The year in Oscar Romero (2014)

I hope everyone has been having a Happy Holidays. I just returned from a few days in Boston and will be leaving soon for a few more days in NY and NJ. I'll probably still be posting but, for now, go check out Polycario's Super Martyrio round-up of 2014's most important stories concerning Oscar Romero. Here are the first three. Check in at Polycarpio's blog for the rest.

1.“Positio Super Martyrio” Submitted to Congregation for the Causes of Saints

The biggest story this year happened out of public view, but its significance for Romero’s beatification cause cannot be understated.  It was certainly the most significant thing ever reported on this blog.  Late in the year, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the postulator of Archbishop Romero’s sainthood cause, formally submitted the “Positio Super Martyrio”—the “Position Paper on the Martyrdom,” a book-length study of Romero's life based on the documentation from the diocesan phase and other sources, which contains all the information on which the ultimate decision will be made.  This is truly the point where we can actually say “case closed;” nothing further to be added or detracted.  Decision looms.   [MORE] 

2. Pope Francis Comments on the CausePope Francis is believed to be a tremendous supporter of the canonization, quietly prodding the process along behind the scenes.  Although he is considered to be a loquacious Pontiff, the Holy Father has been assiduously mum on Romero—until August when, flying back from Korea, he was asked directly about the cause.  “For me, Romero is a man of God,” said the Pope, putting the kibosh on the old accusations that Romero was an activist.  After the Pope hinted that the postulators should move swiftly, the final papers advancing the cause were submitted within a couple of months (see item #1 above). [MORE]

3. Salvadoran Church takes the leadWhen the acknowledgments are passed out for the successful conclusion of Archbishop Romero’s beatification process, a large portion of the credit should go to the Salvadoran Church.  In August, the Church inaugurated a “Romero Triennium,” counting down the 3 years until the 100th anniversary of Romero’s birth and going public with the goal of having Romero canonized by then.  The church even sent a high ranking delegation of bishops to ask Pope Francis for his blessing.  To think that there was a time when only one man in the bishops’ conference was friendly to Romero!  [MORE]