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Catholic Ban on Honoring Archbishop Is Removed Catholic Ban on Honoring Archbishop Is Removed
(35 minutes later)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — A hold on the beatification of Archbishop Óscar Romero has been lifted, Pope Francis said, clearing the way to honor the archbishop, a hero of El Salvador’s leftist opposition who was gunned down in 1980 while celebrating Mass.SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — A hold on the beatification of Archbishop Óscar Romero has been lifted, Pope Francis said, clearing the way to honor the archbishop, a hero of El Salvador’s leftist opposition who was gunned down in 1980 while celebrating Mass.
Archbishop Romero’s case had been blocked by conservative leaders in the Roman Catholic Church because he was believed to have harbored Marxist beliefs. Archbishop Romero’s case had been blocked by conservative leaders in the Roman Catholic Church.
But Pope Francis said Monday that “for me, Romero is a man of God.” As he returned from South Korea, the pope told reporters on his plane that the church could now consider whether Archbishop Romero deserved beatification, a step to sainthood reserved for those who practiced virtue to a heroic degree or who died as martyrs for the faith. But Pope Francis said Monday that “for me, Romero is a man of God.” As he returned from South Korea, the pope told reporters on his plane that the church was now formally considering whether Archbishop Romero deserved beatification, a step to sainthood reserved for those who practiced virtue to a heroic degree or who died as martyrs for the faith.
Julian Filochowski, chairman of the Archbishop Romero Trust, said Tuesday of the pope’s comment, “He’s reaffirming in public what he’s said in private: that he hopes this process for the beatification of Romero will be dealt with and come to a speedy conclusion.”Julian Filochowski, chairman of the Archbishop Romero Trust, said Tuesday of the pope’s comment, “He’s reaffirming in public what he’s said in private: that he hopes this process for the beatification of Romero will be dealt with and come to a speedy conclusion.”
The central question for the church has been whether the archbishop, who was killed by El Salvador’s right-wing death squads, died because of his faith or his political activism — criticizing the government’s repression and supporting the poor. The central question for the church has been whether the archbishop, who was killed by a Salvadoran right-wing death squad, died because of his faith or his vocal criticism of the country’s military.
Official martyrdom has traditionally been limited to those who were killed as persecution for their Catholicism. But Pope Francis suggested that Catholic theologians might soon expand the martyr designation to those killed because they were doing God’s work, whether or not hatred of the faith had inspired the killers.Official martyrdom has traditionally been limited to those who were killed as persecution for their Catholicism. But Pope Francis suggested that Catholic theologians might soon expand the martyr designation to those killed because they were doing God’s work, whether or not hatred of the faith had inspired the killers.
In El Salvador, many Catholics see Archbishop Romero as a hero. He was murdered a day after giving a sermon in which he called on Salvadoran soldiers to obey God and stop violating human rights.In El Salvador, many Catholics see Archbishop Romero as a hero. He was murdered a day after giving a sermon in which he called on Salvadoran soldiers to obey God and stop violating human rights.
Mr. Filochowski said Archbishop Romero was never as leftist as some supposed. “His theology was essentially the theology of the Beatitudes,” Mr. Filochowski said, referring to the teachings that begin with “blessed are the poor in spirit.” Mr. Filochowski said Archbishop Romero was never the leftist some supposed him to be. “His theology was essentially the theology of the Beatitudes,” Mr. Filochowski said, referring to the teachings that begin with “blessed are the poor in spirit.”
José Simán, a former president of the Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission, said that the archbishop’s life and death might finally transcend politics. “Some people wanted to bury him and forget him; others wanted to put him next to Che Guevara and use him in election campaigns,” he said Tuesday. “I think we’ve now gotten beyond that stage.”José Simán, a former president of the Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission, said that the archbishop’s life and death might finally transcend politics. “Some people wanted to bury him and forget him; others wanted to put him next to Che Guevara and use him in election campaigns,” he said Tuesday. “I think we’ve now gotten beyond that stage.”
With the pope’s return to the Vatican came tragic news from his home country, Argentina, where three of his relatives died in a traffic accident early Tuesday. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said that the pope was “profoundly saddened” to learn that his nephew, Emanuel Horacio Bergoglio, had been seriously injured and that Mr. Bergoglio’s wife and two young children had been killed.With the pope’s return to the Vatican came tragic news from his home country, Argentina, where three of his relatives died in a traffic accident early Tuesday. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said that the pope was “profoundly saddened” to learn that his nephew, Emanuel Horacio Bergoglio, had been seriously injured and that Mr. Bergoglio’s wife and two young children had been killed.