Pope approves sainthood for slain Salvador Archbishop Romero

From Crux-

Pope Francis has cleared the way for slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero to be made a saint, declaring that a churchman who stood up for the poorest of the poor in the face of right-wing oppression should be a model for Catholics today.

The Vatican announced Wednesday, the previous day, during a meeting with the head of the Vatican’s saint-making office, Francis had approved a decree confirming a miracle attributed to Romero’s intercession. Also approved was the miracle attributed to Pope Paul VI, paving the way for his canonization as well.

No date has been set for either ceremony, which Francis would be expected to celebrate.

Romero was gunned down by right-wing death squads on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel. The country’s military dictatorship had vehemently opposed his preaching against the repression of the poor by the army at the start of the country’s 1980-1992 civil war.

Francis declared Romero a martyr in 2015.

More here-

https://cruxnow.com/ap/2018/03/07/pope-approves-sainthood-slain-salvador-archbishop-romero/

Pope lifts beatification ban on Salvadoran Oscar Romero

From The BBC-

For years, the Roman Catholic Church blocked the process because of concerns that he had Marxist ideas.

An outspoken critic of the military regime during El Salvador's bloody civil war, Archbishop Romero was shot dead while celebrating Mass in 1980.

Beatification, or declaring a person "blessed", is the necessary prelude to full sainthood.

The bishop was one of the main proponents of Liberation Theology - an interpretation of Christian faith through the perspective of the poor.

More here-

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-28845998