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“The government should not consider a priest who takes a stand for social Justice, as a politician, or a subversive element, when he is fulfilling his mission in the politics of the common good”. – Oscar Roomer Oscar Roomer was not only a man of love, dignified faith, valor, and hope; he was a man of social Justice. Social Justice is the equal right for every member of society. Oscar knew he had to defend his people and if that meant dying, he was willing to do Oscar Roomer was one of the most famous archbishops in the world.
He became archbishop of Salvador in 1980, and knew right then he was going to make his people proud by doing whatever possible to gain back their social Justice. Roomer was a surprise in history. The poor never expected him to take their side and the elites of church and state felt betrayed. He was a compromise candidate elected to head the bishop’s episcopacy by conservative fellow bishops. He was a religious bookworm who was known to criticize the progressive liberation theology clergy so aligned with the impoverished farmers seeking land reform.
However, an event would take place thin three weeks of his election that would transform the frugal and timid Roomer. Roomer’s first leap of social Justice began when a both Priest, and friend died. On March 12, 1977, a young boy, an old man, and Ruttier Grandee (the Priest) were assassinated as they drove from Salaries to El Passing for evening Mass. When Archbishop Roomer arrived that night and saw the bloodstained body of his friend, tears flooded his eyes. In a flash, he realized Oratorio’s prophetic work for Justice and peace was right, that Ruttier, not himself had been faithful to the Gospel.
It was at that turning point that Roomer knew he had to be faithful to the Gospel and bring back social Justice to his people. He knew he had to stop hating the guerrillas and start loving them. Like the saying, “Don’t hate the sinner, hate the sin” that’s exactly what Roomer demonstrated. Roomer both lived and died one night in 1985. His nonviolent struggle for Justice for his people kept him going. His life message was a call to conversion, solidarity with the poor and a speaking of truth to power. He proclaimed life when the system round him demanded death.
He announced peace when the government and the guerrillas waged war. He exuded hope when despair ruled the day. Because of this magnitude of spirit, he lives on in every Christian who enters God’s nonviolent struggle for Justice. Oscar Roomer was not only a gift from God, but also a gift for millions. Without his love, compassion, strong faith, and drive for social Justice, there would be many more Watched the movie “Roomer” and wrote about the Social Justice in Roomer. By Nerdish exactly what he fought for.