Oscar Romero Essay

Most knew him as a leader. At the center of a revolution he made his mark. The start of a change began slowly. Those around the world learned of the controversy. His accomplishment led to the presidency of a certain college.

King uses this similarity between himself and great leaders to show that even though the clergymen believe King’s beliefs are

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

Throughout the novel “a prayer for Owen Meany,” by John Irving, the main character is portrayed as a very religious martyr. In the Christian faith Jesus Christ is a martyr as well. Although there are many differences between the life of Jesus, as depicted in the bible and Owen Meany, there are many similarities as well, so many in fact, that the reader is forced to ponder if these similarities are intentional.

Berkowitz by his loving adopted mother. Upon the death of his adoptive mother, his birth mother

He managed to open the eyes of the wealthy and showed them the brutal conditions of the poor

Óscar Romero was a Roman Catholic priest that stood up for the poor and injustice in the troubled nation of El Salvador. In the early stages of his life, Romero had entered a boarding school for priests at the age of thirteen. Then he went to the national boarding school in San Salvador. He finished his studies at the Gregorian University in Rome, and was appointed a priest in Rome in 1942. Although Romero wanted to acquire a doctorate in theology, he had to go home to El Salvador in 1944 due to a lack of priests. He initially served as pastor, but because of his outstanding talent, he was marked for greater responsibilities. In 1970, he became the auxiliary bishop for San Salvador. As Romero began to rise as a notable Catholic bishop, a

In 1977 Romero became Archbishop of Santiago de Maria. Then, On 12 March 1977, Fr. Rutilio Grande and two people Romero is travelling with are shot and killed. Asa result of this, Romero cancels all Masses the next Sunday except for one, which was in front of the cathedral for 100,000 people. He then refuses to attend any government event until the murder is solved. Later that same year Romero became Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city. Thousands of people were going missing. The president of El Salvador failed to investigate these killings, even after Romero demanded that he should.

“Our work is not done. And so on this day, in which we celebrate a man and a movement that did so much for this country, let us draw strength from those

The severity of the humiliation that was precedent to the death of Jesus is strategically diminished when it is recounted in order to

Author Edward T. Brett argues that Romero had a very “prophetic approach [that] was a highly effective method of leadership during his three-year tenure of office” (Brett 717). He uses the term “prophetic” to refer to the similar ways in which Romero preached his sermons to the underprivileged campesinos in order to also publically represent them, much like Jesus preached to the poor to represent the persecuted Christians. However, the term itself can be problematic because also like Jesus, Romero was tormented by his fellow bishops for catering to the needs of the poor. Not all bishops and clergymen at the time had captured the essence of liberation theology teachings and feared they were too radical to preach to the campesinos. However, Romero believed that the equality of Salvadorans was more important than their integration into the elite society. He focused many of his preachings on the need to put an end to violence and determine a right from wrong. In Romero’s last sermon, just before “he called for soldiers to refuse to obey orders,” (Wood 27) he gave special attention to the need to reinstall distinct human rights within a country in “its own exodus” (Romero 3) and that both groups alike should call for, “respect for the dignity of the person, hope for humanity’s common good, and the transcendence that look before all to God and only

The year is 1977 in El Salvador, a time of deep public and political unrest, where injustices are high among the people and there exists a great divide between the rich and the poor, it is during this time that the Vatican elevated Oscar Romero to the position of Arch Bishop of San Salvador. Romero is elevated in hopes that with his quite, passive demurer and diminishing health that he would accept the status quo and not cause a military dispute; however, much to everyone’s surprise, Romero became the voice of the poor and took a stand against the exiguous government and hostile military, which begin to target priests. Romero was passive at first, afraid of government’s hostility, but over time, he did not give up on his people and was

“Christians have lived here and walked these streets for over a thousand years. But today, there’s no one - they're all gone. Driven out by fear. And one of the most striking things that you notice is the silence”

The crucifix not only symbolizes Christianity, but also the afterlife, social order, and society’s acceptance of a deeper meaning. When the magistrate demands to know why Meursault continued to shoot the Arab’s body, he is unable to get the answer he wants. Meursault quietly observes when “he took out a silver crucifix which he brandished as he came toward me...Speaking very quickly and passionately, he told me that he believed in God, that it was his conviction that no man was so guilty that God did not forgive him, but in order for that to happen a man must repent and in so doing become like a child whose heart is open and ready to embrace all...He was waving his crucifix almost directly over my head” (68). Although the magistrate tries to be threatening, Meursault views him as being foolish because it didn't matter why he hesitated

in favor of Christ and was martyred for his faith. He shares details regarding methods for torture in