Eulogy of Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero was the archbishop in El Salvador in the 1970's during the genocide of thousands of his people in El Salvador. He was appointed after one the former archbishop, on of his friends, was martyred. He was the uncensored voice of the people. He was devoted to the church and the hope that one day men would have peace.

By helping the poor, Romero made a very risking move because he made himself an enemy against the government. Romero was put in jail by the military for speaking out and getting in the way of their plans and actions to take over El Salvador. They believed that he was causing a rebellion, which in a way he was. He was showing the people that all was not lost, and that God would save them in the end.

He was released from jail and went back to teaching at the church and was devoted to urging people to make peace, no matter what race age or religion. Romero new that the government was against him, but he didn't give up. He said, "You can tell the people that if they succeed in killing me, that I forgive and bless those who do it. Hopefully, they will realize they are wasting their time. A bishop will die, but the church of God, which is the people, will never perish." He was shot while he was doing a mass on March 24, 1980.

During his life, Romero had many great accomplishments. He was nominated for the Noble Peace Prize in 1979. He was the archbishop during the time of the mass genocide in El Salvador. He had a small radio station where he reported people missing, and he spoke against the Salvadorian government and military as they invaded El Salvador. He is considered to be one of the greatest martyrs of all time, and to this day is compared to Jesus because he died for the sake of his people.

When he was asked about his humanitarian work and why he does it, he told reporters, "When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises."

The work of Archbishop Romero changed the life of the people of El Salvador forever, even after his death; they were given a new light and a new hope that someday they might be free.