Rincón Hispano

Foros de religión => San Romero de los pobres de América => Mensaje iniciado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 08:54:13 am

Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July and October1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 08:54:13 am
Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978

Saturday, July 1

hm Uying to adjust to the change in time that upsets sleep and work patterns to such a great extent. In the morning, I went to deliver letters I had brought for religious from other religious, for communities in the archdiocese. Among the communities I went to are Bethany in Santa Tecla, the Oblates of Divine Love, the Colegio La Sagrada Familia, the parish of Centro America, the Josephite Fathers, the Jesuit Fathers. I have had the pleasure of taking to them personally greetings from their own religious who live in Rome.

In the afternoon, I preached the Holy Hour that is said the first of every month in the Chapel of Expiation at Divine Providence Hospital.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 08:54:45 am




**


Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 08:58:30 am
http://www.romerotrust.org.uk/drupal/sites/default/files/diary/Ashepherdsdiary.pdf
Sunday, July 2

The Mass at the cathedral was offered in horror of the pope and of all the communities of the archdiocese. Also some priests, religious and especially laity filled the cathedral completely. It was even necessary to use the choir area. It was a marvelous response to the call to celebrate the pope's day. I recounted my impressions of my trip to Rome.

I gave witness to the confirmation of the path that we are following in the archdiocese. I have tried to leave the impression of robust faith, hope and love, of faithfulness to the pope. The people applauded the homily, and there was also some very affectionate applause as I entered and left the cathedral. God be praised for the love that our people feel for their pastors!


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 08:59:07 am




**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:01:12 am
Monday, July 3

I think the most memorable of today's visits has been that of Mrs. Matsumoto, wife of the Japanese gentleman who was kidnapped in the month of May and about whom there has been no news. With the manager of the textile factory INSINCA as interpreter, she expressed her desire for me to help her find her husband, that I might mention him in one of my homilies. I offered, if she wanted me to, to write an article to be put in the newspaper, and she thought it was a good idea that I should write it and that she would pay the cost of the ad in the newspapers.

Mrs. Matsumoto said that even though she was not a Christian she would like to pray with me for her husband. I introduced her to Mother Luz, who gave her some words of comfort, and together we went to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel of the hospital. I asked with great confidence in the Lord that he bring Mrs. Matsumoto's anguish to an end.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-July 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:01:39 am




**

Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:10:49 am
October 1978

Sunday, October 1

The previous cassette was recorded only on one side and covers the period from June 21 to July 4. This diary was interrupted there by circumstances, perhaps my fault. I hope that this gap between July 4 and today when we begin again, October 1, 1978, can be filled in.

Today, October 1, is Sunday. I celebrated Mass in the cathedral. In the homily I told of my week's activities, especially about visiting different communities and telling about the fervent religious life of our diocese and other ecclesial activities-among them, the round table organized by the Catholic university to discuss my third pastoralletter,[62] which is also Bishop Rivera's first.

Also, I denounced the outrage perpetrated in the National University, and especially the disappearance of an employee of ANDA who lived near the university and was taken by guards of the university itself. He was beaten and is considered disappeared.[63] I also denounced the continued repressions, especially in the peasant sectors of San Pedro Perulapan and Cinquera, and the disappearance of a young woman who was shot in Colonia Nicaragua and taken to the hospital, where she was under police guard who later took her out of the hospital to some unknown destination.

After the Mass at the cathedral, I went to a celebration in El Plan del Pino, part of the parish of San Sebastian de Ciudad Delgado. The Carmelite Spanish missionary sisters work in the community El Plan del Pino, the same ones who are in charge of the Salvadoran Policlinic and also work in La Laguna in the department of Chalatenango. It was a very rich, fervent experience. A group of young people had been prepared to receive Confirmation and, naturally, the main part of the liturgy was addressed to them.

But I also met several different groups there, organized by the sisters, that are promoting a truly admirable pastoral work: a group of young people, a group of the Family of God, a group of catechists, a group of ladies of the Guardia del Santisimo. [64] This is a beautiful combination of piety and action. I congratulated the sisters and their collaborators in a nice meeting that took place after the Mass. The crowd that came out to meet me and that attended the Holy Mass was very large, and I noted their great cordiality and warm reception for the sisters and for the bishop.

In the afternoon in the chancery, we talked with Father Moreno, with Bachiller Cuellar, to question one of those who had disappeared who has escaped from jail. And he has told us about horrible things that happen in the mysterious realm of the jails of the security forces where, I am sure, are several people we mourn as disappeared. It is a very sensitive secret; some really dreadful revelations!

At night, I celebrated the Holy Hour in Divine Providence Hospital. And afterward I went out again to celebrate the tenth anniversary in the priesthood of Father Samuel Orellana of the parish of Ayutuxtepeque. It was also a very nice event in a community that feels great affection and appreciation for their parish priest.


62 The Church and Popular Political Organizations," on their relationship and on violence.
63 Known to have been taken away by security forces but whereabouts and fate unknown. Often used as a noun.
64 A pious group with devotion to the Eucharist.
**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:16:50 am




 
**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:18:09 am
Monday, October 2

The morning was dedicated to sharing with the group of priests of different dioceses who meet monthly in the minor seminary of San Jose de la Montana. They had asked me to explain to them the origins and theological foundations of the third pastoral letter. I noted a great deal of interest on the part of these dear priests because after my presentation, which I tried to make brief, a discussion began in which most of them participated. And if it did not go on longer, it was because it had gotten to be nearly noon. But they promised me that they would meet in groups to reflect on everything we had discussed and that, in the next meeting, they would give me their opinions and tell me the results of their group discussions.

I also invited them, in response to a question they asked me, to use one of their sessions (at which I would like to be present) to talk about the problem of the seminary and of the priests who do not make a serious effort to follow the pastoral line of the archdiocese seriously.

I had lunch with Father Luis Armijo, whom I had seen yesterday. He was the director of the Crusade of Family Prayer when it developed here in El Salvador, and continues to have great affection for us. He has collected recommendations from different Latin American bishops in order to try to get a subsidy from Adveniat[65] and thus encourage this prayer crusade in the different Latin American countries.

By telephone from Guatemala, the secretary of the nunciature consulted me about the commemoration of the funeral of the Holy Father.[66] I told them that, as far as the archdiocese was concerned, it would be held next Tuesday (that is, tomorrow) with the participation of all the clergy, and I invited him. He accepted the invitation to come. And as to what he consulted me about, I told him that we could follow the nuncio's custom of holding it in the nunciature, but that I would recommend avoiding so much publicity. For it seems like the government is more interested in publicity which makes the newspapers than in prayer and paying homage to the Holy Father. The secretary thanked me and he said that he would take my observations into account.

65 The German bishops' agency to assist the Church in Latin America.
66 Pope John Paul I, who died after just a month in office. Pope Paul VI had died August 6.
**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:23:50 am




**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:24:21 am
Tuesday, October 3

Today, as on all first Tuesdays, was the meeting of the clergy, which was attended also by numerous women religious who work directly in the pastoral work. The topic to be studied was the third pastoral letter. A very original and interesting note was that the exposition of the first part was presented by two women religious. The doctrinal part and the conclusions were presented by Father Fabian [Amaya]. The discussion was very interesting, many ideas were clarified and amplified as well. The meeting ended at 11:30 in order to attend the Mass at 12:15 in the cathedral, offered in suffrage for the eternal rest of His Holiness, John Paul I. The cathedral was completely filled with women religious and laypeople.

In the homily I emphasized three concepts in honor of the Holy Father. How during his brief pontificate, he was a luminous response from God, showing forth these three concepts of the Church: its hierarchical nature (God has called us intensely to reflect on the papacy with the death of two popes and two elections), but the hierarchical nature is subordinated to service to the Church, in the same way that the Church is subordinated to service to the Kingdom of God and to the world as a whole.

And because of this (the second concept), that hierarchy and the Church must be, above all, Christian. And this is the great lesson left us by Pope John Paul, because his humility, his poverty, his disregard for the vanities oflife, the sureness of his teaching, a discipline not based on legalism but on conviction and on love, are all expressions of a pope at the apex of the hierarchy in the service of the Church, but, above all, of a Christian who, like Paul, can say: "Be imitators of me as I am of Christ" [1 Corinthians 11:1].

And therefore the third concept: devotion to Mary. I pointed out the affection that the pope showed for the Virgin and I ended reading the brief message that the pope addressed to the Third Marian Congress in Ecuador, his only radio message addressed to Latin America.

At night, I participated in the Mass of the Franciscan Fathers in the Concepci6n parish, which was already celebrating the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. In my sermon I presented St. Francis as a Catholic man and I explained the structure of the Church with its human deficiencies in the hierarchical aspect. And, therefore, St. Francis as a Christian. This is the hierarchical Church at the service of Christianity. And for this reason it must express holiness and an evangelical sense in all of its structures. And Francis is an example for us of a truly Christian Catholic and, therefore my third thought, the perfect man. Francis, because he was an authentic Christian, is also the fully developed man: joyful, ample, etc.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:28:50 am




**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:29:25 am
Wednesday, October 4

St F'ancis feast day. I went to celebrate in with the people of San Francisco Morazan in the department of Chalatenango, who had invited me several times. The reception from the people was enthusiastic. They led me to the temple, where we celebrated Mass in a church that was completely full. Sister Imelda, an Oblate Sister of Divine Love, works there although she lives in Citala. But through an agreement with the episcopal vicar of Chalatenango, Father Fabian, she is doing good work in that town, which has not had a priest for some time.

I preached the same idea again from yesterday's homily in horror of St. Francis, naturally making applications to the difficult situation of those towns of Chalatenango: accused, watched, terrified. And I invited them to live authentic and brave Catholicism and Christianity in spite of all the difficulties. After the Mass we held a meeting with the pastoral agents. And with joy I realized that there are very good pastoral cores in some villages. Father Fabian planned with them and with Mother Imelda the work that is to be done, always building the same line of the pastoral work.

Upon returning to San Salvador, I learned the news that they had finally found the body of Mr. Fujio Matsumoto, with whose wife and daughter I have talked several times to console them, to guide them. And they were waiting for me this afternoon to bring me the news. And through their tears, they indicated they also felt satisfaction at being able to take his ashes back to Japan.

Also, people were waiting for me at the arch diocesan offices to discuss the case of our refugee. A woman lawyer participated in the meeting and things seem to be very interesting at the same time that they are very secret.


**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:32:19 am




**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:32:43 am
Thursday, October 5

The first visitor was a member ofF APU, an organization that is interested in having news about and communicating with the probable refugee supposed to be at the archdiocese. I tried to be evasive to keep the secret, which will be revealed later. The Christian Democratic Party has taken responsibility for this refugee and has secured him asylum in the Venezuelan embassy, where he was taken by members of that party. Before that they heard his very interesting testimony about the tragic situation of the people who have disappeared but who are in the jails, still alive.

Today I also received a report that, in the early morning, Father David Rodriguez was taken along with Piquin, an announcer-or rather, singer-on YSAX, on the program that is broadcast at five p.m. They were taken to the police and also Father Trinidad Nieto was taken, near Apopa. He was also taken to the National Guard. There was word in the afternoon that Father Nieto had been freed, but the others were still prisoners, still at the police station.


**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:36:49 am




**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 09:39:49 am
Friday, October 6

This morning they freed Father David Rodriguez and Piquin and they came to the archdiocese to report on the treatment they had received from the National Police. The priest was treated with great respect in an attempt to give the impression that they have not maltreated priests, that there is no persecution of the Church. Bishop Aparicio was present at the police station, and they wanted him to see the respect they had for priests and that what they were after was Marxist infiltration. Unfortunately, Bishop Aparicio, instead of defending the cause of the Church, agreed with the motives the police gave-which could be dangerous for the archdiocese, because their purpose is to give the impression that the archdiocese exaggerates, that there really is communist infiltration and that we are not being fair when we denounce so much abuse of the people and the Church.

This morning we have resumed our working breakfasts. We study the reality of the country at this moment and the role of the Church. I expressed my admiration for the loyalty of these priests and laity who provide such valuable service to the archbishop. We ended with the decision that we will have a morning of reflection to study the working document for the Third Conference in Puebla in order to help me prepare some specific points that it would be good for the Latin American bishops to hear.

This afternoon we celebrated the Mass for Mr. Fujio Matsumoto, who had been held by kidnappers since May and whose body was found on the Cerro San Jacinto in a plastic bag, not yet decomposed, so that they were able to identify him. According to the Japanese ritual, he was cremated and his ashes in a small urn are what were present at the Mass. The family, that is, his wife and daughter, will take these ashes back to their country.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:04:15 am




**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:07:10 am
Saturday, October 7

On the personal side, I have spent time in reflection and I havenot done any work in the office. The only thing I did was to ask Father Pedraz to get the copy of the Puebla document for the study we referred to yesterday.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:09:12 am




**
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:25:29 am
Sunday, October 8

At the eight o'clock Mass at the cathedral we had Dutch television filming the Mass with the homily and all the events of this Mass that, thanks be to God, is becoming an ecclesial event. I saw in the crowd the ambassador from Ecuador and the cultural attache of the United States Embassy. The people who came from Holland to film for television told me that they thought it had been magnificent. They were very impressed by the crowd and by their attentiveness. The Dutch crew promised they would also go to the Mass that would be celebrated that evening in El Calvario in Santa Tecla.

In the afternoon I attended a meeting of base communities that took place in the parochial convent of Soyapango. It was very interesting, especially the participation of the young people who, in discussion with me, were searching for answers to many interesting questions. The lack of relationship between the parish priest and the communities was explained. And I encouraged them to look for a solution that would make this parish a true Christian community, of which the parish priest must be the head. And there must be very open discussion with him in order to present the Christian witness of a community that truly follows Jesus Christ. We celebrated the Eucharist in honor of the Virgin of the Rosary, whose feast day was being celebrated there.

And in the evening, as was already mentioned, I celebrated Mass in El Calvario in Santa Tecla to present solemnly the new parish priest, Father Francisco Xavier Aguilar, a Jesuit. The vicar, Father Benito Tovar, assisted, as well as other priests and representatives of the religious communities of Santa Tecla, and a crowd of the faithful filled the church. The parish priest was very pleasantly surprised by the reception offered to him. After Mass, we talked cordially with some of the parishioners.

And in my room in the Divine Providence Hospital, the Dutch television people interviewed me about the situation of the Church and the country. We finished rather late but with the satisfaction of having completed one more day of work toward spreading the Kingdom of God on earth.


**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:26:38 am




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:29:40 am




**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:33:09 am
Monday, October 9

In the afternoon I went to celebrate Mass in the village of La Loma in the territory of San Pedro Perulapan, a Mass offered for two murdered peasants who were found near the Apulo Highway. I was surprised by the size of the crowd waiting for me. I addressed words of comfort to them. The mother, wives, children and other family members and friends of those murdered were present there.

All of them reflected the fear being sowed in these sectors of our dear people-fear that is justified by the repression and abuse of authority by the security forces and, especially, by the armed peasant groups like the organization ORDEN. In fact, while we celebrated Mass, they appeared with their curved knives, some ofthem unsheathed, and they stood where they could watch the crowd. They wrote down the license number of the van in which we had come with the sisters. And there was an aggressive attitude, or, at least, a mistrustful wariness.

And I understood the peasants' fears, why many men sleep somewhere other than at their homes for fear of being taken by surprise at night. It is a shame that the authorities support an organization that is against their brother peasants. This is what I analyze in my third pastoral letter. I was pleased by the comfort that we were able to offer to the suffering families and the encouragement and spirit that we tried to inject into the Christian community also.

In the arch diocesan offices, a visit from two university representatives of AGEUS[67] in order to ask for the support of the archbishop in their demands at the university, which is controlled by armed men that have destroyed their confidence in that atmosphere of culture. With pleasure, I offered to help them to the extent that I am able. And, in order for me to be able to do that, they agreed to invite certain other people to the archdiocese on the following day.

67 A student organization.
**
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:37:22 am




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:38:30 am
Tuesday, October 10

Among the visits I had one from some poor workers or peasants from La Unión in the diocese of San Miguel. One of them had marks of the torture to which he had been subjected unexpectedly in a meeting of Christians when a National Guardsman, who arrived by surprise, hit him on the back of the neck and then kicked him in the stomach. And the man thinks that these blows have affected his health. He even thinks he has symptoms that may mean he is losing his eyesight and wanted to tell us about it so that a complaint could be filed and we could see what else could be done for them.

Also the visit of Dr. Hugo López from the Cursillo de Cristiandad, who since Saturday has not known the whereabouts of his two daughters, university students, who were taken prisoner by agents of the National Police. And they are not acknowledged to be in any center of the security forces. We have also taken notes so that we can denounce the situation on our radio program.

This Tuesday we also began again the practice of having breakfasts at which we evaluate and plan the responsibilities of the curia. The group which met at the Divine Providence Hospital included Father Brito, Monsignor Urioste and Father Chus Delgado.[68] And we discussed matters related to the Pastoral Commission, which needs to be reorganized. And for that reason, we agreed to have another meeting with other specialists in pastoral work.

In the afternoon, the meeting suggested by the students of AGEUS[67] took place. A representative of the parents' organization, a representative of the Human Rights Commission and Father Brito, representing the archdiocese, were present. Yet another meeting was called for tomorrow.

In the evening, dinner in the house of the architect Romeo Jovel with members of the Secretariat of the Cursillo de Cristiandad. There was a very interesting conversation about how Christianity should be lived in our time. It was very encouraging to me to see how well they understand these new commitments that the Church, without betraying its ancient traditions, has to accept to understand the present moment and what the world expects from it as service on the part of Jesus Christ.


67 A student organization.
68 Father Jesus Delgado.
***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:40:06 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:40:47 am
Wednesday, October 11

Two principal activities at the curia today. At noon the meeting of the economic administration with the priests' cooperative in which they studied the advantage of transferring the money from the curia to the account of the priests' cooperative, which gives interest and offers special attention to our curia. We agreed and asked for the greatest cooperation possible to respond to the economic needs of our archdiocese. I have realized that the situation is precarious and that it is necessary to study ways to provide more economic security for our activities.

In the evening the meeting of Caritas-the arch diocesan meeting that I called so that they could advise me about what the statutes say about whether or not it is the archbishop who is to select the national board and the president. Bishop Aparicio, once he was named by the Bishops' Conference, had to be approved by Archbishop Chavez.[69] And, according to the statutes, the term is only for a year. I feel responsible for naming an efficient board that will direct this institution that has so much responsibility honestly and with a sense of Church. A committee composed of the Ingeniero Galvan and one of the ladies from the archdiocesan board was named to talk with Bishop Aparicio and express our point of view to him: that is, that the archbishop should name the national board of Caritas.

69 Luis Chávez y Gonzalez, Romero's predecessor, was archbishop from 1938 to 1976
***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:41:47 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:42:22 am
Thursday, October 12

Today I was visited by the British ambassador, who seemed very interested in learning about the situation of the Church and of El Salvador in general, and especially about the relationship between the Church and the government.

At noon, I celebrated Mass at the Maria Eugenia House, which belongs to the Sisters of the Assumption. All of the communities that work in El Salvador were assembled, reviewing their own charisms in order to put them at the service of the people. Since it was the feast day of the Virgin of Pilar, I talked to them about confidence in the Virgin and about how providential their presence was for our continent.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:43:08 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:43:57 am
Friday, October 13 

I celebrated Mass at the Colegio Santa Teresa of the Carmelite Sisters of Saint Teresa. They wanted with this activity to anticipate the celebration of their patron, St. Teresa of Jesus.

Afterward I accompanied Father Crist6bal Cortes in the Sacred Heart Basilica in the awards program, or rather, the graduation from the bachillerato of their first bachilleres from the Colegio San Antonio in Soyapango. I encouraged the young people to achieve the two syntheses they should in a Catholic school: the synthesis between culture and faith and the synthesis between faith and life.

Afterward I went, along with the Carmelite Sisters from the hospital, to rest for a while at the house of the Oblate Sisters of Divine Love in Planes de Renderos


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:44:58 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:46:15 am
Saturday, October 14 

I participated in the meeting of laity held at the convent at Soyapango. This is a national meeting, held every month, of laity who work with priests.

I have asked the diocese to intensify its prayers, since today in Rome the cardinals will begin the election of a successor to John Paul I.



***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:52:34 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:53:06 am
Sunday, October 15

At the Mass at the cathedral at eight a. m., I gave the homily as usual, denouncing especially the case of a person disappeared since December 1977 who escaped from the Treasury Police jail September 29 and who presently has asylum in the Venezuelan Embassy. It is certainly proof that many of the disappeared are prisoners of the security forces.

The theme of my homily, the three Gospel readings, was called: "God's feast with humankind" -how God prepares a feast, invites all humankind, but not all of them are worthy of this invitation; how the Church is the messenger bringing this invitation of God to the feast.

At eleven o'clock, I celebrated Mass at the Colonia Roma, where the Carmelite fathers are honoring their patron saint, St. Teresa.

And in the evening I was in Colonia Atlacatl in Divine Providence Parish, where the Redemptorist Fathers are doing very good work. After Mass, we had a meeting to organize the board of directors of the parish Caritas Committee.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:53:58 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:54:30 am
Monday, October 16

Today we received the welcome news of the election of the new pope, Cardinal Carol Wojtila, who has taken the name John Paul II. On the Vatican radio we received his first blessing and heard his first words. We felt the joy of the Church and asked God for his blessings for the tremendous responsibilities John Paul 11 faces .


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:55:16 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:55:50 am
Tuesday, October 17

A very busy morning of visits. In the afternoon, an interesting meeting on the problem of the pastoral work of the archdiocese, in which we decided to study the reality of the pastoral situation we have in order later to study the organization, so that our pastoral work may be more productive.

With Father Enrique Gloden, national director of the Pontifical Mission Works, we prepared the tape as we do every Wednesday for broadcast on YSAX, the Pan American Voice.

I had a pleasant visit from a group of young people from one of the sections of the Miramonte Parish, who have been preparing for First Communions and Confirmations and came to invite me. And we discussed their pastoral work at great length.

In the evening, a dinner in Santa Tecla that the community he organized has planned to celebrate his birthday.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 10:57:20 am
 




***
Título: Re:Archbishop Romero’s Diary-October 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:35:23 am
Wednesday, October 18

In the evening, a meeting with pastoral workers in Soyapango. We discussed very frankly the lack of communication that exists with the parish priest But the discussion was very positive and I was left with great hope for mutual collaboration.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:35:45 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:41:02 am
Thursday, October 19

I ce!ebrated Mass in the Colegio de la Divina Providencia in the elementary school. Today is the feast day of the founder of the Passionist Sisters, St Paul of the Cross. And I talked to them about their charism, encouraging them to submit to the will of God as the best cross one can bear.

In the afternoon, an interesting visit arranged by Father Waiter Guerra with someone who knows a great deal about the secret depths of the political situation of the country. We agreed to talk again.

Afterward, a visit from representatives of peasants' organizations to explain to me the situation of the workers on the coffee, cotton and sugarcane plantations and the improvements in conditions they seek from the Labor Ministry in order to ask for my support for their just demands. I made them see also that, to be just, it was necessary to take into account the needs of the owners, and they agreed. And I consider many of the peasants' demands to be just ones-another reason to continue this effort to support our dear people.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:41:56 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:47:55 am
Friday, October 20

An interesting visit from Mr. Eugenio Araujo, who wanted Monsignor Urioste to be present, to explain his plans for expenditures in the cultivation of sugarcane and how what the peasants demand is impossible, given the situation of the cane owners. I had the impression that he had already made his decision and that discussion was of little use. As I told him, I understood the needs of the cane owners, but that it was also necessary to understand the pressing needs of the peasants who work with them and that it was necessary to look for intelligent solutions.

Another visit this morning, a very important one, was that of the president of CEBEM0.[70] CEBEMO is a Dutch aid organization that has shown a great interest in learning about the situation of the country and of the Church. We talked at great length and he offered his full collaboration in support of our pastoral line. I thanked him for the marvelous contribution they have made to the improvement of our diocesan press. And when he asked what was the next program we needed help with, I talked to him about improvements needed to coordinate the services of the communications office and the Legal Aid Office. He liked our proposal a great deal and promised to help us be able to have a more formal kind of Vicariate of Solidarity.

At lunchtime, a meeting with representatives of the archdiocese and the Christian Democratic Party to discuss the situation of the country and search, each one in his own area of expertise, for a way to resolve the situation. There was much talk of democratization, meaning allowing more participation of the Salvadoran people in public action-something that the political parties will have to work on-and also meaning normalizing the situation of the country so there is legality, so there is more respect for democratic institutions. We accept the pastoral responsibility and from our evangelical perspective will work for an improvement in the country. Privately one of them, Licenciado [Alberto] Are ne, made some very perceptive observations about the role being played by my preaching, which I appreciated, because it seemed to me very constructive criticism.

In the evening the problem with my stomach got worse and I called Dr. Saca, who ordered me to go to the hospital. And I have been in the Emergency and Diagnostic Hospital since that night.

70 Mr. Thorn Kierstiens.
***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:48:25 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:50:18 am
Sunday, October 22 

Saturday, October 21, and Sunday, October 22, I have been in the hospital, where I have been very well attended by Dr. Saca and the director of the hospital, Dr. Badfa, a good Catholic with whom I have talked about the social situation. He is a doctor who is very sensitive to social problems and who believes that a profession is not only for oneself but rather must be seen as a service to the people. He gave me a copy of a book he has written and some journals of which he is editor in which he maintains this principle of health for the people.

The Sunday Mass was celebrated by Father Jesus Delgado, who gave a very brave homily, denouncing the anomalies at the university and other unjust situations in the country.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:51:12 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:53:38 am
Monday, October 23

I returned to my residence after being well taken care of in the Emergency and Diagnostic Center. I prepared a brief message for the day I was in the hospital, to be broadcast on the radio. And according to the doctor's instructions, I will not be able to carry out my commitments this week. I regret this, but it is God's will, as shown by my health which I have not recovered completely.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:54:05 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:56:47 am
Tuesday, October 24

St. Raphael's feast day, patron of hospitals. I was unable to go to San Rafael, Chalatenango, where I had agreed to celebrate this patronal feast, nor to Parafso, where there was to be a meeting of catechists, but I was able to celebrate Mass at the Diagnostic Hospital and thereby could express my gratitude for the attention I received very generously at no charge from Dr. Saca and the doctors who work there and were there at that time, as well as the nurses and employees. They indicated their appreciation of this unexpected Mass at their hospital.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:57:21 am
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 11:59:25 am
Wednesday, October 25

Because of my health I also had to cancel the commitment I had to Father Sergio Moreno, parish priest of San Jose Guayabal, to celebrate with him his twenty-fifth anniversary as a priest. But I have joined him spiritually in his expression of thanks.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:00:03 pm
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:03:33 pm
Thursday, October 26

Today at noon, in the cathedral with the priests and faithful, we celebrated Mass for the new pope, John Paul II. As usual, it was very fervent and I was able to demonstrate to the faithful and to the archdiocese my unshakable adherence to Peter's successor .


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:04:03 pm
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:07:24 pm
Friday, October 27 

Today the meeting in Puebla would have been ending, the meeting that was supposed to have begun on October 12, which, due to the deaths of Popes Paul VI and John Paul I, the new pope, John Paul II, has postponed to a later date that has not been announced yet.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:07:50 pm
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:09:33 pm
Saturday, October 28

Because I was still weak, I had to cancel the visit I was so looking forward to making to San Antonio los Ranchos, which today celebrates its festival of the corn. It is a typical festival in which they use all the products of corn. And I was only able to send them a written message, praising this tradition and showing them how the Church supports any initiative of the people and how we wished that this product of our earth-corn, the grain of which is the base of our nutrition-could be on every table when, many times, even this is absent.

There was also going to be a meeting in San Antonio Abad that day, but I asked Monsignor Urioste to preside at it since it had to do with somewhat complicated difficulties in the pastoral work of different groups.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:10:03 pm
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:16:46 pm
Tuesday, October 31

A meeting with the major seminary and with parish priests who have seminarians and with the seminary team and with the Pastoral Commission. It took place at the house of the Passionist Sisters on the road to Planes de Renderos, and it was a very honest session in which we discussed the problem of the seminary on a very deep level, analyzing the year which is coming to an end and finding many deficiencies, but being encouraged to overcome them through a very sincere desire to have an authentic pastoral work in our archdiocese.


***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary- 1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:17:21 pm
 




***
Título: Archbishop Romero’s Diary-1978
Publicado por: 💠🎋Lanina🎋💠 en 22 de Agosto de 2019, 12:19:35 pm
Archbishop Romero’s Diary-1978
November 1978
http://www.romerotrust.org.uk/drupal/sites/default/files/diary/Ashepherdsdiary.pdf



***