Voice of the Voiceless: The Four Pastoral Letters and Other Statements

by Oscar Romero, Michael J. Walsh (Translator), Jon Sobrino (Introduction), Ignacio Martin-Baro (Introduction)

Overview

Like the prophets and like Jesus, Romero spoke the truth and paid the price. Like Jesus, he testified to the validity of his words by the quality of his deeds, and his testimony in word and deed was faithful until the moment when he offered his life for his people. Because the Archbishop's testimony was so evidently that of the just man of whom the Book of Wisdom speaks, because he was so clearly in the tradition of Jeremiah and Jesus, his words demand our attention: the words he spoke to his countrymen and the words he spoke to us as American citizens. In the complex, tragic, and violent struggle for justice in El Salvador, the Archbishop exemplified what the Latin American bishops at Puebla called a preferential option for the poor. As a pastor he spoke the truth to all in his society, but he spoke with and for the poor...The assassin's bullet will not silence the power of his words, or his witness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780883445259
Publisher:	Orbis Books
Publication date:	02/01/1985
Pages:	202
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

During his three years as archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero became known as a fearless defender of the poor and suffering. His work on behalf of the oppressed earned him the admiration and love of the peasants he served, a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, honorary degrees from abroad - and finally, an assassin's bullet on account of his outspokenness

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Anniversary Edition Michael E. Lee ix

Oscar Romero: Voice of the Downtrodden Ignacio Martín-Baró 1

A Theologian's View of Oscar Romero Jon Sobrino 25

First Pastoral Letter, The Easter Church 57

Second Pastoral Letter, The Church, the Body of Christ in History 69

Third Pastoral Letter, The Church and Popular Political Organizations 93

Fourth Pastoral Letter, The Church's Mission amid the National Crisis 125

Georgetown Address 177

Pastoral Message to the National Council of Churches 183

Louvain Address, The Political Dimension of the Faith from the Perspective of the Option for the Poor 193

Letter to President Carter 205

Last Homily of Archbishop Romero 209

Index 213