On Anniversary of Archbishop Romero’s Death, Bishops Call U.S. To Do More for Latin America

WASHINGTON—On the anniversary of the 1980 assassination of the Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, the chairmen of various committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reflected on the relevance of the Archbishop’s witness for today.“This week’s visit of President Obama to Archbishop Romero’s tomb reminds us of the Archbishop’s powerful legacy.He spoke with courage to political leaders to champion justice and peace, and we must do the same today,” said Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, of Albany, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace.

“Archbishop Romero defended the rights of poor and marginalized persons of his day,” remarked Archbishop José Gomez, of Los Angeles, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration. “Today, moved by his example, we urge the President and the Congress to reach out to those at the margins of our society by adopting comprehensive immigration reform.”

“We also call on our political leaders to address the root causes of migration by working to reduce poverty, promote educational and economic opportunities, and protect human rights,” Bishop Hubbard said. “These were causes for which Archbishop Romero was martyred, and they remain our causes today.”

Catholics contribute over $7 million every year to USCCB’s Collection for the Church in Latin America. “In El Salvador alone, we have funded Church-based projects totaling over $3 million since 2000,” said Archbishop Gomez, who also chairs of USCCB’s Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America. “The Church is committed to Latin America; we ask our government to do more for the people of the region.”

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Keywords:Latin America, El Salvador, Archbishop Oscar Romero, Bishop Howard Hubbard, Archbishop José Gomez, President Barack Obama, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB

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