March 24 is celebrated as the Feast of St. Oscar Romero. It was on this day in 1980 that he was brutally gunned down while celebrating the Eucharist in his native El Salvador. He was a fiercely outspoken critic of his government, the military, and the fascist elements of his country for their continued exploitation and exclusion of the poor. It was they who killed him! He visibly and vocally took sides with the poor, the marginalized, the vulnerable, the excluded, and the exploited—with all who were victims of injustice. His martyrdom spontaneously made him a ‘Saint’ for millions of his people. It was estimated that more than 250,000 people were present at his funeral as a sign of gratitude to the man who did so much for them and whom they deeply loved.
In his homily, moments before he was assassinated, Romero said: “Many do not understand, and they think Christianity should not get involved in such things—taking a stand for truth and justice. But, to the contrary, you have just heard Christ’s Gospel: that one must not love oneself so much as to avoid getting involved in the risks of life which history demands of us. Those who would avoid the danger will lose their life, while those who, out of love for Christ, give themselves to the service of others will live—like the grain of wheat that dies, but only apparently. If it did not die, it would remain alone. The harvest comes about because it dies, allows itself to be sacrificed in the earth and destroyed. Only by destroying itself does it produce the harvest.”
The night before his murder (March 23), Archbishop Romero made a personal but powerful appeal in a desperate attempt to place some sort of moral obstacle before the escalating pace of the killing in El Salvador. He spoke directly to those soldiers who were most responsible for the growing horror, asking them to disobey their superiors. He said: “I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the police, and the garrisons. Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given by a man, the law of God that says ‘Do not kill!’ should prevail. No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God. No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is time now that you recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the command of sin... Therefore, in the name of God, and in the name of this long-suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven every day more tumultuously, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you! In the name of God: ‘Cease the repression!’“ The applause that followed was so thunderous that the radio station’s beleaguered audio technicians at first took it for some sort of short circuit or feedback in the system. Sadly, that passionate appeal became his death sentence.
Three years earlier, on March 12, 1977, Archbishop Romero’s dear friend, Jesuit Fr. Rutilio Grande, was cruelly murdered by government forces. Grande had been living in solidarity with the rural poor and speaking out against the military government. Grande’s death was a watershed moment for Archbishop Romero, as he realized that being a Catholic and a priest meant standing with the poor and being a prophet against the establishment. Archbishop Romero ordered three days of mourning and a funeral mass in San Salvador’s cathedral, despite advice to the contrary from those who feared government repercussions. Romero experienced a profound conversion at Grande’s death, publicly declaring: “When I looked at Rutilio lying there dead, I thought... I, too, have to walk the same path.” He defended Grande’s work with the poor as rooted in faith, not politics, famously urging that the Church “cannot remain silent before such injustice.”
On December 21, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly, in a fitting annual tribute to Oscar Romero, proclaimed March 24 as the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims:
- To honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice
- To pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all
- To recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador, who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity, and opposing all forms of violence.
India today finds itself steeped in challenges of truth, justice, corruption, and communalism. Those who take a stand for justice and truth are harassed, incarcerated, and even killed—like Romero! Corruption appears mainstreamed through policies like demonetization and the Electoral Bonds scheme. Minorities—particularly Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs—face systematic challenges; divisiveness and discrimination have taken root. Several political and so-called ‘religious’ leaders resort to hate speeches and even violence to nurture their lust for power and greed for wealth. People are kept divided and marginalized for arbitrary reasons. Truth and justice are conveniently sacrificed for petty political gains, while those whose primary duty is to propagate and protect our Constitution, democratic ethos, and pluralistic fabric often abdicate their responsibility. They feel either too embarrassed or frightened to take a stand, or they succumb to the dictates of their masters.
The Election Commission serves as a concerning example; the manner in which they have allegedly used Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to disenfranchise legitimate voters has drawn public scrutiny. Even sections of the judiciary face questions about their independence. Controversial policies and legislation—such as the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Education Policy, the three agricultural laws (now repealed), the four labor codes, anti-conversion laws, and the Uniform Civil Code implementation in Uttarakhand—have sparked widespread debate about their impact on constitutional rights and social harmony.
India needs a Romero today! Romero was never afraid to highlight the painful realities of his people and confront the powerful in his land. He stepped out of his comfort zone and, as a true disciple of Jesus, risked everything on behalf of his suffering people. Days before he was killed, Romero stated: “As a Christian, I do not believe in death without resurrection. If I am killed, I shall rise in the Salvadoran people.” His words still resonate today: “They can kill me, but they will never kill justice.”
Today, our country and Church desperately need an Oscar Romero—not just one, but many! A Romero who is not afraid to speak truth to power, to confront the forces that threaten the constitutional rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. A Romero who is neither hypocritical nor takes recourse to diplomatic niceties; who is not a puppet for any regime. Someone who can say ‘NO’ to war, violence, and hate! A Romero with spine, who exemplifies servant-leadership and has the prophetic courage to sacrifice for others so that they may rise. Will a Romero—or many Romeros—emerge from among our bishops, clerics, religious, and laity?
Jesus reminds us: “Fear no one...!”
(Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation & peace activist and writer.
Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com)
