Liverpool's new Parish honours legacy of Saint Oscar Romero

Fr Curran who leads the new parish

On 29th November 2020 the new Parish of Saint Oscar Romero in the Archdiocese of Liverpool was officially announced to honour the late Central American Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, by combining the previous parishes of Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Thomas of Canterbury and St Edmund of Canterbury.

On hearing the news of the new Parish name, The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development - CAFOD in Liverpool, reached out to parish priest Fr Dominic Curran and his parishioners with their delight and congratulations on choosing Saint Oscar Romero as their Patron.

Siobhan Farnell, CAFOD Community Participation Coordinator said: "we are so thrilled to hear Liverpool Archdiocese has a Parish of St Oscar Romero. CAFOD has a long history of working with Archbishop Romero and promoting his legacy.

In the 1970s, CAFOD supported Romero's famous radio broadcasts, which - at a time when the press was heavily censored - were often the only means by which people in El Salvador knew the truth about the atrocities occurring in their country.

When Romero's radio station was blown up, CAFOD provided funding to rebuild it. CAFOD continues to work in El Salvador, helping farmers to improve their crops, assisting communities in reducing the risk of disasters, supporting people living with HIV, building peace, defending human rights and trying to create a more just society."

Speaking on why the new Parish name is so significant to CAFOD, Siobhan explains: "The people of Seaforth and Waterloo have a long history of supporting CAFOD and it is the only parish in the country where there is a charity shop that solely supports the work of CAFOD. It was our pleasure to gift two Romero Crosses to the new Parish."

Oscar Romero was Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador in Central America. He lived at a time of terrible oppression and violence, when many people in the church were targeted for speaking out against injustice.

After years of persecution and threats Romero was assassinated on 24 March 1980.

He is remembered for his courage, his faith and, above all, his great love for the poor. "Many", he said, "would like the poor to keep on saying it is God's will for them to live that way. But it is not God's will for some to have everything and others to have nothing. That cannot be of God."

Oscar Romero's memory is a source of strength and encouragement for millions of people throughout the world. He was made a saint on 14th October 2018.

Fr Dominic shared with his parishioners this message "Oscar Romero was a true successor to the Apostles, following in the footsteps of so many faithful, brave preachers of truth, such as Saints Edmund and Thomas of Canterbury. As such the Patronage of Saint Oscar Romero will enrich and challenge our community to serve God's Mission in our communities of Seaforth and Waterloo".

Local parishioner and manager of the CAFOD Support shop in St John's Road in Waterloo, Annette Bolger shares what she thinks of the new Parish name, "I think the new name of the Parish of Saint Oscar Romero is brilliant because he was such a caring man and I hope it inspires the parishioners to follow his example."