KEEPING ALIVE THE MEMORY OF ARCHBISHOP OSCAR ROMERO
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/oscar328.html

Ellen Teague
LONDON - 12 January 2007 - 560 words

"It is good that so many people in the UK continue to draw attention
to Archbishop Oscar Romero. In his life and in his death he was
truly a witness for Justice and Peace in El Salvador."

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor was speaking last night at the
London launch of the Archbishop Romero Trust, a newly-formed
charity. He is one of the patrons, along with Cardinal Keith
O'Brien, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop John Sentamu and
Archbishop Rowan Williams. The occasion also launched the
book 'Through the Year with Oscar Romero: Daily Meditations', which
is published by Darton, Longman and Todd, in a collaborative venture
with CAFOD and Christian Aid.

Since his assassination, while celebrating Mass on 24 March 1980,
Archbishop Romero has become a "beacon for the Gaudium et Spes
generation", according to Julian Filochowski, the former Director of
CAFOD who chairs the Trust. Speaking at Vaughan House, Westminster,
he said it was "the greatest grace and privilege of my life to have
worked with Archbishop Romero and enjoyed his friendship". He felt
that the archbishop's life and ministry were "the option for the
poor made flesh".

These sentiments were echoed by Bishop Michael Evans of East Anglia,
a trustee of the new initiative, who visited El Salvador on the 25th
anniversary of the killing in 2005. "The purpose of the Trust is to
make sure that Romero's voice is still heard" he said. "If only we
had more bishops like him" he added, drawing smiles from around the
room.

John Sentamu, the Anglican Archbishop of York, who has provided the
Foreword to the book, urged those present to give generous support
the Trust. He said his experience of visiting El Salvador within a
few days of Romero's killing "has stayed with me ever since". He
expressed delight that he and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan
Williams, had been invited to be patrons. "Oscar Romero is a gift to
the world," he said, "a gift to the cause of justice, peace and
love".

It was pointed out that Romero is one of the ten twentieth century
martyrs commemorated in a niche immediately over the West front door
of Westminster Abbey.

Romero's denunciation of atrocities ­ killings, torture and
disappearances ­ from the pulpit between 1977 and 1980, made him a
hero of El Salvadorean poor, and cherished by Christians around the
world. The new book is made up of a selection from his broadcast
talks. However, his unswerving commitment to the poor and to non-
violence made him enemies among the wealthy and powerful sectors of
society and eventually led to his death at the hands of a death
squad gunman. He was one of the 60,000 civilian victims of El
Salvador's Civil War.

The Trust intends to promote knowledge and awareness of the life and
work of Archbishop Romero, to commemorate the anniversary of his
death annually, and to provide support to human rights and justice
initiatives in Latin America.

People can support the work of the Archbishop Romero Trust by making
a donation or by becoming a 'Friend of Romero' for an annual
subscription of £10.
Make cheques payable to: 'Archbishop Romero Trust' and send to:
8 Dean's Mews,
Cavendish Square,
London W1G 9EE.

'Through the Year with Oscar Romero: Daily Meditations' is available
from CAFOD for £9.95 plus 20% p&p.

© Independent Catholic News 2007

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"SAN ROMERO" YAHOO! DISCUSSION GROUP
EXPLANATION OF RELEVANCE OF NEWS ARTICLE

ARTICLE: Keeping alive the memory of Archbishop Oscar Romero

PUBLICATION: Independent Catholic News (UK)

DATE: January 12, 2007

SUMMARY: England's leading Catholic and Anglican authorities have
set up a charity fund "to promote knowledge and awareness of the
life and work of Archbishop Romero, to commemorate the anniversary
of his death annually, and to provide support to human rights and
justice initiatives in Latin America."

RELEVANCE: The article is an excellent example of the legacy of
Archbishop Romero alive and continuing to stir and inspire, in the
land where the first major monument to Archbishop Romero went up --
one that still towers today -- the Martyr's Gallery at Westminster
Abbey.

ROMERO CONNECTION: Archbishop Romero is the focus of the story.