Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero was the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador. Romero was chosen to be Archbishop because he was thought to be a moderate man with whom all could agree with. They also called him "bishop of the poor" because he defended the Salvadoran people. He would hope for the poor and for the oppressed of his country, work with and for them, & take their struggles as his own. Because of his courageous stand for justice, he became a martyr not only for poor Salvadorians but for all struggling to overcome oppression and poverty. His full name is Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez. He was born in Ciudad Barrios, a town in the mountainous east of El Salvador on August 15th, 1917. He was the second of seven children. When he was thirteen he declared a vocation to the priesthood. Oscar was a roman catholic. Oscar Romero was known for his generosity and his quotes. His quotes were helpful to people during these times, in 1980 they were in the midst of a U.S. funded war. Ordained in Rome in 1942, he was appointed in 1967 as Secretary General of the National Bishops' Conference. During this time, the government launched a terror campaign against the guerillas in an attempt to crush them. Archbishop Romero protested against the government's actions. The government began to destroy churches and murder priests. Romero continued to speak out against the killings that the government committed against the people of El Salvador. During this time Romero stuck to his true beliefs. Romero followed his path with courageous consistency. He was accused of subordinating the gospel to politics all of the time. Romero was one of the most influential voices in the fight for peace this century.