Local sisters attend beatification of Archbishop Oscar Romero

July 14, 2015

EL SALVADOR — Several Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word from Houston, Guatemala and El Salvador attended the beatification of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdámez on Saturday, May 23, in San Salvador. 

Archbishop Romero was gunned down at the altar at the chapel of "Divina Providencia" while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980. In his life, he openly and regularly denounced the oppression of the poor. 

With the assassination of Archbishop Romero, his voice was not silenced. He once said, "If they kill me I will rise up in the Salvadoran people" and that is precisely what has occurred. Archbishop Romero's desire was to have a country of peace and justice where the dignity of each person is respected. 

The group representing the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word attended several events to commemorate the occasion, including a concert at the University of Central America, where six Jesuits and the housekeeper and her daughter were assassinated on Nov. 16, 1989. 

Present were representatives from the different musical groups in El Salvador, some of them knew Archbishop Romero personally. They sang and told stories of their personal experience of Archbishop Romero. They also visited the tomb of Archbishop Romero, located in the crypt in the Cathedral in San Salvador.

The ceremony was held in Plaza Divino Salvador del Mundo, San Salvador. Angelo Cardinal Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes, celebrated the Eucharist. It was attended by a number of cardinals, numerous bishops, priests, religious and many laity. It was estimated that 300,000 people attended and many more followed the ceremony on the Internet and television.