Blessed Oscar Romero Novena

Archbishop Oscar Romero

Source: Westminster Ad Clerum

A Novena of Intercession to soon-to-be St Oscar Romero, and of thanksgiving for his canonisation on 14 October in St Peter's in Rome, will take place at St Ignatius Church, Stamford Hill. On Friday 5 October Bishop John Sherrington will celebrate Mass at 6.30pm. and preach at a special Romero Holy Hour to follow. During this liturgy a new painting of Oscar Romero and Fr Rutilio Grande will be unveiled, blessed and installed.

The Romero Novena begins that evening with prayers and brief reflections at every Mass, and will continue until the Vigil of the canonisation, Saturday 13 October, with Mass at 7.00pm, at which Bishop Paul MacAleenan will preside and preach. A sculpted bust of Romero will be unveiled, blessed and installed in the church. Following both the opening and Vigil events, there will be refreshments and a chance for informal conversation in the Old Refectory. All are most welcome to attend.

Oscar Romero was Archbishop of San Salvador. He was assassinated on Monday 24 March 1980 as he was celebrating Mass in the chapel of the Divine Providence cancer hospital where he lived. Thirty five years later, he was declared a martyr of the Church, killed out of hatred of the faith, and was beatified on 23 May 2015.

Rutilio Grande was assassinated on 12 March 1977 together with his sacristan, Manuel Solorzano, and young assistant Nelson Lemus. They were shot by a death squad as they drove from Aguilares to celebrate Mass in the village of El Paisnal. The killings occurred less than three weeks after Oscar Romero was named Archbishop of San Salvador. As a Jesuit priest Rutilio had served, ten years earlier, on the staff of the seminary in San Salvador where Oscar Romero came to live - and they became friends. Rutilio preached and spoke with passion and clarity about the injustices suffered by the rural population and he stood with them as they organised to seek land reform and social development. Romero determined to follow the same path taking the side of the poor and exploited that Rutilio had pioneered - and it put Romero on the road to his own Calvary three years later.

Archbishop Romero Trust: www.romerotrust.org.uk/