Westminster Abbey: Solemn Evensong of Thanksgiving for Canonisation of St Oscar Romero

A Solemn Evensong of Thanksgiving for the Canonisation of St Oscar Romero was held at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 17 November 2018. A month ago, on 14th October 2018, at a ceremony in St Peter's Square in Rome, he was canonised as St Oscar Arnulfo Romero. His statue, which stands over the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey, (pictured on the right) was unveiled during the 1998 Lambeth Conference, one of ten 20th century martyrs honoured in this way.

The Abbey's service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, who gave the sermon. Jenny Bond, of Churches Together in England, read from a sermon preached by St Oscar Romero in April 1978.

'This is what the Church wants: to bother your conscience, to provoke a crisis in the times we are living in. A Church that doesn't stir up a crisis, a gospel that doesn't make us uncomfortable, a word of God that-to put it crudely-doesn't cause an allergic rash, a word of God that doesn't touch on the specific sins of the society in which it is spoken, what kind of gospel is that? Very beautiful, pious concerns, that won't bother anyone, are how many want the sermons to be. And those preachers who, so as not to bother anyone and so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not shed light on the reality they are living in, lack the courage of Peter to say to the mob, which still has the blood-stained hands that killed Christ, "You killed him!" Although he would also lose his life because of this accusation, he proclaimed it. It is the courageous gospel; it is the good news that came to take away the sins of the world.'

The Reverend Jane Sinclair, Canon-in-Residence, read Micah 6: 6-8. Christine Allen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Christian Aid, read Colossians 3: 12-17. Prayers were led by the Reverend Mark Birch, Minor Canon and Sacrist.

The service was sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey conducted by Peter Holder, Sub-Organist. The organ was played by Matthew Jorysz, Assistant Organist, and before the service by Alexander Hamilton, Organ Scholar.

One very striking piece was the anthem a Special Appeal by James MacMillan, commissioned by the Abbey in 2017 for a service to mark the centenary of the birth of Romero. The words of the anthem are based on a sermon Archbishop Romero gave, begging the army to stop the killing.

Read the Very Reverend Dr John Hall's sermon: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/36033