(1917-1980) Oscar was the second of eight children born to his Catholic parents in El Salvador. He entered the minor seminary at 13, returned home for three months to work in a gold mine, and then finished his studies in Rome and became ordained at 24. Oscar served as a parish priest for 20 years, promoting various apostolates, and even started an Alcoholics Anonymous group. During this period, he was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and scrupulosity. He became Secretary of the Bishops Conference for El Salvador, then an auxiliary bishop, and finally Archbishop of San Salvador. Archbishop Romero was very outspoken against violence and human rights abuses during the Salvadoran Civil War. He was assassinated by a gunman while celebrating Holy Mass at 62 years old.
Oscar Romero used his position as Archbishop for advocacy. How can our experience in recovery help us to learn to be a voice for the voiceless, to speak up for those for whom an amends does not appear forthcoming?
“Each one of you has to be God’s microphone. Each one of you has to be a messenger, a prophet” (Saint Oscar Romero).
Reflection by Brad Farmer