Saint Romero of the Americas

March 24th marks the 34th anniversary of Oscar Romero's martyrdom in El Salvador. He was murdered because he learned to speak for those who had no voice. He called on all sides, not just the armed forces, to refrain from using violence to further their own needs and the Salvadoran people. Romero's death ended El Salvador's last serious hope for averting an escalation of the civil war that really had already begun.

Romero, the UCA Jesuits, the US Government, and many others in Salvadoran society threw their support behind the October 1979 reformist coup. Announced economic and political reforms were meant to prevent another revolution in Central America following the July Sandinista Revolution. The coup failed when the government was unable to restrain the armed forces and the death squads, eventually leading to the resignation of the junta's more moderate civilian members. Conservative military officers regained power over the junta and the opportunity to avoid further bloodshed was lost.

If the rumors are to be believed, Romero might be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church within the next three years.