Cuba USA
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- "the Pope In Cuba: Do Not Be Afraid"
THE POPE IN CUBA: DO NOT BE AFRAID By Miguel A. Brettos The author, a historian, is a senior scholar emeritus, Smithsonian Institution. A Pedro Pan exile, he lives in Miami. [email protected] The Holy Father asks for our prayers for his trip...
Cuba USA
Message from Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero.
By: François Houtart
Source: La Jornada
Translation – Cuba Network in Defense of Humanity
The character of Monsignor Romero today reflects that of Jesus Christ, exemplified by his preaching and practices that recalled the values of the kingdom of God, opposing temporary powers: colonial and local, political and economic, social and religious. They are separated for two thousand years but are united by the same spirit.
Thanks to Pope Francisco, Monsignor Romero considered a martyr for a long time by the people, will be beatified in San Salvador on May 23. His homilies broadcast on the radio reveal the content of his pastoral trajectory, with an evolution between the traditional concept of the ecclesiastical ministry to his social commitment progressively radical confronting the injustices of his country. He feels the pain of the pastor who discovers the suffering of his people with who he identifies until his death. A deep emotion suffuses the reader discovering at the same time the horrors of an economic and political system that oppresses the poor and the action of a bishop concerned with spreading the gospel, his ties to the church and his identification with the oppressed. Observed is a deep spiritual life, conjuring the difficult bonds between these three objectives.
It is difficult to understand the trajectory of Monsignor Romero without referring constantly to the social context of El Salvador. In Latin America in general and specially Central America the Independence of the nations were propelled by the elites whose priority was to preserve and increase their privileges. At the end of the 19th century the old farming oligarchies became coffee, banana, cotton plantations and livestock and their products were usually exported. When this kind of investment became predominant some local companies were intermediaries of foreign economic interests. This demanded abundant and cheap hand labor that required docility.
The people gradually understood that they were being exploited and began to organize; often with the help of the left wing intellectuals and later by men and women of the church; the reaction of the moneyed classes was violent. During the 30 years there was a cruel repression in El Salvador. During the 50s backed by their religious convictions the Young Christian Workers (JOC) helped the youths of the popular sectors to resist. During the 60s and 70s the different movements of emancipation in the world opposed the military dictatorships that were being prepared during the neo liberal era. In all of Central America, and especially in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua movements of liberation were born inspired by the Cuban revolution and its social conquests. The church grass root communities, inspired by the II Vatican Council made ties between the faith of the peoples and the projects of social emancipation. The Theology of Liberation placed God at the very center of history giving a new sense to evangelization to place concretely the values of the kingdom of God: justice and equality in the human condition, love, peace, non active violence and fight against a system of death that was the result of the dominant economic logic.
All this was inscribed in the broadest context of the cold war and the fight against communism that had made the western powers to ally themselves with governments of the right in South America and ignored the levying made in the name of defense if western values, An important part of this Catholic hierarchy in this process were the local archbishops towards the heights of roman authority.
It is important to note that Monsignor Romero had read clearly the positive message of the Gospel. He never lost confidence in the man that God inhabits in spite of having lived through the worst horrors, of having accused daily the tortures, assassinations and jailing perpetrated by the armed services at the service of the rich who wanted to maintain and increase their economic, political and cultural powers. In one of his sermons he said: “The human being is not characterized by brute force but by reason and love”.
He did not have a pessimistic view of human beings. Quite the contrary, he believed in the force of conversion and forgiveness. At the same time he was aware of the existence of evil and sin and that prevented him from falling into the optimism of the saintly but always stressed that being human cannot be reduced in this sense. That is why he called on the consciences of all the actors of this social drama that he deeply lived. It took him a long time before concluding some of the circumstances of the armed struggle of an oppressed and crushed people of being legitimate. His rejection of violence was fruit of his deep conviction of the dignity of a human being, even one who has committed a crime. This attitude led him constantly to establish a dialogue with all the actors of the drama but at the same time it was clear and strong when condemning injustice and repression. It is understood that the oligarchy hated him and most of his colleagues in the bishopric considered him a renegade.
The homilies of Monsignor Romero are a real treatise about the Church that is constructed around discourse and practice. It is the application of the definition by Vatican II, the Church of the people of God that inverts the pyramidal image of an institution defined by its hierarchical institution. In these pages the life of the believers with their extraordinary reserve of faith and with its social tradition. A pastor who accompanies this people constantly reminding the love of their brethren should prevail over the interest of the strongest and that hope should inspire the darkest moments of existence. For Monsignor Romero it was impossible to conceive and abstract Church and re vindicate the artificial unity of the institution, since it harbors deep contradictions. For him, loyalty to the Church of Jesus Christ demands truth.
The whole of his sermons are also about a treatise of spirituality that is expressed even in the extremist situations and allows overcoming all wishes of vengeance, pessimism and also, how found in his personal notes, avoid what could become feelings of vanity against the admiration that They could inspire in the strength of their convictions and values of their attitudes. It is emotional to read his last notes about death that he envisions closely since he was aware of his destiny in El Salvador; those that on behalf of the values of civilization that repreoduce injustice using police and military force to maintain power.
The pertinence today is clear that these texts are still opportunity when situations in neighboring countries, for example Guatemala and Honduras. To conclude we can say that Monsignor Romero reflect and epoch today of Jesus Christ executed for his sermons and practice reminding that the values of the kingdom of God opposed the temporary powers: colonial and local, political and economic, social and religious. These are separated by two thousand years but are united in the same spirit.
- Joint Declaration Of Pope Francis And Patriarch Kirill Of Moscow Signed In Havana
source Vatican Radio Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met in Havana, Cuba on Friday (12 Feb) to sign an historic joint declaration. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the...
- Why Three Popes Have Visited Cuba In Twenty Years?
by Manuel E. Yepe In less than twenty years, three Popes have visited Cuba. This is something really surprising when you consider that this archipelago is a country geographically and demographically small, and has a relatively small number of Catholics...
- Revolutionary Emancipation And Religion
by Ron Jacobs source dissident voice Religion and left revolution may seem like opposite ends of an insurmountable spectrum. After all, today’s media reminds us constantly of religion’s intolerance regarding the lives of women and its various...
- World Meeting Of Popular Movements With The Pope: Impressions Of A Historic Encounter
By Ignacio Ramonet Source Alianet Le Pape François : «Quand je défends les pauvres, certains m’accusent d’être communiste ! Tuesday, October 28, has witnessed a historic moment. First of all, because it is hardly usual for the Pope to call...
- "the Pope In Cuba: Do Not Be Afraid"
THE POPE IN CUBA: DO NOT BE AFRAID By Miguel A. Brettos The author, a historian, is a senior scholar emeritus, Smithsonian Institution. A Pedro Pan exile, he lives in Miami. [email protected] The Holy Father asks for our prayers for his trip...