tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post2308526656659839264..comments2024-03-28T11:30:20.005-05:00Comments on El Salvador Perspectives: Pope Francis and El Salvador's bishopsTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452039674856298357noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-72218203098669576602014-10-06T18:42:10.814-05:002014-10-06T18:42:10.814-05:00If the suggestion is that "the beatification ...If the suggestion is that "the beatification of Monsignor Romero will be like a bucket of cold water" for the BISHOPS, I would say that claim is outdated. There certainly was a time when some of the bishops saw Romero "as a sympathizer of the political left." Certainly during Romero's life, all the bishops except his auxiliary (and later successor) Rivera y Damas opposed him. In subsequent years, divisions remained and it wasn't until fairly recently that there was unanimous, unqualified support for Romero's beatication among El Salvador's bishops. But unanimity is here and we have to look at some recent evidence to understand whether it is shallow or heartfelt. A couple of years ago, the bishops got together and drafted a letter that THEY ALL SIGNED and sent to the Vatican expressing their unanimous support for Romero's beatification. This was intended as a conspicuous declaration that, "look, we got it together and we are in agreement now." But, later a canon law (internal Church law) expert advised them that because of a technicality, the letter would likely have no legal effect on Romero's canonization (they had sent it to the wrong Vatican department). In response to this information, not only did the bishops redo the letter, but they designated a delegation among them to personally hand-deliver the letter and deliver it turn it in to the Pope himself. The story about Church intrigue and division is always sexy, and there certainly have been real tensions, but sometimes these conflicts are exaggerated (as the supposed confrontation between Romero and John Paul, which proves to be over-hyped upon closer examination, will illustrate).Carlos X.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16580093848691478319noreply@blogger.com