Monseñor Romero: The Legacy of a Voice for
Truth and Justice
2015 Romero Week Religious Packet
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Table of Contents
Greetings from Sarah Hall, Grassroots Coordinator.....….......3
Get to know El Salvador’s History………………………………5
Get to know Monseñor Romero…………………………………7
Introduction to Celebration of the Word……………………....10
Celebration of the Word………………………………………...12
Songs and Guitar Chords***…………………………………...14
Possible Prayers………………………………………………...16
Optional Discussion Questions……………………………......19
Complete Romero Homily………………………………………20
Quesadilla Recipe……………………………………………….23
Action Items………………………………………………………24
Become a SHARE Sustainer………………………………......25
Closing Letter from Jose Artiga, Executive Director……........26
***Note: The Popular Mass Songs are in a separate PDF file sent with this Packet
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Dear friends and fellow Romero followers,
Thirty five years have passed since a humble archbishop was assassinated for
preaching the Gospel and living out Jesus’ teachings to work for justice and peace
on earth. News has also flourished regarding the Vatican’s recognition of
Romero’s martyrdom, something which we and our Salvadoran brothers and
sisters, already know and feel in our hearts. It is in this spirit of Romero’s legacy
and accompaniment of the poor that we invite you to join us by planning an event
or space to come together in solidarity with the Salvadoran people in celebration of
Romero's life and his untiring denouncement of the structures of injustice and
oppression. To offer ideas and materials for commemoration and reflection, we
have created this packet: Monseñor Romero: The Legacy of a Voice for Truth and
Justice.
In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 24 as
the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights
Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. The United Nations invites all Member
States, international organizations, civil society organizations and individuals to
observe the International Day—and to recognize the legacy of Monseñor Romero.
Ironically, even with such international recognition, and with the Vatican having
lifted Romero’s beatification ban last August, the impunity that Monseñor
denounced 35 years ago still threatens El Salvador. In November, shortly after the
25th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her
daughter, the mayor of San Salvador announced plans to change the name of a
major street to that of Roberto D’Aubuisson, accused of being the intellectual
author of Monseñor Romero’s assassination. This action stirred a mobilization
campaign by the Pro-Historical Memory Commission (Pro-Memoria) and other
organizations fighting impunity, called “Do you want a name for a street? I offer you
30,000;” in reference to the 30,000 names engraved on the San Salvador
Monument for Memory and Truth recognizing the civil victims of the armed conflict.
As we remember Romero's incredible example of love and justice, we can
celebrate his life by raising awareness around the ongoing struggle in El Salvador
and around the world, for truth, justice, and reparations. This year, due to our everdiversifying base, we have decided to develop two packets – one as a Celebration
of the Word, and another more secular reflection-based packet. The first packet
includes information about El Salvador, liberation theology, a guide for your own
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Celebration of the Word service, songs, prayers, and discussion questions. The
reflection packet includes information on El Salvador, Romero, Pro-Memoria, and
also contains reflection activities, and articles and discussion questions. Feel free
to use one or both packets, or a mixture of the two!
We would love to hear what kind of events you are planning in your area and how
we can support you. If you have any questions or would like accompaniment in
planning and carrying out your gathering, please contact us at
[email protected]. Please distribute this packet as widely as
possible to all those you think may be interested in learning about Romero,
supporting transformative education in El Salvador, or planning an event or activity
of their own.
With organizations like Pro-Memoria, SHARE continues to seek truth, justice, and
reparations for the victims of grave human rights violations. We hope you will
continue to stand in solidarity with our Salvadoran brothers and sisters, and take
action on their behalf.
In solidarity,
Sarah Hall
Grassroots Program Coordinator
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Get to Know El Salvador’s History
In 1932 indigenous peasants revolted to demand the right to own land. The rebels
were massacred by the military regime controlling the government – leaving an
estimated 30,000 dead. The startling inequalities and a general lack of opportunity
characteristic of the colonial era persisted.
In the 1970's, rural peasants, labor
unions, teachers, and student groups
began to organize once again to
demand their rights through regime
after regime of military governments.
At that time, El Salvador still had a
nearly feudal system of land
ownership. Only 2% of the country’s
population controlled 60% of the
arable land. The economy was based
on exporting cotton, sugar cane and coffee, and these crops were grown on the very
best land. The poor were relegated to grow corn on hillsides, or given small plots of
land on the haciendas where they worked the cash crops. The gross injustices
produced by this system created a tension that resulted in citizen education and
organizing, met by extreme oppression and violence by ruling powers. The violent
oppression that followed led to a twelve year civil war from 1980-1992 between the
FMLN guerrilla forces and the Salvadoran military, which the U.S. supported with an
average of a million dollars a day in military aid, weaponry and trainings over the
course of the war. During the armed conflict, over 75,000 Salvadorans lost their lives.
After the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992,
thousands of Salvadoran refugees returned to their
homes or to newly populated communities to begin to
rebuild their lives. Following the war, the right-wing
party ARENA controlled the government for 20 years.
They established neo-liberal economic policies and
an entrenched bureaucracy that continue to have a
negative impact on the majority of the Salvadoran
population. In 2009, Mauricio Funes a journalist and
FMLN candidate, which was converted into a political
party after the war, became the first progressive
president of El Salvador. Today’s president, Salvador
Sanchez Ceren a FMLN Guerilla Commander, is also
from the FMLN.
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Despite the election of more progressive presidents, El Salvador continues to battle
many obstacles including:
 Environmental degradation caused by deforestation, pesticides, and mining
threaten the water and soil on which Salvadorans rely for food
 Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), signed with the US in
2005, which has flooded Salvadoran marketed with cheap consumer goods and
is thus weakening El Salvador’s agricultural sector
 Mass immigration to the United States because of a lack of economic
opportunity and insecurity has deteriorated the domestic workforce
 High rates of violence, perpetuated by gangs and other nefarious forces,
leave the rest of the population living in fear
 El Salvador currently has the highest per capita rate of femicide – murders of
women specifically because they are women. Thus the struggle for women’s
rights and opportunities is of such great importance.
Additional Educational Material
Extended History and Explanation of Current Issues:
http://www.share-elsalvador.org/get-involved/learn-more/about-el-salvador
http://www.share-elsalvador.org/get-involved/learn-more/other-resources.
Video about Truth and Justice in El Salvador:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWGzq6MvzKg
Movies:
Enemies of War, PBS Special
Voces Inocentes
Return to El Salvador, A Documentary About Life After Civil War, 2009
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Get to know Monseñor Oscar Romero
Before and during the war, terror reigned, as death squads
tortured and killed those who spoke out for justice. A strong
actor in the struggle for dignity was Archbishop Oscar
Romero, who was known as the voice of the voiceless poor.
Archbishop Romero spoke out passionately against the
military repression, calling for an end to U.S. military aid to
El Salvador. These efforts earned him the love of the people
and the hatred of the military. On March 24, 1980, Romero
was shot while saying a funeral mass at the Divine
Providence Hospital Chapel by a professional assassin from
the death squad. Before his death, Romero said that if he
was killed, he would be resurrected in the Salvadoran
people. He was right, his life has become a symbol of hope
for social justice amongst the poor in El Salvador.
Martyr for Truth and Justice
Excerpt from a 2013 SHARE Blog Post
On the 24th of March we commemorated 33 years since Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo
Romero’s assassination, our pastor, friend, and voice of the humble, the poor and
oppressed. Despite threats he continued to denounce the injustices and oppression
that we were living until the death squads ended his life. They believed they were
going stop the people’s struggle for justice and the establishment of a democratic
system where human rights are respected, in which there is freedom of expression
and a reduction in social inequalities.
However, history tells us this was not the case. The people rose up in the struggle in
different moments, with twelve years of armed conflict, more than 75,000
assassinated, and thousands forcibly disappeared. In 1992, the Peace Accords were
signed, which put an end to the conflict,
opened spaces for political and social
participation, created new institutions like
the National Civil Police (PNC), the Human
Rights Ombudsman, etc. The Truth
Commission responsible for investigating
the grave crimes committed during the
conflict indicate in their report that those
responsible for the assassination of
Monseñor Romero were the death squads
from the extreme right, composed of
civilians and military men, commanded by
Major Roberto D’Aubuisson (founder of the ARENA party) and Captain Álvaro Saravia.
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Staff reflection on Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero’s Life.
In celebration of his life, Claire Moll, SHARE’s Communication Coordinator reflects on
what Monseñor Romero means to her.
As a Protestant Christian, I have grown up my whole life listening to the biblical
accounts of Jesus’ miracles and acts of solidarity. However, it wasn’t until I learned
about Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador from 1977-1980
that I really understood the stories. Monseñor Romero truly was a man for and with the
Salvadoran people. Through his example and his homilies calling for a peaceful
revolution, I have been able to better understand the life and teachings of Jesus Christ
and how those of us alive today can be more Christ-like as well. I believe that Romero
truly understood what it meant to live a life as Jesus lived and make that choice for the
preferential option for the poor.
For me, I was always confused by the story of Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman
at the well. What was the big deal? I just didn’t really grasp what being Samaritan in
the Biblical world meant. However, I do have a better understanding of the historical
context of Monseñor Romero because it was only 30 years ago rather than 2000. I
know how counter-cultural it was
for an Archbishop in El Salvador
to stand on the side of the poor
during the late 70s. This had
never happened before. Romero
got down from the pulpit that had
separated priests from the laity for
generations. He walked with the
people and knew them by
name. He understood that he
himself was one of them. This is
what Jesus did when he talked to
that Samaritan woman and
washed the feet of his disciples at
the Last Supper.
We are all called to humble ourselves and accompany those who have been forgotten
by past generations just like Monseñor Romero. His actions remind us that we are to
use our privilege given to us by the unjust social structures of the world to promote
equal rights for all within that same system. Romero was a voice for the voiceless. He
used his gift to appeal to the military via homilies broadcast on the radio all over the
country. Even though he knew that this would lead to his own murder, Romero was
propelled by his strong understanding of what was right. He had to speak out for those
whose cries had time and time again fallen on deaf ears. We are all called to be the
voice for the voiceless. Whether you are in El Salvador, Syria, Ukraine, Palestine,
Venezuela, Ferguson, Missouri, or anywhere else in the world, it is time to stand
with those whose voices are silenced. In the words of Monseñor Romero, “Let
us truly live the beauty and responsibility of being a prophetic people.”
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“The church must suffer for speaking the truth, for pointing out sin, for uprooting sin.
No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and therefore a society with so many sores
twitches when someone has the courage to touch it and say: “You have to treat that.
You have to get rid of that. Believe in Christ. Be converted.”
Other Resources to Get to Know Monseñor
Romero Movie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romero_%28film%29
Romero Documentary, Monseñor: The Last Journey of Oscar Romero
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2436900/
Recent Articles on Romero
http://luterano.blogspot.com/2015/02/reflections-on-oscar-romero.html
“With Christ’s light let us illuminate even the most hideous caverns of the human
person: torture, jail, plunder, want, chronic illness.”
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Introduction to the Celebration of the Word
Monsignor Oscar Romero left his mark on the
Salvadoran people and on many of us around
the world that have come to know him. One
way that he has “risen again in Salvadorans”
is in Base Christian Communities (BCCs) that
continue his teaching to work for truth and
justice alongside the poor. For the 2015
Romero Week Celebration, we would like to
invite you to learn more about this particular
popular movement within the Salvadoran
Catholic Church by participating in your own
BCC--inspired Celebration of the Word.
Liberation Theology has shaped Latin America and particularly Central America over
the last few decades. It came at a time when ideologies were changing and a world
was on the cusp of destroying itself. It came at a time when Capitalism was taking off
and proving its success for the short term. It came at a time when Communism was
ready to demonstrate that Capitalism is not the only option. It came at a time when a
group of 6 million people had been systematically murdered because of their religious
beliefs. It came at a time when the two major powers of the world were threatening to
annihilate each other by using weapons that the Earth had only seen once before
which killed an unimaginable number of people on a small island nation in the
Pacific. Liberation Theology came at a time when the poor of Latin America were
being exploited, oppressed, tortured, disappeared, and murdered by their own
governments.
The Catholic Church took a step back to look at this world swirling out of control
around them and decided that there must be a change in the theology of the
Church. For the first time, mass was celebrated in the language of the people in
attendance. The priest turned around to face the congregation, taking on more of the
role of Master of Ceremonies rather than the sole recipient of the message. The
Catholic Church was trying to give Christianity back to the people. Now, the execution
of the gifting of the religion to the masses looked different in the various regions of the
world.
In Latin America, this new way of thinking headed to the Medellin Bishops’ Council in
Colombia in 1968. They saw the aforementioned problems of their beloved region and
said, “Basta ya!” (Enough already). This new practice of theology not only gave the
religion to the masses but also called followers to a specific preferential option for the
poor, which took shape as what would be called Liberation Theology. It told the story
of Jesus working for the poor and working for justice here on Earth. This new way of
focusing on the Bible empowered the suppressed majority of Latin Americans to
demand their basic needs from their governments instead of being complacent and
waiting to receive their rewards in heaven.
Encouraged by Liberation Theology practices, Base Christian Communities (BCCs)
became widespread across El Salvador before the armed conflict as a response to a
lack of priests and formal parishes. People identifying as Catholic refused to leave
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behind their religious practices, and continued to celebrate the Word within their
communities. There was no consecration of the Eucharist. However, parishioners
followed most other rituals and practices. What began as a way to continue celebrating
the Catholic faith soon transformed, alongside the rest of society during the years of
the armed conflict, into a space for the promotion of the social movement. With the
new sense of autonomy within the Base Christian Communities and the priests of El
Salvador taking a Liberation Theology approach, the BCCs organized themselves in a
way that focused on accompanying the poor. (This is not to say the members of BCCs
were part of the wealthy class. Members of the BCCs tended to be rural farmers and
those living on the margins of the cities. However, the BCCs dedicated themselves to
standing with others and for themselves in demanding rights.) In this way, many BCCs
became more involved politically and socially. Their Celebrations of the Word would
still mention the duties and promises outlined in the Bible for God’s people, but they
would also talk about who had been martyred and what the need of the community
was that week. This model became popular and common throughout the country.
Today, the BCCs formed in the 1980s and before are still strong and have influenced
others to create new communities.
The following Celebration of the Word outlined in this year’s Romero Week Packet is
based on a specific BCC that formed in 2000 in response to a very conservative priest
that did not share their social vision of accompanying the poor. Pueblo de Dios en
Camino (People of God’s Way), is made up of around 40 members pertaining to the
Salvadoran working class who live in San Ramon, Mejicanos, San Salvador. Each
Sunday, they gather focusing more on the lives of the Salvadoran Martyrs as
examples rather than looking to their Biblical counterparts. Pueblo de Dios en Camino
organizes other community events in reaction to the social environment in which they
live. They attend various commemorations of martyrs, take part in marches for basic
human rights, teach classes on women and youth empowerment, and accompany two
communities living on the San Salvador Volcano.
As you will notice, the focus of the Celebration of the Word and the work of Pueblo de
Dios en Camino is living out the Gospel message in their own current day Salvadoran
context. By commemorating their martyrs, they are not rejecting the stories of their
Biblical ancestors and prophets, but rather applying those stories to the lives of those
who directly gave up their lives for their Salvadoran liberation.
Pictured: One of the main organizers, Ana, outside the community Center where Pueblo de Dios en Camino gathers
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Celebration of the Word
Greeting: Given by a community member
Prayer: (See resource page for suggestions)
Song: Vamos Todos al Banquete (Let’s All Go to the
Banquet)
Song: Señor Ten Piedad (Lord, Have Mercy)
1st Reading: Isaiah 10:1-4
Song: Gloria
2nd Reading: Quote from Romero’s book The Violence of
Love
“When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a
ministry of the church to concern itself for those who are hungry, for those who have
no schools, for those who are deprived, we are not departing from God’s promise. He
comes to free us from sin, and the church knows that sin’s consequences are all such
injustices and abuses. The church knows it is saving the world when it undertakes to
speak also of such things.”
Song: Santo Santo Santo (Holy, Holy, Holy)
Prayer: (See resource page for suggestions)
3 Reading: The following is an excerpt from Monsignor Romero’s final homily. This
particular part is what is said to have sealed his fate.
rd
“I would like to make a special appeal to the men of the army, and specifically to the
ranks of the National Guard, the police and the military. Brothers, you come from our
own people. You are killing your own brother peasants when any human order to kill
must be subordinate to the law of God which says, "Thou shalt not kill." No soldier is
obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. No one has to obey an immoral
law. It is high time you recovered your consciences and obeyed your consciences
rather than a sinful order. The church, the defender of the rights of God, of the law of
God, of human dignity, of the person, cannot remain silent before such an
abomination. We want the government to face the fact that reforms are valueless if
they are to be carried out at the cost of so much blood. In the name of God, in the
name of this suffering people whose cries rise to heaven more loudly each day, I
implore you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God: stop the repression.
The church preaches your liberation just as we have studied it in the holy Bible today.
It is a liberation that has, above all else, respect for the dignity of the person, hope for
humanity's common good, and the transcendence that looks before all to God and only
from God derives its hope and its strength.”
Homily March 23, 1980
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Homily: This is used as a time of communal reflection. Because there is no priest to
preside over Celebrations of the Word, and the shared value of equality in the
community, everyone is asked to share their reflections on the readings. Usually
members share for around 30 minutes. However, there is not much of a culture to stay
within a time limit. They always want to make sure that every voice has its space and
is heard.
A way to do this could be to break off into groups if your congregation is larger. There
is always the option to opt out of this part and have the priest, a parish member, or a
recent delegate give a reflection.
Guided Reflection Questions: (See Resource page. Use only if necessary)
Prayer: (See Resource page for suggestions)
Song: Canto de Paz (Song of Peace)
Offer up Petitions or Thanksgivings: Each person says what she/he would like the
congregation to pray or give thanks for. They are usually personal but can be focused
on the greater community/country/world.
Our Father
Sign of Peace
Communion: Because at typical Celebrations of the Word, there is no priest present
to consecrate the Eucharist, the entire community prays over the baked good provided
by a community member. Included in this packet is a recipe for quesadilla, which is a
typical Salvadoran sweet bread. Pueblo de Dios en Camino often shares quesadilla
with those present at their Celebrations.
Song: Casa Abierta (Open House)
Song: No Basta Rezar (Praying is Not Enough
Offering: We encourage your congregation to discern taking up a special collection for
SHARE’s counterparts that work for truth, restorative justice, and historic memory
preservation in El Salvador.
Song: Ofertorio (Offering)
Ending Remarks: Romero Prayer (Found on prayer Resource
page)
Song: Despedida (Good Bye Song)
Announcements
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Songs and Guitar Chords
Casa Abierta
VERSE:
A
D/F#
A)Quiero estar bien con mis hermanos
Bm
Bm/A
E
De norte a sur al fin del mundo
A
D/F#
Saber oír y dar mis manos
Bm
Bm/A
E
Sudar jugando algo bien sano
A
Hay un plato por ti en nuestra mesa
F#
D/#F
Sombra de árbol para tu cabeza
E
Libro abierto tu vida mi puerta
A - D/F# - E
B)Casa abierta
La amistad no cuestiona tu credo
A la tierra le gusta que amemos
Sin distingos de culto y bandera
Casa abierta...
A)Todos aquí somos humanos
Que más me da el color, la raza
Dentro tenemos sentimientos
VERSE:
A) Quisiera darte buena suerte
Y ser tu amigo hasta la muerte
que la distancia no me entuma
Y la amistad no se consuma
Que necesitan de sustento
A
D/F#
Si adentro hay buenos sentimientos
Bm
Bm/A
E
No se pueden quedar adentro
A)Todos aquí somos humanos
Que más me da el color, la raza
Dentro tenemos sentimientos
Que necesitan de sustento
CHORUS:
A - D/F# - E
B)Aquí esta mi casa abierta
CHORUS 2x
Si adentro hay buenos sentimientos
No se pueden quedar adentro
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No Basta Rezar
G#
C#m
ustedes dirán conmigo
F#
B
no bastaba con rezar.
E, B, F#, B, E, B, F#, B,
CHORUS
E B F#
B
No, no, no basta rezar
E
B
hacen falta muchas cosas
F#
B
para conseguir la paz,
E B F#
B
no, no, no basta rezar
E
B
hacen falta muchas cosas
F#
B
para conseguir la paz. G#m, B, F#, B,
G#m, B, F#, B,
CHORUS
En el mundo no habrá paz
E
B
mientras haya explotación
G#
C#m
del hombre por el hombre
F#
B
y exista desigualdad,
G#
C#m
del hombre por el hombre
F#
B
y exista desigualdad.
Y rezan de buena fe
B
B
y rezan de corazón
G#
C#m
pero también reza el piloto
F#
B
cuando monta en el avión
E
B
para ir a bombardear
F#
B
a los niños de Vietnam,
E
B
para ir a bombardear
F#
B
a los niños de Vietnam.
CHORUS
Nada se puede lograr
E
B
si no hay revolución
G#
C#m
reza el rico, reza el amo
F#
B
y te maltratan al peón,
G#
C#m
reza el rico, reza el amo
F#
B
y te maltratan al peón.
E B F#
B
No, no, no basta rezar
E
B
hacen falta muchas cosas
F#
B
para conseguir la paz,
E B F#
B
no, no, no basta rezar
E B F#
B
no, no, no basta rezar.
CHORUS
Cuando el pueblo se levante
E
B
y que todo haga cambiar
G#
C#m
ustedes dirán conmigo
F#
B
no bastaba con rezar,
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Possible Prayers
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred…let me sow love,
Where there is injury…pardon,
Where there is doubt…faith,
Where there is despair…hope,
Where there is darkness…light,
Where there is sadness…joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled…as to console,
To be loved…as to love,
For it is in giving…that we receive,
It is in pardoning…that we are pardoned,
It is in dying…that we are born to eternal life.
Prayer from an Orthodox Christian Prayer
Book
Almighty God and Creator, You are the Father of
all people on the earth. Guide, I pray all the nations and their leaders in the ways of
justice and peace. Protect us from the evils of injustice, prejudice, exploitation, conflict
and war. Help us to put away mistrust, bitterness and hatred. Teach us to cease the
storing and using of implements of war. Lead us to find justice, peace and freedom.
Unite us in the making and creating of the tools of peace against ignorance, poverty,
disease and oppression. Grant that we may grow in harmony and friendship as brother
and sisters created in Your image, to Your honor and praise. Amen
Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Prayer
Goodness is stronger than evil.
Love is stronger than darkness.
Life is stronger than death.
Victory is ours through him who loves us.
Prayers for Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart
[and especially the hearts of the people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we
may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
------------16
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend
against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use
our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and
among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
------------Grant us, Lord God, a vision of your world as your love would have it:
a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor;
a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them;
a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect;
a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love.
Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-------------Almighty God, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and
establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may
become the Commonwealth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
-------------Almighty God, you have given all peoples one common origin, and your will is to
gather them as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of all with the fire of your love and
the desire to ensure justice for all our sisters and brothers. By sharing the good things
you give us, may we secure justice and equality for every human being, and a human
society built on love and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-------------God, we pray that Your Spirit may rule over all things.
May Your Spirit rule over kings and presidents
over prime ministers and generals
over CEOs and party bosses
over the legislature and over the bureaucrats
over all citizens.
May Your Spirit guide us on the way of peace
on the way of honest dialogue
on the way of reconciliation between peoples
on the way of disarmament and justice
on the way of freedom and life for all.
May Your Spirit lead us on the journey of blessings shared with all.
on the journey of educational opportunity for all our children.
on the adventure of research and study that helps all men and women.
on the road to meaningful work for all people.
on the path of solidarity and love between all our brothers and sisters.
May Your Spirit help us
to speak up with courage
to share what we have and what we are
to challenge the powers that be
to offer a message of liberation and life.
We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen
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Romero Prayer*
*This prayer was composed by Bishop Ken Untener of Saginaw, drafted for a homily by Card. John Dearden in
Nov. 1979 for a celebration of departed priests. As a reflection on the anniversary of the martyrdom of
Archbishop Romero, Bishop Untener included in a reflection book a passage titled "The mystery of the Romero
Prayer." The mystery is that the words of the prayer are attributed to Oscar Romero, but they were never
spoken by him.
It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is
the Lord’s work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that should be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning,
a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s Grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and
the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
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Optional Discussion Questions
What from the readings struck you? Which part made you think?
What would Romero have to say about Isaiah 10:1-4?
What is the relationship between acting justly here on Earth and God’s
Heavenly Kingdom?
In what way does you and/or your parish/church accompany the
struggle for human rights, for freedom, and for dignity?
It is said that Romero knew that what he said in that homily was likely
to kill him, yet he did it anyway. Would you be able to do something like
that? What about Romero do you think enabled him to face his own
murder with such grace?
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Complete Romero Homily
Let no one be offended because we use the divine words read at our mass to shed
light on the social, political and economic situation of our people. Not to do so would
be unchristian. Christ desires to unite himself with humanity, so that the light he brings
from God might become life for nations and individuals.
I know many are shocked by this preaching and
want to accuse us of forsaking the gospel for
politics. But I reject this accusation. I am trying to
bring to life the message of the Second Vatican
Council and the meetings at Medellin and
Puebla. The documents from these meetings
should not just be studied theoretically. They
should be brought to life and translated into the
real struggle to preach the gospel as it should be
for our people. Each week I go about the country
listening to the cries of the people, their pain from
so much crime, and the ignominy of so much violence. Each week I ask the Lord to
give me the right words to console, to denounce, to call for repentance. And even
though I may be a voice crying in the desert, I know that the church is making the effort
to fulfill its mission....
Every country lives its own "exodus"; today El Salvador is living its own exodus. Today
we are passing to our liberation through a desert strewn with bodies and where
anguish and pain are devastating us. Many suffer the temptation of those who walked
with Moses and wanted to turn back and did not work together. It is the same old story.
God, however, wants to save the people by making a new history....
History will not fail; God sustains it. That is why I say that insofar as historical projects
attempt to reflect the eternal plan of God, to that extent they reflect the kingdom of
God. This attempt is the work of the church. Because of this, the church, the people of
God in history, is not attached to any one social system, to any political organization,
to any party. The church does not identify herself with any of those forces because she
is the eternal pilgrim of history and is indicating at every historical moment what
reflects the kingdom of God and what does not reflect the kingdom of God. She is the
servant of the Kingdom of God.
The great task of Christians must be to absorb the spirit of God's kingdom and, with
souls filled with the kingdom of God, to work on the projects of history. It's fine to be
organized in popular groups; it's all right to form political parties; it's all right to take
part in the government. It's fine as long as you are a Christian who carries the
reflection of the kingdom of God and tries to establish it where you are working, and as
long as you are not being used to further worldly ambitions. This is the great duty of
the people of today. My dear Christians, I have always told you, and I will repeat, that
the true liberators of our people must come from us Christians, from the people of
God. Any historical plan that's not based on what we spoke of in the first point-the
dignity of the human being, the love of God, the kingdom of Christ among people-will
be a fleeting project. Your project, however, will grow in stability the more it reflects the
eternal design of God. It will be a solution of the common good of the people every
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time, if it meets the needs of the people.... Now I invite you to look at things through
the eyes of the church, which is trying to be the kingdom of God on earth and so often
must illuminate the realities of our national situation.
We have lived through a tremendously tragic week. I could not give you the facts
before, but a week ago last Saturday, on 15 March, one of the largest and most
distressing military operations was carried out in the countryside. The villages affected
were La Laguna, Plan de Ocotes and El Rosario. The operation brought tragedy: a lot
of ranches were burned, there was looting, and-inevitably-people were killed. In La
Laguna, the attackers killed a married couple, Ernesto Navas and Audelia Mejia de
Navas, their little children, Martin and Hilda, thirteen and seven years old, and eleven
more peasants.
Other deaths have been reported, but we do not know the names of the dead. In Plan
de Ocotes, two children and four peasants were killed, including two women. In El
Rosario, three more peasants were killed. That was last Saturday.
Last Sunday, the following were assassinated in Arcatao by four members of ORDEN:
peasants Marcelino Serrano, Vincente Ayala, twenty-four years old, and his son,
Freddy. That same day, Fernando Hernandez Navarro, a peasant, was assassinated
in Galera de Jutiapa, when he fled from the military.
Last Monday, 17 March, was a tremendously violent day. Bombs exploded in the
capital as well as in the interior of the country. The damage was very substantial at the
headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture. The campus of the national university was
under armed siege from dawn until 7 P.M. Throughout the day, constant bursts of
machine-gun fire were heard in the university area. The archbishop's office intervened
to protect people who found themselves caught inside.
On the Hacienda Colima, eighteen persons died, at least fifteen of whom were
peasants. The administrator and the grocer of the ranch also died. The armed forces
confirmed that there was a confrontation. A film of the events
appeared on TV, and many analyzed interesting aspects of the
situation.
At least fifty people died in serious incidents that day: in the
capital, seven persons died in events at the Colonia Santa
Lucia; on the outskirts of Tecnillantas, five people died; and in
the area of the rubbish dump, after the evacuation of the site
by the military, were found the bodies of four workers who had
been captured in that action.
Sixteen peasants died in the village of Montepeque, thirty-eight
kilometers along the road to Suchitoto. That same day, two
students at the University of Central America were captured in Tecnillantas: Mario
Nelson and Miguel Alberto Rodriguez Velado, who were brothers. The first one, after
four days of illegal detention, was handed over to the courts. Not so his brother, who
was wounded and is still held in illegal detention. Legal Aid is intervening on his behalf.
Amnesty International issued a press release in which it described the repression of
the peasants, especially in the area of Chalatenango. The week's events confirm this
report in spite of the fact the government denies it. As I entered the church, I was given
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a cable that says, "Amnesty International confirmed today [that was yesterday] that in
El Salvador human rights are violated to extremes that have not been seen in other
countries." That is what Patricio Fuentes (spokesman for the urgent action section for
Central America in Swedish Amnesty International) said at a press conference in
Managua, Nicaragua.
Fuentes confirmed that, during two weeks of investigations he carried out in El
Salvador, he was able to establish that there had been eighty-three political
assassinations between 10 and 14 March. He pointed out that Amnesty International
recently condemned the government of El Salvador, alleging that it was responsible for
six hundred political assassinations. The Salvadorean government defended itself
against the charges, arguing that Amnesty International based its condemnation on
unproved assumptions.
Fuentes said that Amnesty had established that in El Salvador human rights are
violated to a worse degree than the repression in Chile after the coupe d'etat. The
Salvadorean government also said that the six hundred dead were the result of armed
confrontations between army troops and guerrillas. Fuentes said that during his stay u
l El Salvador, he could see that the victims had been tortured before their deaths and
mutilated afterward.
The spokesman of Amnesty International said that the victims' bodies characteristically
appeared with the thumbs tied behind their backs. Corrosive liquids had been applied
to the corpses to prevent identification of the victims by their relatives and to prevent
international condemnation, the spokesman added. Nevertheless, the bodies were
exhumed and the dead have been identified. Fuentes said that the repression carried
out by the Salvadorean army was aimed at breaking the popular organizations through
the assassination of their leaders in both town and country.
According to the spokesman of Amnesty International, at least three thousand five
hundred peasants have fled from their homes to the capital to escape persecution.
"We have complete lists in London and Sweden of young children and women who
have been assassinated for being organized," Fuentes stated....
I would like to make a special appeal to the men of the army, and specifically to the
ranks of the National Guard, the police and the military. Brothers, you come from our
own people. You are killing your own brother peasants when any human order to kill
must be subordinate to the law of God which says, "Thou shalt not kill." No soldier is
obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. No one has to obey an immoral
law. It is high time you recovered your consciences and obeyed your consciences
rather than a sinful order. The church, the defender of the rights of God, of the law of
God, of human dignity, of the person, cannot remain silent before such an
abomination. We want the government to face the fact that reforms are valueless if
they are to be carried out at the cost of so much blood. In the name of God, in the
name of this suffering people whose cries rise to heaven more loudly each day, I
implore you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God: stop the repression.
The church preaches your liberation just as we have studied it in just as we have
studied it in the holy Bible today. It is a liberation that has, above all else, respect for
the dignity of the person, hope for humanity's common good, and the transcendence
that looks before all to God and only from God derives its hope and its strength.
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Quesadilla Recipe
Unlike the Mexican snack of the same name, Salvadoran quesadilla is a rich, sweet
dessert cake often found in local panaderías, or bakeries. The queso in quesadilla is
traditionally unsalted Salvadoran queso fresco, a fresh farmers-type cheese. But
parmesan cheese is often substituted.
10 to 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
All-purpose flour -- 2 cups
Baking powder -- 2 teaspoons
Grated queso fresco or parmesan cheese - 1/2 pound
Sugar -- 2 cups
Eggs, beaten lightly -- 4
Whole milk -- 1 cup
Butter, melted -- 2 sticks (1/2 pound)
Sesame seeds (optional) -- 2 tablespoons
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl.
Add the cheese, sugar, eggs and milk to a large bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in the
melted butter.
Slowly stir the flour mixture into the cheese mixture until fully incorporated and a smooth
batter is formed.
Pour the batter into two well-greased loaf pans, filling them only halfway. If using, sprinkle
sesame seeds over the top of the batter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Set on racks and allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
VARIATIONS
Try using different types of cheese for your quesadilla: grated cheddar, Monterey Jack,
even grated feta cheese.
Many Salvadoran cooks substitute rice flour for the regular wheat flour.
Instead of milk, use crema agria, or sour cream thinned with a little half and half.
Bake in round cake pans or in muffin tins if you like.
Source: http://www.whats4eats.com/desserts/quesadilla-salvadorena-recipe
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Take Action!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”-Margaret Mead
1. Sign up for SHARE’s newsletters and action alerts by contacting
[email protected] for the latest updates on advocacy
activities.
2. Write letters of solidarity and support to the Pro Historical Memory Commission
(ProMemoria) and send them to [email protected]. Let
them know that you stand with them in their struggle for restorative justice,
recognition, and denunciation of impunity.
3. Write Romero quotes on the sidewalks of your parish or other community,
public, trafficked spaces. Take a photo of your art and post it to Instagram and
Facebook tagging SHARE-El Salvador (share_es on Instagram and SHARE
Foundation: Building a New El Salvador Today on Facebook) and using
#BeRomero.
4. Use the hashtags #BeRomero and #DisappearedButNotForgotten on Twitter
and Facebook to join others in the movement to remember all of the
disappeared in El Salvador and live as a voice for truth and justice just like
Monseñor Romero.
5. Support work for justice in El Salvador through the SHARE Foundation. Hold a
fundraiser during Romero Week and donate the funds to support the work of
the Pro Historical Memory Commission (ProMemoria) and other counterparts in
seeking justice and reparations.
6. Create a committee to learn about and work for truth, justice, and reconciliation
in El Salvador. Contact [email protected] for more information.
7. Educate your community by showing a documentary, interviews with
Salvadoran community leaders, and/or news clips about Romero and ongoing
efforts for justice.
8. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper on the struggle for justice in
El Salvador and the Mothers of the Disappeared.
9. Live out Romero’s call by finding your own passion and getting involved with a
social justice issue in your community.
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It’s in your hands…
Help Us to Sustain Hope for a Just
El Salvador Today!
We invite you to become a SHARE Sustainer - to participate directly in the creation of
a new model for development. Your monthly contribution will provide hardworking
Salvadorans the support they need to overcome the challenges they face. We need
your pledge to contribute a monthly gift to SHARE. We make it easy by setting up an
automatic monthly deduction from your credit card!
$50 will help one group of youth participate in community councils to organize
and carry out historic memory activities.
$35 will help facilitate a bi-monthly gathering with family members of the
disappeared, organized by human rights coalition Pro-Memoria.
$20 will help youth leaders strengthen youth organization through workshops
focused on health, leadership, and politics.
$10 will help mobilize one woman survivor of violence to march on the
International Day of Non-Violence Against Women.
¡Sí – YES!
I’d/We’d Like to Sustain SHARE’s Work
For Restorative Justice and Historic Memory in El Salvador!
Name:_______________________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________________
Telephone:________________________ Email:______________________________
Visa/master card # _______________________ Expiration Date ______________
Pledge: $50 $35 $20 $10 other $ ____
per month | quarterly | semi annually |annually
Please mail to:
The SHARE Foundation
2425 College Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-848-8487
Or visit our website share-elsalvador.org, click ‘donate’ then
select your preferred recurring gift frequency.
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Dear Friends,
Greetings and best wishes for a 2015 that is full of health
and happiness for you, your family, and your community.
We want to share our enthusiasm for the news of Romero’s canonization. Romero’s
followers and admirers have called him a saint for many years. The official
canonization legitimizes his work to defend marginalized communities and
validates the efforts of the poor to organize themselves and demand social justice.
During the Civil War, the Mothers of the Disappeared, one of the many organized
groups in El Salvador, lost their children and other family members, and feared for
their own lives. One of these mothers, Madre Guadalupe Mejia lost her spouse
Justo Mejia, a Christian leader who accompanied Monseñor Romero in his
ministry to the poor in Chalatenango.
Thirty five years later, the mothers are still organizing to demand truth, justice, and
reparations. SHARE is proud to be part of such an important ongoing movement,
accompanying the Mothers of the Disappeared during the war and into the present.
This March we are supporting ProMemoria by organizing a national gathering of
relatives of the disappeared to advance their demands for truth and justice.
Thank you for embracing your community and the people of El Salvador through
your sistering relationship with SHARE. You have walked on the land of the
martyrs, and have accompanied the voices of so many communities as they speak
for justice.
We invite you to honor Monseñor Romero on the anniversary of his martyrdom
this March 24th, by organizing a celebration to learn about his life and to
encourage others to embrace the current struggle in El Salvador and in your
community.
The possibility of Romero’s beatification this year is strong and rumors suggest
canonization may be officiated on August 15th, 2017, Romero’s 100th birthday.
As such a great part of SHARE, we want to be sure you can celebrate with us!
Prayers and Blessings of Solidarity,
José Artiga, Executive Director
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