Reflecting on martyrs

MADISON  The life, ministry and death of Blessed Oscar Romeo of El Salvador — who was gunned down with a single bullet to the heart on March 24, 1980 while celebrating Mass — imitated the Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ in the liturgy that he was presiding over.

The late Archbishop of San Salvador poured out his life for God’s people, especially as the champion of the poor in his native Central American country — to the point of allowing himself to be offered up as a martyr.

So declared Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Vincent Martyr Parish here, who led the Stations of the Cross based on the teachings of Pope Francis on Feb. 23 in the church, followed by a reflection on Blessed Romero. Starting on Feb. 16, he has been praying the Stations of the Cross with parishioners on Fridays during Lent from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Then he delivers a short reflection on the Central American martyrs — including Blessed Romero — who the pastor said can assist Catholics on their journey through Lent. That’s because they mirrored Christ’s journey on the Way of the Cross in their own lives, ministries and deaths. The Stations of the Cross with the Central American martyrs will conclude on March 25, Msgr. Hundt said.

“Blessed Romero preached the preferential option for the poor. He decried all violence and took the path of the Gospel. Through the unrest [of his country’s civil war], he kept focused on the faith that God would triumph,” said Msgr. Hundt, who helped lead the faithful that evening in hymns between Stations of the Cross. “Today, we must continue Blessed Romeo’s work to bring justice and peace into the world and care for the poor.”

The Stations of the Cross at St. Vincent Martyr started on Feb. 16 with the Stations by St. John Paul II, who originally led them in 1979 in the Coliseum in Rome. It continues tomorrow night, March 2, with the Stations with Mary, the Mother of God, and reflection on the Lives of the four American women martyred in El Salvador. On March 9, Msgr. Hundt will pray the Way of the Cross with Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, who served as a Sister of Charity in nearby Convent Station, with a reflection on Blessed Stanley Rother. He will pray A Stewardship Way of the Cross with reflection on Bishop Juan José Gerardi on March 16. The Lenten observance will conclude on March 23 with Msgr. Hundt praying the Disciple's Way of the Cross, followed by his final thoughts, the priest said.

“These men and women martyrs gave their lives in faith and served the poor — a sacrifice of love. This is a spiritually-led journey,” said Msgr. Hundt, who was inspired to do the Stations of the Cross at St. Vincent’s this Lent with these reflections on martyrs, after participating in the 19th annual retreat to Central America from Jan. 15 to 26. It included visits to the shrines of Central American martyrs. “The Stations are a way for me to process the trip and share it with the folks.”

Sponsored by the Maryknoll Missionaries, the pilgrimage for bishops, priests, brothers and deacons took them to sites in El Salvador and Guatemala related to the lives, ministries and deaths of several Central American martyrs. Msgr. Hundt went to see the places where Blessed Romero, who used archdiocesan and personal resources to help the poor, ministered. When thousands of people began to go missing — victims of the country’s civil war, he called for justice on their behalf and promoted peace. Blessed Romero feared his assassination but, on a retreat, made his peace with it, when it came, during Mass. He was beatified as “blessed” on May 23, 2015. A stained-glass window dedicated to Oscar Romero graces the sacristy in the parish church, said Msgr. Hundt, who delivered his reflection that night in front of the altar next to a portrait of the martyr.

On the pilgrimage, Msgr. Hundt visited sites related to the four American women, who were martyred in El Salvador. On Dec. 2, 1980, five members of that country’s National Guard raped and murdered Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and lay missionary Jean Donovan. They had been involved in an international humanitarian aid mission, which the ruling regime suspected of fomenting political opposition. Msgr. Hundt said he visited the site where their bodies were found and a church stands today.

Msgr. Hundt also visited sites related to Blessed Rother, who served at a Guatemalan mission and the Tz’utujil people. During the country’s bloody civil war, government troops assassinated several of his parishioners near the farm where they lived. On July 28, 1981, three men shot and killed Blessed Rother in his rectory. He was beatified in Oklahoma City, his hometown, on Sept. 23, 2017.

The January pilgrimage included visits to locations related to Bishop Juan José Gerardi, a champion of human rights in Guatemala, who worked with its indigenous Mayan people. He belonged to the government’s National Reconciliation Commission to start accounting for abuses during the country’s civil war. The bishop also worked with the Recovery of Historical Memory Project, which the Church sponsored. Days after the release of its report on the victims of the war, he was beaten to death in his garage on April 26, 1998.

“We [the pilgrims] got to see where the martyrs lived and died in a real way — and spent their lives ministering to God’s people,” said Msgr. Hundt, who plans to give a presentation on the pilgrimage on Friday, March 16 with a slide show in St. Vincent’s pastoral center at 7:30 p.m. Bishop Emeritus Rodimer had joined the pilgrimage years ago and recommended that Msgr. Hundt participate in it.

One St. Vincent’s parishioner who joined the Feb. 23 Stations with Msgr. Hundt’s reflection on Blessed Romero was Jeanene DePalo, a cantor.

“I enjoyed it, because Msgr. George is a good speaker and told good stories about Blessed Oscar. I didn’t know anything about him. I’m intrigued to learn more about him,” DePalo said.