More Than 300,000 Celebrate Archbishop Oscar Romero, 35 Years After US-Backed Murder
More Than 300,000 Celebrate Archbishop Oscar Romero, 35 Years After US-Backed Murder
Thursday, 28 May 2015 00:00
By Amy Goodman and Aaron Maté, Democracy Now! | Video Interview
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TRANSCRIPT:
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AARON MATÉ: Thirty-five years ago, Archbishop Óscar Romero was murdered by members of a US-backed death squad while delivering mass in San Salvador, El Salvador. On Saturday, over 300,000 people gathered in the same city to see him beatified. The recognition has long been opposed by right-wing clerics and politicians. During the ceremony, eight deacons carried Romero's blood-stained shirt to the altar in a glass case. An envoy of Pope Francis lead the event in honor of a man known as a "voice for the voiceless."
JESÚS DELGADO: (translated) We authorize that the venerable servant of God, Óscar Arnulfo Romero Galdámez, bishop and martyr, pastor, according to the heart of Christ, evangelizer and father to the poor, heroic witness of the reign of God, reign of justice, fraternity and peace, hereon shall be called beatified.
AARON MATÉ: President Salvador Sánchez Cerén, a former member of the left-wing rebel movement FMLN, spoke at the ceremony. The presidents of Panama and Ecuador also attended. President Obama sent a statement hailing the church's new direction under Pope Francis, writing, quote, "I am grateful to Pope Francis for his leadership in reminding us of our obligation to help those most in need, and for his decision to beatify Blessed Oscar (Arnulfo) Romero."
AMY GOODMAN: Archbishop Óscar Romero was shot through the heart while delivering mass at a hospital chapel March 24th, 1980. He was reportedly assassinated on the orders of US-backed death squad leader Roberto D'Aubuisson, a graduate of the US-run School of the Americas who went on to form the right wing ARENA party. This is an excerpt from the film Romero starring Raúl Juliá, who played Archbishop Romero.
ARCHBISHOP ÓSCAR ROMERO: (played by Raúl Juliá) I'd like to make an appeal in a special way to the men in the army. Brothers, each one of you is one of us. We are the same people. The farmers and peasants that you kill are your own brothers and sisters. When you hear the words of a man telling you to kill, think instead in the words of God: "Thou shalt not kill!" No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. In his name and in the name of our tormented people who have suffered so much and whose laments cry out to heaven, I implore you, I beg you, I order you, stop the repression!
More:
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/31037-more-than-300-000-celebrate-beatification-of-salvadoran-archbishop-romero-35-years-after-us-backed-murder
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