St Oscar Romero – 24 Mar

Second of seven children born to Santo Romero and Guadaleupe de Jesus Galdamez. Ordained on 4 April 1942 in Rome, Italy. Parish priest of Anamoros, La Union, El Salvador in 1943. Secretary to the diocese of San Miguel, El Salvador in 1944. Auxiliary bishop of San Salvador, El Salvador and titular bishop of Tambeae on 25 April 1970. A conservative man and cleric by nature, he was at odds with many of the area priests who were opposed the repressive El Salvadorian government, and who were aligned with leftist ideologies. Bishop of Santiago de Maria, El Salvador on 15 October 1974. Archbishop of San Salvador on 3 February 1977. By this point Romero had come to realize that the ruling class had no concern for the condition of the rest of the population, and was determined to violently repress any opposition. He was out-spoken the cause of the poor and oppressed, and always within the confines of his vocation. Martyr.

St Romero was born on 15 August 1917 in Ciudad Bariros, San Miguel, El Salvador and was shot by a government-affiliated death squad on the morning of 24 March 1980 in the chapel of La Divina Providencia Hospital in San Salvador, El Salvador while celebrating Mass.

(catholicsaints.info)