El Salvador Remembers Its Slain Prelate

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, MARCH 20, 2008 (Zenit.org).- As the 28th anniversary of the assassination of San Salvador's archbishop nears, the prelate's cause of beatification still needs more time.

Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of San Salvador was assassinated March 24, 1980, when celebrating Mass. He was a staunch critic of the El Salvadorian government and defender of the poor.

The adjunct postulator of the cause of beatification and the vicar general of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, Monsignor Jesús Delgado, told a Latin American communications service that a Vatican panel is examining "the social doctrine of the Church in the homilies and writings of Archbishop Romero."

Monsignor Delgado explained to the Organización Católica Latinoamericana de Comunicación (Latin American Catholic Organization of Communication) that a Latin American cardinal proposed delaying the prelate's beatification cause to "give a little more time to the process, because in El Salvador, sentiments are still very conflicting."

According to the monsignor, there are in El Salvador "two groups: those who are for Archbishop Romero, and sometimes take him as their flag for a political fight; and those who are against him and would like him totally dead, even in the memory of history." The monsignor explained the cardinal's point of view that it would not be good to canonize "a saint who would result in reinforcing disunity and conflict."

Many in El Salvador will celebrate the 28th anniversary of the prelate's assassination with a series of conferences and other activities from March 24 to 29. The events are organized by the Romero Foundation, led by Monsignor Ricardo Urioste and an ad-hoc committee recognized by El Salvador's episcopal conference.

Benedict XVI recalled Archbishop Romero in his Feb. 28 address to El Salvador's new ambassador to the Holy See, referring to him as one of the "pastors full of love for God" who has helped to root the Gospel in the Central American nation, "bringing abundant fruits of Christian life and holiness."

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