That is, “If I am killed, I will rise in the Salvadoran people.” Here are a few more resources on and quotes from Archbishop Oscar Romero who was killed by a u.s. funded and trained death squad 30 years ago today while celebrating Mass. My uncle has been serving as a priest in El Salvador since the early 1980s, and he has been looking forward to today’s celebrations. From a recent email from him: This will be a big “Sorrows... Read more
(August 15, 1917 – March 24, 1980) Here are some relevant quotes from Archbishop Oscar Romero, Voice of the Voiceless: The Four Pastoral Statements and Other Statements. trans. Michael J. Walsh (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000). Precisely for that reason our church says again that the object of its hope is linked inseparably with social justice, with a real improvement in the lot of the people of El Salvador, and especially an improvement in the lot of the impoverished, landless masses,... Read more
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook” ~William James, Principles of Psychology As Lent comes to a close and Holy Week begins, we are surrounded by noise — especially politics. Amidst this noise there is a great need for the voice of justice and truth. But there is a greater need for silence. After all, these are not two voices, but one in the same. (more…) Read more
The latest in our ongoing series (j/k). If you are like me, you have surely seen folks remarking that “Obamacare” eliminates the need for people to be “productive” members of society. This “productivity/non-productivity” nonsense is exactly the rhetoric that the right used in their hysteria about “death panels” and “rationing.” “Non-productive” members of society, they feared, would be left to die. Now they are protesting “Obamacare” because it won’t leave “non-productive” persons to die. Read more
One of the complaints against Nancy Pelosi on Friday is that she dared call in the name of a saint for a political point. This got many people upset. The Anchoress, in her apology for her error said it came out of her anger that a saint was being used for political gain. The problem is — the saints, even Jesus, have throughout the ages been referenced by all sides on all kinds of political debates. It’s nothing new. The... Read more
One of the things I have noted in the debate over health care is how Bart Stupak was used by a group of people, not because they cared for his views and desire for health care reform, but because they thought they could use him to stop such reform. They said they supported him. They said they had his back. It should be quite clear that they did no such thing. As soon as he decided he had the protections... Read more
At the end of the First Intercontinental Encounter in the Selva Lacandona, the Zapatistas said at one point, “We are not here to change the world, something that is very difficult, next to impossible. We are here to create a whole new world.” This looks very idealistic, romantic, not real, not pragmatic. Thinking time again with them about this, we have discovered that they are absolutely right and that this position is very realistic. To change the reality, it is... Read more
One task I have quietly taken on behind the scenes here at Vox Nova is acting as a sort of “copy editor” — correcting spelling and usage errors in the comments prior to approval by the moderators — things like “you’re/your,” “their/there/they’re” confusion, and so on. Along the same lines, I’m also correcting the incorrect usage “Democrat Party [Caucus/Congressman/Senator etc.]” for more or less the same reason: it is incorrect usage, and can be a distraction from discussion. Read more
We are coming near the end of Great Lent. Soon, we will once again liturgically place ourselves into the passion of Christ. We will find ourselves rejoicing in his glory as he enters into Jerusalem, and then we will mourn his painful and shameful death. It is in his powerlessness he showed his love. And it is in this powerlessness we are to find ourselves. For it is in this weakness, the weakness of the flesh, great things come about.... Read more
I’ve read too many variations of Stupak turned his back on us for me to allow some time for mourning and reasoning before I offer advice that will be disregarded again. Let’s get a few things straight. First, the pro-life movement turned its back on health care reform. Some like Thomas Peters at American Papist were honest that they could care less how the unborn fared because they weren’t supporting health care reform no matter what. That’s not fair. No,... Read more
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