SUPER MARTYRIO

Saturday, November 06, 2010

ROMERO IN ART

Over the years, Archbishop Romero has inspired artists to produce works of art that pay tribute to Romero's life, commitment to the poor, and martyrdom. These works, in turn, can help us to appreciate dimensions of Romero's legacy and gain insights into Romero as only art can orient emotion and intellect. The ten artworks selected here do that very well.

1. Romero, the 1989 film. Written by John Sacret Young (The West Wing), directed by John Duigan (Wide Sargasso Sea) and starring Raul Julia (Kiss of the Spider Woman) as Archbishop Romero. Released within a decade of Romero's death, this first major motion picture financed by the Catholic Church brought (and continues to bring) the story of Romero to a worldwide audience. It is a great tool to build a Romero discussion around. Watch the trailer here.

2. Statue of Óscar Romero in the West Facade of Westminster Abbey, London. Sculptor: John Roberts. Unveiled in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1998, the statue fills a niche that had been empty since it was created during an addition to the Abbey in 1745 (the Abbey itself dates back to the year 960). Members of Romero's family were invited to the unveiling. Romero was one of 10 martyrs of the 20th Century selected for inclusion, along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Maximilian Kolbe, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and others. Romero occupies a central place and was singled out to Pope Benedict XVI during his 2010 visit. You can read about it at the Abbey's web site.

3. Bishop Pedro Casaldáliga's poem "San Romero de América" ("Saint Romero of the Americas"). The title itself became a slogan promoting Romero as a popular hero-saint among the masses, and the pick-up-and-go portability of the poem make it easy to propagate, especially in the era of emails, list-servs, and socially conscious groups and chat rooms. Casaldáliga opens with an allusion to the Angelus, ("On the eve, the Angel of the Lord announced" -- also a reference to the fact that Romero was assassinated on the Eve of the Feast of the Annunciation) and he closes with the line, "Saint Romero of America, our pastor and martyr/No one will silence your final homily!" Read an English translation of the poem here. Hear a dramatic reading of the Spanish verse here.

4. The Catafalque over Romero's Tomb in the Crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. Sculptor: Paolo Borghi. Unveiled in March 2005 for the 25th Anniversary of Romero's martyrdom, it was clearly intended to coincide with Romero's beatification, which was thought to be imminent at the time. When the catalque was made public, Romero's grave was moved to a point immediately beneath the Cathedral's main altar and dome. The bronze sculpture was donated by the community of San Egidio in Italy and sculpted by Italian artist Paolo Borghi. It shows Romero guarded by the Four Evangelists as he "sleeps the sleep of the just." Read more about the Tomb of Archbishop Romero here.

5. Icon of Óscar Romero by Brother Robert Lentz (OFM). Like Casaldáliga's calling him "San Romero," Brother Robert's irreverent halo cut a striking figure in the public imagination, and the substitution of military helicopters for the customary angels behind this modern saint also commingled traditional spirituality with a gritty, modern reality -- a bit like Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo + Juliet (1996). Created in 1987, Brother Robert's icon harkens back to the ancient hagiography of Byzantine art. Read more about Brother Robert and his icon here.

6. The song "Homenaje a Monseñor Romero" by Alvar Castillo, of Yolocamba I Ta. Like poems, songs are made for the masses, and a saint that appeals to the masses also has inspired plenty of popular songs, especially in El Salvador. The best of these proclaims: "Monseñor, today you live in the heart of the People who loved you so well." But, in a prickly turn, the lyric goes on, "Monseñor, your truth compels us march to the final victory." The lyric reads like a battle hymn, and it unabashedly refers to Romero as a "symbol of rebellion." Like the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," this campaign ballad captures a spirit of resistance -- this one, inspired by Archbishop Romero's principled stands and makes Romero accessible to the youth. You can hear a recording of the song in this video slide show. You can find the lyrics on the Yolocamba I Ta web site.

7. Statue of Óscar Romero at San Salvador's Plaza de las Américas. Sculptor: Napoleón Alberto Romualdo. Small by comparison to the nearby landmark Divino Salvador del Mundo (Divine Savior of the World) monument, the Romero statute in West San Salvador is the principal Romero monument in the martyr's native country. Although the monument is modest in scale, there is something culturally audacious about a Romero statue in San Salvador's most affluent district, Colonia Escalón, adjacent to the most iconic Salvadoran monument, the Divine Savior. In addition to the candlelight procession honoring Romero every year, many political marches originate here, keeping Archbishop Romero as much in the center of national spectacle as he was when he was living. See a night time view of the statue with the Divine Savior in the background, here.

8. Icon of the Martyrs and witnesses to Faith of the twentieth century at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew in Rome. The icon was commissioned by an ecumenical commission appointed by Pope John Paul II after the year 2000 Jubilee, and is styled based on motifs from the book of Revelation. Like the statues at Westminster Abbey, the icon depicts martyrs from different Christian denominations. Archbishop Romero is depicted in the bottom right hand corner, standing over a Eucharistic table while soldiers prepare to fire at him. At this time, the painting is the only authorized iconic depiction of Romero in a Catholic church. Pope Benedict paid tribute during a visit in 2008. You can see an image of the icon here.

9. Romero, The Musical, by George Daly and Liam Bauress. Created in 1982, Romero, The Musical predates Romero, the movie, and most of the other Romero-inspired artworks you likely will find. The London première in September 2009 sold out. Today, Romero, The Musical is up to date, with a web site through which the creators want to transmit their work to the next generation, providing their librettos and "everything you need to put on a performance of Romero" to schools and theater groups all over the world. You can find the libretto, the director's script, the vocal score and even a DVD of the show at The Musical's web site.

10. The 'Giant Painting' of Archbishop Romero (PHOTO). This is a great piece (literally), with a great story behind it. In 2005, a group of Salvadoran youths set out to paint the largest painting of Archbishop Romero in the world. They delivered, producing a 60 foot wide and 90 foot tall image of Romero that covered the entire facade of the San Salvador Metropolitan Cathedral when it hung there for the 25th Anniversary of Romero's martyrdom. The kids were so pleased with their work that they wanted to ship it to Cologne, Germany, for the Church's annual World Youth Day. Red tape and budget limitations conspired against them, and today the largest Romero painting is somewhere about 5 miles away from Cologne, the closest it got to world Youth Day, folded up and waiting to be rescued. You can read about the Giant Painting, and about how to help to salvage it at the artists' web site (Spanish).

Sunday, October 31, 2010

MONS. ROMERO EN EL DÍA DE TODOS LOS SANTOS

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Cuando a Monseñor Romero le tocó marcar su primer Día de Todos los Santos como arzobispo, regresó a El Paisnal, donde estaba enterrado su gran amigo Rutilio Grande, martirizado a principios de aquel primer año de su arzobispado. “Aunque el Padre Grande, don Manuel y Nelson ya terminaron su faena”, Monseñor predicaba—recordando al jesuita y sus dos compañeros campesinos, “y ahora se unen a esa turba de los santos en el cielo, para que nosotros contemplemos … no sólo el Día de Difuntos, que se celebrará mañana, sino a los santos del cielo, la gran muchedumbre venida de la gran tribulación por los caminos de las Bienaventuranzas, que se acaban de proclamar en el evangelio”. (Homilía del 1/11/1977.)

Amorosamente, Mons. Romero recordó a las otras preciosas víctimas de su Iglesia (hasta aquel momento): “Yo quiero recordar aquí al querido hermano, el Padre Alfonso Navarro, a nuestros queridos hermanos catequistas, -sería imposible enumerarlos- pero recordemos, por ejemplo a Filomena Puertas, a Miguel Martínez, a tantos otros, queridos hermanos, que han trabajado, que han muerto, y que en la hora de su dolor, de su agonía dolorosa, mientras los despellejaban, mientras los torturaban y daban su vida, mientras eran ametrallados, subieron al cielo”. (Id.) De todos ellos, Monseñor preguntó: “¿Quién ha vencido? ... ‘¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu victoria?’ La victoria es la de la fe. Han salido victoriosos los matados por la justicia.” (Id.) Palabras que se aplicarían hoy a aquel que las pronunció.

Mons. Romero se sustentaba de la “turba de los santos en el cielo” no solo en el Día de los Santos, sino que durante todo el año litúrgico. Mons. Romero no solo aludió a los santos en su conglomeración colectiva, sino que señaló las virtudes puntuales de los santos del catolicismo popular:

San José:

San José tiene una relación única, como todos sabemos. Para María es su esposo. Reflexionen aquí los que llevan esa dignidad de esposo lo que significa en un hogar el esposo, el padre de familia. Eso es San José no sólo para la Sagrada Familia, sino para esa familia que va a crecer inmensamente, la familia de Dios. (Hom. 19/12/1977.)

Dios necesita hombres, Dios necesita instrumentos que sean como José, que sean como los ángeles, que colaboren con Dios en desarrollar sus designios de amor, de salvación, de esperanza en la tierra. Dichosos los cristianos que saben santificar su vida con el evangelio y se hacen como José instrumentos de la salvación de Dios. (Hom. 28/12/1977.)

San Francisco de Asís:

El coro de Tejutla, entre las lecciones de hoy, cantaba el cántico precioso de Francisco de Asís: Laudato sie, mi' Signore, Seas alabado Señor. Aquel hombre que llamó a todas las criaturas a la alabanza, San Francisco de Asís, porque era pobre. (Hom. 1/10/1978.)

San Martín de Porres:

En Quezaltepeque, también, tuve la felicidad de celebrar el santo humilde y bueno, San Martín de Porres, el 3 de noviembre por la tarde: una comunidad representando en muchos niños y niñas vestidos de San Martín, con su escobita, el llamamiento, el mensaje de San Martín, que no son las posiciones altas, privilegiadas, las que atraen las bendiciones mejores del Señor, sino las almas humildes que, como Martín de Porres, saben hacer de su escoba, de sus quehaceres más humildes o grandes, el instrumento de su santificación. Pero, que el destino del hombre no es tener mucho dinero, tener mucho poder, ser muy vistoso, sino saber cumplir la voluntad de Dios. Este es el mensaje que dejamos en Quezaltepeque, junto al santo negrito, San Martín de Porres. (Hom. 6/11/1977.)

Santa Teresa de Jesús:

La patrona de las misiones fue Santa Teresa del Niño Jesús, una monja de contemplación que nunca salió de su claustro de Lisieux en Francia y, sin embargo, aquí está el secreto para ser misionero desde el claustro, desde el hogar, desde la tienda, desde el puesto de mercado, desde la profesión, como Santa Teresa de Jesús, ofrecer todos sus dolores, sus sacrificios, por las misiones. Cuando la pobrecita, agobiada por la tuberculosis y que tenía que hacer sus paseos por el patio del convento, se cansaba, sentada sobre una loza decía: "Le ofrezco al Señor este cansancio por el misionero que en estos momentos andará recorriendo tierras desconocidas". Qué hermoso es ser misionero, hermanos ... (Hom. 21/8/1977.)

San Antonio:

En Soyapango celebramos la fiesta de San Antonio actualizando el mensaje de un santo de la Edad Media como es San Antonio, lo que sería hoy. Un santo que según
los estudiosos supo hablar la verdad difícil de su tiempo. (Hom. 17/6/1979.)

Todo esto no toma en cuenta las incontables ocasiones en que Mons. Romero se refirió a la Santísima Virgen, a San Pablo, las catorce citaciones de San Agustín, y otras referencias teológicas y evangélicas en su prédica. En el caso de la Madre de Dios, Mons. Romero sumó todo su discurso al decir que, “No se puede entender la historia latinoamericana si no es con la devoción a la Virgen”. (Hom. 9/12/1979.)

Aferrándose a todos los santos, Mons. Romero rezó diciendo, “No tengamos miedo. Sigamos este caminar que nos llevará a ser un día difuntos, para que recen por nosotros, pero también santos en el cielo, participantes de la gloria de Cristo resucitado”. (Hom. 1/11/1977, supra.)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

THE PREACHER

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"It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher."
-- George Whitefield

"A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth – beware! – is not the true church of Jesus Christ."
-- Óscar Romero

To find the American or English equivalent of Óscar Romero, we would have to go back all the way to the "Great Awakening" of the Eighteenth Century. That was the last time a single preacher had so much sway over an entire country like England or the United States. Modern preachers like Billy Graham or Martin Luther King, Jr. are more famous, but their individual, contemporary reach fell short of the influence exerted by George Whitefield (1714-1770), a pre-Revolutionary Era preacher thought to have personally converted as many as ten percent of the total population of the colonies in a single year of his ministry. Whitefield's ability to draw crowds in the tens of thousands made him the most famous man in Colonial America and, even though his message was not outwardly political, his reformation of the American religious landscape is credited with contributing to the spirit of the American Revolution.

We have to reach that far back into history to find a suitable comparison for Óscar Romero, who did not rise to prominence because he was a pope or a cardinal, or even because he was the archbishop of some prominent See, but simply though sheer moral force of will. In fact, Romero's predecessor as Archbishop of San Salvador was in office for 38 years. But, Romero achieved national fame that would rival his predecessor's renown, within one month of being appointed. Like Whitefield, Romero had a knack for seizing on the human drama of the moment, as he did when his first national audience was the funerary mass for his friend Fr. Rutilio Grande, who was assissinated the week after Romero had taken possession of his Cathedral. If you click here, you can hear Raul Julia's dramatization of the opening lines of Romero's sermon, in which he tells the crowd that the man being buried was his great friend, yet he would refrain from dwelling on the personal to offer something even more urgent, more compelling and more important. Then, in a dramatic turn back to the personal, Romero wonders, "Who knows? Perhaps the murderers are listening to these words." But instead of telling them to turn themselves in and what a terrible thing they've done, he says with his characteristically direct style and devastating gentle touch, "we want to tell you, murderous brethren, that we love you, and that we ask for repentance in your hearts."

Two centuries earlier, Rev. Whitefield also had developed a "flare for performance" and "a new form of preaching--more dramatic and visual, appealing to the emotions rather than to the mind." (Gary A KELLNER, The Innovative Awakener: George Whitefield and the Growth of the Evangelical Revival, Enrichment Journal, The General Council of the Assemblies of God, 2010.) Romero would similarly use staging and his preaching style to hold radio audiences in rapt attention. Romero had mastered radio from his years in San Miguel, where it was said, his sermons had been broadcast simultaneously by five different radio stations. (James BROCKMAN, Romero : A Life. New York: Orbis Books, 1999, p. 40.) In his three years in San Salvador, Romero would heighten interest in his sermons by doing such things as cancelling all masses but his own, broadcasting from a different Church in the diocese, and even broadcasting from Rome while traveling to the Vatican. Often, the drama would be lent by external forces, such as when priests or others were killed, and the mass became a national gathering around the victim lying in state before the national and international media.

Like Romero, Whitefield also switched locations. "Whitefield opted for going to where the people were, or to where they would come--the marketplace, open fields, and coal mines." (KELLNER, Supra.) In fact, Whitefield traveled through the colonies, and across the Atlantic between England and America, preaching with an energy that must have seemed startling. (Id.) Apart from the radio, Romero did not have the advantages of webcasts or even of television broadcasts, because El Salvador in the 1970s remained a poor country, where the vast majority of the rural poor could barely afford the transistor radios through which Romero's sermons were broadcast. In addition to taking to the airwaves, Romero also criss-crossed the country, and even when he stayed in San Salvador, his Cathedral masses often were said outside the Cathedral, on a wooden dais erected on the Cathedral steps, because the throngs that turned out could not fit inside.

When Whitefield preached his last sermon in 1770, it was over two hours long. It was said that Whitefield preached "until the candle which he held in his hand burned away and went out in its socket." (George Whitefield profile, HigherPraise.com web site.) Whitefield's preaching was so engrossing that, to this day, scores of his sermon are preserved, and are available on the web. Whitefield influenced Benjamin Franklin and today he is cited by political interests, like Glenn Beck, who wish to validate their message by claiming to find support in Whitefield. Similarly of course, Romero's last mass, which exceeded two hours, is still cited, and has been cited extensively for political effect. Today, El Salvador's left wing president and San Salvador's right wing mayor both claim -- with widely varying degrees of credibility -- to carry Romero's torch.

The day before he died, George Whitefield is reported to have said, "How willingly would I live to preach Christ! But I die to be with Him!" (Jerry L. Conklin, Book Review, Lewis and Clark Bible Church.) Whitefield would have probably been comforted by Romero's observation: "The Word remains and this is a great comfort to all preachers -- their voice will disappear but their words which are a proclamation of Christ, will remain in the hearts of those who desire to accept them." (12/17/1978 Sermon.)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

LAS CARTAS PASTORALES DE MONS. ROMERO

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English | italiano

Reflexionemos sobre las cartas pastorales de Mons. Romero.

“El Espíritu Santo en la Iglesia” (mayo, 1975)

“Quienes conocimos a Romero como sacerdote en la diócesis de San Miguel, podemos dar fe del profundo cambio que se fue produciendo en él a lo largo de los años. En esa Iglesia particular Romero se presenta a sus fieles por medio de una carta pastoral titulada 'El Espíritu Santo en la Iglesia'. Aunque no contiene ninguna referencia al magisterio latinoamericano, hay un compromiso como pastor: 'espero cumplir, con la asistencia del Espíritu Santo, mi difícil misión profética. Aun en el necesario caso de la denuncia, hoy tan de moda, será el mío un lenguaje de amor de pastor que no tiene enemigos sino a aquellos que voluntariamente quieran serlo de la verdad de Cristo'.” ("Mons. Gregorio Rosa Chávez, Obispo Auxiliar de San Salvador, Monseñor Romero Ante el Imperio, AGENDA LATINOAMERICANA AÑO: 2005.")

“Iglesia de la Pascua” (abril, 1977)

“Fue escrita por él desde principio a fin. Fue publicada tan solo dos meses después del comienzo de su pastoral en San Salvador. A través de esta, la primera publicación del arzobispo, podemos ver evidentemente el pensamiento del Cardenal Eduardo Pironio, con quien Mons. Romero tenía una amistad muy cercana. De hecho, la carta contiene muchas ideas de un retiro que el amado pastor argentino ofreció a los obispos centroamericanos en Antigua, Guatemala, cuando era el secretario general del CELAM. Fue el mismo retiro que Mons. Pironio había ofrecido en el Vaticano para el Papa Pablo VI en 1974. Enfocar la Iglesia sobre la Pascua fue un paso brillante. Lo mismo ocurrió con la escritura de los Evangelios, que fueron redactados desde la perspectiva de los misterios pascuales, y desde esta cima del misterio de Jesús, los evangelistas se acercan a sus enseñanzas y sus obras maravillosas.” ("Cardenal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, Arzobispo de Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monseñor Romero: Un Obispo para el Tercer Milenio, Serie de discursos "Mons. Romero", Universidad de Notre Dame, 19 de marzo, 2002.")

“La Iglesia Cuerpo de Cristo en la Historia” (agosto, 1977)

“La segunda carta [pastoral] apareció dos meses después [que la primera], en la ocasión de las fiestas patronales de El Salvador, el Divino Salvador del Mundo, celebrado el 6 de agosto, la conmemoración de la Transfiguración de Jesús. La Iglesia, dice, debe continuar la misión de Jesús al mundo, porque es el cuerpo místico de Jesús. Debe proclamar el reino de Dios de amor y justicia, como lo hizo Jesús, y así pues debe defender a los pobres y apoyar sus deseos de liberarse de la injusticia y la opresión. Por lo menos un teólogo profesional [el padre Jon Sobrino] ayudo a redactar la carta, que él llamó ‘La Iglesia Cuerpo de Cristo en la Historia’.” ("James R. Brockman, Pastoral Teaching of Archbishop Oscar Romero [La enseñanza pastoral de Mons. Romero], SPIRITUALITY TODAY, Summer 1988, Vol.40 No. 2.")

“La Iglesia y las organizaciones políticas y populares” (agosto, 1978)

“Escrita conjuntamente con Monseñor Arturo Rivera Damas (en ese tiempo obispo de Santiago de María) y como respuesta a la gravedad de dos problemas predominantes en la época: la violación al derecho de organización popular y los diversos tipos de violencia que se generalizaban en el país. La Carta fue considerada el primer intento serio de plantear teológica y pastoralmente ambos problemas.” ("Carlos Ayala Ramírez, Eclesiología desde los pobres en las Cartas Pastorales de Monseñor Óscar Romero, 16 de febrero del 2007, Adital Noticias de América Latina y el Caribe.")

“Misión de la Iglesia enmedio de la crisis del pais” (agosto, 1979)

“Esta Carta está motivada por las nuevas formas de sufrimiento y atropellos que se viven en el país; pero también por lo que Monseñor llama 'el nuevo Pentecostés' representado en la Tercera Conferencia Episcopal de América Latina, celebrada en Puebla (México) que, a juicio de Monseñor, capacita mejor a la Iglesia para acompañar al pueblo en sus angustias y esperanzas, en sus frustraciones y expectativas.” (AYALA, Id.) “La tercera y la cuarta carta pastoral son para la Iglesia salvadoreña, lo que Medellín y Puebla son para la Iglesia de América Latina. Olvidarlas es un error. Todavía tienen mucho que decir, sobre todo la última, para la Iglesia y para pueblo salvadoreño.” ("Miguel Cavada Diez, El 6 de agosto de Monseñor Romero, Carta a las Iglesias (publicaciones de la UCA) AÑO XXII, Nº 501-502, 1-31 de julio de 2002.")

Sunday, October 24, 2010

P.O.V.
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This blog has a point of view! SUPER MARTYRIO adheres to three important principles you should know about: (i) a desire to be true to "the historic Romero," the actual person of Óscar Arnulfo Romero as a human being and shorn of political and sociological readings; (ii) adhesion to the Roman Catholic process of canonization for organizing and interpreting biographical and academic information about Romero, and (iii) a commitment to providing a balanced, independent analysis of the subject matter.

The very name of this blog, "SUPER MARTYRIO" translates roughly as "about martyrdom" in English, and is taken from the Latin term, "positio super martyrio" -- the "report about the martyrdom" of a sainthood candidate that must be completed for a martyr to be beatified according to the procedures established in the Roman Catholic Church. This blog sets out to assemble and analyze the contents of Archbishop Romero's martyrdom file -- his Positio Super Martyrio -- and thereby shed some light on Romero and the status of his canonization process. The entries are written in English and in Spanish -- divided equally, and alternating between the two languages in each successive post. The content of the posts is allotted according to material deemed to be of interest to English language and Spanish language readers, though, frankly, making that determination necessarily involves some guesswork.

The animating objective of this blog is to approach Óscar Romero, the person, as opposed to the political or historical models of Romero that are replicated and repeated, often according to political or ideological filters. That is not to say that this blog does not have its own bias, because it does, and that's what is acknowledged here. So, what does it mean to want to "approach Óscar Romero, the person"? First and foremost, it means to study Romero primarily through Romero-centric sources, such as his own sermons and writings, which we do here. Additionally, we pay attention to Romero's biography and episodes and influences in his life that may have shaped who he was and what he believed. We also focus on personal facts about Romero, such as his beliefs and attitudes, and seek out sources that he would have trusted, such as his family and his contemporaries, as primary sources to tell us about Romero. We also draw heavily from Romero biographers, who similarly focus on Romero as a whole person.

The Catholic bias of the blog is an outgrowth of the Romero focus. Romero himself was Catholic and his Catholicism was the most defining factor and permeated his entire life. Romero submitted explicitly to the judgments of the Church. Many people who argue that Romero is a saint do not actually believe in saints. But this blog takes the hard line view that Romero was not just a cultural icon or a glorified folk hero, but a real, bona fide saint, and to be able to argue that, you must allow as a thresshold matter that there is such a thing, and a way to gauge such a thing. Other measures of Romero are as valid and we will encounter and engage those models from time to time. In fact, we must account for them in order to carry out a complete analysis of the theological questions at heart.

Finally, this is not an official voice of the Church. It does not pressume to speak with any authority and values and guards its intellectual autonomy from the Church. In this sense, the Blog tries to be independent and reliable, providing citations and references where available, and adhering to the basic norms of freelance scholarship. Additionally, unless explicitly stated, the information provided does not come from "insider" sources or official organs of the Church and draws instead from publically available sources of information. The focus of the blog is the internal workings of the Church, but the vantage point is that of an outsider looking in.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

EL BANQUETE DE LA PALABRA
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“Queridos hermanos, sean bienvenidos a la casa solariega de la diócesis.”

Con esta simpática frase, Monseñor Romero inauguró su famosa “misa única”, de homenaje al martirizado Padre Rutilio Grande. (Homilía del 20 de Marzo de 1977, audio acá y texto acá, los cuales serían aconsejables estudiar a la par de este análisis.) “Bienvenidos”: con estas palabras, Monseñor nos está invitando y nos está instando a detenernos y a prestar atención. No dice ‘catedral’—dice “La casa solariega”: esta es la frase más alusiva, que supone un hogar ancestral—un castillo familiar de campo que acoge a sus hijos, inclusive talvez, a hijos alejados. En seguida, Monseñor se refiere a si mismo con un término de desprecio: “El más humilde de toda la familia”. Es una táctica brillante. En efecto, Monseñor se está haciendo a un lado: como diciendo, ‘no soy yo el que importa, yo soy insignificativo—Uds. pasen’. En realidad, decir “humilde” también es reconocer la desconfianza de un clero que lo pensaba inadecuado y conservador; decir “humilde” es reconocer que la feligresía todavía no le conoce. Decir ‘soy humilde’ es otra forma de decir “bienvenidos”, entren, yo no estoy para ser estorbo.

Desde sus primeras declaraciones, se desprende la agilidad de Romero el comunicador, quien puede con un par de frases bien escogidas, establecer todo el ánimo y suspenso de aquel momento. Reconociendo la atención absoluta que ha obtenido ese domingo al cancelar todas las misas y predicar la única misa desde Catedral a través de la radio, logra ofrecer un atractivo, un llamativo que le permite ganar la confianza de los oyentes. Monseñor se refiere inmediatamente a lo que lo ocupa: la Misa, y recuerda a sus oyentes que la Misa es algo que ya conocen: la Misa es aquello que “una familia doliente pide para su deudo”, es lo que se ofrece “para darle gracias a Dios por el cumplimiento de 15 años de una jovencita” o lo que se ofrece “para bendecir el matrimonio de dos que se aman hasta la muerte”. La selección de palabras nos dice bastante sobre este obispo. No dice que el matrimonio es algo para ‘una pareja’ que contrae el matrimonio y mantiene tiene la opción de poder divorciarse en cualquier momento—el matrimonio es para “dos que se aman hasta la muerte”. Romero es puro de corazón, dice lo que cree, y su concepto de compromiso es algo que perdura “hasta la muerte”. ¡Que innovación en el mundo de corrupción y pudrimiento de El Salvador del 1977!

Luego, Mons. Romero hace una increíble declaración, dándole también la bienvenida a los incrédulos y lapsos de la fe: “Sabemos de muchas personas que están aquí sin creer en la misa pero que buscan algo que la Iglesia está ofreciendo”. Momentos después, relaciona esto con los Hebreos desterrados en el desierto y al hijo pródigo de las Lecturas de ese domingo. Y en este instante, Mons. Romero está tejiendo como será su costumbre perenne en estas homilías, la vida cotidiana con la vida litúrgica, y está acoplando el lenguaje de “La casa solariega” de que había iniciado la misa con el mensaje de bienvenida que sigue pronunciando. Es un mensaje que seguirá reverberando en su ministerio, cuando le toque lidiar con movimientos políticos, con sindicatos, y con movimientos de izquierda con desconfianza y hasta hostilidad a la Iglesia y a lo espiritual. Cuanto de esto Romero ya había calculado ese 20 de marzo de 1977 y cuanto era un accidente de la historia es difícil saber, pero lo cierto es que ese marzo del 1977 Mons. Romero predicó un principio perfecto de su arzobispado.

Romero promete que su misa será, “un doble banquete: El banquete de la Palabra que evangeliza y el banquete de la Eucaristía, Pan de Vida que alimenta al hombre”. Con estas sabias palabras, Mons. Romero establece los parámetros de su arzobispado, un ministerio que llevaría a Mons. Romero a vivir ofreciendo este banquete, y a morir ofreciendo este mismo doble banquete, de la palabra y de la Eucaristía. ¿Cuándo se ha iniciado un apostolado con una nota tan perfecta? Mons. Romero exhibió su maestría de orador desde que extendió por primera vez el banquete de la palabra en su arquidiócesis. Y termina esa introducción a su primera homilía nacional declarando, “Lo que buscan aquellos que no creen en la misa, óiganlo de una vez, lo que han encontrado hoy es a Cristo.”

Friday, October 15, 2010

WATER
[Index]

When someone comes to your house to ask for water, it is Christ if you look at this person with faith.

-- Óscar Romero, March 16, 1980 Sermon

Archbishop Romero spoke many times about the sacred meaning of water in the symbolism of the Holy Scriptures and the liturgy of the Church. In Christian practice, water figures most prominently in Baptism. Romero spoke about it many times in that context. (See, e.g., 4/7/1977 Sermon.) In the Middle Eastern symbolism of the Bible, Isaiah compares God in the world to a spring in the desert (12/5/1977 sermon) and Jesus compares himself to water for those who thirst (12/17/1978 Sermon). In fact, Romero especially liked the parables wherein Christ tells a Samaritan woman that He is that water which does not lead to further thirst (8/19/1979 Sermon). Sometimes, water figures in miraculous references: God gives Moses water extracted from rocks (10/14/1979 Sermon); Jesus turns water into wine (1/20/1980 Sermon). But, other times, water figures dramatically in a mundane context: the Hebrews suffer thirst during their desert Exodus (5/28/1978 Sermon) and Christ suffers thirst on the Cross (3/24/1978 Sermon). Sometimes, water is represented as a saving grace: as when it bursts from Christ's wound (4/13/1979 Sermon) or in the context of Christian purification by rebirth from water & the Holy Spirit (4/12/1979 Sermon). Sometimes it is even presented as an illusory desert mirage (5/12/1977 Sermon).

In short, water was a potent and constant symbol in Romero's preaching, so that when Romero spoke about water, it was enfused with a sacred subtext, which harkened back to the creation story from Genesis. (1/20/1980, Supra.). As this primordial symbol of creation, water was shorthand for ecological concerns:

You know that the air and water are being polluted, as is everything we touch and live with. We go on corrupting the nature that we need. We do not realize that we have a commitment to God to take care of nature. To cut down a tree, to waste water when there is such a great lack of it, to let buses poison our atmosphere with those noxious fumes from their exhausts, to burn garbage haphazardly -- all of this concerns our covenant with God ... My dear sisters and brothers in El Salvador, let us not continue to kill and make worse the things of created nature but let us give a religious meaning to our relationship with the cosmos. Our commitment to God demands our collaboration.

(3/11/1979 Sermon)

As was true of the rest of Archbishop Romero's preaching, this theological mandate for environmental responsibility was not relegated to pious contemplation. Archbishop Romero translated it to concrete terms. In a poverty stricken land, bountiful natural resources does not translate to a just distribution of those resources, and Romero lamented in his 1979 Palm Sunday sermon that, "Among the people who today go out to meet the Redeemer, 48% who live in the rural areas do not have running water; 66% of all the people in El Salvador have no electricity and in the rural areas 93% of the homes have no electricity." (4/8/1979 Sermon.) Ironically, most electricity in El Salvador is a byproduct of water resources, as it is generated in hydroelectric plants. When the Salvadoran water utility, ANDA, took the initiative to address the scarcity of this resource, Romero made it a point to encourage the initiative: "We are also happy that ANDA is concerned about providing water to our people. We see in many places of San Salvador, not only in the areas of our campesinos, that people spend much time and exert great effort in looking for water and carrying this precious liquid to their homes in jars and barrels. We hope that ANDA can resolve these great problems of our people." (6/4/1978 Sermon.) When Father Hermógenes López, a champion of water rights among the poor of Panama, was killed, Romero called him a "martyr." (7/16/1978 Sermon.)

Romero himself noted that, "The water that our thirsty mouths drink with such longing has a unique language." (2/26/1978 Sermon.) "[W]hen Christ, our Lord, wants to explain the meaning of the redemption that he gives to humankind as a gift, he uses the following words: let those who are thirsty come to me and drink." (Id.) And, "I believe that among Jesus’ many different explanations of redemption," Romero avows, "none is more beautiful than" Jesus' remark to the Samaritan woman that he is the water that quenches all thirst. (Id.) Archbishop Romero recognized the sanctity of water as a symbol, and decried the sacrilege of "corrupting" this symbol of creation. But he also denounced the real world consequences of ecological abuse and social injustice that flowed from the underlying sin.

Offered on Blog Action Day dedicated to water rights, October 15, 2010.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

LA PALABRA QUEDA
[Índice]

El impacto de Monseñor Romero surge desde sus palabras.

Su prédica fue lo más impactante desde el momento en que apareció en la escena imponiéndose sobre la historia de la Iglesia Salvadoreña de tal manera que el Papa Benedicto XVI habla ahora del, “Evangelio, llevado allí por los primeros misioneros y predicado también con fervor por pastores llenos de amor de Dios, como Mons. Óscar Arnulfo Romero”. (Discurso a los Obispos de El Salvador en visita “ad limina”, 28 de febrero de 2008.)

Esta predicación “con fervor”, es lo que mantiene su relevancia hasta hoy: ¿De que otra forma se puede explicar el hecho de que “la gente esté estudiando las homilías de un obispo que ha estado muerto 25 años?” (Mons. Ricardo Urioste, citado por, Robert McClory, Romero called 'prophet of hope' [Romero llamado un ‘profeta de la esperanza], NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER, April 15, 2005.)

Se ha dicho que, “Monseñor Romero vivió como predicador y murió como predicador”. (P. Brian J. PIERCE, OP, Óscar Romero: predicador, Lima, 2005.) Y su prédica se destacó por tres características: (1) su talento natural como orador; (2) su mensaje profético; y (3) su uso apto de los medios de comunicación social.

No cabe duda de que Mons. Romero tenia un don maravilloso de orador. Desarrollado desde los días de su sacerdocio, cuando el Padre Romero predicaba homilías por radio en San Miguel, su destreza verbal consistía de un método organizativo de sus homilías, como también de un gran instinto pedagógico y teatral. Su talento innato fue amplificado por lo urgente, directo e inmediato de su palabra. “Monseñor Romero predicó incansablemente durante los 3 años de su arzobispado, como si hubiera tenido prisa”. (Monseñor Óscar A. Romero: Su Pensamiento, Volumen III, Biblioteca Virtual Universal, Argentina, 2003.) Predicaba, “Como si el tiempo se fuera a ir pronto de sus manos. Como quien sabía que pronto no iba a poder hablar más. Como quien quería hablar para siempre y de una vez”. (Id.) Y esto lo hacía más creíble, como alguien menos apto a decir una mentira, y mucho más apto a decir siempre la verdad, y toda la verdad.

La franqueza y honradez de Mons. Romero combinaron bien con el contenido que le tocó tratar, caracterizado por temas actuales y por ende pertinentes, relevantes y hasta urgentes para la población. Era un contenido dramático, que mantuvo a sus oyentes en suspenso con episodios de asesinatos y secuestros de altos dignatarios y humildes campesinos y sacerdotes. Esto se mezcló con el teatro eclesial de actos litúrgicos, de procesiones y devociones. La Iglesia Católica cuenta con espectáculos conmovedores entre sus actos religiosos, que incluyen la semana santa con sus procesiones y Vía Crucis, la “Bajada” del Divino Salvador del Mundo (fiesta patronal de El Salvador, de cual deriva su nombre), y en las homilías de Mons. Romero, los grandes sagas bíblicos se mezclaron naturalmente con los dramas políticos y sociales de su tiempo, dándole un llamativo irresistible a su presentación.

La actualidad y relevancia contemporánea de las enseñanzas de Mons. Romero crearon un gran apetito por escuchar las homilías, y leer sus cartas pastorales, lo que en turno aseguró se comenzaran a replicar y preservar a través de varios medios de comunicación social. La radio y el semanario fueron los primeros dos medios ampliamente aprovechados para divulgar la palabra de Monseñor. “En esos días podías caminar por las calles y no perderte ni una palabra de la homilía de Monseñor, porque resonaba en cada casa”. (PIERCE, Supra.) La radio no solamente transmitía las homilías, sino que las grababa y las repetía en diversos horarios de transmisión. Luego, el semanario de la diócesis publicaba el texto de las homilías, lo que aseguró su preservación. Además, Romero utilizó la radio y el semanario para difundir su pensamiento, y concedía una conferencia de prensa después de la homilía dominical para contrarrestar las campañas de desprestigio lanzadas en su contra. Predicaba en la Catedral, pero también salía en visitas pastorales a los cantones, hablando con la gente en persona, y publicando cuarto cartas pastorales durante su apresurada gestión.

“[T]odos los que predican a Cristo son voz, pero la voz pasa, los predicadores mueren ... sólo queda la Palabra”, dijo Mons. Romero. “La Palabra queda y este es el gran consuelo del que predica: mi voz desaparecerá pero mi palabra que es Cristo quedará en los corazones que lo hayan querido recoger”. (Homilía 17/12/1978.)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

AMBER VIGIL - Beatification Watch
(As reported in Tim's El Salvador Blog)
[Index]

According to a new tri-color coded system for reporting the status of the Romero beatification cause devised for this blog, whereby "green" denotes progress, "red" indicates stagnation and "amber" indicates moderate or slow forward motion, we analyze that the current condition warrants an "amber" designation for our vigil as of October 2010. The vigil level designation will be indicated by the display of an amber or yellow lantern, styled after the lanterns or "farolitos" used in El Salvador for the vigil of the Nativitiy of Virgin Mary (September 7) in towns like Ahuachapan and Ataco.

The designation of the yellow or moderate level of progress for the beatification cause was made after studying numerous recent reports of statements made by clerics knowledgeable about the current state of the canonization process. The analysis suggests that, after the Positio Super Martyrio ("The Martyrdom Brief") was drafted, the late Colombian cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos interjected objections to the process which took the cause out of its regular track and diverted it to a study at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which scrutinized Archbishop Romero's preaching and writings for orthodoxy and fidelity to Church teaching. This study took place from 2000-2001 and concluded with findings that affirmed the validity and authenticity of Romero's teaching. The process returned to its normal cause and was on the verge of being submitted to the Pope when further objections were raised, perhaps in an October 2005 meeting of the cardinal relators, which diverted the cause again, this time for an examination of Romero's "orthopraxy," or pastoral action, for evaluation of its evangelical prudence.

According to a report published on the website of the Hagiography Circle, which provides information to researchers regarding the canonization process, Archbishop Romero's Positio was referred back to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 2009. This would indicate a return of the canonization cause to the normal channels. Other information has surfaced which suggests that the hold imposed to allow the orthoproxy study has been lifted. Numerous church officials, including the new Archbishop of San Salvador and the leaders of the Archbishop Romero Trust in Britain, have expressed a hope that Romero could be beatified around the time of the 30th anniversary of his martyrdom, an anniversary being marked this year. However, the Vatican is unlikely to make the anniversary a determinant factor.

Other gestures that have come to light do hold more promise, the chief of these is the announcement by the Salvadoran Bishops Conference, that all the bishops of El Salvador would send a letter to the Vatican urging the beatification. The significance here is that one focus of the study of Romero's pastoral practices, almost certainly raised concerns about divisions among the Salvadoran bishops during Romero's tenure, which concerns would be assuaged by a letter signed by all the current Salvadoran bishops saying they are united behind Romero. In addition, some observers have speculated that the Church was concerned about antagonizing or embarrassing the Salvadoran government, long dominated by the right wing party ARENA, by beatifying Romero under a theory of persecution that implicates Roberto D'Aubuisson, the founder of the ARENA party, who is believed to have been the intellectual author of the assassination. The election of Mauricio Funes, a candidate of the party of the Left, and an open Romero devotee, appears to remove that concern.

Therefore, it appears that the "freeze" on the Romero beatification process has been lifted, and we will indeed be searching news reports for evidence that the process has begun to move down the final stretch. After the Positio Super Martyrio is studied by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, absent further objections, the next step is to send a recommendation to the Pope to approve the martyrdom of the candidate. Typically, the pope then signs and publishes a decree approving the martyrdom, and a beatification date can be set. On his way to the meeting of the Latin American Bishops in Aparecida, Brazil in 2007, Pope Benedict said, "I await confidently what the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will have to say on the matter" (of Romero's martyrdom). Now, we await "confidently," also.

Saturday, October 09, 2010

FAROLITOS
[Índice]

Estamos presentando una nueva herramienta para analizar el estado de la causa de canonización de Monseñor Romero, inspirado en la “Fiesta de los Farolitos” que se celebra en El Salvador para conmemorar la Natividad de la Santísima Virgen María. Mons. Romero dictaminó en diciembre de 1979 que, “No se puede entender la historia latinoamericana si no es con la devoción a la Virgen”. (Homilía 9/12/1979.) El 7 de septiembre se celebra con luminosas procesiones y arreglos de farolitos multicolores que alegran la víspera del nacimiento de la Virgen en pueblos como Ahuachapán y Ataco. De la misma forma, esperamos que nuestro sistema de farolitos -- verdes, rojos y amarillos -- iluminen nuestra comprensión del estado de la causa de la beatificación de Mons. Romero.

Un farolito verde nos indica cuando la causa está avanzando, cuando se ha dado algún signo por las autoridades para señalar que hay movimiento, y que existe una aprobación que nos está indicando la existencia de una voluntad pro-positiva en el Vaticano que da el aval a que el Siervo de Dios Óscar A. Romero avance hacia los altares.

Un ejemplo de “luz verde” sería marzo del 2005, cuando el postulador de la causa de canonización dijo en comentarios a la prensa que la beatificación podría ocurrir dentro de seis meses, y la tumba de Monseñor fue trasladada al punto principal debajo del altar, el sitio digno para un santo.

En cambio, un farolito rojo nos indica que se ha desviado el progreso de la causa de su trayectoria normal, o que se ha captado la emisión de un pronunciamiento que no permite que avance su tramitación, de forma en que obliga a detener el progreso de la causa, ya sea por un plazo definido o no definido, pero que se entiende que la causa no sigue su curso regular.

Un ejemplo de “luz roja” sería a partir de octubre del 2005, cuando el prefecto de la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos negó que la causa de Mons. Romero estuviera a punto de culminar, y el mes siguiente la revista oficial de los jesuitas emitiera su criterio de que faltaban “años” para alcanzar la beatificación de Monseñor.

Como sería de esperar, un farolito amarillo representa el estado intermedio entre un verdadero alto y un arranque definitivo, y muchas veces puede marcar la cancelación de un cese absoluto (luz roja), o la aplicación de frenos después de un tramo de alta velocidad (luz verde). La mayoría de los tiempos, dejaremos la luz amarilla cuando, al no ver indicaciones claras de un alto o de echar a andar, procedemos con cautela, esperando alguna orientación que nos ayude a evaluar la situación.

Un ejemplo de “luz amarilla” sería cuando, después de que Mons. Fernando Sáenz Lacalle confirmara en marzo del 2006 que la causa iba a “paso lento”, en 2009, el expediente fuera remitido de nuevo a la Congregación para las Causas de los Santos, lo que corresponde a un regreso al progreso normal.

Esperamos que estos farolitos “de colores”, como dice la letra del cántico folclórico de ese nombre, puedan ir también, “Difundiendo la luz que ilumina/La gracia divina del gran ideal”, en una “romería” en que, “Jubilosos, jubilosos/Llevemos a Cristo un alma y mil más”.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

>>> INDEX OF THIS BLOG

This index of our first fifty topical posts* is organized in three major headings: I. overview, II. Archbishop Romero (1. his life - 2. his teachings and 3. his spiritual legacy), and III. canonization process. May it help you navigate this page. Future posts will link back here. -c.

I. OVERVIEW
Status
- Point of view
- The thesis of the blog (Spanish)
- Five year report
- Color coded canonization status guide (Spanish)
- Amber alert
HOMILIARIUM
- Announcement
- Description (Spanish)
- Beatification Chronology (Spanish)
- 2006 General Status Report
- 2007 Beatification outlook
- 2008 Beatification outlook (Spanish)
- 2011 Beatification outlook
News/Analysis:
- U.S. Embassy Analysis
- 2006 Round-up (Spanish)
- Top 10 of 2007
- Top 10 of 2008
- Top 10 of 2010
- Pope at Westminster Abbey
- 31st anniversary (2011, Spanish)
- Obama visit announcement (Italian)
- Obama's visit
- Obama visiti analysis
- 2011 Vatican visits
- Romero Lives, 2011

II. ÓSCAR ROMERO
1. Biography
- Childhood (Spanish)
- Seminary years
- First parish, Anamorós
- His ascetic streak
- His photographs
- Bishop of Santiago de María
- Archbishop of San Salvador
- Rutilio Grande (Italian)
- His "Hospitalito"
- Pilgrimage to Barcelona (Spanish)
- His last recorded words (Spanish)
2. Views/Teachings
- Effectiveness of his preaching (Spanish)
- His preaching style
- Sources (English sermons)
- Works on line
- Reporting on killers (Spanish)
Generally:
- New perspective on life (Italian)
- His early views (Spanish)
- Card. Pironio's influence (Spanish)
- Fidelity to church doctrine (Spanish)
- Church approval of (Spanish)
- "Conversion"
- Importance of (Spanish)
Communism (Spanish)
Letters/Sermons:
- 'Lost' Pastoral letter
- The Archdiocesan Letters (Spanish)
- The "San Salvador Sermon"
- The "One Mass" (Spanish)
- Christmas message (Spanish)
- The Good Shepherd (Spanish)
- The New Covenant (Spanish)
- His final seven sermons
1. The Beatitudes (Spanish)
2. Jesus v. Satan
3. The Transfiguration (Spanish)
4. "Repent"
5. The Promised Land (Spanish)
6. Stop the repression!
7. "Like Christ" (Spanish)
- Last recorded words (Spanish)
-Justice (courts) (Spanish)
Popes
- relationships, fidelity:
-Faithfulness to the recent popes
1. Leo XIII (1878-1903) (Spanish)
2. St. Pius X (1903-1914)
3. Benedict XV (1914-1922) (Italian)
4. Pius XI (1929-1939) (Spanish)
5. Pius XII (1939-1958)
6. John XXIII (1958-1963) (Spanish)
7. Paul VI (1963-1978)
8. John Paul I (1978) (Italian)
9. John Paul II (1978-2005)
10. Benedict XVI (2005-present) (Spanish)
Additionally:
- Fidelity to John Paul II (Spanish)
- Audience with John Paul II (Spanish)
- Papal statements about Romero (Spanish)
- Generational sympathies with
- Benedict XVI, similarities with
- Benedict XVI's 'social' encyclical (Spanish)
Saints:
- All saints day (Spanish)
- St. Paul
- St. John Chrysostom (Spanish)
Terrorism/violence (Spanish)
Violence of Love
Theology:
- Ascetical theology
- Liberation theology
- Liberation theology, Romero's own (Spanish)
- The Transfiguration
- Liberation theology, Romero's criticism of
- Ecology
-Morality (Spanish)
-Eucharistic adoration
3. Legacy
- Ecumenism
- Jewish relevance
- Commemorations in the Crypt (Spanish)
- Third Secret of Fatima (Spanish)
- UN Tribute
- Compared to Salv. founder (Spanish)
- Romero in art

III. CANONIZATION PROCESS
General/Requirements:
- Odium fidei
- Motive of assassination
- Assassin's identity
- Miracles (Spanish)
- Decree of Non Cultu (Spanish)
- Orthopraxy, study of
- Orthopraxy, argument
- Fast track causes (Spanish)
Devil's Advocate's case
- John Paul II (Spanish)
Ecclesial considerations:
- Archbishop of San Salv.'s influence (Spanish)
- Cardinals, support among (Spanish)
- Guizar case
- Rosmini case
- Becket case (Spanish)
- Possible visit of Pope (Spanish)
Political considerations:
- Generally (Spanish)
- Evidentiary effect of State Admission
- El Salvador, support (Spanish)
- Venezuela, support
- Salvadoran gov't pressure on Vatican (Spanish)
- Possible visit by Obama
State/civil/criminal investigations
- Canonization vs. state investigation (Spanish)
- Precedence (opinion, Spanish)
- Shooter identified (Spanish)
- Shooter news spreads
- Possible conspiracy (Spanish)

MISC.
- What beatification would look like

* This index was udpated on Feb. 7, 2011, after our 75th post; on June 17th, 2011, after our 100th post; and on October 21, 2011, after the publication of the Homiliarium.

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

>>> ÍNDICE DE ESTE BLOG

Después de 50 reportes (postings),* pensamos que sería conveniente publicar un índice temático de este blog, repartido entre tres grandes rubros: I. reseña, II. Mons. Romero (1. su vida -- 2. su prédica -- y 3. legado espiritual), y III. el proceso de canonización. Ojala que les sea útil para navegar el sitio. En los próximos días, lo publicaremos también en inglés. –c.

I. RESEÑA
Actualización
- Mi punto de vista (inglés)
- La tesis del blog
- Informe de cinco años (inglés)
- Guía de colores para indicar estado causa cononización
- Alerta amarilla (inglés)
EL HOMILIARIO
- Anuncio (inglés)
- Explicación
- Cronología de beatificación
- Estado general de la causa, 2006 (inglés)
- Perspectivas de beatificación, 2007 (inglés)
- Perspectivas de beatificación, 2008
- Perspectivas de beatificación, 2011 (inglés)
Noticias & análisis:
- Análisis Embajada EEUU (inglés)
- Noticiero 2006
- Las 10 más importantes del 2007 (inglés)
- Las 10 más importantes del 2008 (inglés)
- Las 10 más importantes del 2010 (inglés)
- El papa en la Abadía de Westminster
- 31° aniversario (2011)
- Anuncio visita Obama (Italiano)
- Visita de Obama
- Análisis visita Obama (inglés)
- Visitas al Vaticano 2011 (inglés)
- ¡Romero Vive!, 2011 (inglés)

II. ÓSCAR ROMERO
1. Biografía
- Infancia
- Años del seminario (inglés)
- Primera parroquia, Anamorós (inglés)
- Tendencia ascética (inglés)
- Sus fotos (inglés)
- Obispo de Santiago de María (inglés)
- Arzobispo de San Salvador (inglés)
- Rutilio Grande (italiano)
- Su "Hospitalito" (inglés)
- Peregrinaje por Barcelona
- Sus últimas palabras grabadas
2. Doctrinas/enseñanzas
- Sus cartas pastorales
- Eficacia de su prédica
- Estilo de su prédica (inglés)
- Sus sermones traducidos al inglés
- Escritos en linea (inglés)
- Reportaje del asesinato
Generalmente:
- Nuevo concepto de su vida (italiano)
- Orígenes de su pensamiento
- Influencia del Card. Pironio
- Fidelidad a la doctrina de la Iglesia
- Aprobación de la Iglesia
- Su "Conversión" (inglés)
- Importancia de
Comunismo
Cartas/sermones:
- Carta pastoral 'perdida' (inglés)
- Las cartas arzobispales
- El Sermón de San Salvador (inglés)
- La "Única Misa"
- El Buen Pastor
- Mensaje de Navidad
- La Alianza Nueva
- Sus últimas siete homs. (inglés)
- 1. Las bienaventuranzas
- 2. Jesús contra Satanás (inglés)
- 3. La Transfiguración
- 4. "¡Repentíos!" (inglés)
- 5. La Tierra Prometida
- 6. ¡Cese la represión! (inglés)
- 7. "Como Cristo"
- Sus últimas palabras grabadas
-Justicia (corte suprema de)
Papas - relaciones, fidelidad:
-Fidelidad a los Papas recientes
1. León XIII (1878-1903)
2. S. Pío X (1903-1914) (inglés)
3. Benedicto XV (1914-1922) (italiano)
4. Pío XI (1929-1939)
5. Pio XII (1939-1958) (inglés)
6. Juan XXIII (1958-1963)
7. Pablo VI (1963-1978) (inglés)
8. Juan Pablo I (1978) (italiano)
9. Juan Pablo II (1978-2005) (inglés)
10. Benedicto XVI (2005-presente)
Adicional:
- Fidelidad a Juan Pablo II
- Audiencia con Juan Pablo II
- Pronunciamientos papales sobre Romero
- Identidad generacional con ellos (inglés)
- Benedicto XVI, similaridades con (inglés)
- Benedict XVI, su encíclica 'social'
Santos:
- Día de los santos
- S. Pablo (inglés)
- S. Juan Crisostomo
Terrorismo/violencia
Violencia del amor (inglés)
Teología:
- Teología ascética (inglés)
- Teología de la Liberación (inglés)
- Teología de la Liberación, de Romero
- La transfiguración (inglés)
- Teología de la Liberación, criticada por Romero (inglés)
- Ecología (inglés)
- Moralidad
-Adoracion Eucaristica (inglés)
3. Legado espiritual
- Ecumenismo (inglés)
- Judíos, relevancia (inglés)
- Conmemoraciones en La Cripta
- Tercer Secreto de Fátima
- Homenaje de la ONU (inglés)
- Como un procer
-Romero en el arte (inglés)

III. PROCESO DE CANONIZACIÓN
General/Requisitos:
- Odium fidei (inglés)
- Motivación del asesinato (inglés)
- Identidad del asesino (inglés)
- Milagros
- Decretos Non Cultu
- Ortopraxia, estudio de la (inglés)
- Ortopraxia, argumento (inglés)
- Casos carril expreso
- Caso Juan Pablo II
Abogado del diablo, caso del (inglés)
Considerasiones eclesiales:
- Arzobispo de S. Salv., influencia del
- Cardenales simpatizantes
- Guizar, caso de (inglés)
- Rosmini, caso de (inglés)
- Becket, caso de
- Posible visita del papa
Consideraciones políticas:
- Generalmente
- Efecto probatorio de confesión estatal (inglés)
- El Salvador, respaldo estatal
- Venezuela, respaldo estatal (inglés)
- Presión del gob. salvadoreño al vaticano
- Posible visita de Obama (inglés)
Investigaciones de estado/civil/penal
- Canonización c. investigación estatal
- Prioridad (opinión)
- Señalan tirador
- Noticias del tirador (inglés)
- Posible confabulación

MISC.
- Mentalizando la beatificación (inglés)

* Este índice fue actualizado el 7 de feb. del 2011 trás nuestro 75° mensaje; el 20 de jun. del 2011 trás nuestro 100° mensaje, y el 21 de octubre trás la publicación del Homiliario.

Monday, October 04, 2010

The CONSCIENTIOUS CONVERSION
of ÓSCAR ROMERO

“[T]hose who want to subvert the Church’s authority and preach a liberation divorced from God, and those who look for power in the class struggle and hatred are upset that the Church reminds them that there is no solution in communism, that subversion is not the way.” In fact, “the Church wants to sow peace and harmony.” Harmony between the rich -- to whom God sends His Spirit, “so that the capitalist, who truly believes in the Church, might be transformed and humanized and thus give a sense of charity, justice, and love to his capital” -- and the poor, to whom God sends His Spirit, “so that they might see the Church as the one who transforms their poverty into redemption, so that they will not be led down paths of resentment and class struggle.” After all, “The Church does not offer then a Paradise on this earth.” Catholics should not “be spectators of the Church looking to see” the Church confront the state; they should not “act like [a] group of children who are looking at two individuals fight,” because “We are not fighting.” In fact, “The government and the Church, from their distinct competencies, want to look for peace, have to look for peace, in fact, have an obligation to look for peace and true progress.”

So preached Archbishop Romero in May 1977 (5/15/1977 sermon, Spanish audio of Romero’s voice here, Spanish text here, English translation here), as he sought to stabilize his social preaching after a decidely turbulent start earlier that year after he became archbishop in late February; Father Rutilio Grande was assassinated in early March; and Father Alfonso Navarro was assassinated a few days earlier, on May 11. This May 15 Sermon defies the popular notion of a sudden and radical “conversion” in Archbishop Romero, following the Grande assassination. Clearly, the May 15 Sermon retains many of Romero’s traditionalist themes that typified his “conservative” years, including his insistence that the Church was “not fighting” with the state and was trying to salvage class harmony, by showing the poor how to ‘transform their poverty into redemption.’ Nor was the May 15 Sermon an outlier. On June 19, Romero marked the return to “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical year (the period outside of Easter and Christmas). Romero seemed to wish for a return to an “ordinary time” in the political climate: “hopefully this long nightmare will cease, and like people who awake to a normal life, we will once again experience peace and tranquility and be able to live as sisters and brothers.” (6/19/1977 sermon, Spanish audio of Romero’s voice here, Spanish text here, English translation here.) “May the people of El Salvador no longer take up arms against one another,” he continued. “May the people of El Salvador no longer abuse their sisters and brothers, sisters and brothers who often live together in the same town or village. May we clothe ourselves in Christian attitudes.” (Id.)

Once again, Romero shuns a Marxist solution: “A liberation that places hope in the heart of humankind: the hope of a paradise that is not given on this earth. From this point of view the Church cannot be Communist.” (Id.) Instead, Romero urges a recourse to spirituality, rather than materiality: “The Church does not look for a liberation that has a worldly character. The Church does not want to liberate poor people so that they can ‘have’ more but rather wants them ‘to be’ more. Yes the Church promotes the human person ‘to be’ more. The Church has little interest in whether people have more or less.” (Id.) And, once more, Romero offers an olive branch to the wealthy: “This does not mean that we have to cast aside the upper class. We esteem them, we love them, we want to give our life for them, we want to serve them.” (Id.) And he urges, “Let us not make distinctions between rich and poor but between those who have been converted to Christ, even though they lose their life and all their comforts, but have the satisfaction of following in the love of the Redeemer, who being rich, became poor so that we might have the richness of heaven.” (Id.)

These sermons provide strong evidence of an Archbishop Romero who is still open to dialogue, still looking for a middle ground -- providing strong denunciation from the standpoint of the social doctrine of the church, but clearly trying to negotiate with reality. There is further evidence that Romero adapted his preaching to the developing political and social conditions around him. A 2001 study using “multidimensional scaling” to track themes such as “faith, hope, sin, salvation, love, conversion, church, poor, oppression, justice, and liberation” found that ‘radical’ themes in Romero’s sermons generally tracked increases in state oppression. (Timothy SHORTELL, Radicalization of Religious Discourse in El Salvador: The Case of Oscar A. Romero, SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION, Vol. 62, No. 1, March 22, 2001.) This evidence of Romero’s sensitivity to his environment is consistent with a more nuanced view of Romero’s conversion -- a view endorsed by Romero himself when he says, “What happened in my priestly life, I have tried to explain for myself as an evolution.” (James BROCKMAN, Romero : A Life. New York: Orbis Books, 1989, p. 128, emphasis added.) It is an evolution we can map out through a few snapshots into Romero’s thinking:

• Dec. 24, 1941: seminarian Óscar Romero writes that, “The poor are the incarnation of Christ. Through their tattered clothing, their dark gazes, their festering sores, the laughter of the mentally ill ... the charitable soul discovers and venerates Christ.” (More.)

• Jan., 1967: Romero pledges to, “Give a characteristic of penance and mortification to my duties.” (More.)

• May 18, 1975: Bishop of Santiago de María Óscar Romero slams “the unjust social, economic and political inequality that our brothers and sisters live in,” which “groans, as St. Paul would say, to be ‘liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” ... “Blessed are the Poor,” Romero writes, “their precarious situation has always deserved the preferential love of Christ and of His Church.” (More.)

• August 5, 1976: Bishop of Santiago de María Óscar Romero speaks of Christ as liberator, but most of his words are a warning about merely temporal liberation. He criticizes the “new Christologies” because they seem to him to threaten the church’s teaching and belief in the divinity of Christ. (More.)

• May and June 1977: Romero says Church “not fighting with state;” not interested “in whether people have more or less;” offers poor to “transform their poverty into redemption.” (Sermons cited above.)

• February 24, 1980: Romero preaches that the promise of the Kingdom to come can inspire us to work for justice in this world and that the hardships of this life should be
offered as penance for the world to come: “in El Salvador those who are always hungry should give a penitential meaning to their situation. We must not allow ourselves to become indifferent but must work for the kingdom of justice so that this kingdom might reign in our country.” (More.)

The “evolution” he underwent, Romero explained, was “an evolution of the same desire that I have always had to be faithful to what God asks of me.” (BROCKMAN, supra.) “If I gave the impression before of being more ‘discreet’ and ‘spiritual,’ it was because I sincerely believed that thus I responded to the gospel, for the circumstances of my ministry had not shown themselves so demanding of a pastoral fortitude that, in truth, I believe was asked of me in the circumstances under which I became archbishop.” (Id.) In that respect, what changed over time was what “was asked” by “the circumstances” -- or, at least, what Romero perceived that the circumstances required and, in this sense, Father Grande’s assassination was an external signal which jolted Romero to re-evaluate his circumstances. As Father Sobrino has famously characterized it, “As Archbishop Romero stood gazing at the mortal remains of Rutilio Grande, the scales fell from his eyes.” (Jon SOBRINO, S.J. Archbishop Romero: Memories and Reflections. Translated by Robert B. Barr. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1990, p. 10.)

The model that emerges from this evidence refutes the theory of a “reluctant conversion.” (See, e.g., Carmen CHACÓN, Salvador CARRANZA, et al., The Reluctant Conversion of Oscar Romero: Memories of the archbishop on the 20th anniversary of his assassination, SOJOURNERS MAGAZINE, March-April 2000.) The “reluctant conversion” is refuted in both its terms: It was not a “conversion,” because Romero already embraced the tenets in his spirituality that would allow him to snap into action when the time came. And it was not “reluctant,” because Romero was vigilant and attentive to changing circumstances and dutifully adjusted course as he saw fit. Finally, it was by no means, sudden. Romero saw conversion as a life-long process that was never complete. Therefore, Romero’s conversion was a deliberate, conscientious, and constant process of conversion.

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