This was a
quiet week in the lead-up to the expected beatification of Archbishop Óscar Romero later this year. There were no
announcements, and very little comment, regarding potential dates or similar
matters, from official sources. This is
because, despite the official approval of Vatican theologians, final
authorization is pending. Next week may bring
some movement.
In addition
to the lack of news on the beatification planning front, plans for the now
traditional commemorations of Romero’s death in March have also not been revealed—presumably
because everyone is waiting to see what will happen with the beatification. As such, we have no news for the plans to
commemorate Romero in San Salvador, where commemorative events have grown to
the degree that they are called a “little Holy Week,” nor in Rome, where there
have been Romero commemorations since 1984. [San Salvador anniversary theme.]
The bright,
shining exception to the above is London, where the Archbishop Romero Trust has announced that the National Ecumenical Service
to mark the 35th Anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero will
be held on Saturday, 21 March 2015 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, in
Trafalgar Square, London. The Rev. Dr.
Sam Wells, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, will lead the service and the
homilist will be Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and
President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (pictured). He was created a Cardinal by Pope Francis
last year and has sought to advocate for the poor, serving as patron of a day
center for the homeless founded by the Daughters of Charity near Westminster
Cathedral. [Details.]
Since 2007,
the Romero Trust in London has been organizing Romero Week as the umbrella
under which different local, national, diocesan and ecumenical events could be
consolidated into a single celebration of Archbishop Romero’s life and
martyrdom with special liturgies, masses, talks, film showings, workshops and
cultural events throughout Scotland, Wales and England. The central ecumenical service is becoming a
tradition at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, London. Commemorative Romero homilies have been
preached by leading English clergymen, including the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in 2010 and 2014; and Cardinal Peter Turkson,
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in 2011. The Church of England recognizes March 24 as
the Feast of Óscar Romero and the Martyrs of El Salvador, a recognition that is
tantamount to the Roman Catholic process of canonization.
Super Martyrio will continue to monitor developments
and provide an update every Friday regarding plans for the beatification, as well as
for commemorations of Romero's anniversary in March and his birthday in
August. As we have started to see, there
will not be one big announcement, but the information will filter out
piecemeal: first, the theologians’ vote; next, the cardinals’ vote; then the
papal decree; then the beatification date and other dates. Please check back here every Friday for the
latest information
Previously:
Update No. 1
Update No. 2
Previously:
Update No. 1
Update No. 2
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