ALLOCUTION ON THE BEATIFICATION OF THE MARTYR OSCAR ARNULFO ROMEROyGALDAMEZ
BY ARCHBISHOP VINCENZO PAGLIA, POSTULATOR OF THE CAUSE
SAN SALVADOR, MAY 23, 2015
Brothers and sisters,
Today there is a big celebration here in El Salvador. And a big celebration up in heaven. [Applause.] If we lift our eyes upwards we will see the sky open up and show us Oscar Romero surrounded by many men and women who rejoice with him. They are priests, men and women religious, catechists, and simple faithful who were brutally murdered. [Applause.] And many others who have followed, heard and loved him. They are a precious treasure of the faith of the Church of El Salvador, the faith of this land. Among them we see Monsignor Rivera Damas, who started the beatification cause. [Applause.] And Rutilio Grande, with Nelson and Manuel, who is in the process of beatification. [Applause.] They all see him and celebrate him and they come together with us.
Truly, Romero is now Blessed. He truly is happy for this day. [Applause.] But, he is not happy about his beatification. He did not need it. Romero is happy because he sees us together. This was the dream he had for the country and the Church. [Applause.] It is for them that he gave his own life. [Applause.] His beatification makes us breathe this dream, it awakens us and from heaven he urges us not waste this, not to let it burn out. This means that now starts a new time for El Salvador, and for anyone who loves the Church and the poor. [Applause.] This is how we pick up Romero’s legacy. He loved to say that the Second Vatican Council calls on all of us, all Christians, to be martyrs, that is, to give our lives for the gospel, for others, and for the poor. Yes, dear friends, this beatification asks us all to be martyrs: that is, to give our life for others, for a world of peace and love as did Archbishop Romero.
Walking toward the canonization of Archbishop Romero with Pope Francis is the goal we have. It means … [Applause.] It means walking together with him, distancing ourselves from all forms of violence and practicing love and peace. That is the miracle we ask from the Blessed Oscar Romero: the miracle to remain united and to change the world with our love. Only love—not violence—changes the world. [Applause.] For this reason—for this reason the motto of Archbishop Romero “To Sense with the Church” could translate for us to “To Sense with Romero”. [Applause.] Yes, we sense with Romero, brothers and sisters. And El Salvador and the world will change.
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
[The crowd shouts “Long Live the Pope!” And finally “Long Live Romero!”]