Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador said, “If I am killed, I will be resurrected in my com-
munity.” Today, he lives in his people, depicted here symbolically wearing his bullet holes.
civilization of hopelessness is being created. Suf ering and sadness are not
synonymous. Salvadorans laugh as hard as they cry. h ey love to say, 'If God
wills, tomorrow will be better.' Here in El Salvador we believe that, on the
day you meet your maker, you will be met by an angel to wipe away your
tears. Woe to you who arrive with dry eyes.”
Priests and nuns are routinely excommunicated in Central America for
their political activism. While technically booted from their Church, they con-
tinue their work without missing a beat, believing, as one priest told me, “Part
of our vow of obedience to the Church is disobedience to the Church.”
Oscar Romero is not yet a saint. While the Vatican sends mixed signals,
the local Catholic hierarchy is gradually trying to sanitize his image to be less
of ensive to the rich. But priests, nuns, and people throughout Central America
are not waiting. For them, Oscar Romero is already “San Romero.”
The University of Central America:
Hotbed of Liberation Theology
We toured the University of Central America (UCA). While it felt like a
humble college somewhere in Southern California, this place is a cultural
and intellectual powerhouse in Central America. It was founded by San
