Blessed Oscar Romero is to be canonised

Today we’ve heard the fantastic news that Blessed Oscar Romero is to be canonised.

He’s a shining example of someone driven to fight poverty and injustice in this world, to the point of sacrificing his own life.

Blessed Oscar Romero has been a huge inspiration to SCIAF and the global Caritas family for many years. He is part of our history, and inspires us to walk with, hear, and care for the poor. As one of SCIAF’s patrons, his dedication to fighting for justice inspires us every single day.

Oscar Romero’s words, ‘Aspire not to have more, but to be more’, remind us of the importance of how we live our lives – how we care for others, how we behave, and what we value.  He is a wonderful example to us all.

The Vatican confirmed today Pope Francis has authorised a miracle attributed to the El Salvadoran Archbishop, the final step in his path to being declared a saint.

As archbishop of San Salvador from 1977-1980, Oscar Romero condemned violence on numerous occasions and spoke up for the victims of the civil war, which saw 70,000 people killed. He became more outspoken against the violation of human rights, particularly after his close friend, Fr Rutilio Grande was murdered in March 1977.

His defence of the most vulnerable and his outspokenness ultimately saw him assassinated on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in the Divine Providence cancer hospital’s chapel, where he lived.

He was made Blessed by Pope Francis on May 23, 2015, with the Holy Father declaring him as a man who ‘constructed peace with the force of love.’

SCIAF has been working in EL Salvador for many years, helping our partners support some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable families to grow more food and earn an income.