The Politicization of Everything

With the recent beautification of Archbishop Oscar Romero I am saddened by the politicization and all the narrative spouting. Although his assassination was made use of and politicized from the start.

Proponent of Liberation Theology hijacked Romero for their own use, and many conservative Catholics took this to be the truth without looking further. A kind of “if they like him”, “We must oppose him” attitude. Oddly conservatives who think progressives are wrong about everything, didn’t believe they were wrong about Archbishop Romero. Even worse so many Catholic get suspicious about a bishop who talks about the poor and at times criticizes the excesses of capitalism. We certainly see this viewpoint in regard to Pope Francis who is suppose to be some kind of crypto-Communist.

I know from experience it is quite easy to fall into this suspicious mindset and to assume something untrue about now-Blessed Romero. So I was quite happy that during the year Al Kresta has been interviewing people on the Archbishop clearing away the confusion and setting the record straight.

As Rev. Robert A. Sirico, president and co-founder of the Acton Institute, wrote “Archbishop Romero was a man of deep prayer and spirituality, faithful to the church and non-ideological.”.

Although it was not only conservatives who failed to look further, but the same goes for progressives who assumed the Archbishop actually was a proponent of Liberation Theology. So recent headlines have followed this narrative being totally misinformed.

President Barack Obama, in a statement, hailed the church’s new direction under Francis. “I am grateful to Pope Francis for his leadership in reminding us of our obligation to help those most in need, and for his decision to beatify Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero,” he said. (source)

What most people don’t realize is that it was Pope Benedict XVI who removed the final hurdle in the 35-year process. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia told reporters that it was Benedict who “gave the green light.” Paglia says Benedict told him this Dec. 20, 2012 that the case has moved forward. It would seem ironic that the same man who wrote the CDF’s warning on aspects of Liberation Theology, would be involved in Archbishop Romero’s cause moving forward. Ironic only if the Archbishop actually was a proponent of this theology.

Really the aspect that might actually be a new direction is Romero being declared a martyr. I had questions about this myself since his assassination didn’t seem to fit the normal definition of a martyr for the faith. St. Kolbe and the St. Edith Stein were also different seemingly in the definition of martyr, but they were not the same a Romero’s case. Dr. Ed. Peters had a good post on the subject with his own questions. With time we will see what kind of precedent this sets.