April 02, 2013: The Office for Justice, Peace and Development (OJPD-CBCI) organised
an event to honour the memory of the modern-day prophet of Justice Archbishop Romero
of El Salvador to mark the 33rd anniversary of his martyrdom.
The highlight
of the event that took place at Yusuf Sadan, near Sacred Heart Cathedral Church, was
the screening of the film Monsignor: The Last Journey of Oscar Romero. Produced in
2011 by the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame. The 88-minute documentary
film features testimonies of people who had known the martyred Archbishop, videos
and photographs of his special moments.
Inaugurating the event, Fr. Charles
Irudayam, Secretary, CBCI Office for Justice and Peace, said the event was organised
in continuation of a good practice that began in 2011 with the collaboration of the
Embassy of the Republic of El Salvador at New Delhi, so that the memory of Archbishop
Romero would inspire and enable the Christian faithful in India to lead a life of
evangelical commitment to the cause of justice.
The event was attended by a
large number of women religious, priests, and lay people notable among whom were Ms
Angela Zamora Rivas and Ms Miriam Zamora Rivas, sisters of Dr Ruben Ignacio Zamora
Rivas, the former El Salvadoran Ambassador to India. Ms Angela Zamora said that she
was excited to see the kind of respect and reverence those Archbishop commands among
the people in India. Two other dignitaries who graced the function were Mr Vladimiro
P Villalta Novoa, Minister Counsellor at El Salvadoran embassy in New Delhi, and Barrister
Mr Tom Beazly who is Counsel to the Queen of England. Mr Tom said he was edified by
the prophetic witness of Archbishop Romero who was ‘not a revolutionary’.
Mr
Vijayan, a well-know human rights defender and Director of Delhi Forum said that Romero
is an inspiration to all human rights defenders; he suggested that the film be dubbed
in Hindi so that many more could come to know about Romero and his legacy.
It
may be remembered that in the 1970s, as El Salvador moved irrevocably closer to civil
war, Archbishop Oscar Romero was known as the voice of the poor, the disenfranchised,
and the disappeared. Appointed Archbishop in 1977, Monsignor Oscar Romero worked tirelessly
for peace, justice and human rights while in constant personal peril. Using the power
of the pulpit to denounce official corruption, he inspired millions with his nationally
broadcast sermons, until 24th March 1980 when he was shot dead at the altar.
Archbishop
Romero’s contribution to human rights protection has been acknowledged by the United
Nations General Assembly, which, on 21 December 2010, proclaimed 24 March as the International
Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the
Dignity of Victims. By proposing this day, the UN urged the world to honour the memory
of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and to promote the importance
of the right to truth and justice; to pay tribute to those who have devoted their
lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights
for all; and to recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop
Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador.