Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Pope on Oscar Romero

Before his trip to Brazil, the Italian press is reporting that the pope mentioned Oscar Romero:
"'I have no doubt he will be beatified. I know that the cause is proceeding well at the Congregation for the Cause of Saints,' but said he did not have precise information.' He was certainly a great witness for the faith, a man of great Christian virtue who was committed to peace and against dictatorship.' Recalling that Romero was assassinated during the Consecration of the Host, he said it was 'an incredible death.'"
Amen!

3 comments:

Antonio Manetti said...

While Bishop Romero's courage is certainly to be admired, the process for canonization and beatification reeks of blatant political pandering if not outright idolatry.

As an example, the canonization of 'Frei Galvao', described in the following press release, seems to be based on nothing more than the superstitious belief in the efficacy of talismans and potions.


Benedict XVI will canonize the first Brazilian-born saint in church history during his five-day trip, on May 11: an 18th century Franciscan named Antonio de Sant’Anna Galvao, or “Frei Galvao,” whose claim to fame is that he developed a paper “pill” inscribed with a prayer to the Virgin Mary, which devotees ingest in hopes of a miracle. The pills are reputed to have cured everything from depression to hepatitis.

Leticia said...

Have you seen the Paulist film, "Romero"? It's dark, yet very poignant as Romero has a Quo Vadis moment when he knows that continuing to speak for justice will lead to his martyrdom, and marches resolutely into the jaws of death.

Anonymous said...

Antonio,

The pill is inscribed with a prayer as you quoted but Catholics don't consider the Virgin Mary to be a second God. They ask that she will pray for them.

I'm sure that there are plenty of people who ingest the pills & nothing happens to them. The point is for people to have faith that God will help them, paper pill or not. But, if they were to be cured of whatever it is that they are suffering, they should be sure to remember that its not the paper pill, but God that has done the work.