Resources

 

Oscar Romero and the Communion of Saintsby Scott Wright, with photos by Octavio Duran

Orbis, 2009, 162 pages, with many photos

Oscar Romero and the Communion of Saints

Thirty years after his assassination in 1980, Oscar Romero continues to serve as one of the great Christian witnesses of our time. This richly illustrated biography tells his story, from his humble origins and early life as a relatively conservative priest and bishop, to the astonishing transformation that occurred in the last three years of his life. As Archbishop of San Salvador he became a courageous voice for the voiceless, entering a path he knew might lead to his death. This biography reveals his humanity as well as his extraordinary faith and courage. It offers a stunning portrait of the gospel challenge for our time.

Romero: Memories in Mosaic

by Maria Lopez Vigil, translated by Kathy Ogle

EPICA, 2000, 424 pages with photos, $19.95 plus p/h

“One only needs to open this book by Maria Lopez Vigil to finish reading it in one sitting. The author’s remarkable talents combine with the compelling figure of Monsenor Romero in a book that is truly splendid.” – Jon Sobrino, SJ, Centro Monsenor Romero, UCA
“Archbishop Romero has been a model for us all on a life dedicated to human rights and dignity, peace and justice. These personal stories and memories now give us a more intimate look at the flesh and blood man, whose humanity is more inspiring than his martyrdom. Thank you, Maria Lopez Vigil and EPICA for this gift.” – James P. McGovern, U.S Senator (MA)
“This unique lens now finally published in English gives focus to many important facets of Archbishop Romero’s life. It is a lovely gift that touches the heart and challenges the soul of the reader. It is a mosaic of significant value… a collage that depicts Romero’s  humanity and his faithfulness, lovingly assembly by his friends.” – Marie Dennis, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
“Maria Lopez Vigil has blessed us with a new and radical form of hagiography: a portrait of Monsenor Oscar Romero assembled by many hands; a mosaic composed of radiant chips of memory, precisely renewed. Here we may listen to the voices silenced in the past, and what they offer is a symphony of testimony to the life of one who struggled among us toward a new heaven and a new earth. - Carloyn Forche, poet and author of “The Country Between Us”
To order a copy, send an email to: admin@epica.org 

Select Bibliography and Visual Resources

ARCHBISHOP ROMERO, THE UCA MARTYRS, THE FOUR CHURCHWOMEN AND THE CHURCH OF THE POOR IN CENTRAL AMERICA

Archbishop Oscar Romero

Oscar A. Romero. The Voice of the Voiceless: The Four Pastoral Letters: Introductions, commentaries and selection of texts and other statements, by R. Cardenal, I. Martín-Baró and J. Sobrino. Orbis, 1985. This is the best introduction to Romero’s homilies and writings in English.

Oscar A. Romero. Archbishop Oscar Romero: A Shepherd’s Diary. Cincinnati/Montreal; Our Sunday Visitor/Novalis, 1993.

James R. Brockman. Romero: A Life. Orbis, 1989. The most complete biography to date.

Jon Sobrino. Archbishop Romero: Memories and Reflections. Orbis, 1990.

Oscar Arnulfo Romero. The Church is All of You: Thoughts of Archbishop. Compiled and trans. by James R. Brockman, S.J. Minneapolis, Minn.: Winston Press, 1984.

Oscar Romero. The Violence of Love. Compiled and trans. by James R. Brockman, S.J. San Francisco and Toronto: Harper & Row and Whiteside, 1988; reprinted Farmington, Penn.: Plough Publ., 1998.

María López Vigil. Memories in Mosaic. EPICA, 2000. Stories about Romero from those who knew him.

Marie Dennis, Renny Golden and Scott Wright, Oscar Romero: Reflections on His Life and Writings, Orbis: 2000.

Dr. Frances O’Gorman, “Martyrdom and Beyond: A Journey in Memory of Archbishop Romero,” 1989.

Joseph Nangle, O.F.M., “Archbishop Romero’s Challenge to U.S. Universities,” 1990.

Robert McAfee Brown, “Archbishop Romero: A First-Hand Account,” 1994.

Rubén Zamora, “The Empowering Spirit of Archbishop Romero: A personal Testimony,” 1995.

Margaret Swedish, “Archbishop Romero and His Commitment to the Church,” 1999.

Films and videos

Romero. Starring Raul Julia. Vidmark Entertainment video. 105 minutes.

The UCA Martyrs

The UCA Killings

Martha Doggett. A Death Foretold: The Jesuit Murders in El Salvador. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1993. In-depth history of the UCA murder case.

Teresa Whitfield. Paying the Price: Ignacio Ellacuría and the Murdered Jesuits in El Salvador. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. The story of Ellacuría and El Salvador through the lens of the UCA murders.

*Joseph E. Mulligan, S.J. The Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador: Celebrating the Anniversaries. Baltimore: Fortkamp, 1994. Remembering the UCA martyrs in historical context. Graphic photos.

Ron Hansen. “Hearing the Cry of the Poor: Jesuit Priests, El Salvador, 1989,” in an Bergman, ed., Martyrs: Contemporary Writers on Modern. Orbis, 1998, pp. 33-55.

Lives of Faith

Dean Brackley. “Remembering the UCA Martyrs: Ten Years Later,” Conversations, Fall 1999.

By and about the UCA martyrs

Jon Sobrino, Ignacio Ellacuría, et al. Companions of Jesus: The Jesuit Martyrs. Orbis, 1990. Essays by and about the UCA Martyrs of El Salvador.

Instituto de Estudios Centroamericanos and El Rescate. The Jesuit Assassinations: The Writings of Ellacuría, Martín-Baró and Segundo Montes, with a Chronology of the Investigation. Sheed &Ward, 1990.

Ignacio Ellacuría, Ignacio Martín-Baró and Segundo Montes. Toward a Society That Serves Its People: The Intellectual Contribution of El Salvador’s Murdered Jesuits. John Hassett and Hugh Lacey, eds. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1991. Essays by Ellacuría, Martín-Baró and Montes with thorough bibliography.

Ignacio Ellacuría. Freedom Made Flesh: The Mission of Christ and His Church. Orbis, 1976.

Ignacio Martín-Baró. Writings for a Liberation Psychology. Adrianne Aron and Shawn Corne, eds. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1994.

Juan Ramón Moreno. Gospel and Mission: Spirituality and the Poor. Manila: Cardinal Bea Institute, Ateneo de Manila University, 1995.

Kevin F. Burke, The Ground Beneath the Cross: The Theology of Ignacio Ellacuria. (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, forthcoming, 2000).

The UCA

Charles J. Beirne, S.J. Jesuit Education and Social Change in ElGarland Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 5. New York and Salvador. London: Garland Publishing, 1996. History and educational philosophy of the UCA.

Dean Brackley, S.J. “Christian University and Liberation: The Challenge of the UCA.” Discovery (Jesuit International Ministries), Dec. 1992, pp. 1-17 (out of print); reprinted in British Journal of Theological Education 9/1 (Spring 1997). Educational philosophy of the UCA and its challenge for Christian education.

Luis Calero, S.J. “A Christian University at the Service of the Poor,” in Robert S. Pelton, C.S.C. From Power to Communion: Toward a New Way of Being Church Based on the Latin America Experience. (Notre Dame and London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1994), pp. 37-62.

“Good News from El Salvador, Fr. Jon Sobrino, S.J.” Reflections on the murder of six Jesuit priests and two women in San Salvador in November 1989. The address covers such issues as keeping the martyrs alive, touching the idols, being human and solidarity. Produced by CAFOD (England), Catholic Relief Services (USA), Trocaire (Ireland), etc.

Films and Videos

A Question of Conscience: The Murder of the Jesuit Priests in El Salvador. A film by Ilan Ziv. Icarus/Tamouz Production. First Run Features, 153 Waverly Pl., New York, NY 10014.

Killing Priests Is Good News. BBC, 1990. Features J. Sobrino, W. Ford and D. Brackley.

Enemies of War, a film by Esther Cassidy (1999), covers the legacy of the martyrs in El Salvador during the last 9 years.

Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean

Judith M. Noone, M.M. The Same Fate as the Poor: The Story of Maryknoll sisters Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Carla Priette. 2nd edn. Orbis, 1994.

Ana Carrigan. Salvador Witness: The Life and Calling of Jean Donovan. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.

Dorothy Chapon Kazel, Alleluia Woman: Sister Dorothy Kazel, O.S.U. Biographical essay by Dorothy Kazel’s niece.

Phyllis Zagano. Ita Ford: Missionary Martyr. New York: Paulist, 1996. Brief biography of Ita Ford.

Films and videos

Roses in December. The story of Jean Donovan by Ana Carrigan and Bernard Stone. Available from Maryknoll World Productions. Tel. 1-800-227-8523.

Sobrino and Ellacuría 

Kevin F. Burke and Robert Lassalle-Klein, eds., Love That Produces Hope: The Thought of Ignacio Ellacuria, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2006.

Jon Sobrino. A Spirituality of Liberation: Toward Political Holiness. Orbis,1988.

Jon Sobrino. Jesus Christ the Liberator. A Historical-Theological Reading of Jesus of Nazareth. Orbis, 1993.

Jon Sobrino. The Principle of Mercy. Taking the Crucified People from the Cross. Orbis, 1994.

Jon Sobrino and Ignacio Ellacuría, eds. Systematic Theology: Perspectives from Liberation Theology. Orbis, 1996. 

Jon Sobrino, Christ the Liberator: A View from the Victims. Orbis, 2001.

Jon Sobrino, Witnesses to the Kingdom: The Martyrs of El Salvador and the Crucified Peoples, Orbis, 2003.

Jon Sobrino, Where Is God? Earthquate, Terrorism, Barbarity and Hope, Orbis, 2004.

Jon Sobrino, No Salvation Outside the Poor: Prophetic-Utopian Essays, Orbis, 2008.

El Salvador and Central America

General Background, U.S. Involvement, Church of the Poor

Kevin Murray and Tom Barry. Inside El Salvador. Albuquerque, NM: Interhemispheric Relations, 1995. Probably the best current introduction to the country.

Anna L. Peterson. Martyrdom and the Politics of Religion: Progressive Catholicism in El Salvador’s Civil War. Binghampton: SUNY Press, 1997.

Scott Wright. Promised Land: Death and Life in El Salvador. Orbis, 1994. Stories of hope and tragedy among the poor during the war in El Salvador. Scott Wright et al., eds. El Salvador: A Spring Whose Waters Never Run Dry. Washington: EPICA, 1990.

Ann Butwell, Kathy Ogle, Scott Wright, eds., The Globalization of Hope: Central America,. EPICA’s 30th Anniversary Mexico and the Caribbean in the New Millenium Anthology: Vol. I (on the social reality of the region). Washington: EPICA,1998.

Ann Butwell, Kathy Ogle, Scott Wright, eds., We Make the Road by Walking: Central America,. EPICA’s 30th Anniversary Mexico and the Caribbean in the New Millenium Anthology: Vol. II (on religious reality in the region). Washington: EPICA, 1998.

Donna Whitson Brett and Edward T. Brett. Murdered in El Salvador: The Stories of Eleven U.S. Missionaries. Orbis, 1988.

María López Vigil. Don Lito of El Salvador. Orbis, 1990. Out of print. Outstanding testimony concerning Christian base communities and the church of the poor.

María López Vigil. Death and Life in Morazán: A Priest’s Testimony from a War Zone in El Salvador. Washington: EPICA, 1989.

Pablo Galdámez. Faith of a People: The Life of a Basic Christian Community in El Salvador, 1970 – 1980. Orbis, 1986. In the same spirit.

Renny Golden. The Hour of the Poor, The Hour of Women: Salvadoran Women  Speak. New York: Crossroad, 1992. Women and the church of the poor in El Salvador.

Renny Golden, The Hour of the Furnaces (Minneapolis: Mid-List Press, January 2000). A social history/poetry tribute to martyrs and peasants during the war years in El Salvador. (Mid-List toll free number: 1-888-543-1138.)

Pamela Hussey. Free from Fear: Women in El Salvador’s Church. London: CIIR, 1989.

Ricardo Falla. The Story of a Great Love. Washington: EPICA, 1998. A Jesuit priest tells of his life among the communities in resistence during the war in Guatemala.

Susan Classen. Vultures and Butterflies: Living the Contradictions. Scottdale, Pa./Waterloo, Ont.: Herald Press, 1992.

Daniel Santiago. The Harvest of Justice: The Church of El Salvador Ten Years After Romero. New York: Paulist, 1993.

Phillip Berryman. The Religious Roots of Rebellion: Christians in Central American Revolutions. Orbis, 1984.

Phillip Berryman. Stubborn Hope: Religion, Politics and Revolution in Central America. Orbis, 1994.

J. Guadalupe Carney. To Be a Revolutionary. An Autobiography. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984). Story of U.S. Jesuit missing in Honduras.

William Leogrande. America’s Backyard. U.S. Foreign Policy in Central America, 1970-1990.

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. War Against the Poor: Low-Intensity Conflict and Christian Faith. Orbis, 1989.

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. School of Assassins: The Case for Closing the School of the Americas and for Fundamentally Changing U.S. Foreign Policy. Orbis, 1997.

César Jerez, S.J., “Prophetic Possibilities for the Church in Central America,” 1987.

Terry Lynn Karl, “Death and Rebirth in El Salvador,” 1991.

Edward T. Brett, “The Pastoral Role of the Catholic Church in Latin America: The 16th Century and the 20th Century,” 1992.

Margaret E. Crahan, “Truth-Telling and Human Rights Accountability: The Case of El Salvador in Comparative Perspective,” 1993.

Anna L. Peterson, “Progressive Catholicism in El Salvador: During the Civil War and Today,” 1998.

Anna L. Peterson. Martyrdom and the Politics of Religion: Progressive  Catholicism in El Salvador’s Civil War. Binghampton: SUNY Press, 1997.

Mark Danner. The Massacre at El Mozote . 1994. Penetrating account of the war and the U.S. through the lens of the El Mozote massacre.

Thomas Sheehan. “Friendly Fascism: Business as Usual in America’s Backyard,” in Fascism’s Return: Scandal, Revision, and Ideology SinceRichard J. Golson, ed. (Lincoln, Nebraska, and London: 1980. University of Nebraska Press, 1998), pp. 260-300. Perhaps the most trenchant account available of U.S. complicity in state terror in El Salvador.

Films and videos

School of Assassins, narrated by Susan Sarandon, 1995 Academy Award Nominee. Available from Maryknoll World Productions.

“Massacre at El Mozote.” 60 Minutes documentary, ca. 1993.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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