St. Peter Church

St. Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, was born on August 15, 1917.  He was ordained in 1942, earned a doctorate in ascetical theology, became a parish priest, and later became rector of an interdiocesan seminary.  Romero was appointed archbishop in 1977, during a time of extreme political unrest in El Salvador.  During his years of service as archbishop, the Archdiocese suffered the assassination of 6 of its priests, including Romero’s good friend, Father Rutilio Grande.  In 1979, a military junta seized control of the national government.  Romero was vocal in his disapproval of the violence erupting in his country, speaking weekly on the radio in support of the poor and appealing to the people to follow the law of God rather than immoral human laws.  He was murdered while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980, shot from outside the church.  Shortly thereafter, a civil war began in El Salvador “that would last 12 years and claim more than 75,000 lives.”  Romero was recognized as a martyr by the Vatican in 2015, and he is seen as a symbol of hope and an example of courageous Catholic living by the poor of his country. 
 
Sources:  www.ewtn.co.uk; www.franciscanmedia.org; www.catholic.org