BEATIFICATION OF ARCHBISHOP ROMERO,
MAY 23, 2015
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| President Salvador Sanchez Ceren. |
In a speech on
Friday, September 25, 2015 before the United Nations Sustainable Development
Summit 2015, President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of El Salvador proposed the
figure of Blessed Oscar A. Romero as a point of reference for the vision of integral
development in the region. The beatification of Romero last May, said Sanchez Ceren “goes hand in hand with the
objectives of this global meeting, because Archbishop Romero worked for and sacrificed
his life for the ideals of justice and human dignity that we propose today.”
The Salvadoran President expressed his desire that “the message of courage and peace of Blessed Romero may also guide us in
this Summit and inspire us to create happiness and well-being in our planet.”
The Salvadoran
President’s speech was overshadowed by the big news at the United Nations of
the presence of Pope Francis during the same week, as well as the debut of the
Cuban President Raul Castro at UN headquarters in New York. The decision of the
Salvadoran State to feature the figure of Romero in its presentation to the UN
is interesting because it suggests a strategy of embracing Romero as the maximum
symbol of national identity. This decision should be read in tandem with past
decisions, such as naming the air hub in El Salvador “Oscar A. Romero” airport,
promoting a tourist route about the martyr and the recognition that the U.N. itself
gave Romero in commemorating the anniversary of his assassination as
the International Day for the Right to the Truth for Victims of Gross Human
Rights Violations.
The predecessor
of the Pres. Sanchez Ceren, President Mauricio Funes, also adopted Romero as a
moral reference point and inspiration of his Government. However, Sánchez Cerén’s
decisions seem to put Romero on a path to become a national symbol and not just
the banner of a particular administration. In his speech to the summit on
sustainable development, Pres. Sanchez Ceren emphasized Romero’s legacy in the area
of social justice and the common good, and proposed Romero as a guiding light in
that frame of reference.
“It is important that the reform of the development
finance system be based on a comprehensive and pluralistic vision, based on the
achievement of the objectives of sustainable development,” the President
urged. The Summit has adopted targets such as the end of poverty; zero hunger;
health and welfare; quality education; clean water and sanitation; affordable clean
energy; decent work and economic growth; reduction of inequality; production
and responsible consumption; climate action; and peace, justice, and
institutional stability.
If blessed Romero
achieves the level of identification with a national vision that the Salvadoran
Government desires, he could become for El Salvador the equivalent of what St.
Patrick is for Ireland, St. James the Apostle is for Spain and St. George is
for England.
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