The Assassination Of Archbishop Romero

This vivid drama portrays the last three years in the life of the Salvadoran bishop, Oscar Romero. He became archbishop in 1977 and was assassinated while giving a mass on March 24, 1980, in San Salvador's Divine Providence Hospital Chapel. Through this inspiring work written by John Sacret Young, we witness the transformation of a modest Catholic as he is exposed to the violence and human suffering in his country. Romero begins his service as archbishop with the support of the rich and powerful Catholics of El Salvador's ruling class, including the wife of the Minister of Agriculture, towards the end of his life, and the film, he evolves into an outspoken advocate of the poor and oppressed peasants. The actor who plays the archbishop, Raul Julia puts in a terrific performance as this man of God who is inspired to take a stand by a

However, the movie did make an effective case for what made Archbishop Romero such an important heroic and figure. By refusing to support the corrupt government of El Salvador or the Marxist Rebels he made his religious beliefs and practices all the more revolutionary because he served no one's political interests, which was almost unheard of at the time. Time and again, the Archbishop celebrates the Eucharist in the face of terror, which indicating how faith can create strength through solidarity and be a basis of renewal. The best example of this heroic behavor is when Romero essentially signs his own death warrant when he makes a radio broadcast advising military conscripts to follow their conscience if ordered to terrorize the poor. Today, over 35 years after Romero’s assassination, and 25 years after the conclusion of a brutal civil war, the root causes of the conflict continue to be apparent in the same divisions that Romero denounced during his brief three years as archbishop due to “structural injustice, institutionalized violence, social