
 
León XIII (1878-1903)
 
Pius X (1903-1914)
 
 
 
 
Benedetto XV (1914-1922)
 
Pío XI (1929-1939)
 
Pius XII (1939-1958)
 
 
 
Juan XXIII (1958-1963)
 
Paul VI (1963-1978)
 
 
 
 
John Paul II (1978-2005)
 
 
 
Benedicto XVI (2005-2013)
 
 Francis (2003 - )
 
 

Saturday, September 21, 2013

London Cathedral inaugurates “Romero Space”

All rights reserved Southwark Archdiocese Flickr account.
 
A Victorian cathedral associated with English Catholics’ march from repression to tolerance, bombed by Hitler during WWII and visited by John Paul II in 1982, now houses an Oscar A. “Romero Space” that Salvadoran Ambassador Werner Matías Romero (no relation) called “a little piece of El Salvador” in the heart of London.  Ambassadors and High Commissioners, members of Parliament and other government officials joined clerics from the Catholic and Anglican communities at St. George's Cathedral, including the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark (whose jurisdiction covers parts of London and points south) Peter Smith; the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hallam (Province of Liverpool) John Rawsthorne; and the Anglican Dean of Westminster, John Robert Hall, who heads the chapter at Westminster Abbey, where a prominent statue of Oscar Romero has graced the Royal Church’s western façade since 1998.  The assembly gathered for an ecumenical prayer service to inaugurate a small chapel dedicated to Romero and to bless a large “Romero Cross,” in the style pioneered by the Salvadoran muralist Fernando Llort, created by the Salvadoran master in the highlands of El Salvador and shipped to London to house an original clerical skullcap worn by Romero and a fragment of the blood-stained alb Romero was wearing when he was killed.
Among the more than 1200 in attendance at the vigil on Thursday September 19, were Llort; Romero’s younger brother, Gaspar Romero; and Romero’s vicar, Msgr. Ricardo Urioste, who is the long serving president of the Romero Foundation in El Salvador and who turned 88 earlier in the week.  Msgr. Urioste was the featured speaker of the evening, and he delivered brief but poignant remarks presenting Romero as a man of God, a man of the Church, and a man of the people.  His words were peppered with anecdotes about Romero from a close associate.  Recalling Romero’s spirituality, Urioste recounted accompanying Romero on a trip to Rome while he was Archbishop.  We went together to St. Peter's Basilica,” Urioste recalled.  He knelt down before the altar and I knelt next to him. After a long while, I stood up.  Urioste noticed that Romero “was still in deep prayer and I said to myself, ‘One must follow this man because he is following God’.  Explaining that Romero’s concept of the Church included the laity, he recalled Romero approaching a homeless man after a meeting with theologians.  I thought he was going to offer him some help,” said Urioste.  Instead, he asked this man the same question he had asked the theologians.”  Urioste quoted Romero’s journals from his last spiritual retreat, where he writes about his fear of being assassinated, but ultimately accepts a potentially violent death and prays for strength in facing it.  Urioste calls these “some of the most beautiful words he ever wrote.”
Msgr. Urioste rejects the sudden conversion model of Romero’s life, instead comparing the opening of Romero’s eyes to the Biblical story of the Blind Man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), who is gradually given full sight in a healing miracle performed by Jesus.  Romero “was always someone who sought to do God´s will and God showed His will to him step by step,” said Urioste.  He closed with a heartfelt wish for Romero’s sainthood:
In the course of history, three bishops have been murdered in the temple. The first was the Bishop of Krakow, Stanislaus. He was murdered for scolding the Polish king for his sins, that is, for defending morality. The second was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, who was murdered for defending the Church´s rights and freedoms. And the third was Archbishop Romero of San Salvador, who sought to be faithful to the Gospel and to the teaching of the Church. He was murdered for defending the poor.
The first two have been canonized. Perhaps one day, God willing, Monseñor Oscar Romero will be canonized, too.
In the symbolic highlight of the evening, the ecumenical assembly, including canons wearing ermine trimmed mozzettas, lit Paschal candles and circled the large, colorful cross in the vaulted chapel of the Romanesque gothic cathedral.  Dignitaries included Fr. Michael Campbell-Johnston SJ, former British Provincial; Julian Filochowski, the head of the Romero Trust; Canon John O’Toole, the Dean of the Cathedral; Jan Graffius, the Curator from Stonyhurst College who restored Romero’s vestments for preservation in San Salvador; Rev. Richard Carter, from St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, where Romero commemorations are held; Sister Elizabeth Dawson, of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; Clare Dixon, CAFOD programme manager for Latin America; Fr. Tony Lester O.Carm, of the British Province of Carmelite Friars; Sister Pamela Hussey SHCJ; Fr. Mark Hackeson; and Chris Bain.
Archbishop Smith sprinkled holy water and swung an incense censer as he circled the Cross during the blessing ceremony.  As he did so, the words of Ambassador Matías Romero seemed to frame the scene.  Referring to Archbishop Romero, the ambassador said, “He held us to a higher standard.”  After the ceremony, members of the public filed past the Cross, admiring it, snapping pictures.  Now on his way to sainthood, the likeness of the Voice of the Voiceless stands today in stone above the entrance to Westminster Abbey, and his image remains etched in our minds, his example undimmed.”
 

Top: Msgr. Urioste delivers personal remarks.  Bottom: artist Fernando Llort (center) lights a candle with Julian Filochowski (with his back to camera), while Gaspar Romero stands behind Llort, left, and Canon John O'Toole off to the right.
 

Catedral de Londres estrena “espacio Romero”


Derechos reservados.  Archdiocese of Southwark Flickr account.
Una catedral del siglo XIX asociada con la marcha de los católicos ingleses desde la represión a la tolerancia, bombardeada por Hitler durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial y visitada por Juan Pablo II en 1982, ahora alberga un “espacio [Óscar A.] Romero” que el embajador salvadoreño Werner Matías Romero (sin parentesco a Monseñor) llamó “un pedacito de el Salvador” en el corazón de Londres. Embajadores y Altos Comisionados, miembros del Parlamento y otros funcionarios del gobierno se sumaron a religiosos de las comunidades católica y anglicana en la Catedral de Saint George, incluyendo el arzobispo católico de Southwark (cuya jurisdicción abarca partes de Londres y puntos al sur) Peter Smith, el obispo católico de Hallam (Provincia de Liverpool) John Rawsthorne, y el decano anglicano de Westminster, John Robert Hall, quien encabeza el capítulo de la Abadía de Westminster, donde una estatua prominente de Óscar Romero ha lucido en la fachada occidental de la Iglesia Real desde 1998. La gran asamblea llegó a participar en un servicio de oración ecuménico que inauguró una pequeña capilla dedicada a Romero y para bendecir una gran “Cruz Romero”, en el estilo del muralista Fernando Llort, creada por el maestro salvadoreño en las montañas de El Salvador y enviada a Londres.  La Cruz contiene un solideo de Romero y un fragmento de la sotana ensangrentada que vestía cuando fue asesinado.
Entre la muchedumbre de más de 1200 presente en la ceremonia del jueves 19 de septiembre se encontraban Llort; el hermano menor de Romero, don Gaspar Romero; y el vicario de Romero, monseñor Ricardo Urioste, presidente de la Fundación Romero en El Salvador por largo tiempo, quien cumplió 88 años a principios de la semana. Mons. Urioste fue el orador principal de la noche, y pronunció unas palabras breves pero conmovedoras presentando a Romero como un hombre de Dios, un hombre de la Iglesia, y un hombre del pueblo. Sus palabras estuvieron salpicadas con anécdotas sobre Romero de un estrecho colaborador. Recordando la espiritualidad de Romero, Urioste relató que acompañó a Romero en un viaje a Roma cuando era arzobispo. “Fuimos juntos a la Basílica de San Pedro”, recordó Urioste. “Se arrodilló ante el altar y yo me arrodillé a su lado. Después de un largo tiempo, me levanté”. Urioste cuenta que Romero “todavía estaba en profunda oración, y pensé: ‘Hay que seguir a este hombre porque él está siguiendo a Dios'.” Explicando que en su concepto de Iglesia Romero incluyó los laicos, Urioste recordó la vez que Romero se acercó a un indigente después de una reunión con algunos teólogos . “Pensé que iba a ofrecerle una ayuda”, dijo Urioste. “En lugar, le hizo a este hombre la misma pregunta que le había hecho a los teólogos”. Urioste citó los apuntes que Romero hizo en su último retiro espiritual, donde escribía sobre su temor de ser asesinado, pero al final acepta la posibilidad de una muerte violenta y ora por la fuerza para enfrentarla. Urioste las considera “entre las palabras más hermosas que ha escrito”.
Mons. Urioste rechaza el modelo de conversión repentina en la vida de Romero, y prefiere comparar la apertura de los ojos de Romero al relato bíblico del ciego de Betsaida (Marcos 8:22-26), que recupera la vista completamente, poco a poco, en un milagro de Jesús. Romero “siempre fue alguien que trató de hacer la voluntad de Dios y Dios le reveló su voluntad, paso por paso”, dijo Urioste. Concluyó con un esmerado deseo por la santidad de Romero:
En el curso de la historia, tres obispos han sido asesinados en el templo. El primero fue el obispo de Cracovia, Estanislao. Fue asesinado por regañar al rey polaco por sus pecados, es decir, por la defensa de la moralidad. El segundo fue el arzobispo de Canterbury, Tomás Becket, que fue asesinado por defender los derechos y las libertades de la Iglesia. Y el tercero fue Mons. Romero de San Salvador, que trató de ser fiel al Evangelio y a la enseñanza de la Iglesia. Fue asesinado por defender a los pobres.
Los dos primeros han sido ya canonizados. Tal vez algún día, si Dios quiere, Mons. Óscar Romero será canonizado, también.
En el punto simbólico más culminante de la noche, la asamblea ecuménica, incluyendo cánones luciendo mozzettas recortadas de armiño, encendió velas y rodeó la gran cruz colorida, en la capilla abovedada de la catedral gótica románica. Los dignatarios presentes incluyeron al p. Michael Campbell-Johnston SJ, el ex Provincial británico; Julian Filochowski, el líder de la Romero Trust; Canon John O'Toole, el Decano de la Catedral; Jan Graffius, de Stonyhurst College, quien restauró las vestimentas de Romero para su preservación en San Salvador; el Revdo. Richard Carter, de San Martín de los Campos en Londres, donde se celebran las conmemoraciones Romero; la Hna. Elizabeth Dawson, de las Hermanas de los Sagrados Corazones de Jesús y María; Clare Dixon, directora del programa de CAFOD para América Latina; el p. Tony Lester O.Carm, de la provincia británica de los Frailes Carmelitas; la Hna. Pamela Hussey SHCJ; el p. Marcos Hackeson; y Chris Bain.
El Arzobispo Smith roció agua bendita y agitó un incensario caminando alrededor de la Cruz durante la ceremonia de bendición. Al hacerlo, las palabras del Embajador Matías Romero parecían encuadrar la escena. Refiriéndose a Mons. Romero, el diplomático dijo: “Él nos ascendió a un nivel superior”. Después de la ceremonia, los miembros del público pasaron enfrente de la Cruz, admirándola, tomando fotos. “Ahora en su paso hacia la santidad, la semejanza de la voz de los sin voz está hoy marcada en piedra [en la estatua] sobre la entrada a la abadía de Westminster, y su imagen permanece grabada en nuestras mentes, su ejemplo no pierde su resplandor”.



Arriba: Mons. Urioste pronuncia un discurso personal. Abajo: el artista Fernando Llort (centro ) enciende una vela con Julian Filochowski (de espaldas a la cámara), mientras que Gaspar Romero espera detrás de Llort a la izquierda, con el Canon John O'Toole a la derecha.

Cattedrale di Londra inaugura “Spazio Romero”


 
Una cattedrale del XIX secolo associata con la marcia dei cattolici inglese dalla repressione a tolleranza, bombardata da Hitler durante la seconda guerra mondiale e visitata da Giovanni Paolo II nel 1982, oggi ospita uno “Spazio [Oscar A.] Romero” che l’ambasciatore salvadoregno Werner Matías Romero (nessuna parentela) chiama “un piccolo pezzo di El Salvador”, nel cuore di Londra. Ambasciatori e Alti Commissari, membri del Parlamento e altri funzionari del governo sono stati uniti con chierici dalle comunità cattoliche e anglicane nella Cattedrale di Saint George, tra cui l' arcivescovo cattolico di Southwark (la cui giurisdizione si estende su parti di Londra e punti a sud), Peter Smith; il Vescovo cattolico di Hallam (Provincia di Liverpool) John Rawsthorne; e il decano anglicano di Westminster, John Robert Hall, che dirige il capitolo di Westminster, dove una statua Oscar Romero ha guardato alla facciata ovest della Chiesa Reale dal 1998. La grande assemblea è venuto a partecipare ad una preghiera ecumenica per inaugurare una piccola cappella dedicata a Romero e di benedire una grande “Croce Romero”, nello stile lanciato da il muralista Fernando Llort, creato dal maestro salvadoregno negli altopiani di El Salvador e spediti a Londra per ospitare un zucchetto clericale da Romero e un frammento della talare insanguinata che Romero indossava quando è stato ucciso.

Tra la folla di piu di 1200 presente alla cerimonia il Giovedi 19 settembre erano Llort; il fratello di Romero più giovane, don Gaspar Romero; e vicario di Romero, mons. Ricardo Urioste, che è il presidente della Fondazione Romero in El Salvador per molti anni e che ha compiuto 88 all’inizio della settimana. Mons. Urioste era il relatore principale della serata, e ha consegnato osservazioni brevi ma toccanti che presentano Romero come un uomo di Dio, un uomo della Chiesa, e un uomo del popolo. Le sue parole sono state scandite con l’aneddoti su Romero di uno stretto collaboratore. Ricordando la spiritualità di Romero, Urioste ha riferito che ha accompagnato Romero durante un viaggio a Roma, quando era arcivescovo. “Siamo andati insieme alla Basilica di San Pietro”, Urioste ricordato. “Si inginocchiò davanti all’altare e mi si inginocchiò accanto a lui. Dopo molto tempo, mi alzai in piedi”. Urioste notò che Romero “era ancora in profonda preghiera e ho pensato, ‘si deve seguire questo uomo perché egli sta seguendo Dio’.” Spiegando che il concetto di Romero della Chiesa comprendeva i laici, ha ricordato che Romero si avvicina un uomo indigente dopo un incontro con i teologi. “Ho pensato che stava per offrirgli un aiuto”, ha detto Urioste. “Invece, ha chiesto l’uomo la stessa domanda che aveva chiesto i teologi”. Urioste citato rileva che Romero ha fatto nel suo ultimo ritiro spirituale, dove scrive sulla sua paura di essere assassinato, ma alla fine accetta una morte potenzialmente violenta e prega per la forza di affrontarla. Urioste chiama questi “alcune delle parole più belle che abbia mai scritto”.
Mons . Urioste rifiuta il modello di conversione improvvisa della vita di Romero, confrontando invece l’apertura degli occhi di Romero alla storia biblica del cieco di Betsaida (Marco 8,22-26), che sta a poco a poco dato piena vista in un miracolo operato da Gesù. Romero “era sempre qualcuno che ha cercato di fare la volontà di Dio, e Dio ha rivelato la sua volontà , passo dopo passo”, ha detto Urioste. Ha chiuso con un augurio di cuore per la santificazione di Romero:
Nel corso della storia, tre vescovi sono stati assassinati nel tempio. Il primo è stato il vescovo di Cracovia, Stanislao. È stato assassinato per rimproverare il re polacco per i suoi peccati, che è, per difendere la moralità. Il secondo è stato l’arcivescovo di Canterbury, Thomas Becket, ucciso per difendere i diritti e le libertà della Chiesa. E il terzo è stato Mons. Romero di San Salvador, che ha cercato di essere fedeli al Vangelo e all’insegnamento della Chiesa. E ‘stato ucciso per difendere i poveri.
I primi due sono stati canonizzati. Forse un giorno, a Dio piacendo, Monsignor Oscar Romero sarà canonizzato, anche.
Nel momento clou simbolico della serata, l’assemblea ecumenica, incluse diaconi indossando mozzette rifilati di ermellino, accese candele pasquali e hanno circondato la grande croce colorata nella cappella a volta della cattedrale gotica romanica. Dignitari inclusi p. Michael Campbell - Johnston SJ, ex Provinciale britannico; Julian Filochowski  il capo della Romero Trust; Canon John O’Toole, il decano della cattedrale; Jan Graffius, la Curatore di Stonyhurst College che restaurò le vesti di Romero per la sua conservazione a San Salvador; Rev. Richard Carter, da St. Martin-in-the-Fields a Londra, che ospita commemorazioni Romero; suor Elizabeth Dawson, delle Suore dei Sacri Cuori di Gesù e di Maria; Clare Dixon, responsabile del programma CAFOD per l’America Latina; p. Tony Lester O.Carm, della Provincia Britannico dei Frati Carmelitani; suor Pamela Hussey SHCJ; p. Mark Hackeson e Chris Bain.
Arcivescovo Smith spruzzò l’acqua santa e ha oscillato un turibolo dell’incenso in giro della Croce durante la cerimonia di benedizione. Mentre lo faceva, le parole del Ambasciatore Matías Romero sembravano inquadrare la scena. Riferendosi a Mons. Romero, l’ambasciatore ha detto, “Egli ci ha tenuto ad un livello superiore”.  Dopo la cerimonia, i membri del pubblico passavano davanti alla Croce, ad ammirare, a scattare foto. “Ora per la sua strada verso la santità, la somiglianza della voce dei senza voce si trova oggi nella pietra sopra l’ingresso all’Abbazia di Westminster, e la sua immagine rimane impressa nella nostra mente, il suo esempio non ha offuscato”.
 
 
Top: mons. Urioste offre osservazioni personali. In basso: l’artista Fernando Llort (centro) accende una candela con Julian Filochowski (con le spalle alla telecamera), mentre Gaspar Romero sta dietro Llort a sinistra, e Canon John O'Toole a destra.

Friday, September 20, 2013

The Week In Review


 
In a week bound to be consumed by the reverberations in the Catholic world of Pope Francis’ candid remarks about the Church and its mission, a few Romero notes stand out.

Defense of Life as Social Justice
In comments to Catholic gynecologists the day after the publication of an interview in which he said the Church should not overly emphasize teaching on matters of sexual morality, the Pope made his most explicit remarks to date condemning abortion.  Francis linked the protection of the unborn to the promotion of social justice.  This is exactly the tack Archbishop Romero used in approaching the issue.  If we experience repression when young women and men as well as adults are killed, then the same must also occur when life is removed from the womb of a woman,” said Romero.  The life that is destroyed in a woman’s womb is the same that occurs when a person is assassinated or when the Minister of Education is assassinated. When the child is aborted from the mother’s womb, that child is also assassinated.”
Social Justice is Not Communism
A more obvious Romero note was sounded by Francis in his Friday morning sermon at St. Martha’s House, where he resides in the Vatican.  Expounding on St. Paul’s warning against love of money, Pope Francis said: “You cannot serve both God and money.  You cannot!  It’s either the one or the other! And this is not communism, eh! This is pure Gospel!  These are the words of Jesus!  The part where the Pope said “this is not communism” would have been music to Oscar Romero’s ears, as he was accused of peddling communism when he preached the Social Doctrine of the Church in El Salvador.
Romero Cross on Vatican Radio
Finally, Vatican Radio reported on the blessing of the Romero Cross (photo) at St. George’s Cathedral in London, in a ceremony presided by Archbishop Peter Smith featuring Msgr. Ricardo Urioste, who turned 88 earlier in the week, and had been Archbishop Romero’s vicar and now heads the Romero Foundation in El Salvador.  In its first report on September 12, Vatican Radio interviewed Canon John O’Toole, the Dean of St George's Cathedral, who called Romero “a voice for the voiceless ... especially in the spirit of Pope Francis.”  In a second report on September 18, Vatican Radio spoke to Julian Filochowski, the chair of the Archbishop Romero Trust in the UK, who said that “The thing with Romero was that he not only expressed and spoke his faith but he lived the faith,” noting that “his commitment to the poor took him to his death.”  Super Martyrio will have more about this event in an upcoming post. [Photos.]

La Semana en Repaso


 

En una semana que sin duda estará saturada por el eco en el mundo católico de los comentarios francos del Papa Francisco sobre la misión de la Iglesia, algunas notas Romero sobresalen.
Defensa de la Vida es Justicia Social
En declaraciones a ginecólogos católicos al día después de la publicación de la entrevista en cual dice el papa que la Iglesia no debe sobredimensionar las enseñanzas en materia de moral sexual, el Papa hizo sus declaraciones más explícitas hasta la fecha en condena del aborto. Francis ha vinculado a la protección de los no nacidos a la promoción de la justicia social. Esta es exactamente la táctica que Mons. Romero usaba para abordar el tema. “Si sentimos la represión porque nos matan a jóvenes y gente que ya es grande, lo mismo es quitar la vida en las entrañas de la mujer”, decía Monseñor: “es hombre como el profesor que es asesinado, como el Ministro de Educación que es asesinado; también el niño en las entrañas es un hombre que por el aborto es asesinado”.
Justicia social no es Comunismo
Una nota Romero más evidente de Francisco sonó en su sermón del viernes por la mañana en la Casa Santa Marta, donde reside en el Vaticano. Explicando la advertencia de San Pablo contra el amor al dinero, el Papa Francisco dijo: “No se puede servir a Dios y al dinero.  No se puede: ¡o uno u el otro! Y esto no es comunismo ¿eh? ¡Esto es evangelio puro!; ¡Estas son las palabras de Jesús! La parte en la que dice que “esto no es comunismo” habría sido música a los oídos de Mons. Romero, quien fuera falsamente acusado de fomentar comunismo cuando predicaba la Doctrina Social de la Iglesia en El Salvador.
Cruz Romero en la Radio Vaticana
Por último, la Radio Vaticana informó sobre la bendición de la Cruz Romero en la Catedral de St. George, en Londres (foto), en una ceremonia presidida por el arzobispo Peter Smith con mons. Ricardo Urioste, quien cumplió 88 a principios de semana, y que habría sido vicario de Mons. Romero y ahora preside la Fundación Romero en El Salvador. En su primer informe el 12 de septiembre (en inglés), Radio Vaticana entrevistó al Canon John O'Toole, el decano de la Catedral de St George, quien llamó a Mons. Romero “la voz de los sin voz .... especialmente en el espíritu del Papa Francisco”. En un segundo informe el 18 de septiembre (en inglés), Radio Vaticana habló con Julian Filochowski, el presidente de la Mons. Romero Trust de Gran Bretaña, quien dijo que “el tema con Romero es que no sólo se expresó y habló de su fe, sino que vivía esa fe”, señalando que “su compromiso con los pobres lo llevó a su muerte”. Súper Martyrio tendrá más información sobre este evento en un próximo post. [Fotos.]


La rassegna settimanale


In una settimana destinata a essere saturata da l'eco nel mondo cattolico dei commenti candide di Papa Francesco sulla missione della Chiesa, si distinguono alcune note Romero.
Difesa della vita è giustizia sociale
Nei commenti al ginecologi cattolici il giorno dopo la pubblicazione di commenti in cui dicono che la Chiesa non dovrebbe enfatizzare eccessivamente l'insegnamento in materia di morale sessuale, il Papa ha fatto le sue osservazioni più espliciti ad oggi in condanna dell'aborto. Francesco ha collegato la protezione del nascituro alla promozione della giustizia sociale. Questo è esattamente il punto di mura utilizzato da Mons. Romero per affrontare il problema. "Se sentiamo repressione quando i giovani uomini e donne così come gli adulti vengono uccisi , allora lo stesso deve avvenire anche quando la vita viene rimosso dal grembo di una donna", ha detto Romero. "È un uomo, come l'insegnante che viene ucciso, e il Ministro della Pubblica Istruzione che viene ucciso, anche il bambino nel grembo materno è un uomo che viene ucciso con l'aborto".
Giustizia sociale non è comunismo
Una nota Romero più evidente è stato suonato da Francesco nel suo sermone Venerdì al mattino di S. Marta Casa, dove risiede in Vaticano. Spiegando avvertimento di St. Paul contro l'amore del denaro, Papa Francesco disse: "Non puoi servire Dio e il denaro. Non si può: o l’uno o l’altro! E questo non è comunismo, eh! Questo è Vangelo puro! Queste sono le parole di Gesù!" La parte in cui il Papa ha detto che "questo non è comunismo" sarebbe stata musica per le orecchie di Oscar Romero, che è stato falsamente accusato di promuovere il comunismo quando predicava la dottrina sociale della Chiesa in El Salvador.
Romero Croce su Radio Vaticana
Infine, la Radio Vaticana ha riferito la benedizione della Croce Romero nella cattedrale di San Giorgio a Londra (foto), in una cerimonia presieduta dal arcivescovo Peter Smith con mons. Ricardo Urioste, che ha compiuto 88 anni all'inizio della settimana, ed era stato vicario di Mons. Romero e ora presiede la Fondazione Romero in El Salvador. Nella sua prima relazione il 12 settembre, Radio Vaticana ha intervistato Canon John O'Toole, il decano della Cattedrale di San Giorgio, che ha chiamato Romero "una voce per chi non ha voce .... soprattutto nello spirito di Papa Francesco". In una seconda relazione nel settembre 18, Radio Vaticana ha parlato con Julian Filochowski, presidente dell'Arcivescovo Romero trust, che ha detto che "la cosa con Romero era che non solo esprime e ha parlato della sua fede, ma ha vissuto la fede", notando che "il suo impegno per i poveri lo portò alla morte".  Super Martyrio avrà più su questo evento in uno dei prossimi post . [Galleria di foto.]

The Hermeneutic of Mercy


 
Mercy is a deceptively impenetrable concept.  When Archbishop Óscar A. Romero of El Salvador spoke of forgiveness for the assassins targeting his priests, he premised his words to whom he knew would be a skeptical audience by saying, “Many people may laugh at this.”  Nonetheless, he went on to say that, “The Church even though she acts as a severe mother,” in her denunciations, “is always mindful of mercy.”  (January 21, 1979 sermon.)
Mercy, perhaps, is the key to understanding the recent pronouncements of Pope Francis, without which his words will mystify conservatives in the Church, and give liberals within and without the Catholic world false hope of a relaxation of settled doctrines.  Conservatives need to step back and recognize what the Pope is doing as a deliberate, conscious change in tack in the management of the faith.  No, he is not naïve or using media without being conscious of the ramifications.  Most of all: no, you do not need to “correct” or “explain” what he is saying or doing.  Instead, you need to pay attention and get with the program.  As for liberals, you might break off your end zone dance, take a breath, and realize that Francis is simply trying to find a more effective way of doing what previous Popes had set out to do, not to abandon their objectives.  In Francis’ world, traditional marriage would prevail, birth control would be shunned, and abortion would become abhorrent, but in a more total and permanent way, because the changes would emanate from a reformed society, and not have to be constantly demanded by a weak, marginalized Church, snipping at the edges of a thoroughly secular world.
Francis has explained his philosophy, which is utterly coherent and utterly Catholic.  I believe that this is the season of mercy,” he explained during the headline grabbing news conference on the flight back from World Youth Day.  His rationale was simple: the Church has a terrible image problem.  The child sex abuse crisis, reports of a gay lobby, Vati-leaks, clouds over the Vatican Bank and other problems with church governance, as well as increasing rivalries within the Church, all led the Cardinals who elected Francis to demand reform from him, and he had analyzed that he had to effect a make-over before he could do anything else.  This new era we have entered, and the many problems in the Church—like the poor witness given by some priests, problems of corruption in the Church, the problem of clericalism for example—have left so many people hurt, left so much hurt,” the Pope reasoned.  The Church is a mother: she has to go out to heal those who are hurting, with mercy,” he insisted.  But this is no mere stratagem.  Francis explained that, “I believe that this is a kairos: this time is a kairos of mercy.”  In theology, kairos is a Greek word used to denote an appointed time in God’s purpose, a moment during which human action is demanded to fulfill God’s expectation.
Francis spoke along the same lines in his extended interview with Jesuit publications: “I see clearly that the thing the Church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful,” Francis said in the interview.  Once again: “the ministers of the church must be ministers of mercy above all.”  How do you put mercy “above all?”  You model the Church “as a field hospital after battle.”  In such a setting, “It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.”  When medics tackle a crisis scenario using a triage, they stage the treatment to deal with the most serious injuries first.  The church’s ministers must be merciful, take responsibility for the people and accompany them like the good Samaritan, who washes, cleans and raises up his neighbor. This is pure Gospel. God is greater than sin,” the Pope explains.  Stage one of the triage is mercy: “The structural and organizational reforms are secondary—that is, they come afterward. The first reform must be the attitude.”  Reforms are deferred to a time when they can be done more effectively.  We need to proclaim the Gospel on every street corner,” the pope says, “preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing, even with our preaching, every kind of disease and wound.”  In his triage, Francis does not intend to omit altogether those things he has given a different tactical priority.
Just as you don’t ask amputees coming into a field hospital about their blood cholesterol levels, Francis is arguing, you don’t grill people who are weary about the Church and have lost their faith about their views on abortion, contraception and same sex marriage.  Flying back from Brazil, the Pope said, “The Church has already spoken quite clearly on this.  It was unnecessary to return to it, just as I didn’t speak about cheating, lying, or other matters on which the Church has a clear teaching!  When he addressed young people, the Pope said, he preferred to concentrate on “the positive things that open up the path to young people … Besides, young people know perfectly well what the Church’s position is.”  In the Jesuit interviews, the Pope expounded on the point: “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methodsit is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”  Additionally, the Pope said, “when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context.”  In other words, “The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent. The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently.”
Francis does not say we have to stop talking about reproductive morality and life issues.  Instead, he is saying that we have to be more effective in the way we talk about them so that we explain our views more convincingly.  He goes back to the triage: “Proclamation in a missionary style focuses on the essentials, on the necessary things: this is also what fascinates and attracts more, what makes the heart burn, as it did for the disciples at Emmaus. We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”
When we put mercy first, we will win the culture wars.  The proposal of the Gospel must be more simple, profound, radiant. It is from this proposition that the moral consequences then flow.”

Update:

Defense of Life as a Tenet of Social Justice