Jesuit martyrs remembered
By Jesus Diaz
University President Michael Engh, S.J., presented the Saint Clare Medal, the university's highest award, to Jon Sobrino, S.J., as part of the special commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1989 killings of six Jesuit priests at the University of Central America.
Sobrino was awarded the honor during his lecture as part of the President Speaker Series. He was the only Jesuit to survive the assassinations the night of Nov. 16, 1989, by the government of El Salvador. The priests' cook and her daughter were also killed.
JoaquÃn López y López, S.J., Juan Ramón Moreno, S.J., Ignacio MartÃn-Baró, S.J., Arnando López, S.J., Ignacio EllacurÃa, S.J., Segundo Montes, S.J., Celina Ramos and Julia Elba Ramos were all killed in the massacre. They were perceived as threats to El Salvador's corrupt government during an intense civil war.
Sobrino was away from UCA at the time, doing social work in Thailand. Then-President Paul Locatelli, S.J., offered Sobrino shelter as he returned from Thailand and received the news of his Jesuit brothers' deaths.
According to Kevin Quinn, S.J., Santa Clara annually commemorates the martyrs' deaths with at least a special mass at the Mission Church.
Due to the significance of the 20th anniversary, the commemoration was extended to five events held in one week lasting from Nov. 1 to Nov. 5.
"We didn't just want to commemorate their death; we wanted to celebrate their lives and the legacy they left behind," said Paul Woolley, associate director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. "What we're expecting the students to get from this is first of all to understand what happened in El Salvador in 1989, to understand what happens when powerful people take control of a country when weak poor people are oppressed so much that they cannot take it anymore."
Events during the commemorative week included Sobrino's speech, Sunday's Eucharistic liturgies at Mission Church and Monday's prayer service at the same location.
Additionally, a panel discussion was held Tuesday in the Williman Room in Benson Memorial Center as an opportunity for students and faculty to speak about the importance of the martyrs' legacies in their lives and to reflect upon their experiences of visiting El Salvador.
The following day, faculty and staff met to discuss Santa Clara's status as a Jesuit University in contemporary times.
The faculty colloquium, moderated by Engh, took place in the Williman Room and featured a panel of theologians. Addressing students, Engh emphasized "the importance to study the reality in which the poor live."
"Above all, the commitment to justice should not be seen as something extra," said Executive Dean of Jesuit School of Theology Kevin Burke . "If it isn't there, we are not a university; we wouldn't be helping our students and our people."
The event was also attended by students.
"I thought the colloquium was very informative and gave me a lot to think about, especially since Santa Clara is a Jesuit university," said freshman Victoria Hall.
The colloquium was held the day before the final event -- Sobrino's lecture. During his speech, Sobrino spoke about what Santa Clara can learn from the martyrs. He encouraged Santa Clara to focus on following Jesus and partaking in the plights of the poor. He recognized the Ramos women as representative of the suffering of the Salvadoran poor.
"We can look to (the martyrs) to see how to be and what we should do," he said. "They performed miracles. They were faithful and compassionate to the end."
Sobrino's lecture was preceded by a performance by the Santa Clara Chamber Singers, who sang "Prayer of Liberation," a Spanish song. According to Quinn, Santa Clara had very strong connections with the UCA, because both are Jesuit universities.
Additionally Santa Clara Jesuits personally knew the assassinated Jesuits. Santa Clara also gave EllacurÃa an honorary degree in 1982, after he delivered the commencement address.
"The challenge of planning the events was having a solid sense of who the martyrs were and how their message lives today," said Event Planner and Campus Minister Matt Smith. "I am happy that Santa Clara committed itself to having such a comprehensive commemoration of the martyrs and I hope that the message that we heard last week continues to incubate itself in our lives."
Contact Jesus Diaz at jadiaz@scu.edu or (408) 554-4546.