Voice of the Voiceless: The Four Pastoral Letters and Other Statements

by Oscar Romero

2020 is the 40th anniversary of the death of Archbishop (now St.) Oscar Romero. This volume includes his pastoral letters, his Georgetown Address, his Louvain Address on the political dimensions of the faith, his letter to President Carter, and his last homily. With reflections by Jon Sobrino and Ignacio Martín-Baró, and a new introduction by Michael E. Lee.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Spirituality

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1985

Reviews

[JD Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oscar Romero’s faith led him directly to action, advocacy, and death. Reading his process of transformation was sobering and good.

[Carmen Hartono · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Voice of the Voiceless’ features the Four Pastoral Letters given by Oscar Romero during his three-year service as the Archbishop of El Salvador, a small Central American nation named after the Savior of the world.

I first read this book in the 1980’s during the civil war in El Salvador to get a better understanding of the political and religious situation in my homeland. As a Roman Catholic, I was thrilled to reread this book thirty years later to only savor it from a theological perspective. Thirty years later I am still deeply affected by this holy man who gave his life for the people of El Salvador.

Beginning with his introductory Pastoral Letter on Easter Sunday, 1977, Romero’s understanding of the dignity of the human being is prophetic. His Second Letter celebrates the nation’s namesake on the Feast of the Transfiguration. He states that the Church of Our Savior is the Body of Christ within the history of transcendence and transformation to bring forth the kingdom of God. Constantly naming Vatican II and other documents, he sees Christ in every human being, especially the poor.

He sees the death of Pope Paul VI on the following titular feast (August 6, 1978) as another call for pastoral leadership for the transfiguration of humanity. In his Fourth Letter dated again on August 6, 1979, he reiterates the call for the Easter Church to liberate the human being from being used for commercial and political purposes. He echoes the then new Pope John Paul II’s call for evangelization through the truth about Christ, his Church, and humankind within the kingdom of God.

The book begins with introductory essays by Jon Sobrino and Ignacio Martin-Baró (both belong to the Society of Jesus), and ends with other statements by Romero, including his last homily being said when he was killed. His last words were about the holy mass he was about to celebrate:

“May this body immolated and this blood sacrificed for humans nourish us also, so that we may give our body and our blood to suffering and to pain—like Christ, not for self, but to bring about justice and peace for our people.”

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romero's spiritual embrace of the reality that he faced in El Salvador in the late 1970s is clearly evident in each of the documents contained in this book. It's relevance to the socio-political unrest and challenges facing both the Church and people of Latin America in the late 20th century is certain, but Romero's thoughtful and (usually) balanced approach, somehow managing to embrace Liberation Theology without becoming a Marxist - and remain faithful to the Catholic Church while simultaneously unleashing a torrent of valid criticism, is a striking example of adhering to a moral and ethical foundation in the face of persecution, criticism, and eventual martyrdom - that could be a useful guide for those trying to determine how to appropriately and effectively deal with the challenges facing the world (and the West) in the early 20th century.

[enlam]

I was looking for a little hope to be found in the dark (timestamp: early 2025, America, ICE raids, Palestinian genocide, bombing of Iran, Christian nationalism, Big Ugly Bill, LA protest police violence, to name a few. Watching war crime upon war crime unfold), and this book delivered. Romero is such an important voice for Christian love and presence IN the world that we live in. While I struggle deeply with the concept of institutionalized religion, and thus with some of Romero's points on it, I can absolutely say that unless religion leads us to action like Romero's, that religion is directly harming society. And it is ABSOLUTELY not Christian.

Faith, with action, like Romero's, is the only way I can believe your Bible.

[Marlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to read books on archbishop romero. For me he is a guide formy future....

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

these letters are the very words that caused the salvadoran government to execute archbishop romero. he spoke out on poverty and injustice every day of his life. he did not mince words. very powerful testament to the bravery and search for justice of a humble priest.