“ It is not God’s

will for some to have

everything and others

to have nothing.”

Archbishop

1917–1980

CAF 3508

OSCAR

ROMERO

Illus

trat

ion:

Julie

Lon

nem

an

•Raise awareness…aboutthecausesofpovertyandinjusticeusingCAFOD’seducationalmaterialscafod.org.uk/education

•Fundraise…tohelppoorcommunitiesaroundtheworldtochangetheirlivescafod.org.uk/fundraise

•Campaign… withCAFODtochangethepoliciesandpracticesthatkeeppeoplepoorcafod.org.uk/campaign

•Pray… withCAFODandourglobalneighboursforajustandfairworldcafod.org.uk/pray

•Volunteer… getinvolvedwithCAFODandhelptobringpovertytoanendcafod.org.uk/volunteer

CAFOD partners How you can help

TheArchbishopRomeroTrustwebsitehasthefull

textofRomero’shomilies,anarchiveofimages,

informationonevents,andawealthofother

information:romerotrust.org.uk

Photographs:EquipoMaiz(ElSalvador),ClaudiaTorresTheCatholicAgencyforOverseasDevelopment(CAFOD)istheofficialaidagencyoftheCatholicChurchinEnglandandWalesandpartofCaritasInternational.Charityno1160384andacompanylimitedbyguaranteeno09387398.Registeredoffice:RomeroHouse,55WestminsterBridgeRoad,LondonSE17JB.Printedonpaperfromwell-mangedforests

FindoutmoreaboutElSalvadorinour

award-winningGeographypackat:

cafod.org.uk/geography

CHILDREN

cafod.org.uk/primary/romero

Our resources for children include:

•ThefrontandreverseofthisposterasdownloadablePDFs

•PowerPointtellingthestoryofRomero,suitableforassemblies

•ElSalvadorREpackforKS2

•ElSalvadorGeographypack,includingfilms,poster,photocardsandactivities

•‘Aspiretobemore’liturgyforYear6schoolleavers

YOUNG PEOPLE

cafod.org.uk/secondary/romero

Our resources for young people include:

•ThefrontandreverseofthisposterasdownloadablePDFs

•Romerocrossreflectiveactivity,similartothatintheliturgy

•FilmsoflifeinElSalvador,forexample,onefilmofIsabel(15)talkingaboutherlifeinSanSalvadorandanotherinwhichshedescribestraditionalcrosses

•ShortfilmtellingthestoryofRomero

•PowerPointtellingthestoryofRomero,suitableforassemblies

•VideowallwithclassroommaterialsforKS3/4REandSpanish

•‘Aspiretobemore’transitionliturgyforpupilsenteringanewschool

•Aspirepostcards(free)andideasforhowthesecanbeused

ADULTS

cafod.org.uk/romero

We hope you find the following resources useful for your own personal prayer and spiritual development or for use in parish groups:

•ThefrontandreverseofthisposterasdownloadablePDFs

•PrayersinspiredbythelifeofRomero

•Guidinglight:WayoftheCrosswithOscarRomero

•QuotationsfromRomero

•Connect2materialsaboutthecommunityofPuentecitos,ElSalvador:cafod.org.uk/connect2

•Crosses,cardsandbooksavailablefromourshop:shop.cafod.org.uk

Romero cross liturgyWe invite you to use this liturgy to pray with us and with the people of El Salvador with whom CAFOD works.

Prayer focus:

•Mapoftheworld,highlightingElSalvador

•Largecandle,eg.CAFODcandle(oryoucoulduseourvirtualcandle:cafod.org.uk/virtualcandle)

•Romerocross

•Romeroposter

•Largesheetofpapercutintowidecross,withafigureofJesusdrawnontoit.

Introduction:

InthenameoftheFather…

Leader:TodaywecelebratewiththepeopleofElSalvador.(TellthestoryofRomeroinyourownwords,usinginformationfromthetimeline,orusetheprimaryorsecondaryRomeroPowerPointsortheshortfilmonourwebsite.YoumaywishtoincludeasectionfromoneofRomero’ssermons.)

Symbolic action:

(Ifpossible,beforehandgivepeopletimetodraworpaintfiguresandsymbolstoaddtothecrossthatrepresentpeopleinourglobalcommunitywholiveinpoverty.)

Leader:WeareusedtoseeingthefigureofChristaloneonthecross.ButinElSalvadorthereisatraditionofpaintingthelocalcommunityandlandscapeonthecrosswithJesus.ItisasignthatJesustakesourjoysandpainswithhimashediesandrisesagain.

TodayweareinspiredbyRomero’swords:“ItisnotGod’swillforsometohaveeverythingandotherstohavenothing.”WebringtoJesusthoseinourglobalfamilywhodonothavewhattheyneed.Duringthemusic,youareinvitedtothinkcarefullyaboutthewordsofRomero.ComeuptothecrossandwriteonitonethingyoucandotohelppeoplehavethebasicthingstheyneedtobeabletoliveasGodwants.

Playquietmusic.Wheneveryonehasreturnedtotheirseats:

Prayers:

Let us ask Oscar Romero to pray with us.

WeprayforallthosewhohavelostfamilymembersthroughviolenceinElSalvador.

Lord, hear us

WeprayforCAFODpartnersworkingtodaywithpoorcommunitiesinElSalvadorandaroundtheworld.

Lord, hear us

WeprayforourselvesthatwemayalwaysbeasbraveasRomeroinspeakingoutagainstinjusticeandworkingforamorejustworldwhereeveryonehaswhattheyneed.

Lord, hear us

Insilence,wemakeourownprayers.(Pause)

Let us pray: Lord,strengthenthepeopleofElSalvadorandallthepeopleofGodthat–likeRomero–wemaybea‘voiceforthevoiceless’,speakingoutagainstinjusticesothatallGod’schildrencanbehappy.

WemakethisprayerthroughChristourLord.Amen.

InthenameoftheFather…

ThecrosspicturedhereismadebyoneofourpartnersandhasbecomeknowninEnglandandWalesas‘theRomerocross’.YoucanpurchaseRomerocrosses,invarioussizes,fromtheCAFODshop: shop.cafod.org.uk

“Many would like the poor to keep on saying that it is God’s will for them to live that way. But it is not God’s will for some to have everything and others to have nothing. That cannot be of God. God’s will is that all his children be happy.”Romero,10September1978

Oscar Romero, a CAFOD partnerA CAFOD partner is an organisation in a developing country that works with the local community, supported by donations from CAFOD supporters in England and Wales.

JustasRomerodid,CAFODpartnersknowtheneedsoftheircommunitiesbecausetheyliveandworkalongsidethem.

CAFODhaspartnersinmanycountriesaroundtheworld.Togetherwebringhopeandcompassiontopoorcommunities,standingsidebysidewiththemtoendpovertyandinjustice.

CAFOD’sworkinElSalvadorstretchesbacktotheearly1970s;theLegalAidOfficeofRomerowasoneofCAFOD’sprincipalpartnersthere.

Atthetime,thecountrywasruledbyamilitary-dominatedgovernmentthatusedviolencetocrushdemandsforsocialreform.Romero’sLegalAidOfficehelpedthefamiliesofpeoplewhowerearrested,torturedandkilledbythearmyandpolice.

Romerostoodalongsidehispeoplefacingterribleoppressionandviolence,astheyspokeoutagainstinjustice.Heisrememberedforhiscourage,hisfaithand,aboveall,hisgreatloveforthepoor.Romerostillinspirespeopletoday,andCAFODcontinuestosupportpartnersinElSalvador,workingtoovercomepovertyandinjustice.

CAFOD partners in El Salvador today

Our partners focus on four key areas of development:

1 Helpingfarmerstoimprovetheircropsandfindwaystoearnmoney.

2 Reducingtheriskofdisasters.

3 TreatmentandraisingawarenessofHIVandAIDS.

4 Creatingpeace.

OscarArnulfoRomerowasbornintoafamilyoftenon15AugustinCiudadBarrios,ElSalvador.Hisfatherwasinchargeofthelocaltelegraphoffice.SometimestheyoungRomerohelpedhisfathertodelivertelegrams.Oscarlearnedtobeacarpenter,makingtables,chairsanddoors.

1917

Whenhewas14yearsold,Oscarwantedtobeapriestsohewenttostudyatjuniorseminary.Whenhismotherwasillandtheyneededmoneyformedicine,OscarlefttheseminaryforthreemonthsandworkedinthegoldmineinPotosí.Heearnedabout4paday.

1930

Romerowasmadeabishopon21June.

1970

RomerowasordainedapriestandreturnedtoElSalvador.Hebecamefamousforhissermons.Healsodidalotofparishworklikevisitingprisons,organisingcatechismclassesandworkingwithothersintheChurchtoprovidehelpandfoodforthepoor.

1942

OscarwenttoRometostudyandstayedthereduringWorldWarII.HisfatherandbrotherdiedwhilehewasinRome.

1937

AstheviolenceinElSalvadorcontinued,Romerocontinuedtospeakout.EverySundayhissermonwasbroadcastbyradio.Thewholecountrylistened.Romero’slifewasoftenthreatened.RomerowasaCAFODpartnerandwhenhisradiostationwasbombed,CAFODrebuiltit.

1 -80 1977

Inhissermonon23March,Romeroorderedthearmytostopkillingpeople:“InthenameofGod,andinthenameofthissufferingpeoplewhosecriesrisetoheavenmoreloudlyeachday,Ibegyou,Iimploreyou,Iorderyou,inthenameofGod,stoptherepression!”

1980

Thenextday,ashotkilledRomeroashesaidMass.AUNreportlaterfoundthatMajorRobertoD’Aubuisson,hadorderedRomero’sdeath.Thousandscametothefuneral.Thearmyfiredintothecrowd.30peoplediedandhundredswereinjured.TherewascivilwarinElSalvadoruntil1992.

1980

On15March,thenewpresidentofElSalvadorannouncedthathisgovernmentwouldbeinspiredbyRomeroandthe“optionforthepoor”(choosingtoputthemostvulnerablepeoplefirst).

2009

PopeFrancisannouncedthatOscarRomerowasamartyr.Romerowasbeatifiedon23May2015andbecameBlessedOscarRomero.May his life inspire us to speak up for justice.

2015

RomerobecameArchbishopofSanSalvador.Somerichpeoplewerehappybecausetheythoughthewouldstoppriestsfromhelpingthepoortostandupfortheirbasicrights.Butafewweekslater,hisfriendFrRutilioGrandewasshotandkilled,alongwithtwocompanions.ThefollowingSunday,RomeroallowedonlyoneMassinthewholediocese-attheCathedral-wherehespokeoutagainstthemurders.

1977

ViolenceincreasedinElSalvadorbymid1970s,asthegovernmentandarmybegankillingpoorpeoplewhostoodupfortheirrights.WhenthearmykilledthreepeopleinthevillageofTresCallesinRomero’sdiocese,hecomfortedthefamiliesandwrotetothePresidenttoprotestaboutthemurders.

1974

CAFOD is supporting the JDS, who work with some of the poorest communities in El Salvador, to the west of the country.

Peopleheregrowfoodtosurvive,butthesteep,rockylandscapemakesfarmingdifficult.TheJDShelpstrainfarmers,sopeoplecanshareskills,developnewwaystoearnmoneyandcreateabetterlifefortheirfamilies.

Fidel:“TheJDShashelpedustodevelopourfarmandshownushowtobreedpigs.Lookingahead,Iwouldlikemychildrentolearnhowtoworktheland.Ihopethattheywillhaveabetterfutureandabetterqualityoffood.”

TheJDSalsoworkstoreducetheriskofdisasterslikefloodsandmudslides,byprovidingemergencyequipment,helpingcommunitiestodevelopevacuationplansandtoplantcropstostopsoilerosion.

Rosita:“TheJDShashelpedusalot.Nowwearebetterorganisedandwemeetmorefrequently.Weknowthatwearenotonourownandweknowwhattodoinasituationofemergency.”

The Jesuit Development Service

CAFOD partner