1
but rather it wishes - with great simplicity - to tell on the one hand
SAINT ÓSCAR - IN THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
Gian Luca Bianco - José Baires - German León
TITLE ORIGINAL
Monsignor Óscar A. Romero - His diary - From
Friday, March 31, 1978 to Thursday, March 20,
1980 - Óscar A. Romero
The undersigned Chancellor of the Archbishopric of San Salvador, STATES
THAT: (a) he has compared the hearing of the 30 original cassettes that
contain the diary of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero recorded by himself,
with the reading of the writing taken from the diary, prepared for its
publication, (b) that both documents fully agree with each other.
In witness whereof he signs and seals this document.
Given in San Salvador, on the tenth day of the month of October of the year
one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine.
Priest Rafael Urrutia
Chancellor
Legal Page
ORIGINAL TITLE
Monsignor Óscar A. Romero. Your diary
From Friday, March 31, 1978 to Thursday, March 20, 1980
Óscar A. Romero
The undersigned Chancellor of the Archbishopric of San Salvador, STATES
THAT: (a) he has compared the hearing of the 30 original cassettes that
contain the diary of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero recorded by himself,
with the reading of the writing taken from the diary, prepared for its
publication, (b) that both documents fully agree with each other.
In witness whereof he signs and seals this document.
Given in San Salvador, on the tenth day of the month of October of the year
one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine
Priest Rafael Urrutia
Chancellor
*Pending clarification of the owners of the intellectual property, for example,
relatives, siblings, or any specific instructions from Monseñor Romero.
Dedication
The figure of this man attracts because in his solitude he is hooked on the
Word of God and does not avoid what was necessary to do at that moment.
Every human being who witnesses a war, witnesses the violation of human
rights, cannot allow themselves to be ideological, there is no right and left.
There are rights of every human being. Therefore, every man of spirit,
witness of God, can exhort dialogue, peace, coexistence, that coexistence
that gives us all the same rights and duties, recognizing life as the greatest
absolute value to defend it from any form through words, through dialogue:
extraordinary and powerful means.
He
Man understands that the highest vocation is his intimacy with God,
and that, in the heart of every man, there is like a small intimate cell,
where God comes down to talk alone with man.
And it is there where man defines, decides, his own destiny, his own role in
the world.
The world, history, will not be built without us.
The right that each man has to participate in the construction of his own
common good.
- Gian Luca Bianco
Preliminary Note
Our trip does not intend to investigate the dynamics of the murder, already
recounted many times and an object of processes to define responsibilities,
Archbishop Romero, his public figure, describing a humble Pastor of the
Church , a Servant of God, the Archbishop so firm in his decisions and
determined in his homilies that he ends up becoming the hope of a people,
crossing the borders of the Central American nation and becoming – also
through the foreign media – a hero , a symbol, a martyr of the Church,
murdered during the Mass in the celebration of the Eucharist. On the other
hand, the man Romero, tormented by doubts, peaceful, shy, sometimes
indecisive, who finds himself in the place and time that made history. A man,
a Priest who defended the Church and its People at a historical moment in
which El Salvador seemed to have become a workshop for future upheavals
that would encompass all of South America. The clash between Marxism and
Christianity, between conservative oligarchy of fascist origin and the revolt of
the people of Marxist creed.
Introduction
What is the best, sharpest, piercing, hurtful, eloquent weapon that can reach
truth and knowledge and spread it?
The word is surely the most powerful and extraordinary weapon that nature
has given to man, being the most prominent species on this planet. It is
precisely because of their ability to think and communicate through words
and writing that human beings have stood out and elevated themselves
among the other animal species on our planet.
With this simple opinion about the art of rhetoric, knowledge and knowledge
begins our journey to the discovery of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero, a
gentle, shy and insecure man who became the Archbishop of San Salvador
with an energetic, confident, tireless and powerful against military repression
in his country.
Why does Monsignor Romero continue to be - even today - a symbol of
struggle, martyrdom and salvation?
The reasons are many, but one stands out among all: his extraordinary
oratory, his rhetorical virtue through which he managed to reach all his
people: the peasants and the oligarchs, the children and the merchants, the
military and the faithful of the Church. , the humble and the academics, in
short, his homilies, his words reached all social strata and were hope for the
poorest, and a threat for the powerful.
“Our Church has to commit
without fear with specific situations,
historical, political now, with such
to always be Church and gospel of
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith in God commits man
with history.”
Year 1978
CHAPTER 1 Year 1978
DIARY from March 31 to April 12, 1978
FRIDAY, March 31, 1978
The most important meeting of this day was the one held with lawyers and
law students summoned to propose the difficulties that the Church
encounters when asked for legal help in so many human rights violations.
We have a small office that operates at the Externado San José under the
name of Legal Aid, but it is powerless for so many cases that come in different
orders. And at the same time it was suggested that they organize themselves
permanently as an honest team of lawyers and law students to whom the
Church could turn for legal consultation.
The invitation was received with real enthusiasm because nearly twenty
people arrived, including lawyers and law students. If you want to have the
name, you can ask the doctor or bachelor Roberto Cuéllar, from the Legal Aid,
he has the list of the people invited and who attended.

Among the specific things that were enthusiastically proposed was to request
amnesty for those who have been captured due to the events of San Pedro
Perulapán. And next week a petition along these lines will be presented to
the Assembly, asking for amnesty. The idea of ​providing help to the Legal Aid
was also accepted and the Legal Aid was tasked with collecting the cases in
need and sending them to the lawyers present who offered to provide this
help in their own offices, as long as they were dealing with ordinary things
and also attend , when necessary, to a corporate job. The idea of ​organizing
as an association of lawyers was also proposed, to which others who were
not invited or from other parties could register, in order to create an advisory
body as the Church had requested in its legal difficulties. It was also
suggested that they meet periodically to discuss these matters. I thanked
them and expressed my satisfaction for the welcome they gave to the call and
for the good will they have shown as lawyers of Christian conscience.
SATURDAY, April 1, 1978
Like every first of the month, I preached the Holy Hour and celebrated the
Holy Mass at the Hospital of Divine Providence. After the mass there was an
audience that had been requested by the Confederation of Schools of the
Archdiocese, the director of the Colegio de la Asunción, Sor Inés, and the
Colegio del Sagrado Corazón, Madre Nelly Rodríguez.
They informed me that they had been meeting the day before and that same
Saturday to see the possibility of demonstrating in solidarity with the
peasants of San Pedro Perulapán and also in solidarity with the appeals made
by the Archbishopric asking for truthful information and other things in favor
of the peasants of that place.
I expressed my difficulties to them, above all, that they were going to confuse
this manifestation of Christian, evangelical solidarity with the strike that the
ANDES Teachers Association is also promoting for those same days and that
the Schools were not going to be manipulated by ANDES. Catholics. They told
me that they had considered this risk and that there were also difficulties
within the Confederation because not everyone agreed. I told them that I left
it to their discretion and that I would appreciate it if they did not involve my
name in this discussion.
Afterwards they went to meet again that night and I did not know, that same
day, what the results of their deliberations were.
SUNDAY, April 2, 1978
At eight, as usual, I celebrated Holy Mass in the Cathedral, always packed
with faithful who come from the park across the street. I read, with small
comments, the statement from the Archbishopric that refers to the events in
San Pedro Perulapán and that can be read in its entirety in the archive.
And the main core of my thinking was around the biblical readings with this
theme: "The risen Christ lives and lives in his community of Christians on this
earth."
I explained the characteristics of the resurrected Christ as Saint Thomas
confessed: Lord and God, messenger and architect of the redemption of men;
His greeting of peace is the synthesis of that gift that the Father sent us in
Christ, salvation. I also presented him, the Risen Lord, as the object of our
hopes in the pilgrim Church, longing for the encounter with that Christ who is
to return. And in my second thought I explained the characteristics of this
Christian community that carries the spirit of Christ in the world. The gospel
tells us how the resurrected Christ sent the Church, just as the Father had
sent him; and that, breathing on the new Church, like God in paradise on
Adam's clay, inspired in it the new life that the Church has to bring to the
world: "receive the Holy Spirit." The characteristics of the community are in
the first reading of the Acts of the Apostles where the book says that that
multitude led a common life, it was a community where prayer abounded,
they met in the breaking of bread and lived the great hope. These were, then,
the ideas of what the Church should be, the community that follows Christ
and that is the presence of Christ in this world, the saving mission of Christ. A
community of life that is growing and is a community where life finds
salvation. This is what the book of Acts says: "...there was an increase on the
part of those who were to be saved." Community of life also manifested its
communion by mutually participating in the goods of God, even natural
goods were put at the service of all. Community of life due to its good
reputation that grew, with an authority that was the apostles. But, secondly,
it was primarily a community of faith, and this is what distinguishes the
Church society from any other society or human group or organization. I drew
2
a lot of attention to this so as not to confuse the Church with other
organizations and attribute to it the false slanders that are now being
attributed to it as the author of violence. I told them that this community in
faith and in the Spirit had to be a community in obedience to the doctrine of
the apostles, a community of prayer and a community that is nourished with
sacramental signs; and finally, an eschatological community that lives,
therefore, the hope of a hereafter.
At three in the afternoon I attended the invitation that the Salesian sisters
had given me at the María Auxiliadora School, where they have their festive
oratory for girls. A confirmation of young people had been prepared and the
mass was very beautiful. The singing vibrated with a unique enthusiasm. At
the time of the gospel I explained that breath of Jesus to the community: it
was the Spirit of God that was given to those who believed in Jesus Christ. I
explained the confirmation, the meaning, the ritual. And I administered to
them this sacrament of the Holy Spirit. There were about forty young women
prepared for this afternoon with the sacrament of confirmation.
At night, at half past six, in Colonia Miramonte, in the parish Church of the
Resurrection - it is the patron saint's day of this Parish that bears the title of
the Resurrection of the Lord - the parish community attended in large
numbers, filling the Church ; The Augustinian Fathers and other Fathers from
the vicariate of that area of ​the city, concelebrated the Holy Mass.
I preached the Gospel, I alluded to the empty tomb of the risen Jesus Christ
and the closed tomb of Father Alfonso Navarro who last year, precisely on
this feast, had shown all his enthusiasm as a parish priest with a Parish that is
a testimony of the Resurrection of Christ. His closed tomb, after having
murdered him, one of the two priests who fell dead from bullets last year.
That closed tomb could mean a failure of the redemption and resurrection of
Christ and, however, it was the sign of hope; Our dead must be resurrected
and the tombs of our dead, which today are sealed with the triumph of
death, will one day also be like Christ's: empty tombs. The empty tomb of
Christ is an evocation of the definitive triumph, of the consummated
redemption. Meanwhile, we must fight, we must work so that the message of
that empty tomb of Christ illuminates with hope all our work on earth until
the consummation of the Lord's redemption.
After the mass, the parish community of Miramonte had prepared a snack in
which everyone who was at mass participated. A beautiful experience of
family sense of the Parish. The Augustinian Fathers who preside over this
Parish are worthy of praise because they have worked with enthusiasm and
continue to work towards a model parish community.
MONDAY, April 3, 1978
The Episcopal Conference of El Salvador called an emergency meeting. My
first attempt was not to attend, since the invitation only arrived on Monday
morning. However, advised, I attended because the topic of the priests' letter
to the Nuncio would be discussed, and I could, thus, present, give an opinion
that defended the priests.
Indeed, I arrived at the meeting and saw that everything was prepared.
Monsignor Rivera's telegram announcing his absence due to a meeting in
Guatemala and asking that it be waited, since the issue needed the full
meeting of bishops, was not attended to, despite the fact that I supported
this request from Monsignor Rivera.
With four bishops voting, naturally, against my vote alone, the meeting was
held. I also claimed that the document they were referring to had already
been worked on. They told me that a basic document was always presented,
but I saw that this was not just a basic document, since it was not discussed,
but that it was already beginning to be signed, despite me stating my reasons
against it.
My reasons were these: the priests have addressed a letter to the Nuncio;
What corresponds here is for the Nuncio to invite the priests to dialogue.
Another reason is that, in the document of the bishops against the priests, it
is accused of an offense against the Holy See. I distinguished between the
Holy See, mainly the figure of the Pope with whom these priests feel united
by faith, and the figure of the Nuncio who represents the Pope and who does
not always represent him clearly. For this purpose, I evoked several things
that here and in Guatemala have made the Nuncio an undesirable figure.
Another reason is that the priests' document itself had to be analyzed, in
which we should not only look at the wording or inappropriate expressions,
but at the facts of which they accuse the Nuncio, as little Christian testimony.
That priests should not be accused without hearing them, that it seemed to
me that publishing this document was fomenting a division among the
bishops, since I was not willing to sign.

Despite all these reasons, the document was already being passed for the
four bishops to sign: Monsignor Aparicio, president of the Conference;
Monsignor Barrera, bishop of Santa Ana; Monsignor Álvarez, bishop of San
Miguel and Monsignor Revelo, auxiliary of San Salvador.
The document was approved and I was the subject of many false accusations
from the bishops. I was told that I had a subversive, violent preaching; that
my priests provoked an atmosphere of violence among the peasants and that
we should not complain about the abuses that the authorities were doing.
The Archdiocese was accused of interfering in other dioceses, causing division
among priests and pastoral unrest in other dioceses. The Archbishopric was
accused of sowing confusion in the Seminary and that it was urgent for the
Archbishopric of San Salvador to leave the San José de la Montaña building.
And another series of slanderous and false accusations to which I preferred
not to answer.
It has been a day made bitter by this circumstance and regretting that the
division in the episcopate increases with this step, which seemed unwise to
me.
TUESDAY, April 4, 1978
Personally, this and thanking God because this day I celebrate thirty-six years
of having been ordained a priest in Rome.
The clergy meeting was held. The topic of study was "Basic communities." It
was presented by Father Jesús Delgado, directing it to the consultation of the
Latin American Episcopal Congregation of Puebla for next October.
The second part was the exhibition, the information on the events of Holy
Week and Easter in San Pedro Perulapán and in other regions of our
Archdiocese, where government repression has had many things that have
violated the tranquility of those cantons and the dignity from the human
rights.
For our part, we have published a statement commenting on this situation
and expressing solidarity with the people who suffer.
Some parish priests brought catechists, peasants who have lived through
these tragic hours of a terribly bloody and repressive Holy Week.
It was approved to send on behalf of all the clergy and all the nuns present a
vote of solidarity with the Archbishop to Rome in opposition to the document
of the bishops who offended the archbishop of San Salvador in their meeting
and have disqualified him with their pronouncement that has to be
published. In the afternoon, interview with a Swedish journalist and dialogue
with Father Jesús Delgado, about many topics of the episcopate and the
Archdiocese.
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1978
Like every Wednesday we had a study breakfast with representatives of the
Presbyteral Senate and members of the Justice and Peace Commission.
Today's consultation dealt mainly with the publication of the bishops in
adhesion to the Nuncio Monsignor Gerada, for a letter that some priests and
nuns addressed to him, making him see a Christian anti-witness that they see
in his actions. The bishops, in the publication, show solidarity with the Nuncio
and slightly offend the priests. In the consultation I explained my opinion
regarding respect to the bishops, which is why I did not sign that statement.
My reasons were these: firstly, because the meeting on Monday, April 3,
urgently called by the conference, did not seem correct to me, Monsignor
Rivera, bishop of Santiago de María, was not present, and despite the fact
that in his telegram he requested that he be wait, they did not want to attend
to it, but rather a vote was taken against that request. For my part, I agreed
with Monsignor Rivera's request and gave my vote in his favor. But since the
remaining four wanted the meeting, my vote was very small compared to the
four of them who were Monsignor Aparicio, Monsignor Barrera, Monsignor
Álvarez and Monsignor Revelo. Secondly, I asked that you discuss the
convenience, the opportunity, of publishing in these moments so prone to
division a statement that would further divide the opinion of our Church and
that would make the bishops look very bad in the environment. Monsignor
Revelo said, he replied, that he did not care about the environment, but
rather the fulfillment of his duty. Another reason of mine was that before
making a statement against the priests it seemed fair to hear them in
dialogue and, if possible, have the Nuncio also present so that things would
be clarified first and perhaps it would not be necessary to continue further.
Another reason of mine was that a dispassionate analysis of the letter from
the priests and nuns to the Nuncio, perhaps I would not find it so worthy of
3
this condemnation, since it was necessary to analyze the facts to which that
letter refers, facts that more They invite the Nuncio to reflect in order to give
a more Christian testimony and specifically I was referring to those events,
mainly the case of having supported Father Esquivel knowing that he was
against the opinion and pastoral line of his bishop.
Monsignor Aparicio took advantage of this occasion to say that what I was
defending in the priests against the Nuncio was the same thing that I was
doing with the dioceses of El Salvador, that my preaching was violent,
subversive, that I was dividing the clergy and the dioceses, that The priests
already looked more towards the Archdiocese than to their own bishops. And
I don't remember how many more accusations that my brothers Monsignor
Barrera, who also called my preaching violent, adhered to; Monsignor Álvarez
who took the opportunity to vent his disagreement with me and the
strangest thing, Monsignor Revelo, recently appointed my assistant, also took
the opportunity to express his disagreement with my line, telling me that I
was not infallible when I explained that my line was precisely the one they
drew. the documents of the Council, documents of the recent encyclicals of
the popes and of Medellín. According to Monsignor Revelo, I could make
mistakes in the application of those documents and, therefore, there was no
obligation to agree with this line. I preferred to remain silent for the rest of
the meeting, since the document that was published was only read once and
no clarification was requested, but rather it was signed under this passion,
which confirmed my words that I said at the beginning: "Everything is already
"They bring it cooked."
The consultants at breakfast this morning later gave their opinion and
preferred that no clarification be made on my part, that the lack of my
signature among the other signatures of the bishops was sufficient testimony
and that everyone understood that the published letter of the bishops in
favor of the Nuncio, rather it aroused curiosity about the letter that many did
not know and that would force them to see what the clergy thinks of the
Nuncio, and also that the letter itself is very poorly written, it even alludes
here to personal accusations of the priests who are not relevant and that the
same letter rather contributes to defaming the Nuncio and the hierarchy
itself. "It is a shame," they said, "that this is going to contribute to further
dividing Catholics as they are already divided, but accentuating their division
even more." And if I wanted to make any clarification, it would rather be to
write to the Episcopal Conference with a copy to the Nuncio and the Holy See
about the reason why I did not sign and explain there the description I made
of how this procedure was carried out.
The same will be asked of Monsignor Rivera, to write another letter
expressing his disagreement with the meeting in which it was agreed to
address this letter of support to the Nuncio.
After the meeting, this morning at nine, I was at the San José day school in
the Department of Legal Aid, where several lawyers and law students were
gathered to sign the amnesty request, which they then took to the Legislative
Assembly in favor of the men and women prosecuted on the occasion of the
events of San Pedro Perulapán.
I was very pleased that on this occasion lawyers and law students
strengthened their desire to remain united, to meet frequently, to study legal
matters together and to support the needs of our people, mainly the poor.
Specifically, they promised to study and analyze the Public Order Law, and
prove its unconstitutionality. They will meet next Monday at seven at night in
the same location to agree from then on on the frequency of their meetings
and the manner of their work.
Later in the Archbishopric there have been a series of very interesting
audiences such as that of the Ricaldone missionary group in which several
students from said Salesian institute and students from the Colegio de la
Asunción are incorporated.
Mother Lidia Valle, who today is vicar of the congregation of Oblates to
Divine Love, also arrived and told me several problems of the same
congregation.
Another interview was with engineer Galván who collaborates exemplarily in
the organization of the diocesan Curia. He expressed to me several unedifying
circumstances of the Caritas Commission, which we will have to look at more
carefully, as well as some projects regarding the social communication of the
Archbishopric. It seems that our programRadio YSAX It is quite widespread,
but not enough to saturate this atmosphere that is spreading against the
Church; According to him, we must insist on small programs, spots,
frequently during the day so that they penetrate those environments that do
not expressly listen to the long programs and that have an erroneous idea,
adverse to our Holy Church.

This day the letter appeared in the newspapers that the bishops, Monsignors
Aparicio, Barrera, Álvarez and Revelo; They address the Nuncio protesting
against the priests who wrote to the Nuncio demanding a more evangelical
position. The published letter has produced a very unpleasant atmosphere
against the bishops since it is considered an imprudent manifestation of
disunity, since that letter is not signed by Monsignor Rivera who was not at
the meeting, nor by me who did not agree with that publication as of custom,
also this Wednesday I conducted, through the radio, the interview that dealt
mainly with the events of San Pedro Perulapán and with some questions
asked by listeners ofRadio YSAX.
THURSDAY, April 6, 1978
After breakfast I left with Father Leopoldo Deras for San Juan Opico where I
gave possession of the Parish to Father Jorge Salinas who was in Tacachico.
He will now have to manage the parishes of Opico and Tacachico. After the
inauguration mass we had an interesting meeting with the catechists,
celebrators of the Word and other collaborators of parish life in that fervent
Parish of San Juan Opico. Personally, I felt a special emotion when I found
myself in the hometown of my bishop Monsignor Juan Antonio Dueñas y
Argumedo and my brother in the priesthood, great friend and companion,
Monsignor Rafael Valladares, who died as auxiliary bishop of San Salvador.
Afterwards we went to San Rafael Cedros where Father Deras had an
immense number of people gathered from the entrance to the Church. I
celebrated the confirmation of about forty children in the Church, a
ceremony that took place within the mass and in which all of us who
attended renewed our confirmed commitments.
I also interviewed the groups of base ecclesial communities and the sewing
academy, which there in San Rafael Cedros is producing many fruits.
And in the afternoon, after San Rafael Cedros, we went to Santiago de María
where I talked with Monsignor Rivera, above all, about the unpleasant
incident of the publication of the bishops' letter to the Nuncio. This and other
issues that concern us a lot as pastors in this atmosphere of disunity in the
Episcopal Conference, led us to share almost an hour of conversation and
then he invited us to dinner and I returned late at night. To make matters
worse, a tire went down the road and we arrived at my residence around
eleven at night.
FRIDAY, April 7, 1978
Among the many visitors who came to the Archbishopric, I want to highlight
that of the Pauline Fathers, who are gathered from all the houses of Central
America, to express their solidarity and offer me their prayers in this very
difficult service of the Archdiocese.
Also a group of students, with a teacher, who had recorders to interview me
on various points in reference to the situation of the Church in the country
and its mission in our midst. The young women were very interested in
questions that are of concern to many Salvadorans today. With the grace of
God, I believe I responded and was able to leave the message of the Church
to that youth group.
Lunch was at Don Pepe Simán's, where an English gentleman, Mr. Julián, was
also there, who brought a letter and a special greeting from the Cardinal of
England, showing me a very pastoral, very affectionate solidarity that has
been a very encouraging word for me. I returned to the Cardinal of England a
fraternal hug, a thank you and a promise to write to him very soon. It was
offered to me that in June, possibly, they could have the opportunity to go
speak to England and tour other countries in Europe presenting the situation
of our Church. The conversation with this Catholic who has traveled through
many countries in Latin America and who knows all our problems gave me a
lot of encouragement, a lot of guidance, because, just as my situation is very
difficult in El Salvador, he told me that there were bishops in various
countries in America. Latin America in very similar situations because neither
their brother bishops nor the environment often understands them, that
commitment that the Gospel and the current doctrine of the Church asks of
its pastors. I hope, therefore, to be faithful to this doctrine and I pray for all
those brother bishops who are in these same difficult situations.
From four in the afternoon until around six thirty or seven, I was with the
major seminarians of the Archdiocese discussing various topics and we ended
with the Holy Eucharist in which we reflected in the light of the Word of God.
In the evening, I finally went to the Colegio de la Asunción, where nuns of the
Assumption from Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador have been meeting
4
this week to review their work and the spirit of their congregation in their
communities. After the mass, celebrated with great devotion, we had dinner
in which we shared talking about the situations of these three sister
countries, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
SATURDAY, April 8, 1978
Visit to the town of Dulce Nombre de María, in the department of
Chalatenango, in agreement with the Oblate religious sisters to the Sacred
Heart who work in that town and have some local problems.
However, my arrival there and my visit was an event that moved me very
much: the meeting in the town, the celebration of the Holy Mass, the
meeting that we later had with celebraters of the Word, catechists and other
living forces of the Church. It is a community that gives true excitement, a
living community. Also present were the missionary Carmelite sisters and
members of the neighboring community of La Laguna, also in the department
of Chalatenango. These communities also participated in the meeting we had
to conclude this visit, shortly before lunch. I got the impression that the
sisters' problem with some people in the town was automatically resolved
given the enthusiasm that all the other Catholics in the town and cantons
expressed in support of the sisters who had made this call.
An unpleasant detail at the entrance to the town was the aggressive pose of a
national guard who only left the center of the street when the crowd that
accompanied me in the meeting was arriving, already close.
I noticed the astonishment, especially in the children, at that gesture and I
could easily conclude how they are sowing what they call there in Dulce
Nombre de María, "a psychological war." This was noticeable in the people
who arrived from the cantons, like a fear, especially since they had spread the
news that I was going to arrive with some guerrillas and they tried to
dissuade people from participating in the ceremony and meetings. that we
had prepared.
SUNDAY, April 9, 1978
The customary mass at eight, in the Cathedral, with a homily on the theme of
the festival or the paschal mystery.
Going back to the Israelite origins of the Easter festival and how Christ, in one
Passover, carried out the redemption, which gives the mystery of the death,
resurrection and ascension of Christ the name of paschal mystery, which
becomes the Christian Easter. . And in the readings of the day I found these
characteristics of the paschal mystery: a mystery of liberation. Christ in his
paschal mystery redeems us from sin, death, hell and any other slavery. I
noted that Christian liberation is more complete and deeper than any other
liberation of a merely political, social or economic type.
The second note that I highlighted was sacramentality, sacrament, the Church
of Christ; and, therefore, a hidden presence of the Lord, but a true presence
with all his graces and his redeeming forces in the Church. The passage of the
disciples of Emmaus points out this hidden character of Christ, but present in
the pilgrimage of men.
The third character of our paschal mystery is its community, ecclesial sense; It
is a mystery that gives rise to a Church that is communion. And, finally, the
eschatological character. In the readings of this Sunday this eschatological
sense is notable when Christ rebukes the disciples of Emmaus who were sad
because they expected a very temporal liberation and he teaches them
through the prophets that it was necessary to suffer and thus enter glory, the
goal. definitive of Christian liberation.
The Cathedral seemed fuller today than on previous Sundays.
In the afternoon, invited by the Parish of Divine Providence, in Colonia
Atlacatl, I went to celebrate the Holy Mass and to share in the celebration of
the anniversary of the Legion of Mary in that Parish run by the Redemptorist
Fathers.
MONDAY, April 10, 1978
Like every Monday I have given preference to interviews with the priests. I
spoke with Father Palacios who informed me about his work in the base
ecclesial communities and the work of guiding towards a comprehensive
pastoral care in the city of Santa Tecla. The news is very consoling and I hope
that this difficult task will succeed if, trusting in the Lord, we work for the
unification of the various sectors of that Parish or of those parishes that are

quite well equipped with priests, nuns, Catholic and secular schools as well.
promoted.
With Father Rafael Moreno we also dealt with problems of social
communication of the Archdiocese.
Father Abdón Arce, from the diocese of Santiago de María, visited me to
invite me to his fortieth anniversary of priestly ordination.
In the evening, interesting interview with Father Hernández Pico with whom
we are preparing a pastoral on faith and politics, on which the entire
consultation team with whom we meet weekly is working. In addition to the
pastoral work, we talked about very important pastoral issues in our
Archdiocese and in Latin America in general, especially in its perspective
towards the Third Latin American Episcopal Conference of Puebla.
TUESDAY, April 11, 1978
I celebrated mass in the morning at the Colegio de la Asunción with the high
school students. I took the opportunity to introduce myself and tell them that
I was happy to meet each other personally, since they had undoubtedly heard
the two figures that San Salvador makes of the Archbishop: for some, he is
the cause of all evil, like a monster of evil; For others, thank God, for the
simple people, above all, I am the shepherd "and how I would like you to
have witnessed the welcome you give to my word, to my presence, especially
in the humble towns." Therefore, I introduced myself as a pastor and I
explained to them the message that I am saying everywhere, applied,
naturally, to that environment of the Colegio de la Asunción. And so I spoke
to them developing these three words: the young woman, the woman, the
Christian; taking advantage of each of their adjectives to ask them to be true
hope for the Church, for their family, for the country. According to what the
director of the School, Mother Inés, told me later, it was very well
commented upon and a good impression had been left at the School.
I then went to Mr. Rey Prendes' house, where other elements of the Christian
Democratic Party had invited me to have breakfast and talk with me about
their political perspective of our Church. It was a very enriching dialogue and
where I had the opportunity to define once again the mission of the Church,
which cannot be confused in any way with the political party, although they
sometimes seek similar objectives such as social justice, participation in
political all citizens, etc. They also made some very pertinent observations to
me for a Church that is truly autonomous, independent of any political color.
In the Archbishopric I found the priests and lay people of the vicariate of
Cuscatlán and the Lay Commission gathered to discuss how to better
understand as a Church that sector of the department of Cuscatlán that is
being so tormented by military operations, by ORDEN and by other political
provisions that try to repress any demonstration that goes against the
prevailing regime. As a mission of the Church, it was agreed to develop a
campaign to pacify people and also provide help in a very impartial manner
to all the needs of that sector of the Archdiocese. It will be used to organize
relief commissions in all parishes, towns and cantons, which may already be
the principles of the parish commissions of Cáritas.
In the afternoon, representatives of the board of directors of the
Confederation of Catholic Schools visited me to inform me of the meeting
they had last Saturday, convened by the bishop president of the Education
Commission, Monsignor Aparicio, who, according to them, He had intentions
to remove the current directive and to draw attention to the letter that the
federation directive addressed to the Nuncio in the same sense as the letter
from the priests who ask the Nuncio for a more evangelical attitude. It seems
that the session was very stormy against Monsignor Aparicio, to whom very
serious complaints were made about his unpastoral attitude. Among these
attitudes is the suspension of ten priests for having signed the letter against
the Nuncio, a suspension that has caused a stir throughout the country,
mainly in the diocese of San Vicente.
Meanwhile, there were also several visits of a private nature that occupied
me all day.
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 1978
In addition to the private hearings, it has been a day of great importance, the
breakfast consultation with Justice and Peace and with representatives of the
Presbyteral Senate. It was very interesting having as its theme the confusion
that can be made between the Church and the Popular Revolutionary Bloc.
Given that many from the Block have taken refuge in the Seminary, in these
circumstances of persecution, mainly in the department of Cuscatlán. It was
5
criticized that many in the Bloc took advantage of this circumstance to make
the Seminar a kind of headquarters for their activities. It was said that, from
the crowd gathered at the Seminary, those of the Bloc had planned the
occupation of the Cathedral and the occupation of the embassies that filled
the news of the day. We insist a lot, therefore, on clarifying this position of
the Church, which always has the obligation to protect those who are
persecuted and be a voice for those who do not have a voice, but trying to
clearly distinguish its mission clearly as a Church from any other partisan
aspect, especially everything, if it has revolutionary overtones.
The rumors heard about a commission that will go to Rome to misinform the
Archbishop with the intention of achieving his dismissal were also consulted.
The usefulness of going to Rome to report personally was advised, using
intermediaries who know that environment well, and the General House of
the Society of Jesus was specifically mentioned, also ensuring that there are
other religious and lay people who participate in this testimony in favor of
the pastoral care of the Archdiocese and to neutralize the official information
of the Nunciature and the powerful information of the Government sector
and capital.
This afternoon I spent most of it with the Minor Seminary, we had arranged
an interview and it was very interesting, since the young people who are
preparing for high school are young people who love their vocation very
much and are also very closely united with the concerns of the people and of
our Church. By answering their questions and summarizing at the end, both
in the meeting and in the Holy Mass that we had to conclude, I instilled in
them the beauty of a vocation lived as well as an obedience to the call of
God, and therefore, an effort to sanctify and live united with God and, on the
other hand, from God, from that contemplation of God, try to reflect with the
thought of God towards a people as complicated and difficult as the one that
they will have to lead spiritually when they are priests, or even if they are
not. , as laymen who had the opportunity to train for even a few years in the
Seminary.
At night we had a review of the commissions that have been working as
information and as help and relief to the victims of the situation in Perulapán
and the department of Cuscatlán. It was also a very lively meeting in which
flaws were sincerely acknowledged, but from where a service of charity and
social justice is projected to our Archdiocese, even when this emergency
passes. There is already formal talk of creating the Vicariate of Solidarity,
which for now is nothing more than a solidarity committee.
This day we also had an interview with the leaders of the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc and on behalf of the Church the Vicar General, the Father
in charge of social communication and other lay elements, especially from
the Emergency or Solidarity Commission that works in that field where the
problems have arisen. It was about the occupation of the Cathedral and the
embassies, what their purposes are and that they respect the very purpose of
the Church of not confusing, although the Church provides support, not
precisely because it is a Popular Revolutionary Bloc, but because it, from a
Christian perspective, of the Good Samaritan, has sought to help everyone in
need, of whatever color, and that, in this sense, they were asked to maintain
and ensure that respect for the autonomy of the Church is maintained among
their followers and that in no way they were going to use it for their
purposes. For its part, the Church promised to continue helping them and all
men in need in violating their human rights. Specifically, they asked for the
Archdiocese location to summon the Ambassadors of the occupied
embassies, and they were advised to first go to a diplomatic environment,
where the diplomats could feel more at ease. And if they could not achieve
this, they had, as a service that the Church always provides impartially, the
premises of the diocesan Curia so that they could carry out the dialogue to
which they were referring.
CHAPTER 2 Year 1978
DIARY from April 13 to April 28, 1978
THURSDAY, April 13, 1978
This morning the leaders of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc are waiting at the
premises of the Archbishopric for the response of the Ambassadors of the
embassies occupied by the same Bloc, in order to explain their situation, their
wishes, which refer mainly to influencing the Government so that Remove
the military operations from your cantons and be able to return to your
homes and dedicate yourself to the cultivation of your lands, which is time,

since winter is approaching. For that same purpose they have also occupied
the Cathedral; To draw the attention of the population of the city of San
Salvador to that situation, they also asked that they make their governments
and, through their governments, the world, aware of this Salvadoran
situation. On the part of the Archbishopric, since they have requested
mediation, the auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Revelo, has agreed to represent
the Church, who according to telephone conversations was going to be
present at one in the afternoon, the time when they were going to meet at
the Archbishopric the Ambassadors with the representatives of the Block.
The situation of those who have occupied the Cathedral is quite difficult since
the National Police has surrounded the Cathedral and prevents all access.
And inside the Cathedral there are many people, including women and
children, who if they do not receive food they will have to suffer a lot. For its
part, the Archbishopric has issued a bulletin to express its position in this
situation; distressing situation, to which the Archbishopric has always
responded with feelings of true impartial charity. It has been said that the
situation of the Cathedral is serious and that it is requested that women and
children be taken into account, above all. The notice that is being given that
there will be a mass today at five in the afternoon in the Cathedral has been
disavowed, also in that bulletin; The Archbishop has had no news of this;
Neither is he the one who calls nor has he authorized any celebration. Yes, it
calls on the authorities and those responsible to normalize the situation
without violence.
This morning I also had a meeting with the team that is preparing the
pastoral that I want to publish for the next feast of Pentecost and which will
be titled and will have as its theme: "Faith, the Church and political
commitment", since clarifications appropriate to our environment are
urgently needed. , where there is so much political sensitivity and so much
danger of confusing true faith with political actions. The need, therefore, for
a clarification of these points, has forced me to prepare, with a fairly
intelligent, united and enthusiastic team, some standards that serve as
guidance for our people.
In the evening, we prepared with the seminarians a recording that will be
published tomorrow in the "Youth Program", and that will be especially
addressed to the theme of next SUNDAY, which is the World Day of Prayer for
vocations. With great taste, the team responsible for this program has taken
the opinion of two seminarians about the vocation to the priesthood; the
participation of a nun about the religious vocation and the participation of a
married man to also draw the attention of youth to marriage as a Christian
vocation. The recording ends by singing in chorus the prayer that the Pope
composed and published at the end of his message for the day for vocations
next Sunday.
FRIDAY, April 14, 1978
In the morning a lot of movement with the Information and Aid Commission
that has been organized for the case of San Pedro Perulapán and the
department of Cuscatlán, there are problems with the group that occupies
the Seminary, or, rather, the Parish of San José de the Mountain, since they
do not want to submit to the discipline of the Aid Commission. It seems that,
led by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, they intend to make this
accommodation that has been lent to them a place of operations for their
political activities. Their attention has been drawn, since the Church does not
want to be confused with any activity of a merely partisan nature, but rather
to serve the needy with the charity proper to the Church, which is that of the
Gospel. On the other hand, it has been achieved that all lay people are
convinced of the convenience of being far superior to any political color, any
group or organization in order to be able to serve, from the Church as a
hierarchical institution, all men who need their message and his salvation.
This has served to greatly purify the service with a true sense of Church.
I had interviews with several priests, since they are arriving from all over the
Republic for the meeting called by the Priestly Cooperative and it was going
to be in the Parish of San José de la Montaña, but, out of prudence, given the
police surveillance that we have in front of us, It was agreed to move it better
to the Parish of Christ the Redeemer, at the end of Escalón Street. At noon,
concerned about the Christians who occupy the Cathedral and mainly about
the parish priest of the Cathedral, Monsignor Modesto López, we deliberated
what could be done, since they are besieged by the police and they do not
allow entry even to bring them food. A commission of teachers, belonging to
ANDES, asked for the collaboration of the Church, since they have food for
these people, but they cannot find a way to take it. It seemed prudent to go
first to talk to Monsignor López; The auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Revelo,
6
accompanied me, but we stumbled at the corner of the Cathedral that
overlooks the National Palace, there is the one who directs it, a lieutenant,
operating around the Cathedral, and he told us that he was very sorry that
we could not enter. Without first communicating with the Ministry or his
bosses, they kept me waiting in the sun for almost more than half an hour.
When I saw that it was taking so long, I told him that I was very sorry that I
was leaving and that I would be back in the afternoon, even better. The same
thing, when I passed in front of the door of the convent of the Cathedral, I
wanted to be authorized by a police officer who was guarding that entrance
and it was not possible either; Therefore, only by telephone I was able to
communicate with Monsignor and realize that he is living normally and that
also those who are sheltered in the Cathedral, or rather, who have occupied
the Cathedral, are also without incident. Monsignor Revelo went this
afternoon to meet with the President of the Republic after having spoken
with me and promoting that the specific point that was asked of him was that
these peasants who occupy the Cathedral or who are fleeing from their
cantons be guaranteed guarantees to return and find a peaceful
environment, to start working after that forced escape. The President agreed
and said that, if they left the Cathedral in small groups, he would be notified
of the time to immediately withdraw the Army or the police and also that he
would guarantee the peaceful return to the cantons to which these people
belong.
At the same time, in the afternoon, the Ambassadors of the embassies
occupied by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, that is, the Embassies of
Panama, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Switzerland, spoke with the Bloc's Talk
Commission. The Bloc presented its objectives that had led it to these
occupations. Firstly, the peaceful return to their cantons; therefore, the
withdrawal of all military forces and all activities that could violate their life
situation in the cantons. Secondly, they asked for the freedom of the
prisoners who have been captured on the occasion of these military
operations in those cantons. Pressure from the Ambassadors on the
President was also requested to achieve these objectives, and also to ask
their respective governments to make the situation in the country known.
After a long dialogue between the Ambassadors and the Bloc they reached
agreements, but the Bloc stated that they still had to consult this latest
agreement with their bosses and they left the final resolution for the next
day. If it had not been for this condition, the same Ambassadors would have
gone that same afternoon to speak with the President. I insisted to them that
it was correct to rush this, because it was one more night that the occupants
were forced to sleep poorly when discomfort could be avoided, and also that
the next day was Saturday and that it was more difficult, hearings and all
these procedures. office. However, it was decided that until SATURDAY,
tomorrow, the Ambassadors will be notified by the Block Commission to
reach a definitive agreement and thus be able to attend to the request that
the Diplomatic Corps, the four Ambassadors, will make to the President.
At night I went with Monsignor Revelo to visit Monsignor Modesto López in
the Cathedral and the occupants of the Cathedral, since in Monsignor
Revelo's audience with the President, the President told him that we could go
to the Cathedral whenever we wanted , since he was going to notify the
police who were still guarding that place. Always on the corner that faces the
National Palace, the authorities of that body that monitors were there and
they made us leave the car there, and we drove on foot, accompanied by the
colonel to the convent house of the Cathedral. We have spoken with
Monsignor Modesto López, who is calm, normal, and then we went to speak
with the group of those occupying the Cathedral. There is a good spirit, there
are no seriously ill people, there is food since Cáritas has provided them. I
was taking the opportunity to give a little Christian guidance to everyone,
calling them to the true liberation that is that of sin and a love for Jesus Christ
that excludes all resentment, all hatred, all dissonant phrases of Christianity.
Then we talked with the leaders, there are about five guys, with whom we
shared the news we brought them, both from the meeting of Ambassadors
and the interview with the President. They await orders from their bosses to
vacate the Cathedral, which will not happen as long as they have no
guarantee of achieving their objectives. Therefore, although they hope that
everything will be resolved tomorrow SATURDAY, however, they believe that
this taking of the Cathedral can be prolonged.
It is noticeable in them that there is no evil spirit against the Church, but that
they are not very interested in the interests of the Church in terms of its
celebration of Sunday and that they prefer their interests to the
organizational group they have. They asked me to celebrate mass for them
the next day, which I promised them. When we left, after a long time, the
colonel who led us with other police officers was still there and made us see

that it had gone on for quite a while, to which we told him: "There is nothing
strange, since we were in our own house." and that there was also a lot to
talk in order to convince for a situation that would avoid violence; that our
visit had been, therefore, of benefit to the rector of the Cathedral and to the
group that is occupying it. The colonel told us, who had accompanied us from
the car to the door of the convent when we entered, because he heard
people saying that they were going to throw a bomb at me and that was why
he had protected me. Obviously, I noticed that it was an exaggeration, the
kind that is used to justify many military actions. He also offered to send me
under guard so that nothing would happen to me on the way back. I thanked
him, but told him it wasn't necessary. And I went to the San José day school
where, summoned by the Legal Aid, there was a group of about fifteen, more
or less, lawyers and law students, who had gathered in a circular that I
signed, to continue this hopeful impulse. of the men of the law who want to
collaborate with a nobler sense of their noble profession. I was very happy
that at ten o'clock at night, when I arrived, they were still working with great
enthusiasm. They had already heard in a hearing the people in charge of the
Aid Commission, who had come to ask them to intervene to solve these
issues of occupations and other legal aid that they could provide to the
situation. I have noticed a lot of sense of law and a regret for the situation
that the violated law has reached in our country. And they are willing to
enforce the rule of law and, specifically, there was talk of the request for
amnesty for the political prisoners who have fallen in this military operation
in the department of Cuscatlán; as well as the study of the Guarantee Order
Law that is causing so much discomfort, so many abuses in our farmers and in
our cities as well. In a word, an organization of jurists who, God first, must
flourish into a great hope for our people.
SATURDAY, April 15, 1978
He had invited the new auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Revelo, to have breakfast
together in the dining room of the Hospital of Divina Providencia; to the Vicar
General, Monsignor Urioste; to the chancellor, Father Brito and to the
diocesan treasurer, Father Barrera. After commenting on the situation of our
activities regarding the problem of the Cathedral and other matters in this
regard, I told them that the objective of this breakfast together as a family
was to talk and exchange impressions about the functioning of our diocesan
Curia, since we are the main people responsible for it.
Father Brito, whom I asked to explain the situation a little as he saw it, knew
how to conduct this meeting with a very human dynamic, leading us first to
review the material aspect of the Curia: the situation of the offices, the
material works, the staff, and we have reached very nice agreements.
It was time to go wait for the Ambassadors and Monsignor Revelo preferred
that we continue on another occasion, and so we agreed, that every Saturday
we will have breakfast together to evaluate the Curia week and plan for the
next week. I left very happy because it is a hope and a joy to see that
Monsignor Revelo is trying to join our teamwork and to see the real situation
of our Archdiocese and to see, also very happy, the collaborators, who in a
very cordial union we try to serve as best as possible this particular Church
that the Lord has entrusted to us.
From 8:00 to 1:00 there was a meeting of religious men and women at the
Colegio de La Asunción. They had invited me, but I was only able to attend at
noon, when they were almost leaving their meeting I was able to comment to
the group that was present about my joy, my satisfaction at having this
religious force in the Archdiocese, exhorting them to always remain faithful to
the Church. that as the reading from the Acts of the Apostles that was
relevant for this day said: "...a Church that grows in fidelity to the Lord and
that every day is filled more with the Holy Spirit." We also commented
something about the situation, mainly about those who have occupied the
Cathedral and the places that have been devastated by the repression of
these days. I asked each and everyone for a lot of prayer and a great sense of
solidarity with our suffering people, from our vocational position in the
Church.
Throughout the day, Monsignor Revelo has been waiting to intervene in the
dialogue between the diplomats and the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, but it
seems that the peasants have no intention of solving the problem of the
occupations, but rather to continue occupying the Cathedral and the
embassies. in order to put more pressure in the direction of their objectives.
SUNDAY, April 16, 1978
7
Because the Cathedral was occupied by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, I
celebrated the traditional eight o'clock mass, which is broadcast on the radio,
in the El Rosario Church. The crowd was enormous and although the mass
itself could not be transmitted, the broadcast techniciansRadio YSAX They
were kind enough to record it and broadcast it an hour later on the station.
MONDAY, April 17, 1978
For this day, the meeting of bishops is called to continue studying the
consultation document of the Third General Conference of the Latin
American Episcopate. The main objective of the bishops' meeting was to
continue the study of the consultation document for the Third General
Conference of the Latin American Episcopate. Monsignor Rivera reported on
meetings held in the Central American region that he has attended.
Monsignor Revelo also reported on the meeting held in Bogotá, by those in
charge of ecumenism and the problem of non-believers, the deliberations
also oriented towards the meeting in Puebla.
I have the impression that also in this meeting of bishops there was some
manipulation before the meeting, since the vote for the delegate seemed to
be very agreed between Monsignor Aparicio, Barrera and Álvarez, who gave
their vote for Monsignor Revelo, winning, naturally, against the vote of
Monsignor Rivera, Revelo and myself. As a result, Monsignor Revelo obtained
three votes; Monsignor Rivera two, which were possibly Monsignor Revelo's
and mine, and I had one vote, which was undoubtedly Monsignor Rivera's.
The same when it came to electing a priest from the diocesan clergy, the
same block elected Monsignor Fredy Delgado. I trust in the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit that will be above all human intrigues and that the meeting in
Puebla will be truly like in Medellín, a Pentecost for our America, despite all
the fears and intrigues of men.
In the afternoon, representatives of German television interviewed me and
took views for that nation. The topic of the interview was the persecution of
the Church in El Salvador; the criteria with which I see the Puebla meeting
and the accusation of socialism that is made against our Church. I believe I
have expressed my thoughts with complete frankness and sincerity and have
defended the position of the Church.
At night there was a new terrifying fire. It left a commercial area of ​San
Salvador, located between Avenida Rubén Darío and 11th Avenue, in ashes.
TUESDAY, April 18, 1978
I attend the mission meeting that takes place at the Institute of Somascas
nuns. The new president of the Commission, Monsignor Barrera, and the new
national director of Missionary Works, Father Enrique Gloden, also from the
diocese of Santa Ana, presided over this meeting. I, as former national
director, handed over the accounts to the new national director and
participated in the deliberations to encourage the missionary spirit in our
country.
In the Archbishopric this morning the dialogue between the diplomats of the
embassies occupied by the Revolutionary Bloc and representatives of the
Bloc continued; On the part of the Church, Monsignor Revelo acted as
mediator. A final agreement was reached and at noon the occupants of the
embassies and the Cathedral will be evicted. The Red Cross will also mediate
for greater evacuation security.
In the afternoon, this operation was carried out, it seems with quite a bit of
disorganization. There was a lack of means to transport those who occupied
these places to their cantons. I fear for them, the reprisals that there may be
on the way or when they reach their cantons. God willing not!
But a new occupation began at eight in the morning. The FAPU, which is
another popular organization, occupied the Church of El Calvario. I have
spoken with the representatives of this occupation to find out what their
objectives are and their intentions of being in a Catholic temple. They have
expressed that they want to dialogue with the Archbishopric to ask for their
collaboration in their objectives; They want to express their protests against
the abuses against farmers, mainly in the Suchitoto area, which has
continued after Perulapán. They want to send a letter to the Holy Father to
ask him to condemn the Government of El Salvador for its violations of
human rights. I told them that the best resource to reach the Pope was the
Nunciature and that they could use the mediation of the parish priest of El
Calvario to dialogue with the Nuncio.

At night I went to visit Monsignor Modesto López, rector of the Cathedral, to
thank him, congratulate him and encourage him since he has maintained his
presence during the days of the occupation of the Cathedral, this presence
contributing to the reign of order, which, thanks to God, it happened during
the days of the occupation. Monsignor Modesto states that, on the part of
the police that guarded the Cathedral, there was generally a lot of attention
for him, although he regrets one incident, when a police officer, perhaps
without knowing him, reprimanded him and forced him to go into his convent
when he wanted to look out, as usual, to the street. Monsignor López has
given spiritual assistance to the occupants of the Cathedral; He has
celebrated mass for them and has also provided them with domestic and
hygienic services in his convent.
After the Cathedral, I went to visit the Fathers of El Calvario and also spoke
with the leader of the occupation, reiterating the instructions that I had made
to the Commission that arrived at the Archbishopric. He told me that,
probably, tomorrow they will leave El Calvario. We hope this new situation
does not get complicated.
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 1978
Like every Wednesday I had breakfast and a meeting with the Justice and
Peace Commission and representatives of the Senate. The main topic was to
review the outline and ideas of the pastoral letter that will be titled:
"Christian faith, Church and political commitment", in order to clarify so
much confusion that exists today about popular organizations and the
commitment of Christians. who belong to these groups or to the concern of
conscience of other Christians who believe it is an obligation to organize
politically. The concepts that are prepared are very rich and I hope that it will
be a very useful pastoral.
At the meeting we also studied other current issues, mainly about the
occupations of the Cathedral, El Calvario and the embassies.
Among the hearings this morning, the visit of some university professors
seemed very important to me; from the National University and the José
Simeón Cañas University. They offer their solidarity with the idea of ​the
Archbishopric and its organization as a solidarity committee of university
teachers, corresponding to the need to defend themselves since there are so
many abuses also in this field of university teaching. I thanked them for their
visit, urged them to continue cultivating feelings of solidarity, and took the
opportunity to convey to them the Council's thoughts about culture and the
legitimate autonomy of temporal values. I also asked them for collaboration
in the field of university ministry, which worries me so much because I do not
have a priest dedicated to this ministry.
THURSDAY, April 20, 1978
I had invited some members of the Christian Democratic Party, who had
invited me last week, to breakfast. Two attended, nothing more, but with
them we shared a very guiding dialogue, both for the Church in its
evangelizing mission, and for the party in its specific political mission. We
agree not to confuse the two missions, but that they can help each other to
get the people out of this whirlwind of violence in which we find ourselves.
I can also highlight among the visits this morning that of Dr. Salcedo who has
just written paid field articles against me and who seems to have brought a
probing mission on behalf of the Government or the economically powerful. I
tried to clarify before him what the mission of the Church is, which points out
where the root of so many evils is and that it is not to blame.
Also very interesting is the news that Don Pepe Simán brought me from
North America, about the concern they have there to help us in the defense
of human rights, possibly there will be a visit from Salvadorans who have the
complete idea of ​the Church, also exhaustive information, to inform
influential American politicians in the Secretary of State or in Congress and
the Senate.
In the afternoon I went to share the coexistence that the nuns who work in
the various towns and parishes of the Archdiocese are celebrating in Apulo.
Monsignor Urioste was presiding and it was about collecting many
experiences and receiving new guidance. It gave me great pleasure to share,
in a truly Church atmosphere, of evangelical concern, the current situation
that the Archdiocese is experiencing. The meeting ended with a mass in
which I expressed feelings of hope and optimism, which must be inspired by
the Risen Divine, which we must preach to our communities; The prayer of
8
the faithful was a true expression of the concerns that all the sisters have in
those communities.
FRIDAY, April 21, 1978
Among the audiences this morning I received the provincial brother of the
Marist congregation, Brother José, with whom I have a distant friendship. The
main topic was the situation of the Marist Schools, mainly the Liceo
Salvadoreño, in the entire federation of Catholic Schools.
In all frankness, I pointed out the negative attitude of some Marists who
attend the meetings and who seem to have no confidence in the
coordination of pastoral care with the Archdiocese. I regretted several
attitudes of the Marist College, which seems to have little collaboration with
the pastoral ideals of our Archdiocese. The meeting ended very positively,
after telling us many things clearly. He also complained about the somewhat
aggressive and marginalizing attitude of other Colleges against the Marist
College. We concluded that it was convenient to promote a meeting of a
spiritual nature, so that we achieve unity of criteria in pastoral care. He
reiterated to me the solidarity of the Marists with the hierarchy and with me
personally, since we are united by bonds of very solid friendship with the
Marist congregation.
Another interesting visit was a representation of teachers from the group
ANDES 21 DE JUNIO, to also express their solidarity with the pastoral care of
the Archbishopric and ask me for support in requesting the freedom of a
teacher, there in Argentina, as well as others. teachers who have disappeared
here, in El Salvador.
Another very important audience group is from the CUTS, of workers, to talk
to me about their projects for May 1st, to express their solidarity with the
Church and I took the opportunity, by thanking them, to invite them to
maintain more dialogues in which they can learn the social doctrine of the
Church. We arranged another visit for next month and I hope that something
has to be addressed by the workers, although sometimes they have other
ideologies.
I spent the afternoon with the seminarians of the Major Seminary of the
Archdiocese. A group of great hope. The dialogue is done with great
frankness, the topic today was, "Why other dioceses do not see well the line
of the Archdiocese." They had also heard the frankness of seminarians from
other dioceses and communities to express the good they see in
theArchdiocese, but also some defects and how, due to their solidarity with
their own bishops, they can no longer share our archdiocesan pastoral line.
We celebrated the Holy Mass, in conclusion, in which I noticed an authentic,
youthful, manly fervor.
SATURDAY, April 22, 1978
This morning I attended, in the Guadalupe Hall of the San José de la Montaña
Seminary, the meeting of Catholic Colleges and Parish Schools. It is the first
time that they meet in a diocesan capacity; since the federation has now had
a national character, but in the last national session, it was agreed that each
diocese would coordinate its own Colleges and schools as a diocesan
federation. It gave me the opportunity to remind them of the document on
the Catholic school, which urges them to follow the same pastoral line as the
Diocese, that the College, the school, must be an instrument of pastoral care
of the Diocese as a whole. And I called on them to overcome differences,
divisions and all agree in such a difficult hour in which the Church cannot
present itself as disunited or rival. They agreed to prepare a day to reflect on
this aspect of unity. Studies followed on the ideology of the current
educational reform seminar and other very useful aspects for the life of our
Schools.
At the time of mass, in the morning and at night, at dinner time, I had the
opportunity to talk with Father Hernández Pico and Dr. Eddie Stein, with
whom we are preparing a pastoral letter on "Christian faith, Church and
Political compromise". A topic that becomes more necessary every day to
clarify the confusion that, even among very Christian priests and laymen, is
reigning.
SUNDAY, April 23, 1978
The mass of the fifth Sunday of Easter, in the Cathedral, crowded, as usual; In
the homily I presented the idea of ​the Risen Christ who returns to his Church
in the Spirit and this Church is presented under the three figures that today's

readings give us: house of God, in which Christ is the cornerstone, which is
the foundation for all those who build Christianly and is a stone of scandal for
those who do not build their lives Christianly. The other figure is the people
of God, with the precious qualifications that Saint Peter gives in his first letter,
"royal priesthood, consecrated nation, chosen race." And the third idea and
comparison is: the Church as a communion, a community, which has its crises
of disunity like those told to us in the book of Acts, between Greeks and
Hebrews, but which is overcome in the sense of service, diakonia, the seven
first deacons, and of love, prayer and faith, a hierarchical community.
MONDAY, April 24, 1978
Like every MONDAY, I have dedicated myself to receiving priests, who always
arrive and it gives me pleasure to talk with them with great confidence.
At night, in agreement with the Seminary trainers: Father Gregorio Rosa,
rector; and Father Abel Morán, prefect of studies, we had dinner at the
Hospital of Divina Providencia and we talked at length about problems of the
Seminary; especially, those that he has raised with his tendentious
communications to the Nunciature and the Sacred Congregation for Catholic
Education, Monsignor Aparicio. The Parents complain that they have never
been called to discuss these problems and that the training team has been
bypassed to give information that does not respond to reality. This is,
precisely, the same problem that I regret, and I have received a letter from
the Sacred Congregation complaining, in this sense, of Monsignor Aparicio's
denunciations. Both the letter from Monsignor Aparicio, claiming that I am
guilty of a lack of discipline in the Seminary, including sowing leftist ideas
among the students, and the letter from the Sacred Congregation, we are
going to study a response with the data that I already have. and together with
the Fathers of the Seminary we will do justice to these false accusations.
TUESDAY, April 25, 1978
Saint Mark's Day, Evangelist. Invited by Father Zanconato, parish priest of San
Marcos, I went to celebrate the patron saint's Holy Mass in that Parish. The
Church was full of faithful, who generously gave me applause when I arrived.
In the homily I thanked them for their welcome and tried to translate the
thought, the message of the Gospel of Saint Mark, focusing mainly on these
three ideas that are like the foundations of the theology of Saint Mark; first,
that, in his Gospel, Saint Mark makes the hour of the salvation of the world
coincide with the kerygma, that is, with the proclamation of the message of
the Kingdom; conversion: "...do penance because the Kingdom of God has
arrived." The second theological thought of Saint Mark is that this Kingdom of
God is a mystery that Christ carries in his own personality and more than his
doctrine and his miracles, Saint Mark focuses on the very personality of
Christ, discovering his person, discovering him as Messiah and as Son of God,
it is the Kingdom of God; and the third thought is that not everyone
understands this mystery and Christ tried to make it accessible with parables
and other comparisons and that it only becomes evident and clear when he
announces his passion. To show us that the mystery of Christ the Messiah,
Son of God, the Kingdom of God, we cannot grasp if we do not enter with
Christ through the mystery of his passion, his cross, his humiliation.
Afterwards, I spoke with some communities or congregations of the Parish
and congratulated Father for his parish work. The same as in it, I sent a
greeting to all the Franciscan Fathers of the province of Venice, who precisely
have Saint Mark as their patron, may Saint Mark protect the apostolic work
that the Italian Franciscan Fathers have developed in our Archdiocese.
On the other hand, the sisters who work in parish communities organized an
expedition to the cantons of San Pedro Perulapán and informed me in the
afternoon of the desolation, the anguish, the affliction, the fear that has
remained as a consequence of the violations of dignity. human, which
elements of the army and ORDER have done there, repressing any attempt at
organization by those poor peasants.
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 1978
Study breakfast at the Seminar with the Justice and Peace Commission and
representatives of the Presbyteral Senate. We arrived until 10:30 in the
morning studying the next pastoral letter that will deal with "Christian faith
and political commitment." It is a very well done study, but very extensive
and we agreed to summarize it and organize it in a more practical and
9
pastoral way, and this afternoon we will meet with the main people
responsible for this writing.
With a worker and a seminarian we prepared the interview that is broadcast
on the radio every Wednesday at one in the afternoon. The worker, naturally,
focused his dialogue on the upcoming work day; The seminarian transmitted
to me some questions from the letters that radio listeners send.
At noon I gave the secretaries of the Curia, since today is the secretary's day,
a lunch prepared at the Somascas Sisters College, it was a cordial meeting. I
think it has been an encouragement for these humble and selfless workers.
In the afternoon, visit from the general of the Maryknoll nuns, who expressed
her admiration for the pastoral care of our Archdiocese and her
congratulations for the defense of human rights that is being carried out
among us. I took the opportunity to thank them for the services of their
Maryknoll congregation in our Diocese and they promised to do everything
possible to send more staff and open other communities.
Next, I met with Monsignor Urioste and Fathers Jerez and John Sobrino to
study a new way of presenting the pastoral letter. It was a very constructive,
very deep dialogue and I believe that we have given the pastoral lines of this
document, which wants to be, above all, a dissemination of Christian
principles, to guide, above all, the peasantry in response to the call of popular
organizations and the danger of Government repression and of using the
Church, not for its religious purposes, but for other purposes of the same
groups. I believe that a document will emerge, I pray to God, very clear in
which the dignity of the Church and the clarity of the doctrine for the
recipients shines for the glory of Our Lord.
At night, a visit from the religious of the Sacred Heart, Nelly Rodríguez, who
told me about the problems of the educational reform seminar and the
participation that Catholic schools will take, to prevent any manipulation that,
on the part of the Ministry of Education, wants to be done this instrument of
the culture of our people: education, school, College. There are good experts
from the Jesuits of the UCA to guide this presence of the Church, through
directors and teachers of our Catholic schools and parochial schools.
THURSDAY, April 27, 1978
In the morning there was a meeting of the Presbyteral Senate in which
matters suggested by the correspondence that I read to them were
discussed, mainly an anonymous one from a priest, not because it was
anonymous, but because of the ideas that call us to reflection. He gave us the
initiative to hold a meeting of the Senate in an open dialogue plan, thus
preparing a plenary meeting of the clergy in which all resentments,
reluctance and everything that prevents a more frank union in the clergy will
be brought to light. This morning's Senate action has many important details.
At night I celebrated the patron saint's day of the Virgin of Montserrat in the
neighborhood of the same name, together with the parish priest, Father
Amado Molina, Vicar of that sector, he is the parish priest of El Calvario. I
later visited Father Eliodoro Orellana in the Colonia Guadalupe de Soyapango.
He has been very ill, his health seems very deteriorated; I left him a donation
to help him pay his medical expenses.
FRIDAY, April 28, 1978
In the afternoon an interview with the workers of CUTS, it is a confederation
of unions that I had invited, together with other priests who have the
capacity for the pastoral care of the workers, in order to dialogue, getting to
know their workers' organizations better and offering them the Christian
enlightenment of our Church. The dialogue, despite being informal, was very
enriching and aroused interest in the workers, who will continue to dialogue
with the priests.
In the evening visit of Mr. Atilio Viéytez, who worked in very close
collaboration with the President of the previous Republic, Colonel Molina, a
very enlightened man, very Christian, who offered me his opinions about the
situation of the Church. He feels support in the current Church and offers his
unconditional help to that Church.
CHAPTER 3 Year 1978
DIARY from May 21 to June 21, 1978
SUNDAY, May 21, 1978

In the afternoon I visited Ciudad Arce where I had been invited for a first
communion, but misunderstandings arose with the priest, who made the first
communion in the morning. In any case, what interested me most was to
bring a message of unity to the entire Christian community, since difficulties
arise there between the parish priest and the nun who promotes base
communities. And that is why, after the mass, we had a very constructive
meeting at the parish school, which was attended by the priest, Father
Brizuela, and the nun, and all the most direct collaborators of the pastoral
care. The message of the Holy Trinity, of the day, and the exposition of the
specific circumstances of that place, gave the wonderful opportunity to
address the issue that worried me in an indirect way and that I believe was
resolved in a sincere desire to always work together .
MONDAY, May 22, 1978
I had lunch in the community of the Jesuit Fathers of the Church of Carmen,
in Santa Tecla. It is a community composed mostly of elderly Jesuits, with a
lot of experience. And I was very pleased to hear that everyone agrees with
the pastoral and preaching that I am trying to carry out. They gave me a lot of
encouragement and I have felt very valuable support for me, since they are
very sensible, prudent and very experienced people.
TUESDAY, May 23, 1978
This morning I met with the council of the Seminary and also with all the
diocesan priests who work in the vicariate of La Asunción, Flor Blanca, that is,
the parishes in the Miramonte, San Benito, La Ceiba, etc. area.
Talking about the problem of the formation of the Seminary, in the pastoral
aspect, since these diocesan priests of this vicariate have been called to
constitute a kind of pastoral reflection council; We agree that seminarians
have to be trained to be servants of the people, under the inspiration of the
Church in any environment in which they work; For this reason, these parish
priests will incorporate themselves a little more into the life of the Seminary
and will ensure that the seminarians collaborate with them in this very
difficult area of ​pastoral care. Because they are the areas where the
wealthiest people in our society are, but at the same time there are
marginalized and rural areas.
It was also about the replacement of Father Segura in the rectorate of the
Minor Seminary and it was agreed to ask the Jesuit Fathers for the substitute,
giving preference to a Mexican priest who already worked in the Seminary
and who has great affection for this work. Father Himes. And only, in the last
case, would a diocesan priest be used, which would be the best solution, if
there were enough clergy. But for now, we need the help of the Jesuit
Fathers.
In the afternoon I went to bless the façade and towers of the Church of
Carmen, in the department of Cuscatlán, where Father Miguelito Rodríguez,
now of advanced age, with a parish team have managed to renovate that
picturesque Church. I really enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere of that
community. I urged them to always live united with their parish priest and
their bishop, that is, to always feel with the Church.
WEDNESDAY, May 24, 1978
Day of Mary Help of Christians. I celebrated mass for the students of the
Salesian Colleges in the morning. And in the afternoon, the parish mass after
the procession, both very solemn acts and give the immense consolation of a
people very devoted to the Blessed Virgin. I congratulated and thanked the
Salesian Fathers for cultivating these Marian feelings in our people.
I had the WEDNESDAY program, the traditional interview, today with Mr.
Magaña, in charge of the Family Center, who is doing a lot of good in family
ministry.
This day I also received the letter from the Sacred Congregation for Bishops,
in which they invited me to visit Rome to discuss the situation of our
Archdiocese. I have subsequently visited my spiritual director, Father Azcue,
and the psychologist, Dr. Semsch, and they agree on the magnificent
opportunity that the Holy See provides me to clarify, with the sincerity and
good will with which I am doing so, the work pastoral care of this
Archdiocese.
THURSDAY, May 25, 1978
10
I had lunch with the Fathers of the Oratory of San Felipe Neri, Father Brito,
Father Fernández Abad, Father Manuel Reyes and Father Abrego. It is a
community where I felt a very priestly and very fraternal atmosphere.
We remember Father Juanito García Artola, with whom I had a very deep
priestly friendship and was the founder of this Oratory of San Felipe Neri, in
Colonia San Benito, in San Salvador.
In the afternoon, audience at the Mixed Rural School, in the canton of
Cojutepeque. They came to ask me to give my name to their school and, if I
accepted, to please give them my curriculum vitae. I explained my difficulties
and the objections that the Government could propose. However, they
insisted and with great gratitude I accepted them, hoping that they would
inform me, in due course, what the Ministry of Education decided.
Another important audience this afternoon was the Electrical Industry Union,
who came to ask for moral support for their claims about the Retirement
Fund. I promised them the help of Legal Aid and everything on my part,
within the fairness that they demand.
At night, meeting of the Lay Commission that has become a reflection
commission for lay pastoral care. There is good will in the team and I think it
will be an enrichment of judgments to be able to reflect with them about that
important sector of the Church, the laity.
I was not able to attend the invitation of the Seminar that celebrated this
afternoon, in a very original and solemn way, the festival of Corpus Christi.
However, I had dinner with its leaders and with the auxiliary Bishop who
presided over the ceremony.
FRIDAY, May 26, 1978
A plenary meeting of the Episcopal Conference is held to find out the result of
the study about the Puebla meeting. The work of the dioceses has been
collected. The one from San Miguel was missing. The most complete and
in-depth study has been that of the Archdiocese. After knowing them, a
summary will be made that includes all the contributions given by faithful,
religious, priests and, in the name of all this people of God, the Episcopal
Conference will send it, so that CELAM can prepare the base document,
which will serve in the October meeting, in Puebla.
In the afternoon I presided over the funeral of Francisco Martínez Saprissa. In
the homily, I praised his sense of generosity and spiritual poverty,
remembering that poor is not only he who does not have, but also he who
knows how to have, in accordance with the will of God and love for his
neighbor, in which the deceased distinguished himself. , and also because he
is one of those of whom Christ said: "Blessed are those who are not
scandalized by me", saying that today many Christians are scandalized by the
Gospel in all its demands and would like a preaching more suited to their
tastes and that Paco Martínez Saprissa, he had understood those demands of
the authentic Gospel; As a Cursillista of Christianity, he preached those social,
temporal irradiations of the Kingdom of God.
Without a doubt he had a prophetic vision of what preaching, evangelization,
wants in our time.
In the evening the Secretariat of Cursillos in Christianity gave me a dinner at
Doña Julita de Núñez's house, where we discussed very interesting matters of
the lay apostolate and, especially, of the Cursillos in Christianity movement.
SATURDAY, May 27, 1978
Breakfast with the workers of the Curia, Father Brito, Father Barrera,
Monsignor Urioste. Monsignor Revelo was missing. We deal with matters of
importance, especially among the clergy. We studied the article by Father
Juan León Montoya, in which he criticizes the Archbishop. We agreed not to
give it importance and we regret that he is so dedicated to the Government.
SUNDAY, May 28, 1978
The “ACIES” of the Legion of Mary was held in the Basilica of the Sacred
Heart. It was very crowded because legionaries attended, mainly from the
capital, but also from other parishes in the Diocese.
I commented on the pastoral value of devotion to the Virgin, as presented by
the Pope in his exhortation Marianis Cultus.
In the afternoon, celebration of Corpus Christi in the Cathedral. It was very
beautiful, there were representations from the various communities that
gave the procession, around the park, a very Eucharistic Church spectacle.

MONDAY, May 29, 1978
Among the visits, I highlight that of Don Lencho Llach, Ambassador to the
Holy See, for having insisted on the need for dialogue with the Government
and having expressed good will on my part, but that we were waiting for the
response to our letter, sent before the Week Santa, as he himself knows.
Doctor Silva, a throat specialist, orders me to remain silent for two days,
which is why I have suspended all commitments for Tuesday and Wednesday.
THURSDAY, June 1, 1978
I returned to preaching after two days of throat rest and I am pleased to have
dedicated the service of my voice to the Holy Eucharistic Hour, in the chapel
of the Hospital of Divine Providence. Many people attended.
FRIDAY, June 2, 1978
Pleasant visit from Monsignor Pablo Vega of Nicaragua and Monsignor Rivera,
with whom I spoke and we concluded the convenience of a meeting of
bishops of Central America who would follow a line in accordance with the
new documents of the Church, to share concerns, mainly, about of the next
meeting in Puebla. They asked me to invite them and we agreed that, for the
day of the Divine Savior of the World, if possible, they would come to
concelebrate and then dedicate a day to the indicated reflections.
In the afternoon, since today is the day of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I
presided over the celebration in the Basilica, consecrated to the Sacred Heart.
The immense temple gave a beautiful spectacle since it was completely full of
faithful and all in an attitude of prayer.
SATURDAY, June 3, 1978
From eight to one in the afternoon we had a meeting with directors of
Catholic schools and representatives of parochial schools. The exhortation on
the Catholic School of the Sacred Congregation for Education was
commented. The conscience of Catholic schools was touched to the core, as
they felt questioned by the question: Are we truly evangelizing? The concern
was awakened to promise a future coexistence in this same sense.
At night, with Father Gregorio Rosa, rector of the Seminary, we studied the
response that had to be given to the letters from Monsignor Aparicio and the
Sacred Congregation for Education, to respond to the serious accusations
that, originated by reports from Monsignor Aparicio, They have caused
distrust towards the Archbishopric and towards the team of trainers at the
Seminary. Father Gregorio was very correct in pointing out the energetic,
scientific responses in exchange for accusations so superficial and so inspired
by the ill will of Monsignor Aparicio.
SUNDAY, June 4, 1978
After the Cathedral Mass, accompanied by Mr. Salvador Barraza, I went to
Guatemala to meet Father Juan Deplanck Lencho who has come from
Belgium and with whom I conferred for long hours in the afternoon; He
shows great interest and great joy in the position of the Church in El Salvador.
He assured that many in Europe who had lost faith in the Church are
recovering it thanks to evangelical attitudes, which are seen in the Churches
of Latin America; and he invited me to always maintain this credibility that,
thank God, the Church in El Salvador is awakening.
This day the Scout meeting of Central America also began in Guatemala.
Unfortunately, I had to return because there are many commitments in the
Archdiocese, but I commissioned the Auxiliary Bishop to participate in the
coexistence of the Scouts in Guatemala. Unfortunately, he didn't go either
and he didn't warn us, thus making our presence in El Salvador look very bad.
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 1978
As usual we had breakfast and reflection to evaluate the situation of the
Church and the country.
THURSDAY, June 8, 1978
11
I had the pleasure of meeting again with Dr. Dárdano, a psychologist, with
whom we discussed deeply the pastoral attitude that I have had to carry and
that I have to report to the Holy See. Dr. Dárdano's advice has been, as always
for me, very encouraging and very guiding. I have also spoken about it with
Dr. Rodolfo Semsch, who fully agrees with the pastoral attitude of the
Archdiocese.
This afternoon I was in Zacamil, with Father Rogelio and his lay collaborators,
a very nice pastoral reflection in which these current points were touched
upon, above all, the relations of the Church with popular organizations.
At night I participated in the Holy Hour of the Cursillo in Christianity, since a
group of gentlemen is in Planes de Renderos starting their Cursillo in
Christianity that will close next Sunday.
FRIDAY, June 9, 1978
Father Gonzalo López has returned and has been assigned the Parish of
Comasagua, which he has accepted with great good will. Next Thursday there
will be the inauguration, which will be presided over by the auxiliary bishop,
Monsignor Revelo.
In the afternoon, a meeting with the seminarians of the Major Seminary, with
whom a dynamic of integration and collaboration was developed that
resulted in many practical lessons.
SATURDAY, June 10, 1978
The representatives of the archbishopric Curia, including Monsignor Revelo,
had a meeting and we mainly discussed how the government of the
Archdiocese will be during my 15-day absence to go to Rome to report our
situation before the Holy See.
After the Cathedral mass, I presided over the consecration of the beautiful
Church dedicated to San Antonio, in the Planes de Renderos, by the Italian
Franciscan Fathers. It was a ceremony with great catechetical and liturgical
depth, for the pastor it was a great satisfaction to share such a beautiful
morning with such good people.
Also of great pastoral satisfaction was the closing night of the courses. The
ladies who had heard my homily from the Cathedral on the radio in the
morning expressed themselves with words of great solidarity and great
encouragement to continue, with the Archdiocese, a line of pastoral care in
accordance with the modern mentality of the Church.
MONDAY, June 12, 1978
Very early in the morning, in accordance with yesterday's invitation, young
people studying philosophy, Franciscans, came to have an interview with me.
There were very interesting questions, I learned later that they had been very
pleasantly impressed and that they had considered the interview as a true
modern pastoral class. Glad to hear it!
At night, representatives of the FAPU, a popular organization, came to
present their desire to help the Church, but I warned them: "There is no
danger of manipulating it." They agreed and only, they say, that they will
provide help, help, support to the Church because, respecting its autonomy,
its independence from any political group, they understand that the Church is
a great guide and stimulus for the liberation struggle of the people. I insisted
a lot on this autonomy of the Church, and how the Church from its
evangelical perspective agrees and supports all initiatives that have justice,
well-being, and peace for men as their object.
TUESDAY, June 13, 1978
This San Antonio day I could not attend the patron saint's day in Soyapango,
but I begged the Auxiliary Bishop to go because I had to preside over the
meeting of the Senate in the house of the Somascas sisters, a meeting that
turned out to be very useful and very dense. At the Somascas house I also
received a visit from the Ambassador of Italy.
While the Senate meeting was taking place, the Ambassador of Italy attended
a meeting, whom I attended and who expressed his desire to collaborate with
the Church, since he professes himself a Catholic. He is an Italian enrolled in
Christian democracy, of which he spoke to me at length, comparing it with
the party of the same name, here in El Salvador and offering that a
well-organized Christian democracy would be of great help for the political
and social ideals of the doctrine. of the church.

WEDNESDAY, June 14, 1978
The first visit this morning was from the president of the Legislative
Assembly, who professes himself a Catholic and offers all his services to the
Church without conditions. He wants to provide good service to his country in
such an important position. I preserved and expressed with simplicity and
frankness the position of the Church, the desires and fears before the
Government. He expressed his desire to serve as an intermediary, whenever
the Church wanted to use him, for services that he offers unconditionally as a
Catholic.
In the afternoon, pleasant moments with the Somascos seminary, next to La
Ceiba, I celebrated Holy Mass with the Father Directors and later, at dinner,
we shared concerns since I invited them to dialogue and they expressed very
interesting questions. There is a youthful concern to be up to date in the
pastoral care of the Church. With some pleasant numbers, and with very
deep reflections, the minutes passed quickly.
Several priests from the diocese of San Vicente, whom their bishop has
suspended, were waiting for me at the Hospital of Divine Providence, to take
advantage of my trip to Rome and ask for my support on their behalf.
Naturally, I offered to do everything in my power with fraternal charity in this
painful situation. Monsignor Aparicio, since FRIDAY, has been in Rome.
I forgot to remember that last Friday I made a courtesy visit to the Nuncio,
who was very attentive and cordial.
THURSDAY, June 15, 1978
He [...] the Curia several priests and nuns to express their best wishes on my
trip to Rome.
Very nice things from lay communities and even from communities that are
not from the Diocese, sending greetings to the Holy Father. The community of
La Palma, where the “The Seed of God” workshops have been organized,
send typical objects to the Holy Father. As well as letters from the major
seminarians of the Archdiocese and some elements of the laity. It is moving
how our people love the Holy Father.
Privately I have dedicated myself to organizing the things that need to be
brought, and arranging my trip. Tomorrow, FRIDAY, at eight o'clock you have
to be at the airport and take the Iberia plane to Spain and Rome. I count on
many prayers, they have given me the assurance that priests, religious men
and women and faithful are very spiritually united with me and I hope that
this communion with the Holy Father will be of great benefit to our Church.
SATURDAY, June 17, 1978
At eight in the morning at the airport some priests and several friends
attended to say goodbye. I go together with Monsignor Rivera and Monsignor
Urioste. The trip has been very pleasant, an hour flight to San José, Costa
Rica, then four hours to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and from there seven hours to
Madrid. In Madrid, after a break of about three hours, in three hours we
were in Rome.
The Oblate sisters to Divine Love were waiting for us because Mother
Scarglietti had notified us from San Salvador, an attention that I greatly
appreciate. We stayed at the Pensionato Romano and after some time of rest
- this was already Saturday at noon -, in the afternoon we went to visit the
Church of San Pedro.
Next to the tomb of the first pope I prayed intensely for the unity of the
Church, for the Pope, for the bishops and for the entire universal Church,
especially for our Archdiocese, entrusting to Saint Peter the interests of our
Church and the success of this dialogue with the Holy See.
Afterwards we visited the General House of the Jesuits, where we were able
to greet the superior general, Father Pedro Arrupe, very kind and very
generous, offering us all the services of the Society of Jesus. He pointed us to
some priests with whom we could talk and who could give us all the
necessary help.
We return to the Pensionato where an intense sleep and a good night have
recovered us from the time change, which certainly upsets poor human
nature.
SUNDAY, June 18, 1978
12
We celebrated Holy Mass in the Pensionate together with a priest from India
and after breakfast, we went to arrange some points of the interviews in
Rome with the Father Procurator of the Jesuits. A very interesting
conversation, it deepened points of theology, pastoral care, diplomacy, and
relations between the Holy See and the particular Churches. It has been a
true lesson in pastoral practice that has interested us a lot and guided us a lot
to undertake the ad limina visit, and above all the specific report of our
Diocese before the Holy See and its traditional ways of proceeding.
We were leaving at the time when the immense crowd gathered in St. Peter's
Square that every Sunday, at noon, awaits the Pope's exit to his balcony, to
pray the Angelus with him. The Holy Father first addresses some words that
today were dedicated to the Christian meaning of life. That, in the midst of all
the current tribulations, the Christian must have a lot of faith, a lot of
strength, a lot of optimism, fully trusting that God takes care of the lives of
men and the march of history.
We also saw the Pope last night on television, in a magnificent concert given
to him in the audience hall, where there were many Cardinals, bishops,
priests, religious, faithful. The Pope appears very lucid in his thinking and also
sufficiently agile in his physical life, despite being 81 years old. It gives us
great confidence to find in Rome a pastor of the Church with so much
experience, with so much wisdom and, above all, with so much love for God
and humanity.
In the afternoon, visit to the tomb of Saint Paul, in his Extra Muros Church, it
was time for vespers, the Basilica was fully illuminated. You could hear the
organ filling the atmosphere and the choir of the monks, who sang in
Gregorian. Kneeling next to the tomb of the apostle of the Gentiles, of the
great Saint Paul, in that atmosphere of prayer, almost like heaven, I have felt
relived in my memory, in my heart, in my love, all those emotions from my
student days. , and now as a priest, my visits to Rome have always been my
prayers before these tombs of the apostles, inspiration and strength, above
all, this afternoon when I feel that my visit is not a simple visit of private
piety, but in the fulfillment of the ad limina visit I bring with me all the
interests, concerns, problems, hopes, projects, anxieties, of all my priests,
religious communities, parishes, base communities, that is, of an entire
Archdiocese that comes with me, to prostrate like yesterday, before the tomb
of Saint Peter, today, before the tomb of Saint Paul.
MONDAY, June 19, 1978
The main work today has been arranging interviews or audiences with the
Sacred Congregation for Bishops, which scheduled us for tomorrow, Tuesday
morning; with the Secretary of State, where we delivered documentation and
they agreed to tell us when they would receive us; with the audience office,
to see if a private audience was possible, but the time of preparations for
parties in honor of the Holy Father and also his health difficulties, have
greatly reduced private audiences, although they gave us hope of having a
very special, after the general audience next Wednesday.
In the Sacred Congregation for Bishops we were told to talk with Monsignor
Miguel Buro, with whom we spoke for a long time, but we have noticed in his
mentality a series of concepts and prejudices, which have left us very little
hope to understand the pastoral care that he is carrying out. our Archdiocese.
However, the talk has been very useful to express, in the brief moments that
he allowed us to speak, since almost only he spoke, our points of view.
In the afternoon and evening we enjoyed, without commitments or official
work, this beautiful atmosphere of Rome, which in June begins to get a little
warm. It is quite similar to our Salvadoran climate.
Also during the night, Father Juan Bosco Estrada, a Mexican Jesuit, visited us
and invited us to take a walk after dinner through St. Peter's Square, from
where we contemplated the famous little window where the Holy Father
studies and where he prays for the entire city. humanity.
TUESDAY, June 20, 1978
The main interview was with Cardinal Sebastián Baggio, Prefect of the Sacred
Congregation for Bishops. About this interview, which for me has been of
great importance, I have written a description, as far as I can remember, to
leave in writing the record of my responses to the observations that the
Cardinal made about my pastoral work. I believe that I have managed to
distort a lot of information that is not accurate and that, rather, comes from
interests contrary to those that I try to defend in the pastoral line and

preaching of the Archdiocese. I recommend that you read the confidential
minutes of this interview with Mr. Cardenal.
In the afternoon we received notice that the Holy Father would receive
Monsignor Rivera and me in a special audience after the general audience. In
the evening, the religious Oblates to Divine Love invited us to dinner. The
atmosphere was very cordial and there were good memories of the work of
this congregation in San Salvador, at the Colegio de La Sagrada Familia, and in
the Archdiocese in the direct pastoral field. in the town of Citalá,
Chalatenango.
Also this day I had the opportunity to personally greet a great friend of the
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, Monsignor De Nicoló, who is in
charge of the seminaries in Latin America. I gave him the correspondence
that contains my response to the false information that the Congregation has
received, about the relations of the Archdiocese with the San José de la
Montaña Interdiocesan seminary. Monsignor De Nicoló showed me his
friendship, very priestly and intimate, giving me some confidential warnings,
and he advised me to be very frank in the dialogue with the Cardinal, which
we would have the next day.
WEDNESDAY, June 21, 1978
The general audience and the special audience with the Holy Father filled this
unforgettable morning. It is June 21 and the main thing that is remembered
in the general audience is that today marks 15 years since June 21 when
Cardinal Juan Bautista Montini was elected to succeed Saint Peter, with the
name of Paul VI. This circumstance brought immense joy to the immense
audience of all languages, who through their interpreters expressed their
affection, their prayer, their attachment to the successor of Saint Peter. The
Pope, responding to this explosion of love, said that the election being
commemorated meant for him an absolute dedication to the people of God.
And in the name of that dedication, his message was inspired by a job that
has been that of the pontiffs throughout history, making visible the beauty of
the Church despite the human traits and personal deficiencies of the pontiffs.
He referred in a special way to that great mission of the Church, in the midst
of humanity, to sow unity, peace, and happiness in Christ. He urged those
attending to be very faithful Christians to the Church and to live with
complete fidelity the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which are a
true gift of the Holy Spirit for our time.
At the end of the audience, the Holy Father called the bishops present, there
were about eight of us, so that with him we could impart the blessing to the
crowd. Afterwards we were taken to a private room where we waited for the
exciting moment of speaking more intimately with His Holiness Paul VI.
When our turn came, we entered the room where the Pope was, whom we
greeted with the emotion that these moments give. The Pope made us sit on
either side of him, and addressing me in particular, he shook my right hand
and held it between his two hands for a long time. I also shook the Pope's
hands with both of my hands. For that moment I would have wanted a
photograph that expressed that intimate communion of a bishop with the
center of Catholic unity. And holding my hands like that, he spoke to me at
length.
It would be difficult for me to repeat his long message verbatim, because in
addition to not being schematic, but rather cordial, broad, generous, the
emotion of the moment is not something to remember word by word; but
the dominant ideas of those words were these: «I understand your difficult
work. It is a job that may not be understood, you need to have a lot of
patience and a lot of strength. I know that not everyone thinks like you, it is
difficult in the circumstances of your country to have that unanimity of
thought, however, proceed with courage, with patience, with strength, with
hope. He promised me that he would pray a lot for me and for my Diocese.
And make every effort for unity. That, if he could personally serve in
something, he would gladly do so.
He then referred to the people. He said that he had known him since he had
worked in the Secretary of State about 50 years ago and he is a generous,
hard-working people who today suffer a lot and seek their demands. He told
me that we had to help him, work for him, but never with hatred or
promoting violence, but rather based on great love. To make them feel the
value of their suffering, to preach peace and to make these people know how
the Pope wants them and how the Pope prays and works for them. He also
spoke of difficulties that can only be overcome with love. Difficulties with the
dominant forces, difficulties with collaborators, who do not all understand
the effort being made. I repeated to him that it was precisely the way I tried
to preach, announcing love, calling for conversion. I told him that many times
13
we had repeated his peace day message: "No to violence, yes to peace." I
expressed to him my unwavering adherence to the teaching of the Church.
And that, in my denunciations of the violent situation in the country, I always
called for conversion and showed myself compassionate towards those who
suffered, with the families of the victims and, at the same time, when I
denounced sin, I called for conversion to the sinners. The Pope repeated that
he would pray a lot for us, and that we would tell him what he could do to
help us. Then he addressed Monsignor Rivera, also with words of
encouragement. And finally he told us: "Let's take a picture." And the
photographer came in to give us this taste of the Holy Father, which was our
great wish, to have witnesses in images of that unforgettable moment.
I'm sorry I didn't remember the words more, but they were substantially the
ones I mentioned. He left me with the satisfaction of confirmation in my
faith, in my service, in my joy of working and suffering with Christ, for the
Church and for our people. I believe that this single moment would be
enough to pay for all the effort of coming to Rome: to take comfort in
communion with the Pope, to be enlightened by his guidance. Naturally, the
Pope himself indicated it, they will have to deal with the Sacred
Congregation, especially, the Secretary of State, Monsignor Casaroli,
mentioned to us that he will be the one who will dialogue with me, when he
indicates the audience of the Secretariat of State because the Pope, in his
brief message, I felt that he was very informed of the situation and wanted us
to discuss the specific problems in more depth with his different secretariats.
But his word, which is the basic word in this communion, is a word of hope,
of encouragement and, as I have said, it has confirmed me in my will to serve
our people with love from the Church of Jesus Christ.
In this audience I gave the Holy Father the portrait of Father Navarro that his
brother Napoleon sent him, as well as objects from the "The Seed of God"
workshops of La Palma, in Chalatenango, and letters from some communities;
the same as a gift that Francisco González sent him from San Miguel.
I left a memorandum under reserve.
I left the Holy Father a memorandum, in the form of a brief letter, to express
to him that I was already visiting the various dicasteries of His Holiness and
explained to him how difficult it was to fulfill the archbishopric ministry in the
situation of my country, trying to be faithful to the current magisterium of
church. I also tell you that my information to Rome is supported by
documents and publications that reflect this situation, and, at the same time,
defame the Church or express solidarity with the Archbishop. Testimonies
that come from everywhere and, above all, from the people that I have to
guide. And all this gives me encouragement to continue in my pastoral work
as I do. I also tell you that I regret that the observations that some
secretariats have made about my pastoral conduct seem to prevail with a
negative criterion, which coincides exactly with the very powerful forces that
there, in my Archdiocese, try to stop and discredit my apostolic effort.
But, I conclude by telling you that you can be sure, Holy Father, of my fidelity
as the successor of Peter and of my unconditional following of his teaching;
since in this fidelity and following I have always found the secret and the
guarantee of walking with my flock in pursuit of the Spirit of the Lord. I later
saw this letter among the papers that Bishop Casaroli carried to dialogue with
me in the dialogue or audience of the Secretariat of State and I noticed that,
at the bottom of my letter, there were some letters that, without a doubt,
were from the Holy Father making some observations for Monsignor Casaroli
to take into account when speaking with me.
This same afternoon of June 21, in accordance with what was agreed with
Father Pedraz, we contacted him by telephone to inform him of my
impressions and my activities in Rome in a recording, which, without a doubt,
was played byRadio YSAX that Wednesday June 21st.
CHAPTER 4 Year 1978
DIARY from June 22 to July 3, 1978
THURSDAY, June 22, 1978
This morning we have the audience with the Sacred Congregation for
Education. Cardinal Garrone himself, the secretary, Monsignor Antonio
Javierre and another Monsignor were present. We were explained the origin
of the two letters that have arrived through the Nunciature in relation to the
problem of the Archbishopric and the Seminary. There is a summary of this
hearing, prepared by Monsignor Urioste who was present, as was Monsignor
Rivera Damas. The basis of the talk was the letter that I addressed in

response to the Sacred Congregation on June 5 and that I personally brought.
Therefore, both this response letter of June 5 to Cardinal Garrone and the
brief minutes that Monsignor Urioste wrote about this audience can be seen
in the archive. I must say that our clarification was very useful because there
were many distortions of the truth about the relationships between the
Archbishopric, the Curia and the operation of the San José de la Montaña
Seminary. We realized very unpleasant things that had been reported behind
our backs and there had even been requests for an apostolic visit to the
Seminary and the Archbishopric. Which not even the Sacred Congregation
itself thought appropriate. Thank God! We hope that after these clarifications
there will be better respect for the life of the Archbishop's Curia of San
Salvador and the property it has in the place where it is currently installed, in
the San José de la Montaña Seminary, which, as has been proven, It belongs
in the material aspect, as a building, it belongs to the Archbishopric of San
Salvador. Which does not take away the purpose of building an archbishopric
independent of the Seminary when necessary. The Sacred Congregation for
Education was able to be well informed of our good will and the difficulties,
sometimes emergencies, that arise in the life of the Diocese and that affect,
naturally, the Seminar that is framed in that life of the Archdiocese. .
Afterwards we visited Monsignor Maximino Romero, secretary of the Sacred
Congregation for the Clergy.
It was a very broad conversation, very comprehensive and with many
guidelines for relationships with our priests. I also told him about the
problem of Quezaltepeque and he promised to send a statement about the
situation of the usurper, Father Quinteros. We also talked about the problem
of the ten suspended people, advocating for them and he said that
instructions had already been given to the bishop of San Vicente to resolve
this matter.
We went at twelve o'clock to the Secretariat of Justice and Peace, to the
Pontifical Commission of Justice and Peace, in the palace of San Calixto in
Trastevere. We spoke extensively with the secretary, a French monsignor, very
knowledgeable about the social situation and also the situations of injustice
and abuses in our country and he gave us very valid guidelines in that
conversation, in which he took a great interest in the situation of our country.
country.
FRIDAY, June 23, 1978
It was left more for personal work, since in addition to the joint problems
that we bring, each one also brings his special problems and so this day,
Friday, was left for that.
SATURDAY, June 24, 1978
The Oblate nuns to Divine Love, who have been very attentive to us during
this stay in Rome, gave us a nice walk to Tivoli, which took us all day. Those
picturesque fountains, that natural environment, that memory of so much
history, are a true rest for the spirit in the midst of the problems in which our
pastoral care is agitated. When we returned we went to Piazza Navona, the
most typical of Rome, to have a cappuccino, as they call coffee with milk in
Rome.
By the way, when we were going to Tivoli, we went to visit the Basilica of
Saint John Lateran; It was his day, June 24. Perozzi's solemn second Pontifical
Mass was sung. It brought back so many memories for me, that choir and
that organ and that lighting in which the mosaics of the old Basilica shine.
And that crowd, current humanity, which moves through centuries, in an
always current present in the Church. A moment to reflect and get excited
and be a humble faithful servant of the Church. Saint John Lateran is the
cathedral of the Pope and is the Mother Church of all Churches.
SUNDAY, June 25, 1978
We went to St. Peter's Square at twelve o'clock to pray the Angelus with the
Pope. Before this prayer to the Virgin, the Pope commented on the moving
episode of an 11-year-old Italian boy, named Mauro, I don't remember his
last name, who, upon seeing his 15-year-old brother being kidnapped,
offered to help. the kidnappers, instead of his brother because he was sick
and from April to this date nothing has been heard, because the ransom
being asked for is very high and the family cannot afford that much. The
Mother has also offered herself. And the Pope protested against this
ingratitude, at the same time, he expressed solidarity with the family and
14
addressed words of encouragement and admiration for little Mauro, whom
the Pope called, "little lamb of goodness", which contrasts with evil. Men's.
This denunciation of the Pope filled me with satisfaction because my way of
preaching coincides with this gesture of understanding of human suffering. I
thank God to find here a new motivation to continue forward in my pastoral
work.
At noon, the Ambassador of El Salvador to the Holy See, Mr. Prudencio Llach,
gave us lunch at the Gran Hotel where he is staying.
In the afternoon we had a very extensive audience with the Father General,
superior of the Jesuits, Father Arrupe, with whom we analyzed the steps
being taken in Rome and our situation in El Salvador. He is widely
understanding that in the Church there are very diverse currents and that we
must be aware of following as our conscience tells us, and try to ensure that
the Pope is well informed of our actions and our intentions. He has a lot of
experience in the misinterpretations that are often made of the works of the
Jesuits, experience that has also helped us to have serenity in moments of
incomprehension and difficulty. He is a very holy man and it is seen that the
Spirit of God illuminates him to have such an open and understanding spirit
of the moment. He once again offered us all the collaboration of the Jesuits,
as in fact, we are receiving it.
MONDAY, June 26, 1978
At the invitation of Monsignor Miguel Buro, of the Sacred Congregation for
Bishops, I attended to talk with him, who is the secretary of that
Congregation. I gave him the acceptance response to go as a special guest to
Puebla. I also brought him the report I made for Cardinal Baggio, about the
interview we had last week. Monsignor Buro insisted on his well-known
concepts of prudence and "merely evangelical" preaching.
At eleven in the morning we had an appointment with Cardinal Pironio. It was
a pleasure to meet this great friend of the bishops of Latin America, elevated
to the position of Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Religious and
always maintain that spirit of simplicity and humility, of friendly welcome,
with which he knew how to wisely respond to various queries that We asked
him about religious life, about religious women in parish work. To which he
referred when he said that the nuns, as long as they fulfill these three things
well: a love for Jesus Christ, a fidelity to his charisms and a well-appropriate
service to the particular Church where they work, they are fully developing
their vocation. I also asked him about the currents in the Church and about
the celebration of the meeting of bishops in Puebla. He knew how to give us
that open response to everything with which he has always carried his word
of guidance. Cardinal Pironio, to say goodbye, told me, when I told him that
he was accused of being an instrument of communism in Latin America, he
told me: "I am not surprised since they have even published a book with the
title of Pironio, Pirómano." So it is the inheritance of all those who want to
preach social justice and the promotion of our Latin America.
Monsignor Rivera and Monsignor Urioste also made a visit to the Sacred
Congregation of Sacraments to consult especially about the confirmation, of
which Monsignor Urioste issued a brief memorandum.
At night, at half past six, Monsignor Casaroli received us at the Secretariat of
State. Also about this very interesting conversation, Monsignor Urioste wrote
a short record, to which I refer for the brevity of these notes. Monsignor
Rivera, Monsignor Urioste, the Ambassador to the Holy See, and this servant
were present.
TUESDAY, June 27, 1978
Just a private visit to Monsignor De Nicoló, who, as I said before, is a great
friend and with whom now, very privately and confidentially, we discuss
various aspects that have been very useful to me.
WEDNESDAY, June 28, 1978
Since it is already a day without special commitments, I dedicated the
morning to going again to the general audience of the Holy Father, confused
among the people. It gave me great pleasure to feel like one of those
Christians who, coming from different nations of the world, wait so eagerly to
see the Pope. As it is the eve of Saint Peter's Day, it was a very large, very
happy audience. Before the Pope's arrival, songs were heard in all languages
​and upon the Pope's arrival the roar of applause was enormous. The Pope
referred to Saint Peter, his tomb, his Basilica and like all of us, Christians, we

are there very close to the fundamental rock of the Church. He invited fidelity
to that Church.
I brought the purchased items to take away as souvenirs with the blessing of
the Holy Father. In the afternoon, a visit from Mother María Castro Llerena,
who assured me that my request to found a community of worshipers there
is progressing and possibly after the founding of Panama, which is already
being done, it will be El Salvador's turn.
After the visit of Mother Llerena and the Mother Superior General of the
Oblates, I went to San Pedro when they were singing the vespers of the
patron Saint Peter and Saint Paul. They are both patrons of Rome.
Also here the solemn singing of Vespers, in a festive atmosphere, a universal
attendance, which filled the choir of the Basilica, has brought back so many
memories for me. And there next to the tomb of Saint Peter, I prayed the
apostles' creed asking the Lord for fidelity and clarity to believe and preach
that same faith of the apostle Saint Peter.
At night, our night walk that we do with Father Juan Bosco Estrada was
around St. Peter's Square, remembering there many historical things that the
name of Peter and Paul evokes in Rome.
THURSDAY, June 29, 1978
Preparation of the return trip. Visit to San Pedro. The morning solemn mass is
impressive, many people come and go, filling the square and the adjacent
streets, a true patron saint's day, but with a universal character. Just as in our
towns the patron saint festivals bring together all the people from all the
cantons and neighboring towns, this festival of San Pedro is ecumenical.
Instead of cantons and towns, we see here people from all the countries of
the world. But the spirit is the same, a popular festival, a joyful festival,
inspired by Christian faith and hope, some sales, some shopping, the coming
and going of people, a joy; what comes from being in contact with those
heroes who already win and reign in eternity, while we go on a pilgrimage
trying to imitate their examples.
At night I leave for the airport and return to my country. Despite returning to
my homeland, I feel nostalgic to leave Rome. Rome is home for those who
have faith and have a sense of Church. Rome is the homeland of all
Christians. There is the Pope who is true Father of all. I have felt it so close; I
am so grateful to him that the heart, the faith, the spirit continue to feed on
this rock, where the unity of the Church feels so palpable.
Tomorrow, June 30, the 15th anniversary of the Pope's coronation, we will be
busy traveling, arriving home, unpacking suitcases, etc. Rome will always be
Mother, teacher, homeland for our hearts.
THURSDAY, June 30, 1978
This day dawned for me at the Madrid airport. Last night, from eight to
eleven at night, air trip from Rome to Madrid. At two in the morning, leave
for San Juan, Puerto Rico; San Jose Costa Rica; and El Salvador. The
immensely long night over the ocean. A trip without incident, many
reflections in the mind, many purposes in the heart; We return after having
been so intimately connected with the Pope and the Holy See, to our
headquarters that Providence has entrusted to us. We are collecting
impressions, dialogues, recommendations; all the good that the Pope and
Rome give to a bishop who wants to remain faithful to the unity of the
universal Church.
The long night of the trip is dawning on Latin American coasts and around
nine in the morning we arrive at the Ilopango airport, where a crowd of good
people welcome me with applause, with welcomes; an interview with
journalists to explain that my trip to Rome has been very satisfactory, to send
greetings to all those who use these social media, among them a radio
station in Guatemala.
Monsignor Revelo, auxiliary bishop, is among the friends who have come to
receive me and tells me that there is a mass prepared in the Cathedral to
welcome me there and so that I can also greet the people. I head towards the
Cathedral, I celebrate and at the time of the Gospel, Monsignor Revelo
welcomes us with very ecclesiastical words and I respond by narrating my
impressions of Rome, making a call to work, to continue building this Church,
to thank the Pope for his words of encouragement, to feel confirmed in my
work, in my hope, in my ideals, to invite everyone to celebrate this Holy Mass
together to begin a new stage of pastoral life.
This preaching was broadcast on the radio; This homily has been repeated in
several programs this day and the next day.
15
FRIDAY, July 1, 1978
I try to synchronize this change in time that disrupts both sleep and work life.
In the morning I am going to leave letters that I have brought from religious
to religious, to communities of our Archdiocese. Among them I visit Betania
de Santa Tecla; Oblates to Divine Love, La Sagrada Familia School; Central
America Parish, Josephine Fathers, Jesuit Fathers. To all these communities I
have had the pleasure of personally bringing greetings from their own
religious who live in Rome.
In the afternoon, I preached the Holy Hour that is preached on the first of
each month in the expiatory chapel of the Hospital of Divine Providence.
SUNDAY, July 2, 1978
The Cathedral Mass had been offered as a tribute to the Pope and from all
the communities of the Archdiocese, some also, priests, nuns, and, above all,
lay people, completely filled the Cathedral, it was even necessary to occupy
the choir. It was a wonderful response to the call to celebrate Pope's Day. I
told my impressions of my trip to Rome. I gave testimony of my confirmation
on the path we are taking with the Archdiocese. I have tried to leave the
impression of robustness in faith, in hope, in love, in fidelity to the Pope. The
people applauded the homily, as well as there was very affectionate applause
at the entrance and exit of the Cathedral. Blessed be God for the love our
people feel for their shepherds!
MONDAY, July 3, 1978
Among the visits, I think the most impressive today was that of Matsumoto's
wife, the Japanese man who was kidnapped since May, and about whom
nothing is still known. Played by the manager of the INSINCA fabric factory,
she expressed her desire that I help her find her husband, that I mention him
in one of my homilies. I offered him, if he liked, to write a page in the DIARY
and he thought the idea was very good, that he should write it and that they
would paste the fields in the newspapers. She said that, although she was not
a Christian...
Mrs. Matsumoto said that, although she was not a Christian, she wanted to
pray with me for her husband. I introduced her to Mother Luz, who spoke
words of comfort to her, and together we went to pray before the Blessed
Sacrament, in the hospital chapel. I have asked with great confidence in the
Lord that this anguish of Mrs. Matsumoto be resolved.
CHAPTER 5 Year 1978
DIARY from October 1 to December 5, 1978
SUNDAY, October 1, 1978
The previous cassette, that is, number 3, only the first side was recorded and
covers from June 21 to July 4. There this DIARY is interrupted due to
circumstances, perhaps guilty on my part, I wish that gap could be filled
between July 4 and this day on which we began, October 1, 1978.
This day, October 1, is Sunday. I celebrated mass in the Cathedral. In the
homily I recounted my activities of the week, above all, visiting various
communities and recounting the fervent, religious life of our Diocese and
other ecclesial activities; among them, the round table organized by the
Catholic University to discuss my third pastoral letter and first from
Monsignor Rivera. I also denounced the attack that has been carried out at
the National University, and, above all, the disappearance of an ANDA
employee, a neighbor of the University, who was captured by security guards
from the same University. They beat him and have reported him missing. I
also denounced the repressions that continue, especially in the peasant
sectors of San Pedro Perulapán and Cinquera, and the disappearance of a
young woman who was shot by the Colonia Nicaragua and taken to the
hospital, was watched by police, who then took her out of the hospital with
unknown destination.
After the Cathedral mass, I went to a celebration in Plan del Pino, jurisdiction
of the Parish of San Sebastián in Ciudad Delgado. In this community of Plan
del Pino, the Spanish Carmelite missionary nuns work, who also take care of
the Salvadoran Polyclinic and also work in La Laguna, department of

Chalatenango. It was an extremely rich experience of fervor. A group of young
people had been prepared to receive confirmation and to them, naturally, the
main part of the liturgy was addressed.
But I also met there various groups that the sisters have organized and that
are promoting a truly admirable pastoral ministry. A youth group, a group of
the family of God, a group of catechists, a group of ladies from the Guard of
the Holy Sacrament; It is a beautiful combination of piety and promotion.
I congratulated the sisters and collaborators in a nice event that took place
after the mass. The crowd that came out to meet me and attended the Holy
Mass was very large and there was a lot of cordiality and a great welcome for
the nuns and the bishop.
In the afternoon, in the Archbishopric, we had an interview with Father
Moreno, with the bachelor Cuéllar, to interrogate one of the disappeared
who has escaped from prison and revealed horrible things that happen in
that mystery of the prisons of the bodies security, where, without a doubt,
there are several of the people we regret as missing. This is a very delicate
secret; A truly horrifying revelation!
In the evening I celebrated the Holy Hour at the Hospital of Divina
Providencia and then went out to celebrate the tenth priestly anniversary of
Father Samuel Orellana, parish priest of Ayutuxtepeque. It was also a very
nice act, from a community that feels a lot of love and appreciation for its
parish priest.
MONDAY, October 2, 1978
The morning was dedicated to sharing with the group of priests from the
various dioceses who meet monthly at the minor seminary of San José de la
Montaña. They had commissioned me to present the genesis and theological
foundations of the Third Pastoral Letter. I noticed a lot of interest in the dear
priests because after my intervention, which I tried to keep brief, a dialogue
was opened in which the greatest number participated and if it was not
continued it was because the time had arrived around noon. But they
promised me to meet in groups to reflect on everything we had discussed
and in the next meeting they will give me the results of their opinions and
group discussions. I also invited them, in response to a question they asked
me, to dedicate one of their sessions, which I would like to be in, to the
problem of the seminary and the priests who do not want to take the
pastoral line of the Archdiocese seriously.
I had lunch with Father Luis Armijo, whom I greeted since yesterday. He was
the director of the Family Prayer Crusade when it was held here in El
Salvador, and he is very fond of us. It included a recommendation from
various bishops of Latin America to request a subsidy from ADVENIAT and
thus promote this Prayer Crusade in the various Latin American countries.
By telephone, the secretary of the Nunciature, from Guatemala, consulted
me about the celebration of the funeral for the Holy Father. I told him that on
behalf of the Archdiocese it would take place next Tuesday, that is, tomorrow,
with the participation of all the clergy and I invited him. He accepted that he
would come and, as for the consultation, I told him that he could follow the
Nuncio's custom of celebrating it in his Nunciature, but that he would
recommend avoiding so much publicity, in which it seems that what the
Government is most interested in is advertising in newspapers than prayer
and homage to the Holy Father. The secretary thanked me and said he would
take my observation into account.
Today, like every first Tuesday, the clergy meeting was held, which was also
attended by numerous nuns who work in direct pastoral care. The topic of
study was the Third Pastoral Letter. A very original and interesting note was
that the presentation of the first part was given by two nuns. The doctrinal
part and conclusions were presented by Father Fabián. The discussion was
very interesting, many concepts were also clarified and deepened. The
meeting ended at 11:30 to attend the 12:15 mass in the Cathedral that was
offered in suffrage for the eternal rest of His Holiness, John Paul I. The
Cathedral was completely full of nuns and faithful.
In the homily I highlighted these three concepts in honor of the Holy Father,
as in his brief pontificate it was a luminous response from God, highlighting
these three concepts of the Church: its hierarchical sense. God has intensely
called us to reflect on the pontificate, with the death of two popes and two
elections; but the hierarchical sense is subordinated to a service to the
Church, just as the Church is subordinated to a service to the Kingdom of God
and the entire world. And for this reason, the second aspect, hierarchy and
Church, must be above all Christian. And in this, Pope John Paul left us the
great lesson, when his humility, his poverty, his detachment from vanities, the
16
security of his doctrine, a discipline that does not rely so much on legalism as
on conviction and love , are expressions of a Pope at the top of the hierarchy
at the service of the Church, but, above all, a Christian who, like Paul, can say:
"Imitate me as I imitate Jesus Christ." And from there the third note, the
Marian thing. I highlighted the affection that the Pope has shown to the
Virgin and ended by reading the brief message that the Pope addressed to
the Third Marian Congress of Ecuador, his only radio message addressed to
Latin America.
At night I participated in the mass of the Franciscan Fathers in the Parish of
Concepción celebrating Saint Francis of Assisi. In the preaching I presented
Saint Francis as a Catholic man and explained the structure of the Church
with its human deficiencies in the hierarchical and that is why, secondly, Saint
Francis as a Christian is the hierarchical Church at the service of Christianity.
And that is why it has to express holiness, an evangelical sense in all its
structures. And Saint Francis gives us the example of a truly Christian
Catholic. And from there, my third thought, the complete man, Saint Francis,
because he is an authentic Christian, is also the fully developed man, joyful,
broad, etc.
WEDNESDAY, October 4, 1978
Saint Francis Day. I went to celebrate it in the town of San Francisco Morazán,
in the department of Chalatenango, from where I had been invited several
times. There was an enthusiastic, popular reception. They took me to the
temple where we celebrated Holy Mass with a full house. Sister Imelda,
Oblate to Divine Love, who resides in Citalá, works there, but according to the
Episcopal Vicar of Chalatenango, Father Fabián, she is doing good work in
that town that has not had a priest for some time. I also preached the same
concept as yesterday's homily in honor of Saint Francis, making, naturally,
applications to the difficult environment of those Chalateco peoples:
denounced, watched, frightened. And I invited them to live an authentic and
courageous Catholicism and Christianity despite all the difficulties.
Following the mass, we had a meeting with pastoral agents and with joy I
realized that there are very good pastoral centers in some cantons. Father
Fabián planned with them and with Mother Imelda the work to be followed,
always growing in the line of pastoral care.
Upon returning to San Salvador, I found the news that the body of Mr. Fujío
Matsumoto had already been found, with whose wife and daughter I had
several interviews, to console them, to guide them, and they were waiting for
me that afternoon to give me the news and between Tears expressed, at the
same time, their satisfaction at being able to take his ashes to Japan.
They were also waiting for me at the Archbishopric to discuss the case of our
refugee. There was an intervention by a lawyer and things are very
interesting, at the same time extremely secret.
THURSDAY, October 5, 1978
The first visit is a member of FAPU, an organization that is interested in having
news and communicating with the probable refugee of the Archbishopric. I
tried to evade to keep the secret, which can be talked about later. The
Christian Democratic Party has taken care of this refugee and obtained him
asylum in the Venezuelan Embassy, ​where he was taken by members of said
party. Before, very interesting statements were taken from him about the
tragic situation that the missing people are experiencing, but who are in
prisons.
This day I also had reports that, in the early morning, Father David Rodríguez
was captured along with Piquín, an announcer, or, rather, singer of theRadio
YSAX, from the five o'clock program. They were taken to the police and
Father Trinidad Nieto was also captured, there in Apopa. He was also taken to
the National Guard. Father Nieto was notified in the afternoon that he was
now free, however, the others remained in the police, still imprisoned.
FRIDAY, October 6, 1978
This morning they released Father David Rodríguez and Piquín, they arrived
at the Archbishopric to report the treatment they were given by the National
Police. To the Father, with great respect because it was about giving the
impression that the priests have not been offended, that there is no
persecution for the Church. Monsignor Aparicio was present at the Police and
was made to see, precisely, the respect they had for priests, and how what
was being persecuted was Marxist infiltration. Unfortunately, Monsignor

Aparicio, instead of defending the cause of the Church, gave reason to the
motives of the police, which seems dangerous in terms of the Archbishopric,
since it is intended to give the image that the Archbishopric is exaggerating,
that frankly there is communist infiltration and that we are not fair when we
denounce so much abuse of the people and the Church.
This morning we also resumed the consultation breakfast. We study the
reality of the country at this time and the role of the Church. I have admired
the loyalty of these priests and lay people who provide such valuable service
to the Archbishop. We have concluded with the initiative that we will have a
morning of reflection to study the working document of the Third Conference
in Puebla, in order to help me bring forward some specific points that should
be made heard by the Latin American episcopate.
This afternoon we celebrated mass in memory of Mr. Fujío Matsumoto, who
was kidnapped since May and his body was found on Cerro de San Jacinto, in
a plastic bag, not yet corrupted, so that it could be identified. According to
the Japanese rite, he was cremated and his ashes, in a small urn, are those
that were present at the mass. The family, that is, the wife and daughter, will
take these ashes to their homeland.
SATURDAY, October 7, 1978
Personally, I have been dedicated to reflection and have not had office jobs. I
only entrusted Father Pedraz with the copy of the Puebla working document,
for the study we referred to yesterday.
SUNDAY, October 8, 1978
At the eight o'clock mass in the Cathedral, we had Dutch television taking
over the mass with his homily and all the incidents of that mass which, thank
God, is being an ecclesial event. I saw in the crowd the Ambassador of
Ecuador and the Cultural Attaché of the United States Embassy. The
impression of the Dutch who came to record on television told me that it had
been magnificent. They were impressed by the crowd and the attention. The
Dutch promised me that they would also go to the mass that would be
celebrated at night at El Calvario de Santa Tecla.
In the afternoon I attended a gathering of grassroots communities that took
place in the parish convent of Soyapango. It was very interesting, above all,
the participation of the young people who, in dialogue with me, sought the
answers to many interesting questions. The little relationship that exists
between the parish priest and the communities was also elucidated. And I
urged them to find a solution that would make that Parish a true Christian
community, whose head must be the parish priest and with whom they must
enter into a very frank dialogue, to present the Christian testimony of a true
community that follows Jesus Christ. . We celebrate the Eucharist in honor of
the Virgin of the Rosary, which is the patron saint's day celebrated there.
And at night, as already hinted, I celebrated Holy Mass in El Calvario de Santa
Tecla, to solemnly present the new parish priest, Father Francisco Xavier
Aguilar, Jesuit. The Vicar, Father Benito Tovar and other priests attended, as
well as representatives from all the religious communities of Santa Tecla, as
well as a crowd of faithful that filled the Church. In such a way that the parish
priest was very pleasantly surprised by the reception that was given to him.
After mass we cordially shared with some parishioners.
And in my room at the Hospital of Divine Providence, the Dutch on television
interviewed me about the situation of the Church and the country. We
finished quite a night with the satisfaction of having lived another day of
work for the spread of the Kingdom of God on earth.
MONDAY, October 9, 1978
In the afternoon I went to celebrate mass in the La Loma Canton, jurisdiction
of San Pedro Perulapán. A mass offered in suffrage for the two murdered
peasants, who were found near the Apulo road.
I was surprised by the large crowd that was waiting for me. I addressed them
words of comfort. There were the mother, the wives, children and other
relatives and friends of the murdered. It was noticeable in all the fears that
are being sown in those sectors of our beloved town. A fear that is justified
by the repression and abuse of authority of the security forces and, above all,
of the armed peasants, as an ORDEN organization. In fact, while he was
celebrating mass, they appeared with their bows, some unsheathed, and
began to watch the crowd; They took the license plate number of the truck in
which we were traveling with the religious sisters. And there was an
17
aggressive attitude, or at least a distrustful vigilance. And I understood the
fear of the peasants and why many men sleep outside their homes, with the
fear of being surprised at night. It is a shame that the authority supports an
organization against other brother farmers. This is what I analyze in my Third
Pastoral Letter. I was very pleased with the comfort we were able to give to
the grieving families and the encouragement and spirit that we also tried to
encourage the Christian community.
In the Archbishopric, visit of two university representatives of AGEUS, to ask
for the support of the Archbishop for their demands of the University, which
is dominated by armed elements and who have removed the trust of that
cultural environment. I gladly offered to help them within my competence.
And for this, they agreed to summon other people to the Archbishopric for
the next day.
TUESDAY, October 10, 1978
Among the visits I had from some poor peasant workers from La Unión,
diocese of San Miguel. One of them was showing signs of torture to which he
was unexpectedly subjected at a meeting of Christians, where a national
guard who arrived unexpectedly hit him on the back of the head and then
kicked him in the stomach and the man feels that these blows They have
consequences on your health. They even feel symptoms of losing their sight
and wanted to express this so that a complaint could be made and see what
else can be done for them.
Also the visit of Dr. Hugo López, a Christianity student, who since Saturday
does not know the whereabouts of his two university daughters, who were
captured by agents of the National Police, and do not give reason in any
security center. We have also taken note to report this case through our radio
program.
This Tuesday we also returned to the practice of having evaluation and
projection breakfasts for those responsible for the Curia. Father Brito,
Monsignor Urioste and Father Chus Delgado were at the Hospital of Divina
Providencia. And we discussed matters related to the Pastoral Commission,
which must be reorganized, and for that we scheduled an upcoming meeting
with other pastoral specialists.
In the afternoon, the meeting suggested by the AGEUS students was held. A
representative of Parents arrived, a representative of the Human Rights
Commission and Father Brito, who represented the Archbishopric. A new
meeting was scheduled for tomorrow.
In the evening, dinner at the house of architect Romeo Jovel with members
of the Cursillos de Cristiandad Secretariat. There was a very interesting
conversation about Christianity, how it should be lived in our time. It was very
encouraging for me to see how people are understanding these new
commitments that the Church, without betraying its old traditions, has to
assume to be understanding of the current moment, of what the world
expects of it as a service on behalf of Jesus Christ.
WEDNESDAY, October 11, 1978
The two main activities of the Curia today was the meeting of the economic
administration with the Priestly Cooperative at noon, in which the advantage
of transferring the money from the Curia to the deposit of the Priestly
Cooperative, which offers interest and attention, was studied. priorities for
our Curia.
We agreed and asked for maximum collaboration to respond to the economic
needs of our Archdiocese. I have realized that the situation is precarious and
that we must study how to better provide for the economic security of our
activities.
At night, the Caritas Board. The Archdiocesan Board that I convened to advise
me on what the statutes provide that it is the Archbishop who has to elect
the National Board and the President; Being appointed by the Monsignor
Aparicio Episcopal Conference, he needed the approval of Archbishop
Monsignor Chávez and, according to the statutes, it is only for one year. I feel
the responsibility of appointing an efficient Board that directs this institution
of such responsibility with a sense of honesty and Church. A commission
composed of engineer Galván and one of the ladies from the Archdiocesan
Board was appointed to meet with Monsignor Aparicio and propose our
point of view, that is, the nomination by the Archbishopric, of the National
Board of Cáritas.
THURSDAY, October 12, 1978

Today I had a visit from the British Ambassador, who was very interested in
knowing the situation of the Church, and, in general, of El Salvador, especially
the relations of the Church with the Government.
At noon I celebrated mass in the “María Eugenia” house, belonging to the
nuns of La Asunción. All the communities that work in El Salvador were
gathered, reviewing their own charismas, to put them at the service of our
people. As it was the day of the Virgin of Pilar, I spoke to them about that
trust in the Virgin and how providential her presence means for our
continent.
FRIDAY, October 13, 1978
I celebrated at the Santa Teresa School, run by the Carmelite sisters of Santa
Teresa, in this way they wanted to anticipate the celebration of their patron
saint, Santa Teresa de Jesús.
Next, I accompanied Father Cristóbal Cortés at the Sagrado Corazón Basilica
at the award ceremony, or, rather, at the high school graduation of his first
high school graduates at Colegio San Antonio, in Soyapango. I invited the
young people to make the two syntheses that they must draw from the
Catholic School: the synthesis between culture and faith, and the synthesis
between faith and life.
Afterwards I went, with the Carmelite nuns from the hospital, to spend some
time relaxing at the house of the Oblate nuns to Divine Love that they have in
Planes de Renderos.
SATURDAY, October 14, 1978
I participated in the lay meeting that was held in the Soyapango convent.
These are lay people who work with priests, who meet at the national level,
every month. I have invited the Diocese to intensify its prayers, since this day,
in Rome, the Cardinals enter to elect the successor of John Paul I.
SUNDAY, October 15, 1978
At the Cathedral mass, at eight in the morning, I preached the homily as
usual, denouncing, above all, the case of the man who had been missing
since December 1977 and who escaped from the Treasury Police jail on
September 29 and is currently asylum in the Venezuelan Embassy.
It is a flagrant demonstration that the disappeared, in large part, are
prisoners in the security forces.
The theme of the homily, the three evangelical readings, was titled: "God's
feast with men." As God prepares a feast, he invites all men, but not all are
worthy of that invitation; how the Church is the messenger of God's invitation
to the feast.
At eleven o'clock I celebrated mass in Colonia Roma where the Carmelite
Fathers celebrate their patron Saint Teresa.
And at night I was in the Colonia Atlacatl, in the Parish of Divine Providence,
where the Redemptorist Fathers are working very well. After the mass, we
had a meeting in which the board of the Parish Caritas Commission was
organized.
MONDAY, October 16, 1978
This day we had the pleasant news of the election of the new Pope, Cardinal
Karol Wojtyla, who took the name John Paul II. Through Vatican radio, we
were able to receive his first blessing and hear his first words. We feel the joy
of the Church and we ask the Lord for many blessings for the tremendous
responsibility of John Paul II.
TUESDAY, October 17, 1978
A very hectic morning of visits. In the afternoon, an interesting meeting on
the pastoral problem of the Archdiocese, in which it was concluded to
investigate the pastoral reality that we have, and then study the organization
so that our pastoral work can be more productive.
With Father Enrique Gloden, national director of the Pontifical Mission
Societies, we made the recording that is being prepared for broadcast every
Wednesday onRadio YSAX, the Pan American Voice.
18
I had a pleasant visit from a group of young people, from one of the sectors
of the Miramonte Parish, who had prepared first communions and
confirmations and came to invite me, and we discussed widely about their
pastoral work.
At night, dinner at Santa Tecla that the community organized for him,
prepared for him as if celebrating his birthday.
WEDNESDAY, October 18, 1978
At night, meeting with pastoral agents in Soyapango. There was a very sincere
discussion about the little communication there is with the parish priest,
Father... but the dialogue was very positive and I was left with high hopes for
mutual collaboration.
THURSDAY, October 19, 1978
I celebrated mass at the Colegio de la Divina Providencia, in the primary
sector. It is the day of the founder of the Passionist Sisters, Saint Paul of the
Cross. And I spoke to them about that charisma, instilling in them submission
to the will of God as the best cross that one can accept.
In the afternoon, interesting visit provided by Father Walter Guerra, with
someone who knows very deeply secrets and depths of the political situation
of the country. We agreed to continue talking.
Next, a visit from representatives of organized farmers to explain to me the
situation of the workers in the coffee, cotton and sugarcane harvests, and the
improvements they request from the Ministry of Labor, to ask me for support
for their just demands. I also made them see that, in justice, the needs of the
owners had to be taken into account and they agree and I see many of the
peasants' demands as fair. Reason to continue this effort to support our
beloved people.
FRIDAY, October 20, 1978
Interesting visit by Mr. Eugenio Araujo, who wanted Monsignor Urioste to be
present, to explain his spending plans in the cultivation of sugar cane and
how what the farmers demand is impossible given the situation of the sugar
cane growers. I had the impression that he had formed his judgments and a
dialogue was of little use. As I indicated to him, he understood the needs of
the sugarcane growers, but we also had to understand the pressing needs of
the peasant collaborators and that intelligent solutions had to be found.
Another visit in the morning, very important, was that of the president of
CEBEMO. CEBEMO is a Dutch aid organization, which expressed great interest
in knowing the situation in the country and the Church.
We dialogued widely and he offered his full collaboration to support our
pastoral line. I thanked them for the wonderful collaboration they have
provided to improve our printing press and when they asked me what the
next program that asked for help was, I told them about an improvement to
coordinate the services of the Media Secretariat and the Legal Aid office. He
really liked our proposal and promised to help us have a kind of more formal
vicariate of solidarity.
At lunch time, meeting with representatives of the Archdiocese and the
Christian Democratic Party to discuss the situation in the country and seek,
each from their own competence, paths to solutions.
There was a lot of talk about democratization in the sense of allowing more
participation of Salvadorans in public management, something that political
parties have to work on, and in the sense also of normalizing the situation in
the country towards legality, greater respect for democratic institution. We
assume pastoral responsibility and from our evangelical point of view work
for the improvement of the country. Privately, one of them, Mr. Arene, made
very pertinent observations to me about the role that my preaching is
playing, for which I thank him, because they were very constructive criticisms
for me.
At night, I felt my stomach illness worsen and I called Dr. Saca, who ordered
me to be admitted and I have been in the Emergency and Diagnostic hospital
since tonight.
SUNDAY, October 22, 1978
I spent Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22 in the hospital, very well
cared for by Dr. Saca and by the head of the hospital, a great Catholic, Dr.
Badía, with whom I talked about the social situation. He is a doctor who is

very sensitive to social problems and believes that a profession should not be
lived just for oneself, but in service of the people. He gave me a book written
by him and magazines that he republishes, where he maintains this principle
of health for the people.
The Sunday mass was celebrated by Father Jesús Delgado who gave a very
brave homily, denouncing the anomalies of the University and other unjust
situations in the country.
MONDAY, October 23, 1978
I have returned to my residence, after being well cared for at the Diagnostic
and Emergency Center. I prepared a brief message for the day of the hospital,
to be broadcast on the radio; and following the doctor's instructions, I will
refrain from going out to fulfill the commitments I had for this week. I'm
sorry, but the will of God is involved, manifested in a health that has not yet
fully recovered.
TUESDAY, October 24, 1978
Saint Raphael's Day, patron saint of hospitals. I was not able to go to San
Rafael, Chalatenango, where I was committed to celebrating this patron
saint's day, nor to Paradise, where there was going to be a meeting of
catechists, but I was able to celebrate mass at the Diagnostic hospital and
thus I was able to thank them for the attention they provided. Dr. Saca and
the doctors who worked and who were there at that time, as well as nurses
and employees, expressed great pleasure in this mass, which they did not
expect in their hospital, freely and very generously.
WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1978
For the same reason of poor health I had to cancel the commitment I had
with Father Sergio Moreno, parish priest of San José Guayabal, to go
celebrate with him his 25 years of priestly life. But spiritually I have joined in
their thanksgiving.
THURSDAY, October 26, 1978
This day at noon, in the Cathedral, with the priests and faithful we celebrate
the mass for the new pope, John Paul II. As usual, she was very fervent and I
was able to express before the faithful and before the Archdiocese my
unwavering attachment to the successor of Peter.
FRIDAY, October 27, 1978
This day the meeting that should have started on October 12 and that due to
the death of the pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul I, the new pope, John Paul II,
has scheduled for a later date, which we still do not know, would be ending in
Puebla.
SATURDAY, October 28, 1978
Still weak, I had to cancel the visit that I so wanted to make to San Antonio
los Ranchos, since this day they celebrate their corn festival. A typical festival
in which all corn products are used and I could not help but send them a
written message, praising this tradition and showing how the Church was
with all efforts of human promotion and how we wanted that product of our
land, the corn, whose grain is the basis of our diet, could be on every table,
where even that is often lacking.
There was also going to be, this day, a meeting in San Antonio Abad, but I
begged Monsignor Urioste to preside over it, since it involves pastoral
difficulties of the various groups in this somewhat complicated Parish.
TUESDAY, October 31, 1978
Coexistence with the Major Seminary and with parish priests who have
seminarians and with the Seminary team and with the Pastoral Commission.
It took place in the house of the Passionist Sisters, on the way to Planes de
Renderos, and it was a very sincere coexistence in which the problem of the
Seminary was delved very deeply, analyzing the year that is ending, finding
19
many deficiencies, but encouraging us to overcome them basis of great
sincere desire for an authentic pastoral care of our Archdiocese.
FRIDAY, November 3, 1978
I celebrated the feast of San Martín with the Quezaltepeque Parish. There
were confirmations of young people, prepared very well by Father Roberto
and his collaborators. The parish Church and the Church of El Calvario and the
convent continue to be occupied by Father Quinteros, who is a true usurper,
but who feels supported by political forces adverse to the Church. I
encouraged the attendees, who were many, to remain firm in their union
with the true Church and remind them that the temple was not the material
Church, but that each one of us and all as a community formed the living
temple that is built to glory. of God.
SATURDAY, November 4, 1978
This day of Saint Charles Borromeo I had the satisfaction of ordaining Rafael
Urrutia as a priest, who has completed his Theology studies at the seminary
in Guatemala. He is a young man of great hope, and above all very supportive
of the hierarchy of his Archdiocese. He will become part of the Chalatenango
pastoral team.
SUNDAY, November 5, 1978
At noon I participated in the celebration that the Parish of Santo Tomás has
promoted to commemorate 25 years of parish work by Father Teodoro
Alvarenga. I praised his work. I showed how a good priest is a true blessing
from the Lord and encouraged the community to remain in solidarity with
their parish pastor.
MONDAY, November 6, 1978
We had a meeting with Engineer Galván, Dr. Fuentes and other advisors to
discuss the issue of the change of the National Board and president of
Cáritas, which has been trying to be carried out, so that the statutes of
Cáritas Nacional, which hold the Archbishop, let it be aired fairly and Cáritas
recover its true mission in the country. Everyone is willing to support the
Archbishop's position, to promote a new National Board in which some of
those present will be part. This day, Father Platero is also celebrating 50 years
of religious life, in his community of Jesuitas del Carmen de Santa Tecla.
Although he works pastorally in the Parish of Guadalupe in the department of
San Vicente, I sent him the congratulations of the Archdiocese.
TUESDAY, November 7, 1978
At noon, at the Hospital of Divina Providencia, I celebrated with the priests
who are currently celebrating their 25 years of priestly life: Fathers Sergio
Moreno, Cristóbal Cortés, Roberto Torruella, Pablo Castillo and Carlos Ayala
from the diocese of San Miguel and others . The attendance of three who
were ordained on that same date and who no longer exercise the priestly
ministry and, duly dispensed, have married, was a very pleasant note; They
were Luis Alonso Machado, Maeda and Matías Romero. Both the priests and
the three reduced to the lay state expressed very sympathetic priestly
emotions. Father Garrido was present, who was reminded of the times when
these priests were seminarians and he was a professor at the Seminary.
Father Platero was also present, with whom pleasant memories were also
made and his 50 years of religious life were celebrated. Afterwards we had
lunch together in the dining room of the Carmelite sisters of the hospital
where a cordial coexistence continued.
In the vicariate of Mejicanos together with Monsignor Urioste, we studied
with the parish priests of that vicariate, the situation of the Parish of
Mejicanos, which will be left by Father Barrera and that the vicariate as a
whole will resolve the replacement.
SUNDAY, November 12, 1978
In the afternoon I went to celebrate the Holy Mass and several confirmations
of young people at the El Carmen Canton of the Christ the Redeemer Parish,
led by Father Angulo. Catechists led by a seminarian prepared this group very

well and invited several communities, who were present and gave testimony
of their Christian experience at the end of the Holy Mass.
MONDAY, November 13, 1978
In the house of the Passionist nuns, on the way to Planes de Renderos, we
spent the entire day with a group of priests and lay people to advise me on
the study of the document that will serve as the basis for the meeting in
Puebla.
I have collected many experiences and much knowledge, which will support
my performance as a pastor in Puebla.
TUESDAY, November 14, 1978
There was a pastoral meeting. In which we are trying to collect, as in an
inventory, all the jobs, organizations, etc. of our pastoral care, in order to seek
better coordination.
In the vicarage of Mejicanos there was also another meeting to discuss the
same issue of replacing the parish priest of Mejicanos.
In the afternoon, meeting with the Archdiocesan Board of Cáritas to learn
about the situation of the change in statutes of the National Board and of
Cáritas Nacional. Change of statutes, which has been carried out by an
initiative of the current president, Monsignor Aparicio, with the support of
the Vicar General, Monsignor Revelo, who, bypassing the authority of the
Archbishop, has obtained the change of statutes from the Ministry of the
Interior; Therefore, letters have been exchanged between the Archbishop and
the Government to protest this abuse and, at the same time, claim the right
of the Archbishop, without whose authorization, these changes cannot be
made.
But the Archdiocesan Board, which is fully with the Archbishop's position, is
willing to work on a Caritas in the Archdiocese that responds to the spirit of a
true institution that is a manifestation of the charity of the Church.
WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1978
A very interesting meeting with the Episcopal Vicar of Chalatenango, with the
person in charge of the Minor Seminary, also from Chalatenango, Father
Héctor Figueroa, and with the Pastoral Commission of the Archdiocese,
Father Cortina advised as a technician for the repair of the house, who also
promised to make plans for a new Minor Seminary that, with the help of God,
we will do in Chalatenango. Since this insertion into the town will be very
beneficial for the vocations of young people who are preparing for high
school and from there moving on to the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese.
In the evening graduation of the Catarina di Maggie School, which was
dedicated to the Archbishop. I thanked them and also expressed my gratitude
for their solidarity always demonstrated with the pastoral cause of the
Archbishopric. The director of this school is a religious Oblate to Divine Love
of Nicaraguan origin, Sister Socorro, who has always been very enthusiastic
and addicted to everything that the current line of the Archbishopric of San
Salvador means.
THURSDAY, November 16, 1978
In Ilopango the patron saint festival of San Cristóbal is celebrated and on that
occasion, its parish priest, Father Fabián Amaya and the catechists prepared a
very good group of young people for confirmation. After mass there was a
very interesting dialogue with these young people.
In the evening, he met with the advisory commission of lay people, where
they are discussing a coexistence of Base Ecclesial Communities and lay
movements, which will take place on December 17, the Sunday next to
Christmas, as a coexistence of the Christians of the Archdiocese to celebrate a
Christmas with a Christian spirit.
SATURDAY, October 18, 1978
In Chalatenango, with the entire pastoral team of the vicariate, that is, the
Episcopal Vicar, Father Fabián Amaya, several parish priests, because some
were missing, the religious communities and some lay people, we made an
evaluation of the work of the vicariate. It was interesting the sincerity with
20
which the same defects were discussed, but also the great hopes that the
pastoral work directed by Father Amaya is awakening.
At night I attended the closing of the La Luz Parish academy, where Father
Brito gave the seamstress diploma to several ladies and gentlemen who were
thus finishing their academy course. The Catarina di Maggio School attended,
whom I greeted with great affection, since it is a school very fond of the
Archbishop.
I was not able to attend, due to lack of time and poor health, in the
afternoon, the academy of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, where the course
was also going to close and where I had been kindly invited by the pastor and
some others from that Church.
SUNDAY, November 19, 1978
After the Cathedral mass, I attended for a while the meeting of lay people
who had arrived from the various vicariates and had a meeting in the hall of
the Parish of San José de la Montaña. It is very exciting to see how the laity
are being promoted in our Archdiocese. It seems to me that the meeting was
not coordinated with sufficient competence and there may have been a
sense of frustration among some who, perhaps, expected more. For my part,
I did try to fill you in with my talk, what the laity is, what the Church expects,
what we aim for with these meetings of lay people from the various
vicariates, an organization that makes the strength of the laity felt and live
their responsibilities.
In the afternoon I was in Chiltiupán, a picturesque town on the coast of La
Libertad, which is pastorally run by the Rosario de Fátima sisters. We had
many confirmation children, but all of them were already of the use of
reason. I saw how the sisters are working, although there are deficiencies,
but the presence of someone who animates the pastoral care in that
picturesque region is noticeable.
MONDAY, November 20, 1978
I went to San Miguel to honor the patron saint Our Lady of Peace, the Bishop
of Santiago de María, Monsignor Rivera, wanted to join my pilgrimage, and
together we celebrated at eleven in the morning in the Cathedral Basilica of
San Miguel. Since on the day itself, tomorrow, due to the presence of the
supreme civil authorities, we would not have the opportunity to make a more
intimate tribute like the one we wanted and because these authorities rather
take advantage of the circumstances for their publicity and are not so
interested in the religious tribute that is promoted. The mass was private, but
despite everything, there were several Migueleño friends who accompanied
us and when they left they regretted not having given notice in time to have
had a more solemn mass.
TUESDAY, November 21, 1978
Feast of Our Lady of Peace. The other bishops, the President and his wife and
other authorities attended in the Cathedral of San Miguel. The Nuncio
presided over the mass.
I had mass at the College of Divina Providencia, where the General Superior
of the Passionist nuns was present, as well as the Passionist Fathers who
work in Jiquilisco, from the diocese of Santiago de María, and all the nuns, as
they celebrated a jubilee party. of his congregation. In my homily I
remembered how it was a very pleasant date for me, in honor of the Virgin of
Peace and that I was allowed to celebrate it in this very ecclesial way. Since,
precisely, the congregation had very transcendental relationships with this
festival of November 21.
In the afternoon, we had an interesting pastoral meeting, collecting the
realities and works that exist in pastoral to see how we organize a better
organized pastoral as a whole.
WEDNESDAY, November 22, 1978
The group of priests from the Archdiocese, who meet with other priests from
other dioceses, wanted to have a specific meeting with me, and we had it at
the Lourdes Estate of the Passionist Sisters. We discussed very interesting,
very priestly topics, such as the Seminary and other aspects of the
Government of the Diocese; very constructive criticism and sincere desire to
collaborate for a better organization of our Archdiocesan service.

THURSDAY, November 23, 1978
On the same farm as the sisters of Lourdes, I had an advisory meeting with
some priests and lay people, to study together the working document that
will be used in Puebla. The suggestions, especially regarding the realities of
our country and our Archdiocese, have been very useful for my knowledge
and my participation in Puebla.
FRIDAY, November 24, 1978
I had a meeting with the Fathers of the Soyapango vicariate, in the convent of
the Soyapango Church. It shows that there is a lot to cover. There is no
cohesion, a unitary program, but I noticed that there were efforts to work in a
more efficient team sense. They complain about the Parish of Ilopango, since
Father Fabián is the Episcopal Vicar of Chalatenango, and they believe that it
is more convenient that there be a permanent priest in Ilopango. They
complain the same about the sisters who work in Apulo and who do not
attend the vicarage meetings. I took note and begged for help to visit them
and work too, so that there would be more enthusiasm in the pastoral work
of the vicarage.
SATURDAY, November 25, 1978
I visited the María Auxiliadora Canton of Tenancingo, in the department of
Cuscatlán, where they celebrated their patron saint's day. I had very deep,
pastoral satisfaction, since they are very fervent and very welcoming people.
After mass they took us to a house, where they gave us dinner and offered us
a small literary and comic act.
SUNDAY, November 26, 1978
This day Father Fabián Amaya, in no name, gave possession to the Maryknoll
Fathers of the Parish of the Sweet Name of Mary, with its subsidiary town of
San Francisco Morazán. I am glad to have the collaboration of these Fathers
who are very dynamic and very selfless. It is also a very difficult region, but
with the help of God and the good will of these Maryknoll priests, I hope that
much will be done in the department of Chalatenango.
The festival of San José, which was going to be celebrated on this day in San
José Villanueva, was suppressed because a few days before sacred vessels
were stolen and the condition was placed that, if they did not appear, there
would not be the solemn festival, but rather some act of reparation. .
In the afternoon, I went to San Marcos to administer confirmation to a good
group of young people prepared by that community.
TUESDAY, November 28, 1978
A Senate meeting was held at the Hospital of Divina Providencia and in the
afternoon a pastoral meeting was held at the Archbishopric. But this day was
disturbed in a dramatic and tragic way, by the violent death of Father Rafael
Ernesto Barrera, who was left for dead in a fake fight by the security forces
against a house in the Colonia de la Divina Providencia, where Father Neto
was found dead from bullets, but, according to speculation, he was already
taken dead to that place. In this regard, you can see the various bulletins that
the investigative commission prepared and in which various aspects of the
official information were denied.
At night, Father Neto's body was laid to rest in the Church of Mejicanos,
where his brother, Father Manuel Barrera, is the parish priest.
WEDNESDAY, November 29, 1978
The main event of this day was the funeral of Father Neto Barrera, in the
Church of Mejicanos. His grave was dug right there as it was feared that a
parade to the cemetery could be taken advantage of by clandestine groups
and cause more disorder. The mass was impressive, perhaps more than 60
priests and the Church, and the fields adjacent to the Church completely
filled. A mass that expressed the affection of many people for Father Neto,
mainly from the working class sector to which he had dedicated himself in a
special way. Speculation continues that Father Neto belonged to the FPL,
Popular Liberation Forces, which are considered violent forces of the Popular
21
Revolutionary Bloc. We still cannot assure or deny in an absolute sense this
news that greatly worries the Church.
SATURDAY, December 2, 1978
Invited by a sewing academy that was founded during my time in Mercedes
Umaña, in the diocese of Santiago de María, I went to participate and join
Monsignor Rivera in this very simple and very beautiful party. But, above all,
for sharing with the Bishop of Santiago de María.
There is a lot of love in that town, mainly in Miguelito and his wife's house,
where we had lunch.
At night we had a solemn act of reparation in the Parish of San Martín where
the Blessed Sacrament was stolen. From the entrance to the town they gave
me a warm welcome and the mass was very impressive.
SUNDAY, December 3, 1978
For this day I had an invitation from Father Ernesto Barrera, may he rest in
peace! It was a gathering of workers in Ayagualo, it could not be had, since he
is now dead, but we have offered prayers, together with his friends , for his
eternal rest.
That afternoon I had an interview with three British senators, who came to
find out about the situation in the country and to personally inform me of the
nomination made in the English Parliament of me as a candidate for the
Nobel Peace Prize. The news that spread here a few days before has been
received in a very opposite way: From friends, naturally, it has been a cause
for rejoicing and many congratulations, but from the official side and the
social media, it has rather there was a very significant silence. However, the
British spoke extensively this SUNDAY, along with several advisors, who
informed them of the political, social, and economic situation of the country
and were very interested in knowing this reality. In the end, one of them told
me that they were three of the 118 senators who had asked for my name to
be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and that today, having learned the
reality, they would ask for that prize for me twice. I took the opportunity to
thank the English Parliament for its gesture, which represents great support
for me; the same as the very significant visit of these three British senators.
They have then visited the prisons, the peasants' places, the farms and, in
short, they have very good information and a very deep conviction of the
abuse that is done here to human rights. Which, naturally, has not pleased
the government or governing sectors of our country either.
MONDAY, December 4, 1978
Today, several priests of the Archdiocese began their spiritual retreat in the
novitiate of the Somascan Fathers.
TUESDAY, December 5, 1978
Meeting of the clergy at the San José de la Montaña Seminary. The Fathers
who are on spiritual retreat also attended.
In the evening, meeting with the Archdiocesan Board of Cáritas where I
reported the abuse that has been done to me by changing the statutes of the
National Board of Cáritas.
In the morning, a meeting of the clergy was held at the San José de la
Montaña Seminary, where the priests who were in spiritual retreat
throughout the week also attended.
In the evening, meeting of the Archdiocesan Board of Cáritas. I informed
them of the state of things, about the change of statutes that has been
carried out without the consent of the Archbishop, as the statutes mandate;
and the legal recourse that has been made to the Ministry of the Interior. The
spirit of the Archdiocesan Board in the face of this event is admirable. No
revenge or anger, but a spirit of working intensely for an authentic Caritas of
the Archdiocese.
CHAPTER 6 Year 1978
DIARY from December 6, 1978 to January 8, 1979
WEDNESDAY, December 6, 1978

Today the patron saint's day of Tonacatepeque is celebrated, in honor of San
Nicolás bishop, and there I had the joy of presiding over a very solemn mass
and then talking with several priests from the vicariate of Cuscatlán who had
come to this celebration.
In the afternoon, interesting meeting promoted by the Christian Democratic
Party with representatives of ANEP, that is, of private companies. We
dialogue with the three sectors, the Christian Democratic Party, businessmen
and the Church. Monsignor Urioste, Father Jesús Delgado and I attended for
the Church. There is a willingness to dialogue, but there is also a lot of
attachment to one's own advantages. However, the afternoon was very
useful, there was a lot of exchange of views and these dialogues will
continue. We ask the Lord that they result in something positive for the good
and peace of the country.
At night I presided over the Eucharist in Plan del Pino, to pray for the eternal
rest of one of the workers who died with Father Neto Barrera, since this
worker was from there and works in that pastoral ministry. The Spanish
Carmelite sisters who preside over that community testify to the affection
that those people had for Father Barrera and they themselves recognize that
he was a very helpful priest, very dedicated to pastoral service.
THURSDAY, December 7, 1978
At the farm of the Passionist Sisters of Planes de Renderos another meeting
with the advisors to study the Puebla working document. This consultation is
moving forward and is proving to be very fruitful for my participation in the
Puebla meeting.
In the evening, a visit from a group of young people from San Antonio Abad
who expressed their political and pastoral concerns, and I had the
opportunity to clarify several situations, according to this mentality.
FRIDAY, December 8, 1978
Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Many parishes and religious institutes
celebrate it. It is not possible to attend everything, despite my good will and
the desire of various communities as well. I attended the La Libertad Parish,
which has it as its patron saint and where the Eucharistic participation of a
very lively community is felt, and after the mass we had a dialogue meeting
with the pastoral agents. The Parish Pastoral Council of La Libertad was also
established. There, some North American priests from the diocese of
Cleveland and some nuns, also North Americans, who work with great
dedication to our people, animate the pastoral work.
In the afternoon, an ecumenical gathering with brothers separated from the
Emmanuel Baptist Church and the attendance of Mr. Asper, representative of
the World Council of Churches and also of Human Rights. He brought us
greetings for our archdiocesan Church from the World Council of Churches
and the Human Rights Seminar or Symposium held in Santiago, Chile. He
expressed admiration and affection for our pastoral work and we had very
interesting dialogues in which Protestants and Catholics participated. We also
talked with the separated brothers about how to celebrate Unity Week this
coming year. Prevalence [...]
Year 1979
CHAPTER 7 Year 1979
DIARY from January 9 to January 28, 1979
TUESDAY, January 9, 1979
At night, in the Cathedral, we celebrated the Mass for Peace. Monsignor
Arturo Rivera Damas, bishop of Santiago de María, attended, as he is also
president of the National Commission of Justice and Peace. This commission
was the one that promoted this night, which turned out to be very splendid,
with its mass celebrated with several priests and the conference of
Monsignor Rivera, which was greatly applauded, especially at the end, when,
in conclusion, he repeated the wishes of the letter pastoral that he and I have
published on popular political organizations and their relations with the
Church. The conclusions referred to supporting the requests that are being
made these days for amnesty for political prisoners, for freedom for those
22
who are outside the country to enter the country, for approval of the Public
Order Law and also for it to be left in freedom for the kidnapped. The
Cathedral was full of people and, upon leaving, we had very cordial moments
with those people who are feeling great confidence in our Church.
SATURDAY, January 13, 1979
There is a coexistence of the catechumenate in the Franciscan Church of
Planes de Renderos. I have not been able to attend and I have dedicated
myself to personal reflections and work; since during the week I have not had
a place.
At noon I had lunch with Father Moreno and with the bachelor Roberto
Cuéllar, to prepare the report that we give every Sunday in the homily.
SUNDAY, January 14, 1979
The Cathedral mass was very well attended and there were representations
from the foreign press. After the mass, an interview with some of these
journalists and I left for San Antonio Abad where I celebrated the Holy Mass,
as part of the novena that that community is dedicating in preparation for its
patron saint's day. I spoke to them about an effort of unity and overcoming
any difficulties that, unfortunately, they have suffered before.
In the afternoon, spontaneously, I went to visit the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas
of the Parish of San Bartolomé Perulapía. I surprised Father Luis Montesinos,
who felt very flattered by my visit and introduced me to the pilgrimage from
the microphones, and I had to say a few words, talking about popular
religiosity and taking advantage of these centers and popular devotions to
grow in our faith.
At night I visited another sanctuary in our Diocese in honor of the Christ of
Esquipulas. This is the Parish of Colón, where Father Nicolás Menjívar had
invited me to celebrate a Youth Mass, in honor of the Holy Christ. After the
mass, in which I addressed a message to the large audience that filled the
Church visiting the Holy Christ, we shared a very pleasant coexistence with
the pastoral agents.
On Monday the 15th, the day of the Lord of Esquipulas, in the Parish of
Aguilares the Holy Crucifix is ​celebrated under the title of "The Lord of
Mercies", as a patron saint's day. Invited by Father Octavio Cruz and the
religious of the Sacred Heart, I presided over the Eucharist, which was
attended by almost all the priests of the vicariate and numerous people,
since there they have a great devotion to the Holy Christ. I took the
opportunity to explain a passage from the Epistle to the Hebrews, which tells
us about the sacrifice of Christ and his entry as redeemer and savior of
humanity into the perfect sanctuary that is heaven.
Among the audience there are many people who belong to popular political
organizations and I tried to give them guidance so that the vindication effort
of their organizations does not deviate from the Christian meaning, but
rather encompasses it in the universal and profound redemption of Jesus
Christ, that is, , starting from the liberation from sin.
THURSDAY, January 18, 1979
We had a breakfast dialogue with the usual advisors, in which we focused, at
my request, on some profiles on my participation in the Episcopal Conference
of Puebla. We also analyzed a little the reality and situation of the country.
They are extremely useful meetings that I am neglecting a bit, but upon
returning from Puebla, I will make these meetings more normal.
The ecumenical week began. Baptists, mainly, and Catholics, with all
enthusiasm, organize the Week of Prayer for Christian unity. Tonight the
dedication ceremony took place at the First Baptist Church. I was given
participation in the welcome as a greeting to the attendance, which was very
large. The topic was given by a Baptist pastor, about what the Holy Spirit is as
a force of unity and that we trust him a lot, asking for his light and his
strength for the objectives of the ecumenical movement.
FRIDAY, January 19, 1979
In the afternoon we had an interesting meeting about the problem of the
Seminar where there are six boys who have been identified by the training
team and who, according to them, it is better not to return to the Seminary;
But parish priests and base communities, who know the work of these boys,
oppose this judgment of the formation team and have asked that we

intercede so that these vocations are not lost. The dialogue was very
interesting and we are willing to save the vocation of these seminarians, as
long as we do not know otherwise.
SATURDAY, January 20, 1979
Extremely tragic day. He woke up with the news that there had been a
military operation at the El Despertar location, in the Parish of San Antonio
Abad. In this house, gatherings are frequently held to deepen the Christian
faith. Father Octavio Ortiz, together with Sister Chepita, as they call the
Belgian nun who works there, led a Christian initiation meeting. There were
about forty young people. But at dawn today, the National Guard, with a
force of violence, exploded a bomb to break the door and then violated the
entrance with tanks and shooting. Father Octavio, upon realizing it, got up,
but found nothing but death, as did four other young men. The rest of the
group, including the two nuns, were taken to the National Guard barracks.
We did not learn about the murder of Father Octavio and the other four
young people until in the afternoon when the body of the Father and the
other young people had already been taken to the cemetery morgue. Father
Octavio's face was extremely disfigured; He seemed crushed by some
enormous weight that must have passed over him. They took him to the La
Auxiliadora funeral home, the same as the other three young people, since
one of them had been picked up by his family, but of these three their
relatives had not yet been identified. For our part, we took them to the
funeral home to be arranged and then, we would take them to the Cathedral
for the viewing, where they would be recognized by their families and they
would take care of them. At night this tragic, funeral procession was taken to
the Cathedral. There were many people there. The Cathedral was almost full,
praying a lot for the deceased and addressing evangelical messages to the
crowd. I arrived around eleven at night. The crowd welcomed me with
applause. I led a response in favor of Father Octavio and the other young
people, and I also spoke to guide how we were going to proceed the next day.
I invited everyone to the eight o'clock mass in the Cathedral, which will be
attended by all the priests, who will leave their ordinary Sunday schedules to
attend this concelebration by a brother priest.
SUNDAY, January 21, 1979
The morning is filled with the beautiful concelebration of the Cathedral. More
than a hundred priests around the coffin of his deceased brother, Father
Octavio. There were also the coffins of the other three young people who
were collected by the Church from the cemetery morgue. Mass could not be
celebrated inside the Cathedral, but was organized on the street and in the
park. At the time of starting the mass it was extremely packed, a
concentration that moved everyone, above all, because of the pious
participation with which everyone followed this prayer for the deceased. A
representative of the bishop of Cleveland was at my side, as were other
American priests. When preaching the homily, I made an analysis of the crime
of Father Octavio and his four sacrificial companions. I called to use
rationality before violence and force.
I protested this attack on the dignity of our Church. I remembered the
penalty of excommunication that the intellectual and material authors of this
crime against the priest have fallen upon. Among the crowd were people
from all the parishes of the Archdiocese and also representatives of many
communities from other dioceses. The Father's coffin, as well as that of the
other young people, were brought back into the Cathedral after the mass, to
continue receiving that affection of prayer and contemplation with which our
faithful paraded before them.
The community of San Francisco, Mejicanos, requested the body of the
Father to be buried in their Church. And after discussing this situation,
ensuring that they avoid any provocation to a manifestation of violence, they
would take him privately. That body belongs to them, since the priest was
ordained there and worked there for the five years of his ministry. I was the
one who ordained Father Octavio in 1974, commissioned by Monsignor Luis
Chávez y González. It was March 3rd. In the afternoon, Father Octavio's body
had already been transferred to his Parish of San Francisco in Mejicanos and I
went to preside over the concelebration. There were about forty priests and
the crowd was immense. The street in front of the Church was unable to
contain the numerous access of people arriving from all over. For this reason,
it was concelebrated outdoors and after the mass the faithful's visit to Father
Octavio continued again, in lines that reached the Mejicanos bus terminal
23
station. A true splendid manifestation of solidarity, suffering, love, dedication
to the cause of Jesus Christ! The crowd was extremely affectionate towards
the priests and their bishop, whom they greeted with applause, kissing
hands, etc. I finished this ceremony with great satisfaction in the Spirit. How
well people respond when you know how to love them! Father Octavio
remained in the funeral chapel until the procession of faithful, which was still
very numerous, finished.
MONDAY, January 22, 1979
At eight twenty in the morning on a Pan American plane I travel to Mexico to
attend the meeting in Puebla. At the Guatemala airport, where we made a
stopover, we greeted some priests who were waiting for us and we had a
brief interview with a journalist, who was especially interested in the
statements that the President of the Republic in Mexico had just made,
saying that There is no persecution in the Church of El Salvador and I also
wanted details about the attack on the youth community home where Father
Octavio tragically died. Also at the airport in Mexico, upon realizing that the
archbishop of San Salvador was arriving, we were interviewed by journalists,
television agents and La Prensa de México, who were also interested in the
issue of the Church in El Salvador and its relations with the Government, and
where several inaccurate aspects of the President's statements in Mexico had
to be clarified. Confidentially, one of the journalists told me that President
Romero's presence and, above all, his farewell to El Salvador had been very
cold, "ice," the journalist told me.
We were cordially received by the Carmelite nuns of Santa Teresa, who had
already been warned of my arrival by the sisters of the same congregation at
the Hospital of Divina Providencia in San Salvador.
They waited for us at the airport and took us to their novitiate house in
Colonia Santa María de la Rivera. I am accompanied by Father Jesús Delgado
and Father Astor Ruiz; Father Rafael Moreno also came with me, but he left
with his Jesuit brothers. We have been communicating because he is in
charge of the information about Puebla and all the incidents of this trip to the
Information Secretariat of the Archbishopric of San Salvador.
After resting a little at the sisters' house, I left with the other two priests for
the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, thus offering the first fruits of this trip.
It was six o'clock in the afternoon. A pilgrimage of people was arriving from
the market and I begged the chaplain of the Basilica to allow me to
concelebrate together with my other two priests, and the priest was very
kind to allow me to participate in the celebration that was already prepared
to receive the pilgrims.
At night, we talked with Father Moreno, who came to my inn to tell me about
the relationships he is achieving with bishops and other priests. I also had a
telephone call from the Bishop of Cuernavaca, Monsignor Sergio Méndez
Arceo, who informed me that there was a magazine meeting that he was
going to attend and in which we could talk. I told him, with great pleasure,
that it was my desire to also talk with him. It was confirmed to me in the early
hours of the next day.
On television at ten at night, I saw a piece of an interview they did with me at
the airport.
I also realized that Cardinal Pironio had already arrived and was interviewed.
Father Moreno also tells me that the bishops of Chile and other bishops are
arriving that night, and that he will continue to report.
TUESDAY, January 23, 1979
After a quiet night of great rest, thank God, I celebrated Holy Mass in the
small sanctuary of the novice sisters, where we also shared some small
reflections on the Word of God, applying them to this transcendental
moment in Latin America. And asking us to be a living force in prayer, so that
the meeting in Puebla and the coming of the Pope to the continent would
mean a true Pentecost for our people who expect so much from the Church. I
greeted the Provincial Father of the Dominicans, accompanied by Father José
Luis who is staying with them and who has come to help me in reporting for
our social media, in order to bring our people authentic news of the Pope's
coming and, above all, from the Puebla meeting. With them we went to
obtain the credentials that will accredit them as journalists; This is being
dispatched in the office that has been built for the communications service of
the Archbishopric and CELAM. At eleven thirty I went to look for Monsignor
Méndez Arceo, who invited me for this hour at the house where the
magazine directors are meeting. Unfortunately he was not there, but at the

end of my time I greeted him briefly. There was joy in meeting me and
mutual support in our position as pastors in the Church that wants to be
faithful to that Gospel of service to the poor.
He told me about his adventures as a pastor, his meeting with Pope John Paul
II and his joy at being able to serve the people of God in this way.
In the evening I was invited to the General House of the Carmelite Sisters for
dinner, and after dinner we watched on television some scenes of the
preparations for the Pope's coming.
Also in the evening, I had a visit from two journalists with whom I spoke in
more depth about my ideals as a servant of the Church and the problems that
this raises.
WEDNESDAY, January 24, 1979
I went to see the cathedral of Mexico and the immense Zócalo square, where
the Holy Father will have a meeting with our Latin American people. The
Cathedral was prepared with stairs with added seats in the choir and in the
body of the Church for the crowd that will attend the mass celebrated by the
Pope in the Cathedral. At those moments, a beautiful choir accompanied by
orchestras and organ was singing, rehearsing.
In the evening, press interview. Alan Riding had prepared a group of
journalists, or rather, correspondents from advertising agencies. We did not
expect so many people, but I was happy to have about fifty journalists in
front of me with their television cameras, with their photographs and, above
all, with a series of very interesting questions, but which I noticed as a special
sympathy for the Church, and even There was respect and also sincerity in
the questions. I began by thanking this opportunity to expand my voice in
favor of those who do not have a voice and to make known, in the breadth of
its messages, the thoughts of a Church that wants to be faithful to the
Gospel. I briefly described the economic, social and political situation of my
country and how in that difficult environment it is where the Church tries to
carry out a prophetic mission, which will awaken the conscience of the
Salvadorans, so that they are not masses, but rather they are children of God,
forming communities where true love reigns. And, for this reason, the Church
denounces everything that destroys the dignity of the individual and, above
all, destroys the ability to build a people on the basis of love, justice and
peace.
After the press conference, I had the satisfaction of hearing very
complimentary comments and since many did not know the situation in El
Salvador, thanks to this interview, what the Church is doing in this difficult
environment has become known.
In the evening we again went to dinner with the superiors of the Carmelite
congregation and there we saw, also on television, the Pope's last hours in
Rome of his trip. The television invited us to continue watching since, at one
in the morning, Mexico time, they would be broadcasting the Pope's
departure for America, directly to Santo Domingo.
THURSDAY, January 25, 1979
In the brief homily of my mass celebrated in the novitiate of the Carmelites, I
recalled the events of these days: the Pope's coming to America, the meeting
of bishops in Puebla, which begins precisely this day, and the prayer for the
unity of the Christians that has been taking place these eight days and that,
precisely today, the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul, is closed with special
prayers that in San Salvador would be held in the Cathedral. We prayed,
therefore, a lot for these intentions and, above all, I entrusted them with
prayers for the meeting in Puebla.
It is the appointed day to meet in Puebla. A Carmelite nun kindly led us from
Mexico to Puebla. At noon, at lunchtime, we arrived at the house of a very
welcoming Salvadoran, the architect Gonzalo Yánez, who, with his wife, María
Teresa, and their daughter, gave us a cordial welcome and offered us a very
tasty meal.
Later, it was almost five in the afternoon, they took me to the Palafoxiano
Seminary, headquarters of the Third General Conference of the Latin
American Episcopate. I signed up; They gave me the study material and
installed me in room 325. There are already many Cardinals, archbishops,
experts, priests, lay people; There are deacons, there are nuns. There is a
good representation of our Church to deliberate on evangelization in the
present and in the future of America. Once my registration was finished, I
went out with Father Jesús and Father Moreno for a walk through the center
24
of the city, which is very nice. We visited the Cathedral and then had a coffee
in the portal.
On my return to the Seminary I met several well-known bishops: Cardinal
Primatesta, who was a college classmate of mine; the chancellor of the
diocese of Puebla, Father Miguel Navotrato, who welcomed me with a very
effusive fraternal hug; the Bishop of León, Monsignor Salazar; the Archbishop
of Panama, Monsignor McGrath; some bishops of Chile, several other
bishops, who I noticed felt sympathy for me and for my Archdiocese. There
are still many bishops with whom to make contact, but tonight, at dinner, I
had the opportunity to continue greeting, lightly, others who are not yet
known to me.
FRIDAY, January 26, 1979
This morning we had the first celebration. The place that will serve for the
Plenary Assemblies is the one that will also serve as a chapel: a large room
that is parallel to the dining room of the Palafoxiano Seminary of Puebla. The
entire day passes in registration, preparations, getting to know the building
and, naturally, making contact with the various participants. An American
Maryknoll priest, who was in Opico, is at the San José de las Hermanas
Josefinas hospital. He came to greet me with great affection and I promised
to go see a sick colleague of his in the hospital. Unfortunately, time and
ignorance of the city did not make this interview easier for me. Father Jesús
Delgado, who accompanies me as secretary, as well as Father Moreno, as
advisor for information and press data, have stayed at the house of the
architect Gonzalo Yánez, where his wife, María Teresa, has been very nice in
accommodate and care for them.
SATURDAY, January 27, 1979
The highlight was the pilgrimage that we made by bus from Puebla to the
Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, to concelebrate with the Holy Father.
The arrival at the Basilica, after a pious tour, praying the rosary and singing to
the Virgin, was a very difficult arrival. We walked along the wide Avenida de
Guadalupe with difficulty because it was full of people waiting for the Holy
Father to pass by. The people greeted us with great affection, since they
realized that they were the bishops' buses that met in Puebla. The crowd
became more compact in the square and we had many difficulties, including
all the bishops jumping over a fence to be able to enter the old Basilica where
we dressed for the concelebration. This unexpected operation delayed us and
when we arrived at the old Basilica, the Holy Father was already in front of
the same old Basilica because he was also going to be vested. It was carried in
the expressly prepared car on an open minibus decorated in red; His white
figure stood out, greeting affectionately to the crowd that never tired of
applauding him. From the old Basilica, the procession of priests and bishops
seemed endless in the middle of the crowd, which was already more
organized for the passage of the celebrants towards the new Basilica. The
applause and the songs, the emotion grew as the procession passed by,
crowning the figure of the Holy Father dressed as a pontifical. In the Basilica,
a very impressive choir gave the welcome greeting to the episcopal
procession at the entrance of the Holy Father. They were placed in the seats
or presidential chairs behind the altar and also filling the pews of the people,
since, only the attendance of bishops from CELAM and from all of Mexico and
other parts, come for this solemn inauguration of the episcopal meeting, It
filled a large part of the Basilica itself dedicated to the people. The Holy
Father delivered a homily in honor of the Virgin and highlighting the solemn
act of the inauguration of the Third Meeting of Puebla. The speech is in the
book expressly edited by CELAM, with all the Pope's speeches on his
pilgrimage through Latin America.
Returning to Puebla, on the bus in which I was traveling, the various bishops
and priests from other countries testified to the devotion to the Virgin,
typical of our countries. I was very pleased to be able to give this testimony in
honor of Our Lady of Peace.
Upon returning to Puebla, I went out at night to take the tickets so that they
could enter the mass of the Pope, in the seminary of Puebla, Fathers Moreno
and Chus Delgado and the family where they have stayed, and I realized that
they had already There were many people who came from neighboring towns
to wait for the arrival of the Holy Father and they slept on the sidewalks,
while other Catholics who came from further away or were more well-off,
parked their cars in places close to the Seminary where the mass of His
Holiness was going to be celebrated. .

SUNDAY, January 28, 1979
The entire morning is filled with expectation of the Pope in the seminary of
Puebla, where bishops, priests and participants in the meeting are already
ready for his arrival. Before, we had celebrated our morning prayer and our
Eucharistic concelebration, since the mass in the Seminary will be celebrated
only by the Pope. The Seminar's large sports field is completely full. They are
estimated, experts say, at around one hundred and fifty thousand people.
Many Catholics have come from Puebla and surrounding places with the
natural desire to meet the Pope. Many, who could not enter, had the
opportunity to meet and greet him along the entire highway from Mexico to
Puebla, which was reserved only for the passage of the Holy Father and his
entourage. The Pope came in the open minibus so he could greet all the
people who came to the road. Naturally, this crowd grew in the towns and in
an extraordinary way upon arrival in Puebla, and throughout the entire route
of the city to the Seminary. In the Cathedral he was eagerly awaited, the
lights were turned on, but the Pope was an hour late and he was very sorry
not to be able to please the people, since it is one of his characteristics to
understand and try to please the wishes of the people. .
An hour later than expected, that is, at one o'clock, the Holy Father arrived at
the Seminary and after dressing as pontifical, he left amidst great
acclamation from the bishops, who filled a corridor that leads to the stage
prepared for the celebration, and the people who were on the other side in
front of the altar. The cheers, the typical enthusiasm of this city of Puebla,
wonderfully overflowed to tears. The Pope, extremely excited, greeted and
began the Holy Mass. The Archbishop of Puebla, Monsignor Huesta,
welcomed him and the Pope began the Eucharistic sacrifice. In the homily,
the Pope addressed the topic of the family with very interesting social
approaches. At the time of the offering it was very exciting to see
representations of indigenous people and native customs approaching the
Holy Father, bringing him the product of these fertile lands and such typical
flowers and fruits. The Pope received him excitedly and offered these
offerings to the Lord, in the sign of bread and he came. It was a pity that no
practical way of distributing communion was foreseen, and so only a group of
seminarians were able to receive communion from the hands of the Holy
Father.
In the Seminary dining room we had the honor of having lunch with the Holy
Father; He, who seemed quite tired from the journey from Mexico to Puebla
and the celebration, retired very soon to his chamber, which had been
prepared, so that he could rest a little and at four or five in the afternoon, in
the Plenary Assembly room , we had the honor of listening to the Pope's
message to the bishops gathered at the Third Conference. It was the main
speech of the Pope's entire tour of America, since this is what he was
properly coming for and this was what he had been specially invited to do.
The Pope's message is also in the book of speeches from his pilgrimage
through America and is a highly guiding speech for the work of the meeting in
Puebla.
Afterwards, the Pope said goodbye to the bishops and began his private
return to Mexico.
Accompanying the Pope was the apostolic delegate, Monsignor Prigione, who
was nuncio in El Salvador and whom I had the pleasure of greeting. The
vespers were presided over by Monsignor Héctor Santos, president of the
Episcopal Conference of Honduras and archbishop of Tegucigalpa. The ways
of working were already announced, but it was announced that, in a special
way, the next day would be dedicated to learning about the...
CHAPTER 8 Year 1979
DIARY from January 29 to February 16, 1979
MONDAY, January 29, 1979
In Puebla, at the Third Episcopal Meeting of Latin America. At eight in the
morning we celebrated the lauds and the Eucharist and then we had the first
plenary session to begin work. Cardinal Luis Lordscheider, president of
CELAM and, at this meeting, also president, along with Cardinal Baggio and
the archbishop of Mexico, Monsignor Corripio. Cardinal Lordscheider
presented the meeting, the objectives, presentation of the working
document. The secretary general, Monsignor Alfonso López Trujillo, made a
presentation of the preparations that had resulted in this working document.
25
Consultation of all episcopal conferences, the reference book, the work book,
meetings, etc. Thus we arrived at this moment, in which the assembled
bishops are going to evaluate the pastoral work under the theme of:
"Evangelization in Latin America in the present and in the future."
The assistant secretary, Father Héctor Urrea, read the list of participants in
the Third General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate. In the
presidency, Cardinal Baggio, Cardinal Lordscheider; the archbishop of Mexico,
the general secretary; vice presidents: Cardinal Landázuri, of Lima and
Monsignor Luis Manresa, bishop of Quezaltenango. as president of the
various departments of CELAM: Monsignor Luciano Cabral Duarte,
Archbishop of Aracajú, Brazil, president of the Department of Social Action of
CELAM; Monsignor Francisco de Borja Valenzuela, from Chile, president of
the Episcopal Conference and president of the Department of Catechesis;
Monsignor Darío Castrillón, from Colombia, from the Department of Social
Communication; Monsignor Carlos Quinteros Arce, Mexican president of the
Department of Education; Monsignor Antonio Quarracino, Argentine,
president of the Department of Laity; Monsignor Romeu Alberti, Brazilian,
president of the Liturgy department; Monsignor Roger Aubrie, Bolivian,
president of the department of Misiones; Monsignor José Cotardi,
Uruguayan, president of the department for religious and Monsignor Román
Arriete Villalobos, Costa Rican, president of the department of Vocations and
Ministries. In addition to the departments, CELAM also has sections and they
are in charge: Monsignor Samuel Carter, of the Antilles, responsible for the
Ecumenism section; Monsignor Ovidio Pérez Morales, Venezuelan,
responsible for the non-believers section and Monsignor Willer Ellis, from the
Netherlands Antilles, responsible for the Youth section.
Also the Ecumenical Committee, under the presidency of Cardinal Luis
Aponte Martínez, of Puerto Rico.
So far 19 Cardinals and bishops who represent the presidency of this
meeting, or the presidency or responsibility of the various sectors of CELAM.
Following from number 20 to number 187 are the presiding bishops of
episcopal conferences or those elected by the conferences as representatives
of the various countries of Latin America; some appointed directly by the
Holy Father. The list follows from number 188 to number 211, priests also
representatives of their countries or appointed directly by the Holy Father.
Four permanent deacons follow and the list continues with the religious,
from number 216 to number 235. These are religious representatives of the
various regions of the continent or designated by the Holy See.
From number 236 to number 266, list of lay people, men and women, also
representing the various regions or approved by the Holy See. From number
267 to number 271 are the religious of the Latin American Confederation of
Religious, CLAR. Next are the guests from number 272, first the members of
the commission for Latin America; then other dignitaries of the Holy See or
papal representatives superior general, indicated by the Holy See;
representatives of the Episcopal Conferences of the United States and
Canada, of Europe, Africa and Madagascar and Asia; representatives of
national episcopal organizations that help the Churches of Latin America, up
to number 329. And, finally, there are Christian observers who are not
Catholic, but who attend as observers. There is the Orthodox Church, the
Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church, the Methodist Church and Judaism,
there are 5 observers. And, finally, the experts, proposed by the episcopal
conferences, and thus we reach the number of 350, which are the
participants. If anyone wants to know in detail the names or origins and other
information, they can find all of this in the file corresponding to this meeting.
As kept in the archive of our Archdiocese.
When Cardinal Lordscheider presented the working document to us, he also
presented us with a synthesis that will favor the work that is asked of us. It is
a large sheet that they began to call familiarly the sheet; where they are
summarizing the various topics and aspects of the working document,
presented in nuclei, in topics, so that provisional alphabetical commissions
try to compare them with the working document and see if they agree with
the proposed topics or if they are removed or others are proposed; in order
to now open some topics around which the final commissions will be
organized.
In my group there are, naturally, the surnames that begin with "R", among
them, Monsignor Romero de Lima, Maximino, secretary of the Congregation
for the Clergy; Cardinal Rossi, Prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples; Monsignor Ladislao Rubín, general secretary of the
Synod of Bishops; Monsignor Andrés Rubio, a bishop from South America
that I met at some previous meeting.
A commission, called spalme, collects the fruit of this day's work, to
definitively organize the outline of the document that we will then write, in

the various commissions that will be organized, according to the number of
nuclei and topics that have resulted from the work of this day. The vespers
were presided over by Monsignor Francisco Borja Valenzuela, president of
the Episcopal Conference of Chile.
TUESDAY, January 30, 1979
At the Puebla meeting. This day was dedicated to hierarchical ministry, just as
the previous day was dedicated to the unity of the Church. The celebration of
lauds and the Eucharist was presided over by Cardinal Angelo Rossi, prefect
of the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The recitation
of the psalms and the celebration of the Eucharist are very pious, very
sublime with the participation of the Seminary choir and the choir of nuns, it
is truly a celebration that fills the spirit and makes the presence of God felt in
this meeting.
Cardinal Rossi, in his homily, spoke of the hierarchical ministry and also
oriented towards the missionary duty of the Church. In the Plenary Assembly,
the working method was explained, which will be led by two well-known
experts: Jesuit Father Manuel Vela, Colombian, and Father José Marins,
Brazilian. They are going to organize the study commissions, according to the
topics that were indicated in yesterday's work, and the participants will be
able to choose the commission according to the topic that they like the most.
But just in case there was a need for a change, due to numbers, two other
ballots were given so that they could indicate, in case they could not be in the
commission of their preference, which one they would like in second and
third place.
In the afternoon, the commissions were organized according to the
preferences of each one, and the places and topics where they were going to
work were indicated. Thus, the work of drafting the final document began,
which will be extensively submitted to four editions. For now, it is about
searching for, in the topic, the various aspects that should be addressed,
taking into account the working document and the suggestions or initiatives
that arise in the commission. In this work, which I will end up pointing out as
the outline of each topic, this entire afternoon is going away; which ends with
the celebration of vespers presided over by Mr. Román Arrieta, Costa Rican,
who also spoke to us about the ministry, but especially about the work of
vocations.
WEDNESDAY, January 31, 1979
This day will be dedicated to religious life. That is why the Eucharist is
presided over by Cardinal Eduardo Pironio, prefect of the Sacred
Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutions, who was previously
general president of CELAM, a highly esteemed prelate at the Puebla
meeting. His homily, with the anointing that characterizes him, encouraged a
great spirituality of the Mystical Body of Christ, in which religious life stands
out for its following of the Lord. The work of the study groups will last all day
and will result in the first draft, so called because it is not exactly a draft, but
rather an outline that will have to be developed in the newsroom. It will be
delivered by the various coordinators to the splicing commission; which will
make its observations so that it returns to the committees to perfect a
second draft. The commissions that are working on this first draft are
twenty-one and cover various topics: the first, pastoral vision of reality; the
second commission, Christ center of history; the third, the Church; the fourth,
the dignity of man; fifth, evangelization universal destiny and criteria; sixth, in
which I joined, this evangelization and human promotion, I want to observe
that in this sixth commission I have had the pleasure of meeting among the
17 bishops and priests who make it up, with Monsignor Helder Cámara and
with the well-known friends Gerardo Flores de Guatemala, Domingo Roa,
Constantino Maradei from Venezuela and Manuel Talamás from Mexico.
The topic of our session is very important since Liberation Theology will be
studied.
The seventh theme is evangelization, culture and popular religiosity; the
eighth topic is about evangelization, ideologies and policies; the ninth, about
family; the tenth, basic ecclesial communities, Parish, particular Church,
communion of the universal Church; the eleventh commission will study the
hierarchical ministry; the twelfth, consecrated life; the thirteenth, lay people;
fourteenth, vocational ministry; the fifteenth, prayer, sacraments, liturgy,
popular piety; the sixteenth, catechesis, testimony, education, media; the
seventeenth, dialogue for communion and participation; the eighteenth,
preferential option for the poor; the nineteenth, for the young; the
26
twentieth, action in the builders of the pluralistic society; and the twenty-first
commission, which is the last, studies the issue of action with national and
international society. All of us participants in the Puebla meeting are divided
into these twenty-one commissions, studying, what it looks like, in the
distribution of work, the various topics that will form the whole of the final
document.
The afternoon vespers were presided over by Monsignor Claudius Angénor,
bishop of Haiti; He is a colored bishop. In accordance with the day
consecrated to religious men and women, he spoke of the Mystical Body and
the various charismas in that body.
THURSDAY, February 1, 1979
The day has been consecrated to the laity and lay ministries. The morning
prayer and the Eucharist were presided over by Cardinal Juan Landázuri,
president of the Episcopal Conference of Peru. In the chapel there were
numerous representations of the laity of Puebla and Monsignor Landázuri, in
his homily, spoke of the immense possibilities that the Church has in the laity
of Latin America. The work continued by the groups or commissions
organized yesterday, to continue studying the document divided into
twenty-one commissions, which are the topics on which said document is
projected.
In the afternoon, we were free to do our personal things. I went to look for
the Fathers who are with architect Yánez and it was a restful afternoon. I also
went to the Cathedral, where I surprisingly met Father Ramón Vega, who
expressed his desire to return to work in Nicaragua, his diocese of León. The
Bishop of León, Monsignor Salazar, who is at the conference, has suffered a
relapse of his diabetes and has been hospitalized. It seems that he is getting
complicated and there is even a risk of having his foot amputated.
FRIDAY, February 2, 1979
It was called the day of reconciliation and peace. A day when the festival of
the Virgin of Candelaria was celebrated, according to the custom of our
towns. From the porch of the Seminary to the chapel, the procession with
candles took place and Cardinal Avelar Brandau Vilela, who is president of the
General Council of the Commission for Latin America, presided over the
Eucharist. It was a very intense day of work. The various commissions
advanced their drafts that will be presented tomorrow, definitively, in their
second draft.
SATURDAY, February 3, 1979
It is the day dedicated to the family. It was impressive to see many families in
the chapel; husbands with their children who came to pray for the bishops
and to receive a message from the Latin American Episcopate and to pray for
all the families of the continent. Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, from Puerto
Rico, presided over the Eucharist and spoke very beautifully about the
mission of the family and the hope that the Church has in it for the
evangelization of the continent. The day has been very intense of work to
write and present tonight, the second draft, already finished. Vespers were
celebrated in the afternoon by Monsignor Angelico Meloto, from Guatemala.
I forgot to say that all these days of the week I have had several
appointments with journalists who wanted to question me about the
situation of the Church and El Salvador. Some have been on television on
Channel 13, where the program "Siete Días" is shown every night, and others
have been newspapers, not only in America but in Europe and the United
States. It has been very satisfying to be able to bear witness to the life of my
Church throughout the world. Unfortunately, this day a statement by
Monsignor Aparicio was also published, in which he blames the violence in El
Salvador on the Jesuits and denounces that they have come to Puebla to
defend the Archbishop's position which, according to the statement, is
indefensible. since, in his actions he has gone as far as personal offenses
against the Government; which is false and the Jesuits, whose superior
general, Father Arrupe, is among us, have expressed their resentments for
such dangerous publications, especially when in El Salvador there is so much
repression and so much predisposition for the work of the Church.
We talked with Father Arrupe about this situation and he is going to consult
with his Jesuits and we will make some agreement; not so much to defend
ourselves personally but for the good of the Church and to avoid dangers that
could be unleashed against the Society of Jesus with this declaration.

SUNDAY, February 4, 1979
It is the day consecrated to the Ministry of the word and in Puebla they have
had the happy idea of ​taking the bishops to the various parishes of the
dioceses. It was very nice to see the vans that came from each Parish with
groups of faithful, many of them young people to accompany the pastors to
visit and share the morning, the Eucharist, the lunch, with the parishes to
which each bishop went.
MONDAY, February 5, 1979
The day is titled: "Day of the Beatitudes." The morning prayers and the
Eucharist were presided over by the Archbishop of Mexico, Monsignor
Ernesto Corripio y Ahumada. Then we were explained the work that had to
be done today and it is what they call rejas, that is, that the various
commissions are going to be distributed by delegations to other
commissions, and thus, enrich the documents drafted last week. We have in
our hands a very thick folder of the twenty-one commissions that have
drafted their twenty-one topics and of which we have to report to the various
grid commissions. At noon I visited the group of theologians who at 14
Washington Street are at the disposal of the bishops, giving us valuable
collaboration and theological advice.
The other night I went to dinner with them and Monsignor Helder Cámara
and other bishops were also there, who expressed their pleasure at this
selfless work of these priests and religious. Also this afternoon I had a
television interview for the great program, very famous in Mexico, [...]
CHAPTER 9 Year 1979
DIARY from February 17 to March 14, 1979
MONDAY, March 5, 1979
From today until Friday, March 9, I went to do the spiritual exercises at the
“María Eugenia” house of the Sisters of La Asunción, together with twenty
other priests. They were preached by Father Fermín Aranguren,
Redemptorist, who was helped for two days by Father Fabián Amaya. Both
gave us very accurate, very timely, very deeply spiritual, very current
guidance. The group compacted into a lovely unit and there was much depth
of reflection. Truly priestly spiritual exercises, of great benefit to our ministry!
Thank God!
During the exercises we went out to the clergy meeting that was on Tuesday
at Domus Mariae, where the Puebla document was presented and some
practical notices for the life of the Diocese were given, mainly in Lent and
Holy Week. That same TUESDAY night, I presided over the inauguration of the
Faith Formation course that has been organized, for the second year now, in
the vicariate of La Asunción, Flor Blanca, in the parish house of the Parish of
the Heart of Mary. This year there will be two courses since they will be doing
their second course, those who last year initiated this very timely idea of ​the
priests of that vicariate, united for a pastoral ministry more in accordance
with our time. In the end, the Cultural Attaché of the United States Embassy
offered me his collaboration for the most perfect recording of the Cathedral
homilies, which I accepted and appreciated.
FRIDAY, March 9, 1979
After the spiritual exercises, in the afternoon, I had to get busy collaborating
in the solution of the strike in La Constancia and La Tropical, which has been
unable to solve the labor problem for several days.
Invited by the Episcopal Conference, I attended the delivery of the Puebla
document to the Virgin of Peace, according to the initiative given in Puebla to
take this document to the patron saints of all the countries of America.
He had invited the clergy, nuns and faithful, and in large numbers we were
gathered in the Church of the Rosary and from there we went to the
Cathedral, to take part in the solemn celebration. The number of priests in
the Diocese was the largest, there were eighty. The ceremony had been
organized by the directors of the Episcopal Conference. The exclusion of me
from participating in the ceremony was clearly noted. The people gave me an
unexpected acclaim upon leaving, for which I was deeply grateful.
27
Monsignor Aparicio, when the entrance procession arrived, explained the
objective of the festival. Monsignor Revelo was in charge of presenting the
summary of the document, after the Gospel. And the Nuncio, who presided
over the ceremony, said a few words at the end relating devotion to the
Virgin and evangelization in Latin America.
In the convent of El Calvario, Monsignor Pablo Castillo and Father Villacorta
had prepared, at my invitation, a refreshment that turned out to be a real
lunch for all the priests of the Archdiocese.
Upon returning, they told me that they had called several times about the
conflict between La Tropical and La Constancia. And together with Father
Rafael Moreno we have tried to help, as far as possible, all this afternoon
inviting the employers' side and the workers' side to dialogue. This is how we
worked until late into the night. Father Moreno still in the early hours of the
morning. But all that was achieved was a suggestion that the possibility of
dialogue not be closed, but that, at least, the employers' side and the
workers' side should come together to elucidate how dialogue could be held.
Which is already a hope given the difficult environment, since, even the
factory itself, where the strikers are, has been surrounded by a strong military
cordon with all kinds of weapons and we are concerned about the tragic
resolution that these things can have.
SUNDAY, March 11, 1979
From very early on, Father Moreno and I have tried to continue our
collaboration. The Human Rights Commission, for its part, is lobbying for this
arrangement. In SUNDAY's homily, after the doctrinal point of Lent, as a
renewal of the people of God, I have referred to the various cases of our
situation, giving priority to the strike of La Constancia and La Tropical.
Father Moreno was waiting for any call, since I had to go to San Pedro
Perulapán, which was not possible for me given the traffic situation, due to
the strike. And so I had to authorize the Vicar of the department of Cuscatlán,
Father Montesinos, and the parish priest of San Pedro Perulapán, Father
Solórzano, so that they could administer confirmation to the young people
and children who had been prepared. In the capital, our mediation, along
with other activities, have managed to reestablish the dialogue, which has
been taking place since this afternoon and I believe all night on Sunday.
MONDAY, March 12, 1979
I celebrated mass at the Cristóbal Colón School, which begins a Josefina week
today. It was a very beautiful spectacle of youth. I spoke of Saint Joseph as
the just man, that is, the man who has understood his vocation in life and has
tried to place himself in the position that God designated him for the whole
of history, and that this is the vocation of every young man. : discover God's
project and each man's position in that project.
At noon I went to lunch with the minor seminarians of Chalatenango, where
we shared a Eucharist and a very constructive dialogue for their vocation. The
Sisters of La Asunción and the Betlemite Sisters were present, since they work
in that department.
In the afternoon, I attended the gathering in San Antonio Abad with the
heads of communities from those various sectors. We dialogued widely in the
light of the Word of God, and I believe that there has been new courage to
continue, despite the very difficult situations that remained after the murder
of Father Octavio and the events of Awakening.
At night, the dialogues continued about the strike at La Constancia and La
Tropical. I personally took a worker who belongs to the Negotiating
Commission. I took him to the Red Cross where the two parties are talking,
since this young man belonged to the commission, but he did not have the
confidence to go alone.
TUESDAY, March 13, 1979
This day has been very intense. In the morning the expectations of the
negotiation continued to understand the employers and workers of La
Constancia and La Tropical. The negotiation lasted all day, until around six in
the afternoon. Meanwhile, at noon, I made my recording for the Wednesday
program and went to lunch, invited by a group of ladies from Colonia San
Benito, where there was an opportunity to compare criteria and I was
satisfied with the spiritual restlessness that the preaching has awakened. of
the current Church.

I think it is a magnificent opportunity to evangelize this very difficult sector of
the Diocese. And through a group of evangelized and good-willed ladies, like
those who were at lunch today, I feel that the Word of God can be brought to
many other homes.
In the afternoon there was a meeting with the printing workers, who
expressed their concerns about grouping together and promoting themselves
Christianly; at the same time that they reported some anomalies in the
workshop to me.
Two young people also arrived who were with an audience to address
concerns about their ideologies of violence, of which they do not want to give
in, despite the effort I have made to present to them the force of Christian
love. They believe that only violence can solve the current injustices in our
country.
At the invitation of the Nuncio I went to the Nunciature, where he offered me
his collaboration on the matter of the strike. I used this good will to thank
him and tell him that there was a threat that, at midnight, if they did not
vacate the premises of La Constancia and La Tropical, they were going to
proceed militarily, which could bring a lot of misfortune. And since the
negotiations were ending, he could plead with the President of the Republic
so that the security forces would avoid any act of violence and have a little
patience so that the negotiations would end peacefully.
Tonight I had dinner at the house of engineer Girón and his wife María Elena,
where there was no special topic, since they had the good will to make me a
completely restful environment.
But, upon returning home at eight thirty at night, we still had to talk with lay
representatives of a vicariate that is promoting grassroots communities a lot
and we shared for a long time about this evangelization based on small
communities, begging them for their collaboration. , even in front of the
parish priests to provoke their good will and collaboration.
I heard that he had fixed everything in the conflictive situation of the La
Constancia strike and I thanked God, through the radio, ourRadio YSAX, and
also through an interview requested by Radio Sonora. On both radio stations I
made my comment thanking the good will of both parties, congratulating
them for their capacity for dialogue and pointing out, at the same time, that
it was necessary to make an effort to remove the roots of this situation that
could cause new conflicts as long as they are not resolved properly. root the
situations.
WEDNESDAY, March 14, 1979
They informed me that the evacuation of the strikers and others who had
accompanied the workers in La Constancia and La Tropical took place with
considerable delay. Well, just at dawn they were able to be received in the
hall of San José de la Montaña, where the workers asked to go to have more
confidence in the Church.
I regret that the priests requested by the workers for their protection were
not given due attention by the security forces. Since Father Cortés and the
coadjutor parish priest of El Calvario, who were going to fulfill this task, were
not allowed to enter the premises or get off the Red Cross bus, or even open
the glass windows to breathe fresh air. And they had to wait there the long
hours of the night, until almost dawn, when they were taken to the hall of
San José de la Montaña.
In the afternoon I visited and celebrated mass at the novitiate of the Oblates
of the Sacred Heart in Colonia Costa Rica.
CHAPTER 10 Year 1979
DIARY from March 15 to April 10, 1979
THURSDAY, March 15, 1979
I had breakfast with the parish priests of the capital, with whom I have to
arrange some coordination for next Holy Week, in order to unify some events
and agree on a joint celebration.
We agreed, above all, to unify Palm Sunday between Calvary and the
Cathedral; give Concepción's Silence procession more pastoral attention;
since it is an immense mass that no one controls. For this I will have a speech
at the beginning and it will continue to be transmitted from theRadio YSAX an
animation, inviting other parish priests to celebrate events at this time,
whether it be a procession of silence also in the other parishes, or some
other event that brings people together, in order to decongest that crowd
28
and take advantage of it for the reflection of the Week Santa. Likewise, we
will animate the procession of the Holy Burial on the radio for all the parishes
that want to take advantage of this radio animation. I insisted that we give all
the importance to the Easter Vigil and that they bring, above all, communities
and young people because we are going to do it early, at seven at night in the
Cathedral.
Since I was feeling a little unwell that day, I canceled a lunch with Don Pepe
Simán and the trip to Monte San Juan where I was supposed to go to take
possession of the new parish priest, Father Benjamín Rodríguez. I feel that
these deletions do not satisfy me, I would like to fulfill what I have promised,
but my health sometimes does not respond and this is combined, perhaps,
with a bit of negligence on my part.
At night, however, I had a very lively and very friendly meeting with the
young people of the Minor Seminary of the Archdiocese, in San José de la
Montaña, which lasted for about two hours, in which the boys expressed very
interesting concerns, appropriate to his age and vocation.
FRIDAY, March 16, 1979
For the same reason, I suspended the visit I was supposed to make to the
town of Paraíso de Chalatenango, where the Betlemite Sisters were waiting
for me with so much affection. They have prepared a gift for the people for
me, but I opportunely sent them word that I could not go and that the Vicar
General was going in my place. It was a meeting of pastoral agents from the
entire vicariate and I know that it went well, despite not having gone in
person.
In the afternoon, together with the other priests who accompanied me to
Puebla, we informed the major seminarians of the Archdiocese about this
event and gave rise to a dialogue that was very interesting.
Later we went to a second meeting with other young entrepreneurs. They
expressed their hope in the Church and also expressed their concerns in the
difficult moment the country is going through.
At night I visited the Atlacatl Colony in whose Parish a catechumenal group is
being cultivated. I spoke to them about the need for this biblical promotion,
but that, at the same time, they should try to adapt to the pastoral care of
the local Church. To thus show the authenticity of his Catholic intentions.
SATURDAY, March 17, 1979
In the morning I was visited by English television with whom I had a short
dialogue and, at the same time, I was photographed for that television, about
the situation in the country and about our Church.
This morning we also prepared with Father Jesús Delgado and Father Octavio
Cruz, the round table that we are going to preside at the National University
on the topic of "The role of the Church in Latin America."
At night, I celebrated the baptism of a grandson of Dr. Semsch at the Hospital
Mass.
SUNDAY, March 18, 1979
This has been a very busy Sunday. After the usual Mass in the Cathedral,
which as always turns out to be a very consoling event for the pastoral life of
the Diocese, I went to San José Villanueva, anticipating the feast of the
patron Saint Joseph, I celebrated there a very beautiful party prepared by the
Passionist Sisters , who have that population and the parish priest, Father
Benito Alfaro, in their care.
In the middle of the afternoon we went to the community of the San José
Cortés Canton, in Ciudad Delgado. Also a very large and enthusiastic
community where I celebrated mass, and afterwards I spoke with the pastoral
agents.
There are many catechists, there are a good number who give very great
pastoral hopes in that sector.
And at night, I was at the San Francisco de Mejicanos Parish to inaugurate the
new parish priest, Father Rafael Palacios, who will fill the void left by Father
Octavio Ortiz, who, as you know, was murdered in El Despertar, Saint Anthony
Abbot.
From MONDAY, March 19 to FRIDAY, March 23, 1979
I went to the Dominican Republic, because in Santo Domingo a seminar was
being held on the cult of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, sponsored by an

international institute that organizes these events in various parts of the
world. Father Santiago Garrido was also from El Salvador, who is the director
of the Apostleship of Prayer. It was a very useful seminar in theological,
biblical and pastoral knowledge; above all, in dialogue with other participants
from various countries in Central America and the continent. We study how
to make this cult attractive to today's public, which, without a doubt, is still
current, but which, perhaps because it has not been sufficiently modernized,
is considered by some to be outdated. However, we have understood, in the
light of these reflections, how necessary it is to put it back in its due honor.
For this, on behalf of the Central American attendees, we organized a small
committee that, together with the International Center, will seek the means
to realize these ideals of renewal of the cult of the Sacred Heart in our
countries. I had the honor of being named president of that small Central
American group. I have gladly accepted because it has always been my
favorite devotion and because I know that this cult of the Sacred Heart will
bring many fruits for the pastoral care of our dioceses.
The seminar took place in the Loyola house of the Jesuit Fathers, a
picturesque place by the sea. And I also had the opportunity to make known
the situation of the Archdiocese in which the seminarians, the religious and
some other means of social communication were very interested, such as
television for their daily information one day and Father Arango, a Jesuit. ,
who maintains a Sunday program, dedicated his program to a dialogue with
this server.
SATURDAY, March 24, 1979
Today we had with Father Moreno, Father Fabián Amaya, Father Walter
Guerra, and Miss Doris Oseguera a meeting that we will have every Saturday
from now on, to guide the ideology of social media. This meeting in which we
analyze the various aspects of the week and the impressions that our radio
and Orientation are causing are also very interesting for my government.
In the afternoon, in Suchitoto, we celebrated with many attending priests the
priestly ordination of deacon Ezequiel de Jesús Gámez. The mass was
outdoors in the atrium of the Church and was very impressive and friendly.
Among the communities attending, which were very numerous, the
community of Chalatenango stood out, since Father Gámez, despite being
from Suchitoto, has joined that community and with it has celebrated a kind
of alliance, to continue cultivating his priestly vocation.
SUNDAY, March 25, 1979
After the Cathedral mass I went to participate in the 25th anniversary of the
minor seminary of Santa Ana, called the John XXIII seminary. Invited by
Bishop Barrera and also attended by the Nuncio and many priests of the
Diocese. The mass took place at twelve o'clock. Among the crowd that
attended, some "Monsignor Romero" was heard, which did not stop worrying
me and for which reason, as soon as the mass ended, I tried to escape to
avoid any problem. Furthermore, in the host city I had my fears to address,
since serious labor problems were being resolved here, in which they
frequently turn to the Archbishopric. The main problem occurred in the
Delicia factory where among the hostages was a professional whose mother
had died and they would not let him leave. I interceded for him, but
unfortunately what was desired could not be done.
MONDAY, March 26, 1979
Again we met for breakfast with the priests with whom we planned the next
Holy Week. Father Gutiérrez has taken the organization of Holy Week very
seriously and, thank God, he has already presented some achievements and
we have already made this celebration concrete.
At noon, we had lunch with all the staff of the archdiocesan Curia, priests and
lay people, to enter into a greater human relationship. The dialogue we had
before and during lunch was truly human warmth and I am happy to be able
to establish more human and Christian relationships in such an important
work for the entire Archdiocese.
In the afternoon I spoke with two elements of the guerrilla, with whom I tried
to maintain the Christian idea of ​non-violence, but these people are very
convinced that it is not the force of love that will fix the situation, but violent
force, since they do not want to listen to reasons and much less to Christian
love. I have deeply felt the difference in thinking between a large sector of
our country, represented in these interlocutors, and Christian sentiment.
29
I ask the Lord to illuminate the paths of his Church so that they may be
understood, even by those who seek the good of the country, but along paths
very different from those that Christ pointed out.
TUESDAY, March 27, 1979
Surprisingly, Dr. Nelson Segovia visits me before breakfast, who has been
appointed judge-executor of the hostages who are in the strike at the Delicia
factory. He tells me his problem, which is truly serious, and I try to help him,
according to my knowledge, also giving him the collaboration of Monsignor
Urioste, with whom he later went to talk. I spoke to him later and I think
things are going in the right direction.
The entire morning was filled with the meeting with the Presbyteral Senate at
the Somascas sisters' house, where they also gave us lunch. It was extremely
interesting to try to make an evaluation of the Archdiocese. It seemed so
interesting that it was said that, from time to time, it should be done, and if
possible, not only in one morning, but rather dedicate sufficient and in-depth
time to take the pulse of the progress of the Diocese and guide each time.
better our pastoral care. There was talk of a change of senators, since,
according to the primitive statutes, their term is for two years, which are
already ending. But the study of the statutes was left to Father José Luis
Bourguet to decide this point at a future meeting.
At five in the afternoon there was the round table at the National University,
in the Faculty of Humanities and Letters. The topic indicated was "The role of
the Church in Latin America." Father Jesús Delgado participated, under the
theological aspect, presenting the theology of liberation; Father Octavio Cruz,
parish priest of Aguilares, graduate in Social Sciences, who presented the
socio-economic-political framework of the country and Latin America. And
finally I spoke properly about the role of the Church in Latin America, taking
into account the recent documents from Puebla. The reception that our
University gave to this representation of the Church was very moving. The
Law auditorium, which is the largest at the University, and where the round
table took place, was unable to contain the crowd, which also overflowed
into the hallways and onto the terraces that overlook the room. There was a
lot of respect, a lot of silence in the presentations, and later at the time of
questions, the questions also demonstrated the deep interest that the
message of the Church represents for this university environment of
professors and young high school graduates, some already professionals. I
expressed my gratitude and offered the collaboration of the Church in this
effort of national culture. The dean of the Faculty of Humanities, together
with the Rector, offered us a small reception at the end where we shared
comments about the event. Of course, positive, on the part of all of them.
The comments we have heard since are also very positive.
In the evening I attended a dinner with the Christianity Cursillistas who often
give me this opportunity to share with them in a familiar way.
WEDNESDAY, March 28, 1979
Among the audiences this morning, the main one was that of some
progressive military personnel, now retired, with whom we spoke extensively.
Monsignor Urioste accompanied me, to better represent the presence of the
Church. They explained a lot of history of the Government of El Salvador and
proposed some solutions to get out of this situation.
On the part of the Church we admire your good will. We were grateful for the
enrichment they had given us with their reports and we offered to
collaborate. The Church is always willing to collaborate when it is seen on the
part of the Government sincerely serving the people, whom the Church also
serves. The dialogue became very interesting and I think we all left with a
little more hope in our hearts. We promised to meet again and talk about this
topic. They brought a message to those with whom they spoke, among them
the President of the Republic, the thoughts of the Church in this situation.
I suspended a private lunch I had with the Redemptorist Fathers and a
meeting with the printing workers, as well as my presence in the
catechumenal group of Mary Help of Christians. I regret that these
retractions, sometimes involuntary, do not leave me happy, but sometimes
health does not respond to good will.
THURSDAY, March 29, 1979
This morning, we had a meeting with the Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese.
It is still very early, but the meeting was very positive. Specifically, the

question I asked before any other agenda item was for them to express
whether they saw the importance of this pastoral commission and to give
suggestions for a truly efficient operation. Almost the entire meeting was
spent on this response, but it left as a very useful result the effective creation
of a small Council in which there was only one representative of the priests,
another of the nuns and another of the lay people to study all the
suggestions that had been made. done and give more effective functionality
to this organization that the Council recommends and that, without a doubt,
will do a lot of good in the pastoral care of the Diocese.
In the afternoon, Sister Nelly Rodríguez, from the Sacred Heart School, along
with other mothers, visited me to express their concerns about the
dangerous currents in which youth find themselves, their own children,
above all, certain Eastern ideologies, Gnostic, which are sometimes linked to
other types of alienations. We spoke broadly about youth and proposed
some means that Catholic schools can undertake. Above all, as one of them
said, it was a therapy meeting, because they also touched on spiritual points
that were of great interest to them personally.
In the evening he was invited to a dinner with the CONFRES to congratulate
Mother Vanegas who has been elected vice president of the CLAR, and also
as an expression of solidarity to the Archbishopric. For my part, I thanked
them and expressed my satisfaction with the life that CONFRES leads,
encouraging them to increasingly promote the spirit of religious life in the
current line of the Church.
FRIDAY, March 30, 1979
Dr. Roberto Silva came to have breakfast with me, whom I have begged to
always tell me something with complete confidence. And his word today was
for me to clarify, before the people who listen to me, that he himself said,
"there are many, and it is not only his people, but also those who attack him
and listen to him a lot," which clarifies that there was no They had to confuse
terrorism with the left, along with just demands, which was necessary
because the accusation that is always made is that terrorism is accused of
defending themselves from communism. And it was necessary to point out
that there are many just demands in what they call the left. Just as there is
also much to be condemned in that left when it turns into terrorism, into
fanatical violence. I completed the concept by saying that, equally, I would
like to distinguish on the right also some good that there is from the bad,
which there is also. I thanked him for his collaboration and asked him to
discuss it whenever there was a suggestion.
I went to lunch with the Opus Dei Fathers in a new residence they have and
left them the autographed portrait, "to the Opus Dei of the Archdiocese, with
my blessing as a pastor and friend."
At night I had another interview with a Finnish journalist, who, in addition to
the report from El Salvador, said that he was taking data for a book that he is
preparing.
SATURDAY, March 31, 1979
We held the information reflection breakfast for the second time. Monsignor
Urioste, Father Rafael Moreno, Fabián Amaya, Walter Guerra and Miss Doris
Osegueda attended. We analyze a letter that comes from several
communities that complain that the comments of theRadio YSAX and the
presentation of Orientation does not follow the pastoral line of the
Archbishopric, but rather presents partial political options and does not give
rise to the life of the base ecclesial communities. The analysis we did was
quite good and it was concluded from having a meeting with these
communities to clarify some situations that they ignore and also take into
account their ideals.
In the afternoon I went to San Antonio Abad with the coordinating team of
that community. We deal with some aspects of the problems of that Parish
where El Despertar is located, which was the scene of the murder of Father
Octavio and the four young people. We agreed to celebrate a Eucharist on
Holy Monday night, to install Father Rogelio there in that house, who will be
provisionally in charge of the Parish while Father Coto, whom this community
awaits with affection, is ordained a priest.
Tonight I also had a visit from a Finnish journalist, who also promised me, in
addition to the report he took, to accompany me to the Cathedral mass the
next day and to the Salesian oratory, where he will share my experience with
those children and catechists.
30
SUNDAY, April 1, 1979
The Cathedral mass had a very special note, very encouraging, very
exemplary. It was the presence of the community of Somascan Fathers, who
wanted to concelebrate with me and, at the same time, run their institutions,
their seminary and other Somascan works. There were six priests, whom I
greeted from the beginning of the mass, presenting them to the community
as a gesture of communion very worthy of imitation. And at the time of the
Gospel, one of the priests, before my homily, expressed the intention with
which they had come, their founding charismas, precisely, for the orphans
and the helpless. And how this line with the poor is, precisely, the authentic
line of the Gospel of the saints of all times and that wants to be their line, as
well as solidarity with the pastor of the Diocese.
After the mass I went to celebrate another Eucharist at the oratory of the
Ricaldone Institute, where I had been invited and where I shared the Salesian
joys of those catechists and children who benefit by more than a thousand in
those wide fields. There I administered confirmation to some young people
and expressed to them what it meant to be baptized and to receive that
strengthening of the Holy Spirit that is confirmation.
In the afternoon we celebrated the Holy Hour, which was very crowded and
fervent in the chapel of the Hospital of Divina Providencia, where I also
administered the baptism of the first-born son of Roberto Cuéllar, a great
collaborator of the Archdiocese since his service to the Legal Aid office.
And at night we celebrated 50 years of religious life of Mother Juanita, a little
old woman oblate to Divine Love, who has worked at the La Sagrada Familia
School for many years. We shared with that community impressions of great
harmony with the pastoral care of the Archdiocese.
MONDAY, April 2, 1979
I had planned to take this day off, but it has been quite busy in the
Archbishopric office. But according to Monsignor Urioste, Vicar General, I will
be absent as much as possible from these occupations this afternoon and the
following two days.
TUESDAY, April 3, 1979
Even though there is a meeting of the clergy today, which will be dedicated to
the spiritual retreat for Lent, Monsignor Urioste was kind enough to
represent me and advise me to take a day of rest, which suited me well.
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 1979
I am celebrating 37 years of priestly life. I was ordained on Easter 1942. This
day was then Holy Saturday, April 4. At the Hospital mass, the sisters already
knew this and offered their communion for me and congratulated me. In
accordance with my plan to take these three days of rest, I have not attended
the Curia, I have only signed some letters that have been prepared for me. I
appreciate this collaboration.
THURSDAY, April 5, 1979
Today the meeting of the Executive Council or Secretariat of the Pastoral
Council was held for the first time, which was created with a representative
of vicariates, Father Carlos Mejía, Vicar of La Asunción, Flor Blanca; a
representative of the nuns, she was an oblate nun to the Sacred Heart, who
works in Aguilares and a representative of the laity. He was also a layman of
the Miramonte Parish. This nucleus, with the Secretary of the Pastoral
Council, is the one that will carry out all those things that are agreed upon in
the Pastoral Council. Just as he will bring to that Council suggestions,
criticisms and other things that need to be studied pastorally. This meeting
coincided with an interview that the representatives of Encuentros
Conyugales had requested. It is a movement similar to Cursillos de
Cristiandad and the Christian Family Movement, which was born from a
group of Cursillos de Cristiandad and has grown a lot because they have
already held many meetings. They proposed their problems, above all, in
relation to other family movements, and an attempt was made to listen to
them and give some clues for solutions, above all, to offer them the services
of this Secretariat of the Pastoral Council.

Also in the morning, I had a visit from an American journalist who brought a
new package of signatures from France in solidarity with our Archdiocese.
There were other visits on this busy morning of work.
I went to lunch with the journalist Jorge Pinto, where Father Benito Tovar
took me. We shared the concerns of the moment with a university professor,
who participated in this lunch.
This afternoon I attended a Central American gathering of Baptist pastors at
the “María Eugenia” spiritual retreat house. About forty pastors wanted to
see me and talk with me about Christian and evangelical problems in our
Central American area. I responded by greeting them and admiring their
sense of Christian breadth, and offering myself to friendship and ecumenical
work. The dialogue that arose with them was very interesting, several topics
of the Central American reality and the commitment that Christians who
believe in the Gospel must assume in these situations and realities were
touched upon.
I was not able to attend the meeting that I had arranged, but Monsignor
Urioste and Father Ernesto Abrego went, where they had dinner and talked
with these young businessmen about the situation in the country. My
absence seems to have delayed an initiative that they want to discuss in an
upcoming meeting with me.
FRIDAY, April 6, 1979
At eight thirty in the morning, at the La Sagrada Familia School, a day of
spiritual retreat began with teachers from various Catholic schools. With
Father Isidro, secretary of CONFRES, we presented the theme of Holy Week
and the current reality of the country. And we opened a dialogue with the
teachers that was also very interesting and we can see the interest that these
teachers, collaborators of the Catholic Schools, have about the Church and
Jesus Christ.
An English journalist visited me, who needed a translator, and we talked
about the situation of the two Englishmen who are kidnapped.
They showed their concern and their disagreement with the attitude of the
English Government, which has not wanted to do anything to free its
subordinates. We talked extensively about the situation of the country and
the Church. It is one of the most popular newspapers with a circulation of
more than one million in England.
Which is why I was very interested in the interview with this journalist. I
offered the services that the Church has been providing and will continue to
provide in favor of the kidnapped English.
I went to lunch with the Jesuit Fathers of the UCA, and we talked, above all,
about the project I have to write a pastoral letter for next August 6; that I
want to dedicate to current problems of our Archdiocese, such as the
relationship with the Government, with a national security regime. And,
above all, the presentation of a Church that wants to be authentic and that
does not want commitments with any political organization which it tries to
understand and support in the right way, but without identifying with them.
And ask all Christians to build, in our base ecclesial communities, the true
Church without ambiguous contours, but rather to truly define the Church
that Christ wants to build. The Jesuit Fathers understood my concern, we
talked a lot about the subject, and they will help me make an outline to
construct this pastoral letter, which God willing, will come out next August 6.
At night, Dr. González, from the Salvadoran Human Rights Commission, visits
me and we talk about the difficult situation in the country and the
collaboration that the Human Rights Commission and the Church are
providing, and how we can do to attract more elements. alive in the
construction of peace in the country.
Immediately a committee of workers came to find out that a fight had broken
out in the ADOC factory, where about a thousand striking workers have been
locked up, but that they are being attacked by a military operation at this
hour. I tried to communicate with the parish priest of Soyapango, Father
Villarán, who went to the scene of the events and told me that there was
indeed a site in that place and that he had not been able to get closer
because he did not allow the military siege that had been established. put at
the factory. I also spoke with Father Moreno, at Santa Tecla, warning him to
be alert because I would call him, if necessary, to collaborate in pacifying this
new situation.
This day I saw the doctor, and thank God, he found my health to be good.
SATURDAY, April 7, 1979
31
With the Social Media Commission, we had a reflection breakfast, it was at
the house of the Somascas sisters, and we discussed aspects of
Church-Government relations, new situations that seem to emerge as hopes
in various sectors. We will try to encourage good intentions that hopefully
turn into reality. We also study the concern that political ideologies and praxis
be resolved with the faith and praxis of our religion during Holy Week. The
suggestion was also made to clarify this and ask for the greatest respect for
the religious sentiment of the people. Then we study the summary of the
week that will serve for tomorrow's homily. And there was no time to study
the idea or policy to follow in the use of social media in the Archdiocese. We
will do this at a meeting in fifteen days.
In the morning I received in audience the Ambassador to the Holy See, Dr.
Lencho Llach, who is saying goodbye to go to Rome to spend Holy Week,
participating in the pontifical acts. I informed him that I would also go to
Rome for the beatification of Father Coll, founder of the Dominican Sisters of
the Annunciata, and I begged him to intervene to obtain my private audience
in time.
In the afternoon, visit to the El Pepeto canton of the Soyapango Parish, where
the sisters of the Colegio de La Sagrada Familia have a nice catechesis. I
shared the joy of that sector. I arrived at a little house where they gave me
pupusas and chocolate.
The conflict at the ADOC factory seems to have left a tragic balance, which I
will report on later.
SUNDAY, April 8, 1979
Palm Sunday. According to the parish priest of El Calvario, Father Francisco
Sanggiano, we had the blessing of palms on the façade of El Calvario. There
was a very impressive crowd of people with palms. After blessing them, we
left in procession towards the Cathedral. In the Cathedral, the mass was
celebrated in the atrium of the Cathedral, since the people were so numerous
that it would not have fit inside the Cathedral. I preached the homily
presenting Christ as the mediator of the new covenant that is coming. An
alliance whose mediator identifies with the people until he presents himself
as a Servant of God, humiliated to the point of death. But the new alliance
that God makes with men is to make them participants in the glorification
that Christ achieves with that humiliation. Unfortunately, this is the second
Sunday in which there is interference in the radio transmission. It is very likely
that these are interferences made in the ANTEL headquarters itself. It is
about hindering the transmissions of my homilies. The choral part was in
charge of the Salesian Fathers seminary and the ritual part in charge of the
San José de la Montaña seminary. The entire ceremony was splendid. Thank
God!
At noon I gave rise to a family expansion together with my brothers, we had
lunch at one of them's house.
In the afternoon I went to bless the new tower of the Church of Concepción
de Santa Tecla. Its parish priest, Father Andrés Alvarenga, the mayor and
many personalities and people filled the large atrium of the Church of Santa
Tecla. I spoke along with other lay people, who addressed that crowd on
behalf of the Parish. I celebrated Holy Mass in that same place and
afterwards I cordially greeted the people.
Afterwards I went to visit a group of renewal in the Spirit that lives together
in the Parish College, I exhorted them to feel with the Church and not to
remain only in emotions, but to deepen an authentic renewal in the Spirit. I
noticed a sense of solidarity with the Bishop; a purpose to be faithful to the
hierarchical Church and not to disobey its pastors in anything.
HOLY MONDAY, April 9, 1979
My main concern this morning was to talk to those in charge of the radio and
media of the Archbishopric to see what is being done and what the
interruption of the transmission of the Cathedral ceremony meant yesterday.
Father Pedraz has already begun the investigations. And he believes, largely
based on probabilities, that it is a voluntary interference against Catholic
radio. I thanked him and pleaded with him to continue setting the record
straight and do everything in his power to normalize this situation. During the
day there have been new interferences, precisely, in the programs in which
the radio broadcasts critical opinions of the situation in the country. A
technical attaché from the North American Embassy, ​speaking privately with
Father Pedraz, expressed his repugnance to this measure against our radio

station. He is a good Catholic and is very supportive of the position of our
Archdiocese. And he has promised all his collaboration.
Today I prepared the recording with engineer Oliva for next Wednesday,
which is the interview on the radio.
At night I went to San Antonio Abad, in El Despertar a beautiful mass was
celebrated to give possession to Father Rogelio, who will live in that place and
will be temporarily in charge of the Parish of San Antonio Abad.
It was a community gathering with a lot of family spirit.
HOLY TUESDAY, April 10, 1979
I have ordered to reprint the letter that the Pope, John Paul II, wants to reach
all priests on the occasion of this Holy Thursday. Since our printing press has
acquired a modern Offset system, this reproduction of five hundred copies of
the letter that I have sent to the other bishops for their priests has become
very easy. And it will be distributed to all the priests of the Archdiocese.
The efforts have continued this day to ensure good transmission of theRadio
YSAX. It has been confirmed that this is interference.
This day the negotiations regarding the interference of theRadio YSAX, and it
has been confirmed that these are voluntary interferences to prevent, above
all, programs that refer to the situation in the country. The YSKL, which
appeared on the TV ChannelRadio YSAX, has publicly stated that it is not her
fault; that his principles prevent him from doing such an ignoble action. This
reveals that these are manipulations of ill will and, specifically, the comments
on the radio that day referred to blaming the Government, or at least, of
complicity if these interferences are not avoided. In this sense, an attentive
but firm note has also been sent to ANTEL, begging for a better service that
avoids these interferences.
At noon, Father Pedraz, a North American lady and Dr. Ítalo Vallecillos, from
the UCA, visited me to confirm the notice that Father Chencho Alas had given
me by telephone about the visit of a United States senator, who will come
next Holy Thursday. We planned the people with whom we were going to
promote this meeting and it will be held at the Belén School, in Santa Tecla,
where they will prepare lunch for us, for next Holy Thursday.
In the afternoon, I went to visit Father Crespín who has been hospitalized, but
in his Parish of Santiago, in Ciudad Delgado, I did not find him; I could only
leave him greetings since he was visiting a corner of his Parish, despite his
poor health.
I also visited the other Parish of Ciudad Delgado, that of San Sebastián, where
Father Gutiérrez is, but I didn't find him either. The faithful prepared the
Nazarene in the traditional Garden Prayer.
I finally visited the community of the Madona, where the Bethlehemite
mothers are, to inform them of my upcoming trip to Costa Rica and to offer
myself for their service, if they would like to send something to their
provincial, who resides precisely in Costa Rica.
CHAPTER 11 Year 1979
DIARY from April 11 to April 27, 1979
HOLY WEDNESDAY, April 11, 1979
With Father Brito we planned the distribution of the Pope's Letter to all the
priests, so that all of the Archdiocese can receive it on Holy Thursday. I also
begged him to help me get the priest who, in the next meeting with the
representative of the United States, studied these two points; the influence
of transnational corporations on social injustice in our country and the
situation of our undocumented countrymen in the United States. In order to
ask this parliamentarian for his collaboration on both problems.
At the Secretariat of Information we talked extensively about the problem of
interference on the radio, but at noon in the comments program, there was
again serious interference that did not allow us to hear said program or the
space of the Secretariat of Information in which I had my usual Wednesday
interview; but, thank God, it could be heard at night.
In the afternoon, I visited the College of Fátima in Santa Tecla, the
congregation of the Dominican sisters, who are preparing for the beatification
of their founder Father Coll, which I will have the joy of attending in Rome, at
the invitation of the same congregation. We talked a lot about the work that
this congregation carries out in our country, especially at the College of
Fátima and at the College of Suchitoto and in other fields of human
32
promotion here and in Central America. I encouraged his good spirit of
adaptability to the feelings of our Archdiocese. It gave me the impression of a
congregation that is truly faithful to its charismas and knows how to put them
at the service of the local Church.
HOLY THURSDAY, April 12, 1979
At half past nine the chrism mass began in the Cathedral; Quite a few priests
attended, maybe 60, which means a lot, since on Holy Thursday everyone is
very busy. The theme of the homily was "Holy Spirit, soul of the New
Covenant." From the mass we went down with all the priests to the crypt and
had a small reception, thus promoting the fraternal sense of this day of our
priesthood.
In the vicarages, especially in Chalatenango, a meeting was held with the
priests who could not attend the Cathedral, and the newly consecrated Holy
Oils were given to them there.
At half past eleven there was the meeting with an American congressman,
Mr. Tom Harkin, who along with others who accompanied him and, on our
part, also the rector of the UCA, Mr. Pepe Simán, some from the Human
Rights Commission, Beto Cuéllar, from the Legal Aid, Miss Doris Osegueda as
in charge of the Social Media. The object was to find out about the situation
of the Church and the country. We began by analyzing what he himself had
experienced and that is the interference to our Catholic radio in the
Archbishopric's programs. Father Ellacuría presented a picture of the
situation in the country, and Beto Cuéllar presented specific cases of abuse
against Human Rights. We had lunch there, at the Belén School, and when
they left, I got the impression that they were satisfied with their interview.
The congressman, who is Catholic, told me that despite the enormous
distance that separates us, he would feel like a parishioner of this Archbishop.
Congressman Harkin is the one who has promoted the support of the United
States Congress for my Nobel Prize candidacy. I thanked him, as well as the
interest he has taken in this visit and we expressed our hope that this
dialogue will result in moral support for our Church.
In the afternoon, this North American representative attended the services at
the Cathedral, which was beautiful and very fervent, full of faithful. We
celebrated the Eucharist and the theme of the preaching was "Love, the law
of the New Covenant." I took the opportunity to repeat the message from
Puebla, to the men of Latin America, calling them to build the civilization of
love.
At night, a group of seminarians and speakers animated from the studio of
theRadio YSAX, the procession of silence that takes place in San Salvador and
in several towns and cantons.
GOOD FRIDAY, April 13, 1979
Thank God, the three scheduled events could be broadcast: the Via Crucis,
the afternoon liturgy, and the Holy Burial. With the collaboration of Aníbal
Romero and several seminarians, I believe that a good message was left on
this transcendental day in the life of our Church. And through the radio many
were able to hear it.
An unpleasant note was the presence of the National Guard Band in the
Santo Entierro procession. The most serious thing is that some of the
brothers of Santo Entierro opposed the transmission on the speakers of the
andas of Santo Entierro, giving preference to the Band and thus rejecting the
message that from the Archbishop was transmitted by radio to the entire
Archdiocese. . Of which the parish priest, Father Sanggiano, took note, to
whom I also intend to advise that it is better that this body of the Band not
attend, since it belongs to a security body that has greatly offended the
Church and Christians. Also that the faith and solidarity with the Archbishop
of all those who belong to parish associations be examined.
Because I believe that in other parishes there have also been these outbreaks
of rebellion against the authority of the Church by organizing processions or
Holy Week events outside the authority of the parish priests.
We will make an evaluation of Holy Week, with the Pastoral Commission to
improve these situations of our celebrations, which must be purely of the
Church.
HOLY SATURDAY, April 14, 1979
At night, we celebrate the solemn Easter Vigil. The people responded
wonderfully, since the Cathedral was unable to contain the crowd; The door

opened to go up to the choir and even so many people had to stay outside
the Cathedral. The participation of the young people was very significant, also
the readings, which were all done, were done by members of various
Christian communities, still separated. The part of the liturgy of the Word
thus turned out to be a true ecumenical celebration. The cordial joy was
evident, above all, at the time of departure when from the door I said
goodbye to the people until a rain blocked our way to the exit and I had to
return in the middle of the crowd, which was still waiting for the exit,
receiving affectionate Greetings and wishing everyone a happy Easter.
EASTER SUNDAY, April 15, 1979
The main event of this day was the solemn mass in the Cathedral, at the usual
time, at eight, but with a ritual and a massive presence of the people. The
homily was titled "The Resurrection, seal and key of the New Covenant." At
the end of the mass I gave the papal blessing and explained the meaning of
the indulgence, and the indispensable condition of repentance and fidelity to
Our Lord.
My first concern has been the situation of theRadio YSAX, since the
interference intentionally placed against messages from the Archbishopric
has continued. We agreed with Father Pedraz, Monsignor Urioste, to officially
go to ANTEL and make them feel their responsibility in this case. Religious
congregations and lay people will also be promoted so that, for their part,
they can assert this right of freedom of expression of the Church before the
Government, urging it to investigate and avoid interference against our radio.
In the afternoon, I left for Costa Rica to the meeting of the SEDAC, Episcopal
Secretariat of Central America and Panama, where I will be all this week. On
the plane, I had as company a Protestant pastor who had visited me in the
morning at the Hospital, expressing his solidarity with the line of our Church
and also concerned about ecumenism at the Latin American level in the new
CELAM guidelines. For my part, I told him that the Pope himself had
promoted ecumenism in his new encyclical and that each bishop in his
diocese was responsible for the movements of the Church. That, therefore,
CELAM and any orientation that existed against or on the margins, were not
definitive. I think I gave him enough guidance and encouragement to
continue working in this line desired by the Church.
Upon arriving in Costa Rica I met several bishop friends from Central America
who were arriving. With Monsignor Manresa, especially, and with Monsignor
Luna we stayed at the house of the Betlemite Sisters. The Carmelite sisters
who already had news of my arrival in San José also arrived very kindly at the
airport.
During dinner, at the Bethlemites' house, I received two phone calls: one
from Father Plácido, who is in San José taking an ecclesiology course, and
another from Father Higinio Alas who is in Heredia and both offered me an
interview with people who are interested in the situation in El Salvador. For
my part, I told them that I first wanted to see the atmosphere of the meeting
of bishops and the respective schedule to see the possibilities and prudence
regarding these interviews. Father Plácido along with another companion,
Agustino, arrived shortly after to visit me personally and took me for a nice
night walk through the city of San José.
TUESDAY, April 17, 1979
At nine in the morning I moved to the SEDAC meeting location, the Claretian
Fathers' retreat house, but the meeting will begin in the afternoon, so I took
advantage of that free morning and afternoon to visit the Carmelite sisters in
Alajuela. and when I returned I found quite a few bishops, although some are
still missing.
At five in the afternoon the inauguration mass was celebrated, presided over
by the Bishop of Alajuela, Monsignor Bolaños, who is also the apostolic
administrator of San José. He welcomed and expressed his hopes at this
meeting.
After dinner we had an initial meeting to prepare the agenda and work
mechanics. The idea prevailed of briefly presenting the lines of the Puebla
document and the other doctrinal points that had been indicated as
conferences, presenting them as brief points of reflection. And then, we will
meet by country, to focus on these Puebla guidelines and with them analyze
our own national realities. From there, we will meet to obtain the constants
and the groups will be organized in this order of the constants that appear
from the various country reports.
33
Later, in plenary, we will study conclusions and the function and projects of
SEDAC for the present and the future in our evangelizing work.
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1979
The Eucharist was presided over by Monsignor Miguel Obando Bravo,
archbishop of Managua, in his capacity as president of SEDAC. He had a
homily to offer God the work, to welcome all the bishops, who were already
about 30, to thank the episcopate of Costa Rica that has given us such a
cordial welcome and to invite us to pastoral work that is truly useful for our
Central American region and Panama.
The morning's work has been quite heavy because we have heard the works
that had been prepared and they have been quite monotonous, although
they have been good approaches, especially that of Monsignor McGrath, of
the Puebla document. They were not finished in the morning and we had to
spend part of the afternoon continuing to listen to the six works that had
been prepared. Afterwards, yes, we organized ourselves into commissions by
episcopal conferences to study, in the light of the Puebla document, the
opportunities and difficulties that our countries present to the realization of
the ideals proposed by Puebla, as evangelization in the present and in the
future.
In one of the plenary sessions, at noon, the telegram that we are going to
write to the Holy Father was read, which was entrusted to me together with
Monsignor García Aráuz of Guatemala; We wrote it on behalf of the entire
episcopate of Central America and it was approved on its first reading.
The work of episcopal conferences was very interesting. Our group from El
Salvador was studying various aspects presented in papers. For my part, I
proposed that we should present our ecclesial and national reality with
complete frankness; starting with the division of the bishops and the various
problems of relations with the Government, and those who have suffered
true martyrdom for the Church and other aspects that are a matter of conflict
in our episcopal relations. The topic was very fruitful, because, as Monsignor
Luis Chávez y González said, who is also among us; "The bombing was hard,"
he told me, referring to the fact that I had been accused in many
interventions as if I were to blame for divisions and unrest, even for the
politicization of the clergy.
In the evening, I received a visit from two university students who offered to
bring me a copy of the report of the OAS Human Rights Commission, which
they have reproduced to disseminate in Costa Rica. I also had an interview
with Channel 6 television and which should have happened tonight.
The evening plenary was to report on our episcopal conference meetings,
and all six conferences gave very realistic, very brave, very frank reports; from
where we deduced, in the end, the constants; There were 12 very important
topics, and they will meet in groups to study them in more detail tomorrow.
THURSDAY, April 19, 1979
Monsignor Arrieta, bishop of Tilarán and president of the Episcopal
Conference of Costa Rica, presided over the Eucharist. In his homily he spoke
to us about episcopal unity; of the sense of service of our ministry and of a
fraternal understanding for all our priests.
After breakfast I prepared a report that they asked me for the former
seminarian Mauricio Oliva. Unfortunately it had to be a negative report.
This morning's Plenary Assembly was dedicated to giving an explanation
about CELAM and its last meeting held in Teques, Caracas, Venezuela,
explained Monsignor Arrieta, who is vice president for Central America, and
Monsignor Manresa, who was the previous vice president.
The activity within the meeting continues in small groups and in plenary
sessions. A conclusion is emerging, which will be expressed in a press release
that is very clear in its objectives, in accordance with the enlightenment that
we have been receiving from Puebla, from the Puebla document, which will
undoubtedly be the Magna Carta of our pastoral care for a long time.
This day I went to lunch with a group of ecumenical Christians. They come
from various parts of Latin America and are dedicated to pastoral work,
mainly among peasants and indigenous people. They were very interested in
learning about the experience of El Salvador. Participating with me, as
Salvadorans, were Father Plácido, Father Higinio Alas and two seminarians
who study in San José. (There is a defect in the recording here, please forgive
me, and wait a little silence for the story to continue in the afternoon's
events). The afternoon meetings were a plenary session to collect the
morning's conclusions. And that of groups by episcopal conferences, to draw

conclusions for our countries and bring suggestions to SEDAC, which will take
place at the plenary meeting that night. I was not able to participate greatly
in the afternoon ones due to attending several visitors.
The first, of Colonel Claramount, exiled, candidate of the UNO Party. He
expressed his optimism and his hope to return to the country soon and
continue working for the country. I tried to encourage those hopes. The
second visit was at night; university journalists, to have an interview for their
university newspaper. We discuss the issue of Church and State relations and
the situation of the Church, especially in the country. He also asked me about
my criteria when being nominated for the Nobel Prize. In this same sense, it
was the third visit of the afternoon by a group called "Pro Nobel Prize
Committee, pro human rights of El Salvador." Father Higinio Alas works there,
oriented; Father Plácido was there again, Dr. Castillo, the brother of Mr.
Baires and other Salvadoran and Costa Rican people attended, whom I
thanked for this noble gesture, accepting it not in my personal capacity, but in
the pastoral care that I try to carry out in the Archdiocese and which
corresponds to the concerns of pastors and communities from various parts
of the continent. The last visit, already at eight thirty, was from the consul of
El Salvador, Dr. Granillo, whom I knew since I was a child in San Miguel. Sorry,
the last visit was from a group of Christian Democrats who are in exile,
among them the engineer Napoleón Duarte and the doctor Antonio Morales
Erlich, who wanted to collect data from the Church, in its last moments in El
Salvador; as well as expressing his desire to collaborate and serve and to also
ask me for collaboration within the pastoral line. We spoke at length and I
expressed my sense of service and my hope in political men who have true
love for the Church. And, above all, if they have Christian inspiration. It was
already twelve at night and I had to get up early to go to the Seminary where
I promised to celebrate mass at six thirty in the morning. It has been a day
that has filled me with many satisfactions; Just as I have also had moments of
disappointment, when thinking about the division of our Salvadoran
episcopate.
FRIDAY, April 20, 1979
Responding to an invitation from the Major Seminary, I went to celebrate the
Eucharist for them at half past six in the morning. In the homily I praised the
characteristics of youth and as in a Seminary, God wants to take advantage of
youth to rejuvenate the priestly vocation, in such a way that even those of us
who are already priests and are advanced in life, find in the youth of the
Seminary the image of that resurrection of Christ, always young, always
happy, never boring, that is, the life of the Church, which we as priests have
to serve. In this sense I also praised, with the words of the Pope in his letter
to the priests, the reason for celibacy, as a service of witness to a life different
from worldly life, to the people of God. Father Montesinos, who had taken
me and concelebrated with me, returned to me, passing by the retreat house
again to collect some documents, since I could not stay until the meeting of
the bishops was over, which, as they told me later, was very edifying and He
saw the convenience of continuing to support this body of the Central
American Episcopate, the SEDAC.
The Carmelite nuns, who are in Alajuela, were waiting for me to take me to
the airport, but first, since there was time, we went to visit the beautiful Ojos
de Agua spa, which is next door to Alajuela. At the airport I met up for the
trip with Monsignor Ham, auxiliary from Guatemala, and Monsignor Gerardo
Flores, from Alta Verapaz, also from Guatemala, with whom I traveled a very
pleasant trip, a very interesting conversation, very pastoral from San José to
San Salvador . In San Salvador, the Barraza family and my Sister were waiting
for me, who took me to my residence, at the Hospital de la Divina
Providencia. Fraternizing with this community that has given me such loving
accommodation, I told them my impressions and they also told me the news
of the week. And finally, at night, we saw in beautiful slides provided by the
congregation of Dominicans of the Anunciata, the various activities that this
congregation has in El Salvador, in Guatemala, in Costa Rica and in Nicaragua.
It is a very timely magazine since the founder of this congregation, Father
Francisco Coll, a Catalan, will be beatified. He will be beatified in the first
ceremony of this style, to be celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Rome, on
Sunday, April 29, where at the invitation and generosity of the nuns, I will
have the joy of attending, God willing.
SATURDAY, April 21, 1979
We had, like every Saturday, our consultation breakfast with social media.
34
We study certain requests made by organizations of workers and peasants to
have paid fields on the Catholic radio station. Likewise, the Human Rights
Commission of El Salvador requests a space on our radio. It was admitted, but
also demanding censorship of everything that is published. Special programs
were planned for May 1st to make known the doctrine of the Church, about
the worker, about work. Texts will be cited, which are very numerous, by
Pope John Paul speaking mainly to the workers. In this meeting I also
consulted the action that should be taken in Rome on the occasion of my
next trip and the interview that, God first, I will have with the Holy Father.
Very serious revelations were made about the collusion of certain violent acts
and murders, collusion with the Government. This case was the attempted
murder of Dr. Méndez, a member of the Human Rights Commission, who is
currently wounded in the leg, where he was hit by a bullet while trying to kill
him. Tomorrow, God willing, at night, I will pay a visit to this collaborator who
has faced the imminent risk of murder in his own life.
Other works of social media were also discussed. Around half past eleven I
had a press interview with Mr. Lewis Wilton, a member of The Associated
Press, on whose behalf he interviewed me, about the situation of the Church
in this country and about some doctrinal points of our pastoral care.
Invited by Father Modesto Villarán, I went to Candelaria, Cuscatlán to
celebrate the mass of Father Villarán's father and mother, who are
celebrating 50 years of marriage. The party became more interesting because
a brother of Father Villarán with his wife knelt next to those celebrated,
because they were also celebrated as they celebrated, precisely on this day,
twenty-five years of married life.
SUNDAY, April 22, 1979
I announced the preaching program during Easter in the Cathedral homily.
We will see the various Easter goods, that is, all those riches of redemption
that the biblical readings propose to us. For this Sunday I pointed out "The
gift of the Holy Spirit", given by Christ on the same day of the resurrection.
Second, "The gift of faith", in the episode of Thomas and in the second
reading where John tells us that this is the victory that overcomes the world,
our faith. And the third gift "The supernatural love that creates the true
Christian community." Unfortunately, today there was also interference from
Catholic radio, which did not allow a clean transmission of our homily, but the
station has invented a way to transmit it after mass on the antenna floor.
Afterwards I went to San Pedro Perulapán where I have failed several times
due to unforeseen difficulties. Today I went to renew our baptismal and
confirmation commitments with that parish community. I explained to them
the meaning of Easter and the Christian community that lives from that
mystery. I was very sorry not to stay for lunch with the Father, despite his
insistence, but following very wise recommendations, I did not want to go to
eat in a public dining room where lunch was prepared.
I also noticed certain surveillance at the National Guard barracks that I
thought would be inconvenient to continue promoting with my presence in
the town.
At night, I celebrated the Holy Mass in the Parish of the Resurrection, Colonia
Miramonte, where the Augustinian Fathers, following traditions of the
previous parish priests, celebrated as a patron saint's day and after the mass
they offered a fraternal agape to the entire community. The theme of the
preaching was "The parish community continues, under the breath of the
risen Christ, the mission of the Church that Christ entrusted to it." Mission
that involves cross and martyrdom, as witnessed by the tomb of Father
Navarro, a parish priest murdered in his own Parish, but which is pain that is
then assumed in the transformation into the victory of the risen Christ, as he
assumed his cross and his humiliations in the glorious merit of his
resurrection.
After mass I went with Father Moreno and Mr. Cuéllar to visit Dr. Méndez,
who was the victim of an attempt on his life this week. Thank God, the doctor
only removed a bullet from the leg and he is recovering with a good chance
that he will soon be very well. I know that this attack was inspired by
maneuvers of the Government itself, which the doctor himself does not
know.
MONDAY, April 23, 1979
A brief conversation with Father Rafael Palacios, parish priest of San
Francisco, in Mejicanos, and with the Belgian nun, María. We were able to
verify that in the pastoral work of that Parish there is a lot of political

infiltration and that the Father is willing to clean up all that interference, to
appear a truly pastoral Parish.
I went to Chalatenango to talk with the minor seminarians and have lunch
with them. It was a very cordial and very interesting dialogue in which, in the
end, the nuns of La Asunción who form a community in that Parish also
participated.
Upon returning we had a meeting with Monsignor Urioste, Father Pedraz, in
charge of the radio, and Father Moreno, of the Secretariat of Social
Communication. The main point was to deal with the interference of
theRadio YSAX. It was agreed that Father Pedraz, as in charge of the radio,
together with Monsignor Urioste, will go to ANTEL carrying a note to request
an effective solution to this problem.
Tomorrow we will have, after this, a meeting to see what is done, taking into
account the conversation we had with the president of ANTEL, who will be
visited tomorrow.
In the evening, an interesting meeting in the Parish of San Sebastián, in
Ciudad Delgado. The parish priest, Father Juan Antonio Gutiérrez, invited me
to have a meeting with the leaders of that pastoral, but upon arriving I found
the Church completely full of faithful, with whom we had to hold the
meeting, inviting them to understand what the true mission is and figure of
the Church and, based on that truth, discuss the division that exists among
the faithful of said Parish. The traditional sectors and the elements of renewal
that, under the title of "Family of God", work in pastoral care as the
Archdiocese has requested, were expressed in very frank participation. All the
interventions were very useful. For my part, I recommended several times
unity, the transcendent meaning of the work of the Church and, above all,
studying more and more what the Church is, to concretize our pastoral work
to build the true Church of Jesus Christ.
TUESDAY, April 24, 1979
I went to Santa Tecla in the morning to confess and visit Father Isidro, who
suffered an accident while traveling to Santa Ana; Thank God, it was not very
serious and he is already on the road to recovery. After briefly stopping by
the offices of the Archbishopric, I went to Domus Mariae to participate in the
meeting of the Priestly Cooperative. There was a very large attendance of
priests and the directors of the Cooperative reported widely on the economic
flourishing of our Priestly Cooperative, “ARS”.
In the afternoon, I prepared with Monsignor Urioste the interview that is
broadcast on the radio every Wednesday at one in the afternoon. Among the
topics we discussed were my trip to Rome, impressions about the meeting of
bishops in Costa Rica; There was also talk about radio interference and a
dialogue that Monsignor Urioste and Father Pedraz, in charge of the radio,
had this day with the president of ANTEL.
WEDNESDAY, April 25, 1979
The entire morning was dedicated to the meeting of the Pastoral Council. The
ten Vicars came and the representations of nuns and lay people who work in
pastoral care. This organization in which I have high hopes for the
coordination and animation of pastoral care in all the dioceses is becoming
more and more apparent.
The nuns of the Colegio de La Sagrada Familia were kind enough to give us a
snack and so we were able to continue with our meeting until half past one in
the afternoon.
Monsignor Urioste, Vicar General, and Father Pedraz, in charge of the radio,
were received in audience with the Minister of the Interior; The issue with
the audience is the interference that is being done to our Catholic radio. This
morning, at breakfast, we met with Father Pedraz, Father Moreno, Monsignor
Urioste and the bachelor Cuéllar to discuss the same issue of interference,
after Father Pedraz and Monsignor Urioste had attended an interview with
the president of ANTEL. The attention of the president of ANTEL was very
exquisite and he promised to do everything possible to avoid these
interferences.
They informed us of a very interesting dialogue, in which Monsignor Urioste
also made the minister see the popularity of our radio station and the offense
to the rights of expression that any abuse of our station represents.
THURSDAY, April 26, 1979
35
It has been a day of preparation for my trip to Rome. Above all, I have a
collection of documents and testimonies of solidarity with the Archdiocese,
in case it is necessary in Rome to address this point. But I am going, rather, to
listen, since quite a few reports have been given about our situation.
There have been many farewell visits and there is a lot of affection among the
people. In the afternoon I was with the major and minor seminarians. After
expressing my admiration for the vocation that the Lord has given us, I asked
to be faithful and loyal to that vocation received from God. A series of
questions continued, mainly when it came to the pastoral care of our Holy
Week. It is consoling to see how our boys in the Seminary, sharing pastoral
life with the base communities, identify themselves, but bringing them the
thought of the Gospel and their Church. I also celebrated the Eucharist with
the Seminary Fathers and with the entire group of boys in the chapel. In the
preaching I highlighted youth as a sign of renewal, of restlessness, of
exaltation of daring things. He invited them to guide all those youthful
impulses with evangelical and Christian criteria, so that their youth may be a
continuous Easter. A Christ who rises to die no more!
I stayed up late at night preparing my suitcase for tomorrow.
FRIDAY, April 27, 1979
After celebrating the Holy Mass at the Hospital of Divine Providence, in a car
belonging to the Dominican mothers of the Annunciata, I was taken to the
airfield; where I took the TACA that took me to Guatemala, where the
provincial of the congregation was waiting for me, who has given me this trip
to Rome and on the IBERIA plane we headed towards Spain around noon. We
made a stopover in Managua, then in Santo Domingo, where we had to wait
three hours because there was some damage to the plane, but it was not
substantial. We were able to tour the large free store at that airport. And very
late, almost dusk, we left for Spain. Flight without incident, over the sea all
night. The attention of travelers is distracted with movies, with meals and,
due to the delay, we arrive in Madrid around noon, after an extremely short
night as we go to meet the day on this flight to Europe.
We couldn't connect...
CHAPTER 12 Year 1979
DIARY from April 28 to May 9, 1979
SATURDAY, April 28, 1979
(Continues.) The night when one flies from America to Europe is an extremely
short night. And we woke up on Saturday, April 28 in Madrid; Due to the
delay we had in Santo DOMINGO, it is already noon this Saturday. And
because we have missed the plane combination that would take us to Rome,
due to the delay suffered in Santo Domingo, we are given a flight on ALITALIA,
but with the carelessness of not having boarded our two suitcases. When we
realized in Rome, where we arrived at around 3 in the afternoon, we made a
claim at ALITALIA, which only promised to make the claim to Madrid. But not
content with waiting for the result of a claim, we thought that on subsequent
flights our luggage could arrive that same afternoon and so we waited until
ten at night when the last flight arrived without bringing our luggage. So we
did ask the man in charge of ALITALIA to make the claim and that we needed
our suitcases. He promised to send them to our accommodation when they
arrived.
In a taxi, a man who was quite old, but very kind, took us to the house of the
Dominican mothers of the Anunciata that they have in Monte Mario for
guests. We still found some Spanish bishops who were having dinner, as they
had arrived late like us and so we were able to share the dinner that we had
not taken.
Thus another truly happy day passes, because finding myself in Rome, for me,
is always a blessing from the Lord.
SUNDAY, April 29, 1979
This sunrise in Rome evokes so many memories! These landscapes that I
knew when I studied my Theology, when I was ordained a priest and lived my
first months as a priest, are a renewal for my spirit. Now, with new
responsibilities, I feel that Rome is a blessing from the Lord that confirms my

mission, my work, that God shares, giving me the joy of being able to humbly
collaborate in the implementation of his Kingdom in the world.
It is the day of the beatification of Father Francisco Coll, founder of the
Dominican religious sisters of the Annunciation.
But until today I realize that not only he will be beatified, but also Father
Labal, a Frenchman who worked in the evangelization of black people freed
from slavery. The two figures, two great missionaries, two great evangelizers.
The Pope highlighted in his homily this characteristic that coincides with his
main concerns of catechesis, for which he is preparing an upcoming
document taken from the 1977 Synod, which was precisely on catechesis.
Since I had no clothes, since my suitcase has not arrived, a bishop, the Bishop
of Tarragona, lent me a cassock and a sash that fit exactly to my size. A
providence also from the Lord because in this way I was able to enter with
the bishops into a very distinguished position in the beatification ceremony.
I have seen the Holy Father up close, I have enjoyed that choir, that
participation of the people. There is no doubt that the liturgical renewal has
notably changed the triumphalism of other times into a true assembly of
prayer and reflection.
The Pope, with his characteristic simplicity, without a gestational chair,
walking with all the concelebrants, is the object of increasing enthusiasm.
At the time of the beatification, the two images of the two new blesseds are
revealed, as always, in the glory of Bernini, and they are greeted with warm
applause and with the Te Deum, or rather, with the singing of the Glory to
God in heaven. Then the readings follow. The first reading was read in
Spanish in honor of Father Coll; the second, in French, in honor of blessed
Labal and the Gospel in Latin.
The Pope delivered a beautiful homily in which he united the glories of the
two blesseds and oriented them toward the current concern of the Church,
that of true evangelization and the catechesis of men.
When we left it was almost noon. The Pope, despite the fatigue of the
ceremony, had an audience for the Dominicans and for all those who have
been interested and participate in this beatification. And at twelve o'clock, a
little after, he looked out as usual on the balcony of his room from where he
spoke new words about the concept of catechesis and the two examples of
evangelizers who were the two new blesseds. He said that for him it was an
extremely important day because, for the first time, he was doing this service
as a pontiff to the Church, of giving it two new examples of holiness and he
hoped that they would be his great protectors in heaven. The speech was
interrupted several times by the applause of that square, which was
completely full. At the end he evoked concrete things from the week, he
congratulated, he joined in prayer with many intentions of Rome and the
world. He mentioned the conflicts in Uganda and other parts of the world
asking for prayers for peace. And so with this motivation we pray the Regina
Celi, which is the midday prayer to the Virgin, in the Easter season.
Upon returning to the house of the Dominican sisters, I found several
well-known people among the nuns, bishops and priests, since the sisters had
invited them for a reception and lunch that was extremely fraternal and
lively.
I dedicated the afternoon to rest and in the evening, after dinner, I went out
to explore the route that connects me with Risorgimento Square, which I will
use for my errands in Rome. It is an extremely short walk from the Gemeli
University hospital, where route 50 has its terminus, to Piaza Risorgimento,
which is very close to the Vatican where it also has its terminus. I find it,
therefore, to be a very useful service for my situation. After walking around
St. Peter's Square, the window of the Pope's room is no longer illuminated; It
looks like it's under repair and he lives somewhere else. I returned with the
satisfaction of having lived such a full and happy day in this immortal Rome.
MONDAY, April 30, 1979
The Central American provincial of the Dominican sisters, Mother Nieves,
gives me the pleasant news that ALITALIA has already responded, that they
have already found my suitcases and that she will go pick them up at the
airport. I left for the Vatican to see the result of my request for an audience
with the Holy Father.
A torrential rain prevented me from walking faster and then I found,
surprisingly, the house where they make cassocks and sell all these
ecclesiastical matters and I lost a large part of the morning in this business
that, on the other hand, was very opportune to give me time that they make
me two new cassocks.
36
I bought a clergyman suit and went to the Vatican, where unfortunately I did
not find the prefect of the Papal Household, who would have been right to
tell me about the audience. They only told me to ask the next day.
This afternoon, in a Dominican theater, aspects of the life of the new blessed
Dominican, Father Francisco Coll, were represented in a very artistic way. The
numbers were represented by young people from Barcelona, ​the majority.
And from there we went to the Church of the Dominicans, in Minerva Square,
where we concelebrated, presided over by the Cardinal of Barcelona, ​about
sixty bishops and priests, and the Church completely full of nuns and pilgrims
who had come to the pilgrimage. , to the beatification of Father Coll. This
concelebration was impressive and a new reason for sanctification for the
congregation founded by this illustrious Dominican. For my part, I felt the joy
of this life of the Church that is always fruitful in holiness.
That night at dinner they showed us more than one hundred and fifty
portraits taken at the beatification ceremony so that we could point out the
ones we wanted to buy; But since they are extremely expensive, more than
three dollars each, we had to limit our requests.
TUESDAY, May 1, 1979
In Rome, on May Day, Labor Day, all commercial activity is suspended and
buses also stop circulating where one can drive to various places. To take
advantage of this day, however, I had to take quite expensive taxis, but this
way I was able to go and ask the Papal Household again about my audience
with the Pope; but also the Papal Household, the prefecture of the Papal
Household, was closed. And even though a Swiss guard let me knock on the
door, I realized it was too late to wait.
I then went to the General House of the Jesuit Fathers, where an assistant to
the Father General, from South America, received me very kindly, indicating
that those from Central America would be there until the afternoon. And it
also gave me hope of an audience with Father Arrupe. Once he knew my
name, the Father was much more attentive and grateful for what has been
done in our Archdiocese by the Society of Jesus.
Then I went to the General House of the Oblates to Divine Love, where I very
pleasantly surprised the Mother General, Mother Gloria. There I also greeted
Mother Valle and all the nuns of the Superior Council. They invited me to
have lunch with them and I had very cordial moments. Mother General and
Mother Juana, who is already a friend from the previous visit, were kind
enough to drive me by car to my inn, where the Dominican mothers are, in
Monte Mario.
The afternoon was spent in concelebration, at six in the afternoon, in the
beautiful Basilica of the Heart of Mary, where the Claretian Fathers, to signify
an old friendship with the new blessed Father Coll, invited the Dominicans.
The Father General of the Dominicans and the Father General of the
Claretians attended the main celebrant who was Cardinal Tarancón, whom I
greeted and who also very kindly offered me his house in Madrid when I
passed by there.
The concelebration was splendid, the same as yesterday; about 60 bishops
and priests, and the large temple completely filled with nuns and pilgrims.
The Father General of the Claretians preached about the similarities between
these two saints, Saint Anthony Mary Claret and Father Francisco Coll. When I
returned home, they told me that Father Arrupe was very interested in
talking to me and that I should talk to arrange the visit, which I will do
tomorrow, God willing.
WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1979
Today I participated in the Pope's general audience. It took place in St. Peter's
Square since the number of pilgrims amounted to about one hundred and
thirty thousand people; Among them was the large group of Dominican nuns
and pilgrims who had come to the beatification of Father Coll, as well as the
religious and pilgrims of the beatification of Father Labal, and many more
pilgrims who completely filled the square.
The Pope leaves through the door of the bells and travels around the square
by jeep in various directions, greeting everyone affectionately. The crowd,
naturally, applauds as the Pope passes by them. When he gets off the jeep
and heads to the headquarters, he spends several more minutes talking and
shaking hands with those who are along the way. And from the Chair he
invokes the name of the Holy Trinity and begins the speech after pointing out,
the secretary, the various Italian-speaking groups. The topic that the Pope

addressed was that of the Blessed Virgin Mary since we are beginning the
month of the Virgin, which coincides with the Easter season.
The deep and pleasant concepts come out of the Pope's mouth and heart,
which culminates with a sense of nostalgia, when mentioning the patron
saint of his town, Our Lady of Czestochowa, whom he visited at the beginning
of May when he died. They celebrate the patron saint's festivities there, and
today he will not be able to attend, but at the beginning of June he will
attend with all the bishops and other pilgrims, who will go out to meet the
Pope on his visit to their country.
The Pope also addressed the greeting and the abbreviated message in
French, German, Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese. At the end of his words
he called all the bishops, of which there were about forty, to his throne, and
together with the Pope we gave the blessing. Then he saluted one by one,
there on the same throne. When I shook his hand and asked for a blessing for
the Archdiocese of San Salvador, he told me that we would have to talk
privately, which - I told him - was my greatest wish and that I had requested
the audience. I hope that the Pope will grant me this private audience and
that is why I did not give him the papers that I had prepared as a
memorandum, in case it was not possible to have the audience, so that
various matters that must complete the report of the Apostolic Visitor would
remain in his hands. In the memorandum I ask the Holy Father for his
directions, after the information that, without a doubt, the Apostolic Visitor
must have brought very abundantly, just as I left him a photocopy of the
letter sent in November with the diversity of problems that, as metropolitan,
he reported. to His Holiness about the situation of the Church and the State
in our country.
Right there, when I came down from the Pope's headquarters, I spoke with
Monsignor Martín and Monsignor Monduzzi, in charge of organizing the
audiences, to earnestly beg them for the audience that I had requested
before Easter. They gave me hope, but for next week.
I will insist, because it is my greatest desire and my greatest need to speak
with the Pope during this visit to Rome.
In the afternoon, I went to the General Curia of the Jesuits, where I greeted
Father Juan Bosco and with whom we arranged the telephone conference on
Wednesday to broadcast it on our radio station.Radio YSAX. In Salvador,
Monsignor Urioste was speaking for this dialogue and the dialogue referred
to the various ways in which I have encountered Rome, and mainly, the
beatification ceremony on SUNDAY, the audience of this day and also the
recitation of the Regina Celi in the Plaza of Saint Peter.
I reported that the Pope, in this brief season that I have been in Rome, has
exercised a very abundant teaching of doctrine mainly about the Blessed
Virgin Mary, about catechesis, of which the two beatified were a model,
about life religious that has been seen on the occasion of these beatifications
of two religious, widely represented in Rome. And I also mentioned how the
Pope congratulated and thanked all the people who dedicate themselves to
catechesis, recommending that they be like the two blessed ones, living
witnesses, who truly live the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as the Lord said in
Sunday's Gospel just now. past: "He who keeps the commandments knows
me."
The Jesuits invited me to have lunch tomorrow with Father Arrupe, as well as
with other Jesuits who are interested in talking with me about the situation in
El Salvador and other circumstances that will also be very useful to me. I also
received an invitation from the Claretian Fathers to go to dinner tomorrow at
the Church of the Heart of Mary with the Father General of the Claretians. I
will do so with feelings of gratitude for the Claretian communities that work
in our Archdiocese.
THURSDAY, May 3, 1979
Spanish bishops and priests who came to the beatification of Father Coll and
were at the residence of the Dominican sisters, have returned to their
residences throughout the day. I have been left quite alone, but I have
occupied the day in settling some matters. First of all, I went to the prefecture
of the Apostolic House to arrange my audience with the Pope, which I will
possibly have on Wednesday or Thursday of next week, because they
explained to me that there are many bishops on an Ad Limina visit and they
have the preference these days. .
I explained, for my part, the urgency of seeing the Pope given the situation of
my Diocese and my situation of being so far away and wanting to take
advantage of the time on other matters as well. However, I realize, and I have
to be patient to wait my turn.
37
I then went to request audiences with the Cardinal prefect of the
Congregation for Bishops, Baggio, and Cardinal Pironio, prefect of the
Congregation for Religious. To the latter, rather, on a friendly basis.
I went to lunch at the General Curia of the Jesuit Fathers. And they did me
the honor of placing me at Father Arrupe's table with whom I spoke before
lunch about the ecclesial situation in my country. And he also told me about
several of the Company's projects in Latin America. Father Juan Bosco
Estrada, a very good friend of the General Curia, gave me his room after
lunch to take a nap. I also spoke with several Jesuits who were interested in
the situation of the country, which is very important given the global work
carried out here.
I then visited, on a spring afternoon, the Church of the Twelve Apostles,
under whose altar of confession is the tomb of the apostles Saint Philip and
Saint James the Less, whose feast day is celebrated liturgically on May 3.
I forgot to say that in the morning I also made a new visit to St. Peter's
Basilica and next to the altars, very dear to St. Peter and his current
successors in this century, I asked a lot for fidelity, for my Christian faith and
courage. , if necessary, to die as all these martyrs died, or to live consecrating
my life as these modern successors of Peter consecrated it. I was more
impressed than all the tombs by the simplicity of the tomb of Pope Paul VI.
I visited the Gregorian University today. I looked into the main classroom and
all those cloisters that remind me of the years of my student youth. I
remembered so many things!
Then I visited Father López Gall, with whom I had a very interesting
conversation that made me know the opinion of my performance in various
sectors of the Roman Curia. And he told me that it was all very positive and to
keep going. He also told me with the simplicity of a friend, the negative
judgment that is held in some sectors towards the theological writings of
Father Jon Sobrino.
Finally, I went to dinner at the General House of the Claretian Fathers, having
shared the main table with the Father General, who tomorrow will leave for
Germany to celebrate his predecessor, who is already celebrating more than
eighty years of life. I remembered with them the days of my minor seminary
and also my first mass, which I celebrated precisely in the temple attached to
this center of Claretian authority, the temple of the Heart of Mary. And when
he asked me for an autograph for his guest book, I wrote like this: «Today I
have returned to my origins... When dining with you, I remembered the
minor seminar I did with the dear Claretian Fathers. And in this place I
celebrated my first mass in 1945. Thank you and blessing.
FRIDAY, May 4, 1979
Concerned about the main issue of my visit to Rome, after attending the
beatification of Father Coll, I went again to the prefecture of the Papal
Household to hasten the granting of the audience with the Holy Father. I did
not find Monsignor Martín, but I left the address clearer where the response
could be sent, hoping to speak to him by phone when he is in his office. This
attitude towards a pastor of a diocese has not ceased to worry me a lot,
when I have requested an audience in advance and the response is left to
time; I even fear that it will not be granted because there are many bishops
on Ad Limina visits and there are also other criteria to give preference to
other requests. I have left everything in the hands of God telling him that, on
my part, I have done everything possible that, despite everything, I believe
and love the Holy Church and I will always be faithful, with his grace, to the
Holy See, to the magisterium of the Pope and that I understand the human,
limited, defective part of his Holy Church, which is always the instrument of
salvation of humanity and which I want to serve without any reservation.
In these supernatural and very ecclesiastical criteria I was nourished by the
visit with Monsignor De Nicoló, an old friend of the Sacred Congregation for
the Education of the Faith, where I spoke with all affection and fraternal trust
about my situation of the relationship with the bishops, with the
Government, with the Nuncio. And he understood that, given my
temperament and my training, he was sure that these were exaggerations
when negative information about my archiepiscopal performance reached
Rome. His word has been very luminous and very encouraging. I thank the
Lord.
I immediately went to visit the community of the sisters of Bethany. They are
four Salvadoran and Guatemalan nuns who run a house for university
students on Via Aurelia 172. There they offered me lunch and the young
people, some of whom are already professionals, were very interested in
learning about the situation in my country and gave me an appointment with
other journalists. for the night, before dinner. I gladly agreed, given the

sincerity and the Catholic atmosphere in which La Prensa operates, which
they serve.
I immediately went to visit the Passionist Sisters who run the house of the
Passionist Fathers, the General Curia of the Passionist Fathers and the house
of spiritual exercises, annexed to the famous Church of Saint John and Saint
Paul, where the founder of the Sisters is buried. Passionist congregations, San
Pablo de la Cruz.
The majority of these nuns, who are ten, are Mexican and know El Salvador.
They were extremely happy with my visit and invited me to have lunch with
them the next day and celebrate a Holy Hour with them. I agreed, given the
affection and prayer that is offered here to God for the situation of our
Salvadoran Church.
They were kind enough to take me in their car to the community of sisters in
Bethany, where it was time to have dinner and have the press interview that I
alluded to before.
SATURDAY, May 5, 1979
Today I once again insisted on my desire to have an audience with the Pope.
Monsignor Martín went to see his collaborator and then came out telling me
happily: «I bring you good news, you will be received on Monday. "Tomorrow,
Sunday afternoon, the ticket that we usually send announcing the time of the
hearing will arrive." I thanked him cordially and I have given God grace,
naturally.
Afterwards I went to Minerva Square to search among the sacred art artists
for the crosier that I have always wanted, similar to the one Paul VI used and
John Paul II continues to use. In sacred art I found someone who is going to
do it for me and Mother Gloria promised to find someone who would pay for
it, so that it would not be an expense that could seem like an anti-testimony
on my part. It will therefore be a gift from the people and will represent the
Holy Christ in the form of a staff.
I went to lunch with the Passionist Sisters from the convent of Saint John and
Saint Paul. And there I rested and celebrated the Holy Mass, preaching to
them on the topic of vocation and the collaboration that all of us who have
been called to collaborate with the work and spirit of the Good Shepherd in
the midst of all men must give to God. The Passionist Sisters took me to my
inn, where I had dinner with the Dominican sisters and shared the evening
recreation with them.
SUNDAY, May 6, 1979
After celebrating privately, in the chapel of the Dominican sisters, I went to
St. Peter's Square to attend with the people the recitation of the Regina Celi
that the Pope customarily does every Sunday at noon. Mother Gloria and
Sister Juana were waiting for me there, with whom we later went out to
lunch in Castelgandolfo. A beautiful walk, too bad it was very cloudy and
rained at times. And in the picturesque dining room, facing the lake, there
was a lot of humidity and the atmosphere, the landscape had no visibility. But
I have realized how picturesque the place where the Holy Father spends his
days of rest on vacation. A poor environment; Perhaps the immense property
of Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer resort, stands out too much in the
midst of this environment.
MONDAY, May 7, 1979
I woke up, finishing the preparation of the documents that I plan to deliver at
the Holy Father's audience. These are four reports from foreign commissions
that have come to El Salvador to study the situation in the country. These are
documents of solidarity, of denunciation, also of my nomination for the
Nobel Prize and others that have emerged after the apostolic visit of
Monsignor Quarracino to complete said visit. I also brought you the letter
written in November and I doubted whether they delivered it to you.
At twenty minutes past twelve I was received in private audience by the Holy
Father. Sitting at his desk, he also offered me a chair. He told me to put on the
skullcap that I had taken off and was carrying in my hand. He began to ask me
about the situation in the country. I attentively invited him to follow the
memorandum he had written, to which he gladly agreed. We started reading
and I was taking out the documents. When I took out the folder of foreign
information on the situation in the country, he smiled seeing that it was a
very thick volume and that there would not be time to look at it. I apologized
and told him that it was so that he could order a study and get a summary,
38
but that I was interested in him having an idea of ​how impartial criteria
outline the situation of injustice and abuse that exists in our country. I also
gave him a folder with the portrait of Father Octavio, dead, and with a lot of
information about that murder.
After giving him each of the folders with a brief explanation, the Pope began
to comment, in accordance with the last point of the memorandum, which
referred to a dialogue in sincere search for the Pope's thoughts and a better
service to our people. . He confessed that pastoral work is very difficult in the
political environment in which I have to act. He recommended a lot of
balance and prudence, especially when making specific complaints, that it
was better to stick to the principles, because it was risky to fall into errors or
mistakes when making specific complaints.
I clarified to him and he agreed with me that there are circumstances, I cited,
for example, the case of Father Octavio, in which one has to be very specific
because the injustice, the abuse has been very specific. It reminded me of the
situation in Poland, where it had to face a non-Catholic Government and with
which the Church had to develop despite the difficulties. He gave great
importance to the union of the episcopate. Recalling his pastoral time in
Poland, he said that this was the main problem, maintaining episcopal unity.
I also made it clear to him that I was what he wanted most, but that I kept in
mind that a union does not have to be fake, but rather based on the Gospel
and the truth.
He referred to the report of the apostolic visit of Monsignor Quarracino,
which recognizes an extremely delicate situation and who recommended as a
solution to the pastoral deficiencies and the lack of unity among the bishops,
an apostolic administrator, full see.
At the end of the visit, in which he gave me the opportunity to express my
thoughts and he also explained his criteria, he invited me to take a
photograph and gave me some pious gifts. He put aside the folders to
continue the series of audiences that were still missing and I left pleased with
this meeting, but worried to notice that it was influenced by negative
information about my pastoral ministry, although deep down I remembered
that he had recommended "boldness and courage, but at the same time at
the same time, measured by a necessary prudence and balance. Although my
impression was not entirely satisfactory, at first glance, I think it has been an
extremely useful visit and interview since he has been very frank and I have
learned that we should not always expect a resounding approval, but that it is
more useful receive warnings that can improve our work.
After the audience, Father Toral was waiting for me, who took me to his
community of Josephine Fathers and Brothers in the Holy Villa..., where I had
lunch. And there Mother María Castro Llerena arrived; To greet me, she made
a trip from the town where she is located an hour and minutes from Rome.
We remember his first cousin, Monsignor Castro Peña, and other memories
of the beloved homeland. She is Salvadoran.
In the afternoon, Mother Gloria and Sister Juana accompanied me in their
truck to visit the artist of the staff, where the Mother achieved a notable
reduction and a perfecting of the project of the work. Then we went to pick
up clothes that I had made at the clergy's tailor shop and I went back to
dinner with the Oblates to Divine Love, and then returned to my inn with the
Dominican sisters.
TUESDAY, May 8, 1979
In Rome time can swallow you up. I had planned something for before the
audience I have with Cardinal Baggio, at eleven in the morning. However, I
was only able to make a few small arrangements with the tailor, who has not
yet finished my work. And I headed to St. Peter's Square to entrust myself to
the great pontiffs, who rest in the crypts of the Vatican and who have given
so much inspiration and direction to my life, and to sustain this moment of
meditation and then go to speak very important things to them. the
Congregation for Bishops, presided over by Cardinal Baggio.
In St. Peter's Square I met Monsignor Eduardo Cassuli, who was secretary of
the Nunciature, I believe while Monsignor Torpigliani was in El Salvador. He
was very loving, made many memories and understood my difficult situation.
He said he was always remembering me and praying that I would be a pastor
worthy of these circumstances.
The conversation with Cardinal Baggio was very cordial, even though I
expected a bit of severity like the previous time, last year. He was very eager
to meet me and told me that he would have been surprised if, having come
to Rome, I had not gone. I explained to him that from the first day I arrived in
Rome I sought this audience that, due to his busyness, had not been possible
to grant me. He expressed his concerns, especially in the division of bishops,

in the situation of the auxiliary Bishop. And he was very frank in
acknowledging the auxiliary's error in signing the permission to change the
statutes of Cáritas that the Archbishop himself had to sign. He, as Vicar
General, should have agreed and if he knew that the Archbishop did not
agree, he was wrong to do so. But he said that I had also been very severe in
taking the measure of his dismissal and leaving it as if in the air.
I tried to explain this whole situation because, in addition, I noticed that,
among the reasons that Monsignor Revelo had given for this act, was that
Cáritas was becoming politicized and falling into the hands of guerrillas. Also
the pretext that I was in the clinic, sick. Which I explained to the Cardinal that
neither one nor the other was sufficient reason for that act. He referred to
the apostolic visit and the suggestion that the Pope had already hinted at in
his conversation yesterday, that is, to fix the situation with the appointment
of an apostolic administrator, plenary see; but Cardinal Baggio analyzed it as
an impractical suggestion, since he did not see among the current bishops
who could be that apostolic administrator who would understand me. And
bringing him from outside the country also seemed absurd, given the
situation in our country. Therefore, this is still under study and, on my part, I
expressed my best willingness to fix things to the best of my ability.
I referred to the reports brought to the Pope that are impartial and that
express a situation of true persecution against the Church. I was referring
especially to the OAS report and its insistence on recommending that the
Government prevent the systematic persecution of the Catholic Church in its
mission to evangelize. The Cardinal was very cordial when he told me: «we
are not dealing between enemies, but between workers of the same cause
and we are, of course, ninety percent in agreement. And so it is one hundred
percent the truth and it is the Gospel. I told him that that word gave me a lot
of encouragement and that the depression that I had brought out of my
audience with the Holy Father, I found here, in the talk with him, hope that
my situation and that of my Diocese have a solution if we continue searching
for it with good will and love for the Church.
He seemed quite satisfied, we talked about other things and the time was up.
He gave me two books and expressed his best willingness to help in every
way in my service to the Church.
I left satisfied and on the way out I providentially met Monsignor De Nicoló, a
great friend, with whom I told him that I wanted to discuss, confidentially and
as spiritual direction, my state of mind from yesterday and today. He gave me
very clear insights inspired by a great love for the Church and how virtue,
especially humility, in these cases is a very sure key to finding a solution. That
he was sure - he told me - of the good will that reigns in the Roman Curia,
which has changed enormously, that he, as he lived it, can tell me, that there
is a very good will to help the servants of the Church in all things. parts. That
the influence of the current pontiff was very beneficial for the Roman Curia
and for the entire Church. He gave me some practical rules for addressing the
Secretary of State, referring to the previous suggestion, that I take everything
as a voice from God who is seeking, even for my same situation, a solution of
great benefit to the Church. That I should be very careful in making a reaction
that was more spectacular, because rather, when suggesting this idea of ​the
apostolic administrator to me, there could be in the mind of the Holy Father
and Cardinal Baggio, a search for my reaction and my reaction, if it were
negative, I could ruin everything. That I had humility and patience, and wrote
to the Secretary of State giving my impressions and my suggestion, for
example, that a possible Nuncio who understood well with the Archbishop,
could solve this role that is suggested for a possible, but difficult,
administrator. apostolic. I think I have understood the idea well and I will try
to carry it out with that good will for the Church that, thank God, I have
always tried to preserve and increase.
I then went to Vatican Radio, where I had an invitation from Father Suárez, in
charge of broadcasting for Latin America, and where I recorded an interview
with him about the situation of the Church in El Salvador, my work, and my
impressions of the visit to the Holy Father. In summary, I described our
situation and my work, according to my intentions, and above all, I said that I
had come away very optimistic from the visit to the Holy Father, because I
had realized that he knows how to listen and it is clear that he is seeking
knowledge of the reality of our Latin American world, and that is why I
believe that the responsibility of all of us who have the honor and joy of
speaking directly with the Pope, to inform him, not according to our way of
seeing, but to the extent possible, is very great. , the sincere reality of the
Church in our countries.
With Father Suárez and the person in charge of the programs for Spain, I
went to the Jesuit house, where all the writers and radio workers reside,
there are about thirty people, to have lunch with them and then share the
39
after-dinner meal that is very fraternal. Father Juan Bosco gave me, like the
other day, his room to take a very pleasant nap. And then Father Juan Bosco
himself accompanied me to arrange my return ticket, passing through
Barcelona and Madrid to visit the cradle of this Dominican congregation,
which has been kind enough to provide me with my trip to Europe on the
occasion of the beatification of Father Coll.
I then picked up my work at my friend Mangenelli's tailor shop, who has been
very kind in all his dealings with me. I also bought some prints so that they
could be placed in all the parish houses of His Holiness John Paul II, but the
famous Soprani sale seemed like a hive of buyers and it was very difficult for
me to buy other things. I ended the day having dinner with the Oblate
mothers, who provided me with their vehicle, both to go to their house and
to return to my Dominican sisters' inn, where tonight I have packed my
suitcases for my trip tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY, May 9, 1979
After thanking the Dominican sisters, represented by their Superior General
and the Provincial of Central America, for the generous gift of a trip to Rome,
congratulating them on all the ceremonies and celebrations of the founder,
blessed Father Francisco Coll, I said goodbye to them. , since tonight I am
going to take the return plane through Barcelona, ​Madrid and El Salvador.
I then went to visit Monsignor Pironio with whom I had arranged an audience
for eleven thirty in the morning. Traffic, in the vicinity of the Vatican, became
impossible. The general audience attracts crowds of people and vehicles,
large buses of tourists and pilgrims, invade all the streets adjacent to St.
Peter's Square. But, a few minutes late, I arrived and still had to wait a little
for Cardinal Pironio, who welcomed me in such a fraternal and cordial
manner that this meeting alone was enough to fill me with comfort and
encouragement. I confidentially explained my situation in my Diocese and
before the Holy See. He opened his heart to me by telling me what he also
has to suffer, how he deeply feels the problems of Latin America and that
they are not fully understood by the Supreme Ministry of the Church and,
however, we must continue working, informing as much as possible. may, the
truth of our reality. And he told me: “the worst thing you can do is get
discouraged. “Cheer up Romero!” he told me many times. And thanking him
for other consultations, for a long and fraternal conversation, I left, leaving in
my heart a new strength from my trip to Rome.
When I was coming down from the Sacred Congregation for Religious, where
Cardinal Pironio is perfect, I stopped in St. Peter's Square, where the Pope
was still preaching his messages in various languages ​and the people
welcomed him with fervor and applause. But on the periphery, where I was,
there was a lot of distraction. Boys and tourists who were rather distracted
and did not listen to the shepherd's voice. Which gives me the dimension of
our auditoriums, however, we always have to plant. And the Pope was doing
it tirelessly and acting like a shepherd who gives abundant fodder for doctrine
to the people, on whom it depends whether or not they want to welcome
him.
Then I went to the General Curia of the Jesuits, where the good Father Juan
Bosco took me to see the garden and then to have lunch and lent me his
room to take a nap. Afterwards, together we concelebrated the Eucharist.
Then he did me the favor of calling El Salvador by phone, with Monsignor
Urioste, with whom we began the dialogue that was recorded to be
broadcast onRadio YSAX.
He told me about the difficult situation of violence in the country. The most
serious thing was the confrontation between the Popular Revolutionary Bloc
and the Security Forces next to the Cathedral. And in the Cathedral of San
Salvador, he told me that there were nine bodies murdered in that
circumstance and it is believed that there are more dead.
I used this circumstance to send a message of peace and convey the Pope's
thoughts to them. At the hearing he recalled the murder of Aldo Moro a year
ago.
After the transmission by telephone to El Salvador with information that
Monsignor Urioste gave me and communications that I gave him on behalf,
above all, of the private audience with the Holy Father, applying everything to
the tragic situation of this day in the cathedral of Saint Savior, I went to make
my last visit to Saint Peter's Basilica, next to the tomb of Saint Pius last popes
I then went to buy some souvenirs for sale next to St. Peter's Square, where
the Roman Observatory is located, and with the Oblate mothers to Divine
Love, I headed to the airport.
The trip from Rome to Barcelona was very calm. And in Barcelona at eleven at
night, Mother Grau and another Dominican nun were waiting for me, who

took me in a taxi, driven by a very nice, very talkative motorist, through all
the main streets of Barcelona, ​mainly, next to the Church of the Holy Family
and then we headed to Vich, where I was installed in a little house that the
Dominican nuns have dedicated for the hospitality of the priests. We made
the plan for tomorrow, to go see the birthplace of Father Francisco Coll and
this town of Vich also means a lot to me, since here are the origins of Father
Claret, whose missionaries inspired my first year of seminary.
CHAPTER 13 Year 1979
DIARY from May 10 to May 28, 1979
THURSDAY, May 10, 1979
In Spain it dawns an hour earlier, due to the official change between Italy and
Spain. I felt, therefore, that it was very early, and yet it was already eight in
the morning. I got ready quickly and went to have breakfast with the sisters
of the house that the Dominicans have in Vich. It is a large community, since
they serve the School, the infirmary of the same elderly nuns, and another
set of very fruitful apostolates in this city where the congregation was born.
After breakfast, Mother Grau and another nun, who organizes the archive,
and a set of memories of Father Coll, accompanied me to visit this archive,
this museum, where there is also very extensive information on the activity
that the nuns do in everyone. I have taken note to bring this vitality of the
congregation as a response to the generous invitation they made me to
participate in the beatification of its founder.
Afterwards we went to visit the Vich cathedral, rebuilt twice, since it was
recently a victim of the Spanish civil war. But it is beautiful and with a healthy
modernism; In the part of the crypt the primitive Church is still discovered,
after which there were two, up to the present. The paintings, drawn three
times, as they explained to me, because the first time they were lost on the
way, they were stolen. The second time they were destroyed by the
communists in the Civil War and, finally, the artist who was doing this
decoration from Paris, on his own, made the design that currently adorns the
Cathedral in a beautiful way.
The cloister in original Gothic style, very interesting. Afterwards I had the joy
of going to visit the tomb of Father Antonio María Claret, founder of the
Claretians. There is a very rich reliquary and the magnificent temple where
the center is the corpse adorned with a silver mask and episcopal ornaments.
And, above all, the places that witnessed the creation of this Cordimarian
religious Institute have been rebuilt in their original form. A portrait, in the
background, gives the measurement, 1.50, small in height was the figure of
Father Claret and the other companions of the foundation; names that I knew
from my first years of seminary, since I began to train for the priesthood with
this congregation that was then taken by Monsignor Dueñas to San Miguel. I
made these memories with the Fathers, who thanked me very much for the
visit and I thanked them very much for their always cordial welcome.
After lunch we went to the town where Father Francisco Coll was born. It is
about 40 kilometers from Vich, the road is very picturesque, on a bright
spring evening and the humble little town, leaning on a mountain, evokes the
origins of that saint whose house the nuns founded by him have recovered
for their community; where they also have an exercise house that has
extremely calm and beautiful perspectives, adorned with gardens, where one
truly feels close, through nature, to Our Lord. I also went to visit the Church
where he was baptized and, upon returning, I celebrated mass in the little
chapel that encompasses Father Coll's primitive house, together with four
nuns, I had a very intimate Eucharist evoking the great needs of my country.
With the nuns we have asked a lot so that our life in the Church and the
country find a solution according to the heart of God.
FRIDAY, May 11, 1979
After celebrating mass in the chapel of the elderly and sick sisters, where I
invited them to join in prayer with the needs of the Church and who were a
very great force for the universal Church; We left after breakfast, also along
the Manresa road, which we passed very close to the Manresa cave where
Saint Ignatius did his spiritual exercises and wrote the famous book of
exercises.
We then go up a beautiful road to the Montserrat monastery. It was the time
when the Benedictine monks were preparing to sing their abbey mass, in
Catalan, but with a truly exciting Gregorian piety and rhythm. There were
40
many people. Then I prayed the rosary to the Virgin of Montserrat. And we
descended to Barcelona again. Mother Grau has been very nice during this
time through Montserrat, through Vich, and through Father Coll's town and
has brought her generosity to the airport, leaving me already on track for the
airlift, the name given to an hourly service, a plane between Barcelona and
Madrid. In Madrid, Sister Raimunda was waiting for me, also from the same
congregation, the nun who was expelled from Guatemala and who was very
happy to see me again. She took me to her residence where, with other nuns,
they take care of a beautiful residence for employees and students. They do a
lot of good in this house. I contacted Father Pedro, of the Passionists, who
came along with María, the writer who writes in Vida Nueva, and who did a
nice report, the economic proceeds of which were allocated to the poor of
the Archdiocese. I was very pleased to meet her and to greet Father Pedro
Ferradas and share with them many memories and impressions of our life in
El Salvador. We arranged a press interview for the evening and I went out
with the sisters, after lunch and after a nap, to visit their spiritual retreat
house, which they have in the beautiful mountain ranges, about 50
kilometers from Madrid. The house is called “El Roble” and many people
come there to spend days of spiritual retreat or social gatherings.
After dinner, in Madrid, some journalists were there, not only interviewing
me but already talking in fraternal intimacy about the situation of the Church,
the fears for Latin America, their impressions about the Pope and a set of
concerns that I was very happy to have them share. with us the problems of
our Latin America. I told them that they had a great Church mission in this
sense, since they were sensitive to our problems in Europe, where I noticed a
lot of indifference or ignorance about the problems of our America.
I had dinner at ten o'clock at night, in Madrid, and the Raimunda sisters and
another, who drives very well, took me to the airport, where I said goodbye
to them, thanking them for all their kindness in Europe and I went to wait for
the plane that will leave for Madrid. two fifty-five in the morning, to arrive at
eight thirty in the morning, El Salvador time.
SATURDAY, May 12, 1979
This Saturday, May 12, dawns in Costa Rica, after a very long night, eight
hours longer than the ordinary ones for the flight from Europe to America.
We passed through San Juan, Puerto Rico; for San José, Costa Rica; and we
arrived in El Salvador punctually at eight thirty. It was a trip without
difficulties. I dedicated it to praying, to putting myself very much in the
presence of God, asking him to enlighten me and help us resolve the serious
situation that I am going to find in the country.
At the airport it was raining heavily. We got off the plane under umbrellas. I
saw that there were several friends, priests and lay people, waiting for me,
very faithful Dominican nuns also to conclude a work of such generosity as
giving me this trip to the beatification of their founder and after greeting
each other at the gate of Ilopango, I took the carriage of the religious and I
went to my residence, after having also spoken briefly with Monsignor
Urioste about the problems and agreeing that in the evening we would meet
with others who would help me inform me of the situation of the Diocese in
this tragic week. where they have told me so many things that have
happened, violent, tragic, but that with the help of God we will know how to
illuminate from the Gospel and from the Church.
There were several journalists at the airport taking photographs, but none of
them asked me any questions.
Foreign journalists have announced themselves this day to interview me
tomorrow, after the mass that will be the rosary since the Cathedral
continues to be occupied by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc.
However, some journalists came unexpectedly and I attended to them,
although I told them that I was not yet fully qualified to give opinions on the
latest events because I had just arrived and tonight I would have a meeting to
analyze the situation. Indeed, at night, we met with Monsignor Urioste,
Father Moreno, Father Brito, the girl Doris Osegueda and the high school
student Cuéllar. We analyze many interesting points about the current
situation in the country. We saw the convenience of dedicating one day or
more time to reflect on certain things that prevent a better understanding of
the environment and, in any case, to deepen our analyzes of the Church and
our political and social situation. After this very interesting conversation
about the general situation, we prepared the week's report, which I used for
the homily the next day.
Two young people from the Popular Revolutionary Bloc came to ask me for a
mass in the Cathedral, in memory of four new ones killed by State forces
while they were engaged in their organization's activities.

I analyzed this request with the Parents who were in a meeting; I told them
that it was difficult for me to understand why I could not celebrate the official
eight o'clock mass in the Cathedral, because it is occupied by the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc. How could a mass be celebrated just because the Block
requests it, even if it is for the deceased, in a Cathedral occupied by them?
And that, therefore, our mass would appear subordinate to the strategy and
ideals of the Bloc. Therefore, I proposed to them that, as Christians, we had
to celebrate the suffrage for these deceased, but that we would do it in the
Basilica. And the parish priest of the Basilica, Father Cortés, will be in charge
of organizing this liturgy. They accepted and I think that one of those
unexpected problems has been resolved, which are difficult to solve due to
the complications they can have.
SUNDAY, May 13, 1979
Because the Cathedral was occupied, this Sunday's mass was held in the
Rosario Church, which was completely full and there were still people
outside. Loving people who, upon realizing that I was entering, welcomed me
with warm applause; I went to dress and together with the Dominican
Fathers and the seminarians we headed to the altar. They were in the
prominent place of their Dominican sisters from the Anunciata and some
students from their Colleges, since this mass wanted to be a tribute to the
new blessed, Blessed Francisco Coll Gitard, and they, the Dominican sisters,
had been in charge of arranging the liturgy of this day. The homily was a
report of my trip to Rome, with the main objective of participating in the
beatification of Father Coll, by invitation and under the sponsorship of the
Dominican sisters. My pilgrimage through Spain, my impressions from there
about what happened in El Salvador and the central doctrinal point of my
homily was the Gospel, the vine and the branches gave me the theme of
"Grace as the gift of Easter." I focused with this doctrine on the reality that
we have experienced in El Salvador this week, above all, the massacre of May
8. Whoever wants to have more information about the illumination of the
national reality in this very tragic week, can obtain the homily that is
transcribed Sunday by Sunday and where what I said on this occasion is
verbatim.
There were many journalists at the mass, television workers who were taking
many details of our mass and with them, at the end of the mass, we had a
press interview in the Rosario parish school hall. It was very interesting, since
the set of questions suggested very current and very timely topics with the
situation of the country and the situation of the world.
I then went to lunch with the Dominican sisters at the College of Fátima, in
Santa Tecla, where the Dominican Fathers, the Marists of Santa Tecla and the
various communities of Dominican nuns who work in our Archdiocese were.
And this was the most outstanding thing; Furthermore, I forgot that tonight,
invited by American journalists, we were at the Camino Real hotel to watch a
documentary about what happened in the Cathedral and that was captured
by a television reporter. Unfortunately, the film is being released outside the
country, but tomorrow the journalist will notify us about the vision he will
give us of this film. This was the highlight of our first Sunday back from Rome.
MONDAY, May 14, 1979
The first morning after returning from Rome, working in the archdiocesan
Curia, was a very busy morning. In the pastoral field, interview with Father
Benito Tovar, Vicar of the department of La Libertad, who introduces the
young Astul Guirola, who has already finished his studies in Theology, belongs
to the diocese of Santa Ana, and who possibly can be ordained a priest to
work even for a while in our Archdiocese. I gave him some letters to support
the request for permission that he will make to his bishop, Monsignor
Barrera. Also greetings to several priests who have come to the Curia and
nuns with whom, thank God, we share pastoral and ecclesial concerns.
The most outstanding thing was in the field of relations with politics and
diplomacy, since I had the visit of the Ambassador of Peru, who brought a
request from the Ambassador of Venezuela captured by the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc in his own Embassy and who asks the Church an
intervention. On my part, I promised him all good will, but that we also
needed the request to come from the Block, since mediation requires a
request from both parties. However, I promised to study the request more
thoroughly and, of course, to bring to the Venezuelan Ambassador the
consolation of the Church and the assurance that we are fully willing to help
normalize this situation. Also the visit of a special envoy from France to
41
normalize the occupation of his own Embassy, ​where the Ambassador and
other people are also held hostage. I also promised this man all our help and
invited him to the meeting that we were holding with the Vicar General,
Monsignor Urioste, with those in charge of the Press and Communication
Secretariat, Father Rafael Moreno and Father Pedraz and Father Fabián
Amaya and the secretary, Father Brito.
With all of them and the envoy from France we studied all the possibilities so
that the Church could act effectively in this desire, in which it is also affected,
since the Cathedral is occupied by the same Block and it was learned this
morning that they have also occupied the Churches of Suchitoto and Apopa.
In the afternoon, we also learned that they had occupied the Church of
Aguilares. It was concluded that the most urgent thing was contact with the
leaders of the Bloc and for this the French envoy offered himself, who,
through the occupants of his embassy, ​and having already obtained the
premises of the National University, The leaders of the Block will be
summoned to that interview and a representation of the Church made up of
Father Fabián Amaya, Father Brito and the person in charge of Legal Aid, Dr.
Infieri Roberto Cuéllar, will go.
In the afternoon, these three representatives met together with the Vicar
General and the Secretariat of Information to bring clear concepts to the
meeting, but unfortunately only they appeared with the representatives of
the Block, who did not want to go forward until the representations of the
affected Embassies, mainly of the representative of France who had invited
them. And so it was not possible to return despite all the effort that has been
made; We continue praying and waiting because the solution tends to
worsen. A large demonstration by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc
commemorating the May 8 murders by the National Police is being
announced for tomorrow.
Finally, I went to dinner with the Oblate Sisters of Divine Love to deliver
correspondence from the Generalate and personal greetings from the
Superior General, who was so kind to me during my stay in Rome.
In the afternoon there was a note of great consolation. The call that I made
on Sunday in the homily to the nurses to celebrate a Eucharist in the chapel
of the Hospital of Divine Providence was answered with great enthusiasm
and the chapel was full of nurses; Monsignor José López Sandoval,
ecclesiastical advisor of the national nurses movement, concelebrated with
me. I addressed a message to them in which I invited them to see in each sick
person the double face of Christ, a suffering, painful, dying face and the
glorious face that precisely that passion gave him. He learned obedience
through suffering, but for that reason he was established as the principle and
cause of hope for all those who believe in him. At the end of the mass there
was a very cordial greeting, in addition to the words of Father López Sandoval
and a farewell that made us feel the communion that the Church awakens in
hearts. Many expressed their wish that this meeting could be held more
frequently.
TUESDAY, May 15, 1979
In the morning, with a small group of counselors we analyzed the current
situation and the participation that the Church can have. As a conclusion, we
prepare a statement that shows the guilt that may exist in the various sectors
for having created this difficult situation.
In the afternoon, press meeting in the Archbishopric Library hall. Quite a few
attended, perhaps 25 or 30, including foreign and national journalists and
television sets. They were presented with the statement that, through them,
is being made known to the public.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 1979
I had breakfast with Monsignor Urioste and with Dr. Chávez, who is the link of
union in the dialogue held with members of ANEP, with Christian Democracy
and with the Government, a dialogue in which the Church has participated.
He informed me of all the rapprochement activity he had had during the last
few months, opening many channels of hope for mutual understanding.
Above all, in search of a solution in which there is more participation of all
the living elements of the nation in the search for the common good. I
immediately wrote the article that I will send to La Prensa and that refers to
my return from Rome and my hope placed in God, despite the difficulties that
seem insurmountable. I immediately took a few hours of rest at the farm of
the Oblate sisters to Divine Love.

At four in the afternoon, I had a very interesting interview in the
Archbishopric with the rector of the University of El Salvador and the rector
of the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas; who were
accompanied by elements of the senior leadership of both universities. With
me he had Monsignor Urioste and Father Rafael Moreno. The dialogue was
opened by the rector of the University of El Salvador, at whose initiative we
were meeting. And it was oriented in the direction of the statements that the
two universities and our Archdiocese have made regarding the conflictive
situation between the Government and the Popular Revolutionary Bloc,
seeking a way to collaborate to solve said conflict. I told both rectors that
they viewed with very good eyes the call that the Archbishop had made for
all the living elements of the country to make their contribution, to the extent
of their capabilities and competencies, to resolve not only the current
problem, but to delve into the solution to the root of all the problems caused
by social injustice in the country. The dialogue continued until late in the
afternoon and it was agreed to promote the participation of all the elements
whom the Archbishopric is calling, mainly, the universities will move the
professional and cultural environments of the country. For this purpose, a
round table will be held in which the Archbishopric's pronouncement will be
studied and initiatives will be given to seek solutions to our
socio-political-economic problems. During the interview with the sectors, the
superior of the Guadalupana nuns arrived to inform the Archbishopric that
two Mexican nuns who work in Arcatao, department of Chalatenango, had
been taken out by a red Immigration car and taken to an unknown
destination. We have tried to investigate what it was about and until late at
night, the superior had managed to communicate with the Minister of the
Interior, who told her that Immigration had received many complaints against
the sisters and that he had taken them to the border with Guatemala.
Catholic radio has broadcast the news, along with the protest of the
Archbishopric because it is a new form of persecution of the Church and
violation of Human Rights, since there is no proven crime for religious women
to be expatriated in such a way. unexpected. For their part, the nuns, both
the Guadalupanas and other congregations, are addressing their fellow
religious to Guatemala to ask them to take an interest in the fate of these
sisters who arrive so unexpectedly in the neighboring country.
FRIDAY, May 18, 1979
Among this morning's visits, the interview with Spanish Television stands out.
A brief dialogue to find out about the situation and the position of the Church
in the circumstances of this conflict between the State and the Popular
Organization, BPR. Also a visit from the CUTS, whose confederation of unions,
which shows solidarity with the call that the Archbishopric has made for a
dialogue, and is willing to prepare a forum to analyze the situation in the
form of a round table. A very interesting talk, above all, to understand how
our worker is quite promoted and sensitive in political and social matters.
Monsignor Rivera also pleasantly surprised me and with him we talked about
the secret document of a complaint by the four bishops against me, in which,
before the Holy See, he denounces me even about matters of faith,
politicization, a pastoral with theological bases false and a set of accusations
that completely call into question my episcopal ministry. Despite the
seriousness, I have felt a lot of peace. I acknowledge before God my
deficiencies, but I believe that I have worked with good will and far from the
serious things of which I am accused. God will say the last word and I hope to
continue working with the same enthusiasm as always, since I serve the Holy
Church with love.
In the afternoon, visit from the Special Ambassador of France, who appears
very discouraged because his efforts to free the Embassy from the occupation
of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc have been unsuccessful. The Bloc insists on
demanding from the Government the release or the news of three comrades
who were captured and of whom the Government assures that it does not
have them. Public opinion, secretly, comments that they no longer exist. In
my appeal I have told the Bloc to put an end to these occupations and that
everyone already suspects the disappearance of the missing and that it is
enough to have put pressure on the Government. In another way, the Bloc is
also contributing greatly to a malaise in the country that does not
compensate for the objective of its requests. I communicated these same
concepts to the Ambassador and expressed the good will of the Church to do
everything within its power, but that here the only thing was to accompany
him in that feeling of helplessness in the face of the whims of men. He told
me about the sad situation in which the hostages of the French Embassy find
themselves, who even have to sleep on the floor. They were kept in the same
42
room; something managed to improve the human situation, but it is always a
very difficult emergency and this situation has already lasted for two weeks.
The Venezuelan Embassy also remains occupied, but it was occupied a week
after that of France. The Cathedral also, and I pointed this out to the
Ambassador, is occupied on the same date as the French Embassy. The
Cathedral is a center of the Block. It doesn't bother me, but it is also a sense
of helplessness to be able to rescue it and dedicate it to worship as it should.
I had a meeting with the seminarians of the Archdiocesan Major Seminary,
which was also attended by the rector of the Seminary, Father Gregorio Rosa,
and it was extremely cordial and frank. I had the opportunity to take
advantage of the dialogue and their questions to express my fears of
politicization and also call them to collaborative work in the unity of the
Church. And to be formed from their priestly identity, to which their vocation
calls them. It was a meeting that left me completely satisfied when I saw the
concerns of the boys and also the opportunity for the pastor to give his
guidance, as he wanted, to his priests. I prolonged my dialogue with the
Father Rector, taking him to dinner and for a walk for a while in which he also
had a very great cordial expansion, not only in his office as Rector, reports
from the Seminar, but as a friend who has been one for so long and very
deep.
At night, at the Hospital de la Divina Providencia of Dr. Lara Velado, Dr.
González de la Crónica and a group of university students we met to prepare
the...
FRIDAY, May 18, 1979
At night, we met with Dr. Lara Velado, González, director of the newspaper La
Crónica and a group of university students, law students, to plan a round
table, which this group of law students has promoted for next May 22 at the
National University, on Human Rights.
It is my turn to develop the topic of rights, from the perspective of morality
and theology. After having planned this round table we had a great
conversation, above all, to comment on the call that the President of the
Republic has made for a national dialogue to contribute elements to the
country's solutions. Almost all of them pessimistically express the lack of
credibility in the government's offer of freedom and democratization;
However, there are positive opinions about taking advantage of what you can
and contributing with good will to provide among all national elements
(organizations, professionals, etc.) the lights and strength that the country is
asking of all of us.
SATURDAY, May 19, 1979
The whole morning, until about three in the afternoon, was dedicated to
visiting a canton in the Parish of Colón, a picturesque place at the foot of the
San Salvador volcano, where Father Nicolás, parish priest of Colón, along with
the sisters of the Sacred Heart had prepared a group of young people and
children to receive confirmation. The atmosphere when I arrived seemed
very cold to me and I was not able to enter into more cordial contact with
those people who seem very repressed. It seems that the situation of having
to work on a farm is for them this opportunity to live as dependents of the
administrator. Which also seemed a little overbearing to me. I highly
recommended to Father Nicolás to frequent and encourage these poor
people and to take great care of the alliance with the people of the hacienda.
I went down with this sadness and also with the purpose of not accepting a
celebration again within a hacienda or farm and, much less, accepting the
attention that the people of the haciendas give, while the poor people are
left somewhat marginalized.
At dinner time, we had a meeting with the Information team to prepare the
report that I give weekly in the homily. There was a bit of controversy in the
comment that had to be made to the President's speech, since the good will
of the Church had to be shown, despite the skepticism of promises that must
wait for the endorsement of the facts and not believe, like the people
generally they do not believe it, some simple promises from the President in
an environment in which lies, distortion, and deception have prevailed. I
collected the opinions of both sectors of the meeting and with the help of the
Holy Spirit I prepared the report that under my responsibility will be given in
the homily on Sunday.
At night journalists visit, from seven to nine, and almost at ten I had to give
an interview to French television, Guatemalan television and a journalist or

reporter from a German magazine. Mother Juanita also came to find out
about a fire attack at the Tamanique convent.
He couldn't give me any further details other than the fact that he had
doused the doors with gasoline and started a fire, which, thank God, was
controlled in time.
SUNDAY, May 20, 1979
While the Cathedral was still occupied by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, I
had to ask again for the hospitality of the Rosary Church to celebrate the
eight o'clock mass which, thank God, was also very well attended. The singing
from the minor seminary of Chalatenango encouraged the crowd, and
everyone participated.
It was a highly attended mass. The homily was on the theme of Easter giving
us the gift of Love, since all the readings tell us about the God who is Love
and the new commandment of Christ, that we love each other as he has
loved us. I had the opportunity to once again define the Church as a builder
of community in love and this distinguishes it from any other group and
movement of a political, social, earthly nature. I defined, again, the
autonomous position of the Church, which is not identified with any system
or with any political movement or group. After the mass, the journalists and
television workers who were very active during the mass invited me to have a
press meeting, which I gladly agreed to. Among others, I remember a
reporter from Le Monde, in Paris, two Venezuelan television channels, and
then I went with my family, in Apopa, to take a few hours of rest that were
very cordial.
At night I had dinner with the Oblate sisters to Divine Love in a very cordial
atmosphere and upon returning to my residence they informed me of the
situation of the Venezuelan Ambassador, who escaped from the Embassy,
​occupied by those of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, and was has taken
refuge in the Nunciature. I spoke to Father Brito, chancellor of the Curia, so
that he could go on my behalf to see what needs the Ambassador had and if
there was any need to go personally, he should let me know.
MONDAY, May 21, 1979
After a brief visit to the diocesan Curia, where I assisted some priests, nuns
and faithful, mainly the Cáritas de Aguilares group, which was looking for
ways to bring food to distribute in that region, since the Cathedral, where the
warehouse is, was finds busy. My response was to wait because it was a risk
at this time to take things out of the occupied Cathedral. After this brief stay
at the Curia, I went to Chalatenango invited by the Episcopal Vicar, Father
Fabián Amaya, to have a meeting with the nuns who work in the pastoral care
of that department, in order to show solidarity with the Guadalupana nuns
who have suffered the momentary exile of two nuns from Arcatao, taken to
Guatemala.
They will return this day or tomorrow and, in the meantime, this meeting
evaluated the work of the nuns and oriented itself to the very complicated
political reality that our country is experiencing. This afternoon, when the
plane arrived from Guatemala, the Guadalupana sisters who were expected
did not come. We will wait tomorrow.
Tonight Father Gregorio Rosa was with me and we talked quite deeply about
the denunciation of the bishops and the reality of our Archdiocese; It is a
moment of truth, Father Goyo thinks, and we must take advantage of this
moment to reaffirm the position of the Church and remove all those
obstacles that prevent a more authentic pastoral care. The complaints made
in said document find some truth, which needs to be corrected, but there is
also a lot of exaggeration and almost slander to which we are going to
respond, except with the facts of continuing to hinder the Pastoral Care of
our Archdiocese.
TUESDAY, May 22, 1979
Father Chus Delgado came to have breakfast with me, who informed me of
the procedure of the talks with ANEP, Christian Democracy and the
Government. According to Father Chus, it seems that there is no greater
progress because there is a lack of sincerity and there is a lot of group
interest. In any case, I expressed my opinion of continuing to be present, so
that we do not show ill will on the part of the Church.
I did not go to the Curia because I dedicated myself to preparing my speech
at the University this afternoon. At five in the afternoon a round table in
43
which I took part at the National University, together with Dr. Lara Velado, the
director of La Crónica del Pueblo, a worker, a peasant. We deal with Human
Rights. My aspect was theological-moral. There was a full house in the
jurisprudence hall. In such a way that even the hallways were packed and
there was a warm welcome upon my arrival. I thanked the Lord that I could
bring the message of his name to this Assembly.
In the end, the public was informed that at that moment a new massacre was
happening at the Venezuelan Embassy, ​where the hostages, that is, the
Ambassador and other employees of the Embassy, ​had already left and a
demonstration of the Bloc was heading to arrest them. the occupants who
had remained inside. And the security force opened fire; They announced at
least 6 dead and many injured. At the round table there were several
journalists and also television. A Mexican journalist followed me to the
Hospital de la Divina Providencia to have an interview, it is the newspaper
Uno más Uno from Mexico.
The sisters of the Sacred Heart came to ask what they could do about the
massacre at the Venezuelan Embassy, ​which is very close to the Sacred Heart
School. We asked the Red Cross for information to put ourselves at their
service, but the Red Cross said that not even they had been able to get close
because the security forces wouldn't let them.
They notified the Guadalupano School that the two nuns who had been taken
to Guatemala had already arrived. They both spoke to me on the phone, very
excited and grateful to be back in their homeland.
I promised to go to lunch with them tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY, May 23, 1979
I had a consultation breakfast with the usual priests and lay people. The main
topics were to evaluate the dialogue that ANEP, Christian Democracy, has
been holding and to which the Church was invited.
Lately, government representation also attended. He wonders if it is worth
continuing, if there is any benefit to be gained from it. We concluded that it
was always convenient to participate and take advantage to illuminate the
paths of our situation from the Church; Another question was about the
National Forum convened by the President. The general opinion was that we
must expect greater credibility to not allow ourselves to be manipulated by
political interests. And a third point, about the relationship between the
Church and the Popular Revolutionary Bloc, which in the current conflict with
the Government has shown little attention by taking over Iglesias and
expressing itself against the Archbishop.
It was said that relations should not be broken, even if there was a difficult
moment in their defense of the rights of the people and that they had to wait
to decide these relations, which have always been expressed in an autonomy
of the two realities, the Church and the Block.
Regarding the National Forum convened by the President, Dr. Guillermo Ungo
and another member of the Christian Democracy arrived to talk with the
Church to agree on attendance or absence at the National Forum. Although I
thanked and expressed good will, it was clear that we could not present it as
a joint action, as if the Church were associated with a political party. During
this meeting, we received the tragic news of the murder of Dr. Rebollo,
Minister of Education. And it seemed to me like revenge for the murder of
the fourteen protesters, killed by the Police and the Guard near the
Venezuelan Embassy yesterday.
I had an interview with the Spanish journalist, who expressed his views and
his sadness for our press, since he witnessed the events yesterday near the
Venezuelan Embassy and reads today in our press information imposed by
capital and government.
I went to lunch at Colegio Guadalupano to talk with the two nuns who have
already returned from Guatemala, where they were sent by the Immigration
authorities. Thank God, they have been able to overcome this hour of slander
and abuse and are willing to work with the same affection in that remote
town, Chalatenango.
In the afternoon I prepared a statement with Father Moreno regarding the
death of the protesters and the murder of Dr. Rebollo, to express my
solidarity with the suffering of so many families, my prayer for the deceased;
and a call for the Government and the Bloc not to become infatuated in their
conflicts. And calling on those who can intercede so that this is fixed soon,
since it is costing many lives and a lot of discomfort to our people.
Throughout this day there has been a meeting of ministers in the Presidential
House due to the seriousness of the situation and also a meeting of the
National Assembly, which has resulted in the decree of a state of siege for 30
days.

With Monsignor Urioste we prepared the dialogue that was broadcast on the
radio and, this time, we dedicated it to commenting on the situation of the
conflict between the Government and the Popular Revolutionary Bloc,
expressing the ideas of the Church that are already known. A call to both
parties to return to harmony soon. I also referred to the University round
table and the day of the Seminar along with confirmations of young people
that will be celebrated on the next day of Pentecost, June 3. I finished reading
the appeal regarding the tragic events of yesterday and today.
THURSDAY, May 24, 1979
This day passes in the nervousness of the violent situation in the country, plus
the law of the state of siege. However, the 14 bodies of those who were shot
by the police and the Guard at the Venezuelan Embassy and the Minister of
Education, Dr. Carlos Herrera Rebollo, must be buried today. The burial was
not of the 14 in the Cathedral, since 7 of them were collected by their
relatives. In the Cathedral, 7 bodies were laid to rest and this morning they
were buried, accompanied by a crowd estimated at 7,000 or 10,000 people.
The occupants of the Cathedral took advantage of this crowding to also leave
and leave the Cathedral vacated after three weeks of occupation. Thank God,
there were no incidents to regret during this movement of the burial of
yesterday's victims.
Dr. Rebollo's funeral was in the afternoon. His body was laid to rest in a
communal house. He was a simple man. He loved the people very much and
that is why he wanted to be accompanied by the poor in their last moments.
My call appeared in the newspapers to make an effort to end this conflict,
saying that it is not time to show who is stronger, who wins, but rather who is
more humane and capable of giving in and forgiving so that tragedies do not
continue to be lamented in the diverse environments of the country.
I had an interview with four major seminarians who participated in the May
Day demonstration. They have justified their assistance as solidarity with the
workers and peasants, the human class to which they belong. Frankly, I have
not seen that there is any error. I only pointed out to them that, given the
circumstances of both the country and especially the Church and the
Seminary and our Archdiocese, it would be prudent to always have advice
from those who can direct them well. In a special way, I invited you to always
maintain dialogue with your bishop. And understand their concerns without
taking away the noble nature of these concerns, but calling them to know
how to express them so that they can be effective testimonies at the service
of the just demands of the people that, as a priest, or called to the
priesthood, can only be made with a fully evangelical.
Tonight there was new violence in the San José de la Montaña sector, where
the parish priest, Father Víctor Guevara, has been besieged by a ring of police
guarding that region. And Father Pedraz, in charge of the radio, was also
forced to get out of the car while going to the Hospital of Divina Providencia
and was ordered to return. It seems that the object of this surveillance in this
area has been an attack by the Bloc for occupying the Embassy of Mexico and
that it seems that, together with the Embassy of Panama, they were the next
project of their occupations, but that the security forces did not allow them
to carry out .
In an accounting office, near Plaza Libertad, the accountant Montoya was
murdered as he left his office. I don't remember the name well, but it is
someone who has worked with our cooperatives in the accounting for the
construction of the Cathedral and in the Interdiocesan Social Secretariat. We
do not know the motives, nor who murdered him.
On the other hand, the feast of Mary Help of Christians, today May 24, was
celebrated with great fervor; mainly, in the Church that bears his name
governed by the Salesian Fathers and in the Schools and other facilities of the
children of Don Bosco.
FRIDAY, May 25, 1979
We have dedicated this entire morning to a meeting of the Senate to evaluate
the situation of the Diocese in this very complicated context of the country. In
relations with organized groups, with the Government, above all, for
conclusions about what our priestly and ecclesial attitude should be. In this
sense, the next meeting of the clergy was also prepared. Which will be
developed by first presenting the events that have moved the country in this
month of May; the attitude of the Church and each priest will be asked to
express with complete confidence and freedom his feelings, his thoughts, his
criteria regarding the attitude of the priests and the Church in general.
44
Everything will be illuminated with the light of the Church's documents and
will end with a synthesis of practical conclusions prepared, presented as the
fruit of all the reflection by the Archbishop. I was very pleased with the
sincerity and interest shown to act as a true Church that avoids confusion and
ambiguity in an environment as critical as the one we are experiencing.
The Senate regulations were also reviewed and some amendments were
proposed that will be consulted by the clergy. It was also known about a
document that Monsignor Álvarez read at the meeting of the clergy, in his
diocese of San Miguel, and which denounces the attitude of the Archbishop
and the Archdiocese. For my part, I told them that we should take advantage
of that criticism to review our actions with sincerity and humility.
In the afternoon, visit from the rector of the Central American University José
Simeón Cañas, who expressed to me, with a sincere sense of love for the
country, his concern regarding the absence that the universities must have
from the Forum repaired by the President of the Republic, since There is no
atmosphere of trust and credibility. Therefore, it is believed that attending is
like legitimizing attitudes that have caused so much pain to the country. And
that would be like fixing those injustices and also the supposedly democratic
attitudes, but which, in reality, deny that freedom that true democracy
demands. I told him that there are absences that are painful, but that they
are necessary and that the absence from this Forum, in these circumstances,
was not a denial of the good will of those who sincerely want to work, but
rather asking for an appropriate environment to collaborate with good will.
Also visit from the chargé d'affaires of Panama to ask me to intervene before
the Negotiating Commission of the BPR, to offer asylum on behalf of her
Government to those who occupy the Embassies of Venezuela and France;
offering that the procedures have also already been done with the
chancellery of El Salvador, so that they can leave for that country, since the
occupants of the Block refuse this asylum intervention, they ask me to do a
job of convincing, for their good, now that, if they are not granted asylum in
Panama, they will have to be tried for the crimes of occupation and
kidnapping of hostages from both occupied embassies. I have searched until
late into the night for the means to send this letter from the Embassy of
Panama to the Negotiating Commission of the Bloc, but it has not been
possible to find this contact, which will be left until tomorrow morning, God
willing.
SATURDAY, May 26, 1979
At the Institute of the Somascas sisters I had a meeting with the social
communication advisors, to inform myself and prepare the informative part
of the homily with their respective judgments. This study that we do weekly
is very interesting, because it gives us the pulse of the reality of our country.
Mainly, this time we analyze the continuation of violent acts in which there
have been many deaths and injuries, occupation of the Embassies of
Venezuela and France, the situation of the state of siege decreed since May
24 and the National Forum to which the President of The Republic has invited
and to which many have responded with skepticism and not participating. On
behalf of the Church, the Episcopal Conference was invited and the bishops
elected Monsignor Revelo and Monsignor Freddy Delgado as representatives.
For my part, I expressed that I was not opposed to dialogue, but that I would
like a basis of trust with facts, returning the Government to respect the
precepts of the Constitution that are so violated and that, therefore, there is
no credibility in its sincerity of look for dialogue. I suggested to the
Conference that not bishops, but others, represent it.
Next, I had an interview with a reporter from the Mexican newspaper Uno
Más Uno, who appears very scared of the situation in El Salvador. I also had
an interview with the Guadalupana nuns, the superior of the College and the
two nuns who were expelled to Guatemala and then brought, but that the
Minister has called their attention for their work that is not religious,
according to him, although the nuns asked concrete facts and evidence and
they were not given. We listened to it with Father Fabián Amaya and we
encouraged them to continue their work, always based on truth and true
evangelization, because they are doing a lot of good in that remote town of
Arcatao. But during the state of siege it is better to avoid any demonstration
that could provoke an unpleasant reaction in the Government.
Father Brito with high school student Cuéllar were in charge of carrying the
note from the Embassy of Panama that offers asylum to those occupying the
Embassies of Venezuela and France. They promised, as Father Brito told me,
to reflect on the matter.

SUNDAY, May 27, 1979
Thank God the Cathedral has been vacated and we were able to have our
eight o'clock Eucharist there, but unfortunately the YSAX Radio has not yet
been repaired and the mass could not be broadcast. It shows that it is very
listened to, because there have been many questions about it. It is the
Sunday of the Ascension of the Lord and I preached about transcendence,
that our mission and our vocation as a Church and as Christians is always to
work in this world, but with an intention of transcendence. There were many
journalists at the mass and television photographs were also taken. I could
not identify all the journalists, but it seems to me that some were from
Europe, Mexico and other parts.
The chargé d'affaires of Panama called for collaboration with the Church,
since a special commission from Panama has come to deal with the issue of
asylum for the occupants of the Venezuelan and French Embassies.
I commissioned Father Brito for this service.
In the evening, an interview with a UP journalist. Matters of the Church and
the country.
MONDAY, May 28, 1979
Today I have finished perfecting the letter that I will send to Cardinal Baggio,
with a copy for the Secretary of State, regarding Monsignor Quarracino's
suggestion to appoint an apostolic administrator, plenary see.
I have expressed that such a solution not only seems ineffective to me, but
also very harmful for the Archdiocese, because it would end up breaking the
unity and would express a double situation of our archdiocesan community;
that it is not only about solving personal problems but about it being an
expression of the entire people of God, the voice of the bishop, which would
be greatly neutralized by giving him an apostolic administrator, anyone
understood that it is a distrust of the bishop himself. I have suggested, as the
most fundamental solution, the nomination of new bishops, with criteria
from the Second Vatican Council, to inject new pastoral criteria into the
Episcopal Conference, thus avoiding a disunity that has no reason to exist,
since it goes against those principles of the Council.
I had the visit of three representatives of French organizations in favor of
Human Rights, who have come to investigate the situation of human rights in
our country.
I had lunch with Fathers Ellacuría and Sobrino to talk about the project of an
upcoming pastoral letter on the situation of the country and the mission of
the Church, which I hope will be published on August 6.
We will meet in eight days to finalize the outline that is expected to be
prepared by then.
I paid a visit to the social media office to investigate the situation of the radio
work that is still not on the air, while there are many people worried about
this situation being resolved. It seems that something is missing that they
have gone to bring to the United States and that is expected to arrive at any
moment. But I begged the Father in charge to hurry up and if necessary,
someone would personally bring those spare parts to the United States. I also
realized that they captured and tortured a young man who works at the
Criterio Printing House where our weekly Orientación is published and that
during the interrogation many questions came up that denote the
persecutory mentality that the Government has against our social media.
At night I wanted to avoid the ultreya of Cursillos de Cristiandad, but, there
was...
CHAPTER 14 Year 1979
DIARY from May 29 to June 19, 1979
TUESDAY, May 29, 1979
At breakfast I had an interesting conversation with Father César Jerez,
provincial of the Jesuits, who has just returned from a trip to South America.
He informed me about the interest there is in following the pastoral care of
our Archdiocese and how various expressions of our episcopal teaching have
been echoed. It is interesting to listen to the impressions of Churches and
episcopal conferences as powerful as Brazil, compared to our smallness; It is
to expand the spirit and see how this voice and line of the Church to identify
with the people and to confront, even out of necessity, governments that do
45
not understand the people, and the need to opt, as Puebla advises, for the
poor, It is an admitted fact and one that is making great progress in a Church
that authentically seeks to be the Church of Jesus Christ.
The entire morning was dedicated to the meeting of the nascent Pastoral
Council; It was very consoling to make an evaluation, to recognize the
deficiencies from which we still suffer, but with enthusiasm to propose
suggestions to take this work of the Council to a true pastoral force of
coordination, of orientation of the pastoral care of the entire Archdiocese.
During the meeting I was able to have some breaks to attend to a seminarian
from Chalatenango. And, above all, a printing press employee who was
tortured and who was asked quite malicious questions against the
Archdiocese. And with Father Martel of Apopa who gives me bad information
about a young man about whom we have been observing to see if it really is
a vocation. According to the conversation, unfortunately, any possibility of
continuing studies at the Seminary must be ruled out for now.
In the afternoon, interview with a journalist from UP and another from
several magazines in South America and North America. All journalists are
interested in knowing the thoughts of the Church and its relations with the
Government. To which I try to be extremely clear and sincere; also
denouncing the practices that are sometimes seen in advertising in our
environment.
I have been polishing the letter for the Sacred Congregation for Bishops,
which will soon carry my opinion about the suggestion of an apostolic
administrator, plenary see, and the possible ways to resolve our ecclesial
conflict.
WEDNESDAY, May 30, 1979
Once again it has been a very intense day. We woke up with the news of the
murder of the chargé d'affaires, with the rank of Swiss Ambassador, in Plaza
Alegre, Paseo Escalón. He was attacked when he came to the Embassy and
killed with a burst of machine gun fire. The secretary of the Nunciature
wanted to talk to me.
I promised him to go to the Nunciature to be calmer, but he can't get there
since this place, close to the murder, is blocked by security forces'
checkpoints. The secretary of the Nunciature came to the Archbishopric to
tell me confidentially that France had asked the Holy See to intervene to
resolve the problem of the Embassy in El Salvador, occupied by the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc, and where the Ambassador and others are held hostage.
collaborators, whose human condition is extremely precarious and has
already lasted for more than 25 days. Some ideas came to me and I liked the
suggestion because I will take the opportunity, as a pastor, to touch on the
crime that has just been committed and other attacks against the freedom
and dignity of Ambassadors or citizens of other countries.
A commission of two French lawyers, Father Maurice Bart, also came to the
Archbishopric, who came on behalf of several organizations in France to
express their solidarity with our Church and to take data on our situation. We
talked extensively and they gave me a lot of strength with their appreciation
that they understand our situation very well. For my part, I also thanked them
and asked them not to leave us, always giving us this moral support that they
brought me today.
In the afternoon, meeting with those in charge of social communication and
Father Pedraz, in charge of the radio, to study the situation of our radio. On a
technical level, it is hoped that the difficulty that has prevented it from going
on air today will soon be overcome. Rather, we studied the ideological
aspects and a commission composed of Father Pedraz, Father Fabián Amaya,
Miss Doris Osegueda and Father José Luis Burget and Father Gregorio Rosa
was established to take responsibility for the content of our broadcasts. All of
them were present. I took the opportunity to consult them about the
statement suggested by the Nunciature and which I also want to make as a
pastoral statement. They gave me several ideas and Father Gregorio will
accompany me to finish the writing of this document. Therefore, after dinner,
he arrived at the Hospital of Divine Providence where we worked until late
into the night. For this reason, I had to renounce the invitation that the
Christianity Cursillistas had extended to me for a dinner, which I would have
also taken advantage of for many matters of lay pastoral care, but I
apologized to them and promised to meet very soon.
THURSDAY, May 31, 1979

Father Gregorio Rosa and I woke up finishing our work. After the night's rest,
our minds felt fresher and we were able to finish it around 10 in the morning.
I invited the secretary of the Nunciature and those in charge of the French
Embassy to introduce them to the wording. The secretary of the Nunciature
made several observations to me and almost foreshadowed that perhaps the
French would not like it so much because it was not dedicated almost
exclusively to them. I warned him that it was a pastoral call and that he could
not be partial only to the French, but rather take advantage of this
circumstance that the Swiss Ambassador had also been murdered, to touch
on all the affairs of foreign diplomats and foreign citizens, for which the
Church also had a pastoral duty. After other observations made privately with
the secretary of the Nunciature, the French representatives arrived to whom I
gave the wording of the statement to read and they expressed their complete
satisfaction. They only asked me if I could emphasize that there were already
28 days of captivity in the Embassy, ​of the Ambassador and his collaborators,
among them an elderly lady of 70 years, in very inhumane physical and
hygienic conditions. I gladly accepted this amendment and the statement was
published, just as we had prepared it. I added an observation from the
Secretariat of the Nunciature regarding accentuating the request to the
Government to intercede in the matter of the French Embassy, ​but always
with absolute respect for the human lives that were involved in this
occupation.
The first impressions this afternoon of the statement that they have begun to
disseminate to you have been very laudatory.
In the afternoon, I had a deep pastoral respite when I accepted Father Cayo
Ayala's invitation to celebrate in San José Villanueva, his hometown, the sixty
years of marriage of his parents, Don Francisco Ayala and Doña Herminia. It
coincided with the closing of the month of May. And the May flowers arrived
at the town's Church from the various sectors of that Parish that the
Passionist Sisters serve. A beautiful set for a pastoral afternoon to talk about
the Virgin, the sanctity of marriage and fidelity, the gift of life, holy fertility.
Topics in an atmosphere of simplicity, where there were also many children
who had arrived from school, carried out in full. A theme with simple pastoral
language and a greeting, at farewell, shaking everyone's hand, leaves in the
soul a tranquility of being rooted and fond of a people that knows how to
reciprocate.
FRIDAY, June 1, 1979
In the Curia, I shared a coffee with the priests George, Trinidad Nieto and
Modesto Villarán, from Soyapango, with whom the main talk was, since
yesterday he was defamed in the newspapers as if the people of Soyapango
asked for his transfer to another part , for being a priest who offends the
people of the market that surrounds the Church; which is completely false,
knowing the Father and the sympathy he enjoys in the people.
I encouraged him to move forward. He is also very encouraged because these
slanders, more than anything, manage to encourage the pastors more. I told
him, for my part, how I had also received phone calls threatening me with
death and a card with the swastika cross UGB, White Warrior Union, ordering
me that I must change my way of preaching, that I must condemn
communism, that I must praise to the dead of the security forces, etc., and
that if I do not follow that line, they are going to eliminate me. Which I
understand is like psychological threats, to stop a voice that conscientiously
feels that it cannot be silenced, to shed light in the midst of so much
confusion and bastard interests.
At ten in the morning the visit of the United States Ambassador had been
announced, who came with the new secretary of the Embassy, ​with the
person in charge of political affairs and the representative of international aid
for Latin America. He respectfully expressed his admiration for our Church
and we touched on several topics in which these relations between the
United States Embassy and the Archbishop can result in much good for our
country.
A representation of the medical students also came. Two young people very
dedicated to their profession, almost ready to graduate, expressed to me
their astonishment at the rotten situation of medicine in healthcare centers
when it comes to the origin of life. How many mutilations! How many
sterilizations of men and women, done with great ease and massively! It was
an expression of these young people when they told me: "The fertility of our
people is being emasculated and something needs to be done." And they
proposed that I hold a round table at the University on this topic and that I
participate in it. I gladly accepted and congratulated them and asked God to
always keep their minds clean, to be true doctors who are defenders of life
46
and not destroyers of humanity. We agreed that on June 11, close to Medical
Student Day, this Forum will be held, together with other professionals in
Medicine and Economics, to study this violation of the original right to life.
I also had a visit from two workers to invite me or send a representative to a
meeting to unify worker ideals that they will have tomorrow. I gladly agreed
to at least send them a representative, since my time is committed to a
meeting of religious women.
There was also a visit from a Japanese journalist, I had to use an interpreter,
because he doesn't speak Spanish and I don't speak English. And it was also
an attempt to clarify the position of the Archdiocese in the current political
situation of the country.
In the afternoon, a telephone interview with a journalist from Colombia,
about the occupation of the Cathedral by the FAPU, which has had it again
since the day before yesterday but has promised to deliver it tomorrow, or
Saturday.
About this I spoke with Father Moreno and with engineer Ricardo Navarro,
from the Human Rights Commission of El Salvador, who came to visit me on
behalf of the FAPU, to explain to me the reason for the occupation, it is to
draw attention to protest the violent death of one of his companions. And I
used this to intercede with the FAPU, so that they would leave the Cathedral
free for us on Sunday. He stated that there was no ill will against the Church,
but that they only used this means to make themselves heard and that they
apologized to me.
Today we had a meeting as the first of the month, the Holy Hour that, thank
God, regains importance, due to the number of people and most of all due to
the quality of prayer we do, due to the many needs of the Church and the
country. My brother, Gaspar, who works in an important position at ANTEL,
has been unexpectedly demoted. Without a doubt, it is revenge from the
Government for being a relative of mine and I am sorry that my family suffers
consequences of a prophetic duty that I have to fulfill. I have tried to
encourage him and tell him that in every situation we must always be very
strong in hope and also be firm in the fight for justice for our people;
although it is difficult for people without much religious and Christian training
to understand the current role of the Church, which is very difficult, if they
want to be faithful to the Gospel.
SATURDAY, June 2, 1979
We had a counseling breakfast for the homily. We discussed the topic of faith
and politics quite a bit.
The need for a specified pastoral ministry so that those concerns of some
more promoted Christians can be cultivated, principles and reflections that
cannot be done in a mass pastoral ministry. In the meantime, we must do
what we can so that those who have organized themselves in popular
political organizations do not lose the faith that perhaps inspired their
political commitment. Due to the lack of trained follow-up from the Church,
they may lose that faith and turn to deviant solutions.
At nine we had a meeting with the religious superiors to analyze the case of
the sisters expelled from Arcatao; expulsion that was corrected by the same
Government and that allows the sisters to return, although permission is
expected from the superior general. The story of one of the nuns was very
moving, above all, because of her spirit of dedication with which she wants to
continue her work in that environment where she feels extremely committed
and believes that absence would be harmful and would set back what
progress has been made in those reflections. The religious of other
congregations expressed their solidarity with these exemplary sisters and I
invited them to frequently make these evaluations and these reflections that
would identify us more with the pastoral care of the Archdiocese, which does
not try to impose, but to dialogue so that everyone is convinced. Let us walk
where the Lord wants us to walk.
I went to lunch with the community of the religious Oblates to Divine Love,
since with great sadness they have to say goodbye to their current superior,
Mother Carmen María Scaglietti, who has decided to leave religious life and
return to Costa Rica, her homeland. I saw all the sisters very dismayed and
tried to encourage them with an ecclesial spirit. The same as Mother Carmen,
so that, although she is no longer religious, she is always a faithful servant of
the Church.
SUNDAY, June 3, 1979

The lack ofRadio YSAX He has brought more people to the Cathedral for the
eight o'clock mass. Furthermore, a good group of young people and children
who were going to receive confirmation on this day of Pentecost,
accompanied by family, godparents and communities, celebrated this
extremely solemn Mass. I was there to take impressions of this
radio-television liturgy from England, the BBC in London, who were there
throughout the mass and mainly at the exit where they asked me some
questions about the opinion I have of how a peaceful solution can be found
to the situation of the country and what my thoughts are about violent
solutions. The answers were suggested by what I have always preached, that
the best peaceful solution is a return to love and a sincere sense of seeking
dialogue, but one that is framed in an environment of trust that must be
demonstrated with actions, so that the people in everyone can freely express
their opinions and that everyone is admitted to the dialogue that seeks that
solution. Regarding violence, I explained the principles that I already wrote in
my pastoral letter.
MONDAY, June 4, 1979
After mass, at the Hospital de la Divina Providencia, two FAPU
representatives were waiting for me to propose an interview and to set the
date. I told them I would consult, which I did during the day, and I offered
them the next Thursday at six in the afternoon. Representatives of nefarious
groups also came to ask me for mass for the young lady who died riddled
with bullets in La Reubicación, in Chalatenango, a mass that she proposed for
next Wednesday at noon in the Cathedral. I told him that they had already
asked me for a mass for that same person and that I would celebrate it in the
chapel of Divine Providence. She was not satisfied because she said it was
necessary to do it in public to denounce the crime that was committed. I told
him that the main thing about the mass was the prayer for the deceased and
that the denunciations had already been made very clearly by the Church. In
the morning, I attended the vicarage meeting held by the parish priests of the
vicarage of Asunción, Flor Blanca. I explained to them my project to prepare a
pastoral of the metropolitan area and asked for their collaboration, since they
are located in the heart of the city, in the most distinguished part. It was very
nice to hear a very positive comment in search of better service in this
capital. I also proposed the problem of the parish priest of San José de la
Montaña, and how he plans a withdrawal from the Republic. I will take more
advantage of that occasion to entrust the vicariate, which proposes either
Father Carlos Mejía, current parish priest of La Asunción de Flor Blanca, or
Father Ernesto Abrego, parish priest of San Benito, as a solution for San José
to enter the same spirit of the other parish priests of the vicarage.
A main objective of my visit to this meeting was to encourage because I have
heard that there is a certain decline in the spirit of some and I expressed my
satisfaction with the way they have been organized, and the sense of team
that they have given to everything. his parish work. I congratulated them and
encouraged them to move forward.
In the Curia I had a visit from Father Jorge Benavides, parish priest of
Suchitoto, who explained to me very interesting problems of the political
division and other aspects of that interesting population. Father Cazares,
from Tonacatepeque, and Father Julio Orellana, from Cuscatancingo, were
also present.
In the afternoon, I celebrated another mass in the same chapel of the
Hospital in memory of Professor P. Ramos, murdered on April 24 after being
tortured. His wife, his three children and his mother were present, as were
other family members and numerous teachers from various schools. The
sermon was about the word of Saint Paul: through a man death entered the
world, saying that this whole situation of ours is like a triumph of sin, the sin
that is expressed above all in the death of others, killing others. the rest.
But that Christ was the principle of justice in which we must support all just
demands, without the need to resort to violence and hatred.
A journalist from San Juan, Puerto Rico, visited me with some difficulty
speaking Spanish, since he speaks English. We made ourselves understood in
a very interesting talk about the situation in our country. When he said
goodbye, he expressed great praise to me, saying that it was a very great
experience for him to have talked with me. I thank the Lord for giving me this
air of personality that I do not want to take advantage of for my vanity, but
for the best service of this Church.
In the Archbishopric they have prepared a lot of material for the clergy
meeting that will be tomorrow, God willing.
47
TUESDAY, June 5, 1979
This morning was dedicated to the monthly meeting of the clergy. Numerous
priests from all the vicariates attended as well as the nuns who work in the
towns in direct pastoral care of the Archdiocese. Father Fabián Amaya
coordinated and Fathers Benito Tovar and Trinidad Nieto had prepared the
meeting. It was about analyzing the events of the month of May that have
been so dense, so bloody, so complicated. After a narration of the events
prepared by the Secretariat of Information and read by Father Nieto, Father
Jesús Delgado focused on the theological principles of Puebla, the
exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi and the Second Pastoral Letter of the
archbishop of San Salvador, the principles from which criteria and lights could
be derived to illuminate and reflect on this reality. Afterwards, all this
information and all this enlightenment was completed with some
contributions in the plenary session and then, after the refreshment, we
went to groups and then returned to a plenary session where interesting
observations and suggestions were collected for a pastoral care that identifies
us more and more as a Church. and makes us perfectly discern between the
various political and protest lines that exist in the environment. So that, from
our identity as a Church, we can be what Christ wanted when he placed his
Church illuminated by his word at the service of the world. The last
intervention was my turn and I tried to congratulate him for the richness that
he had contributed and give value to all that reflection, and summarize all
that as a slogan in these words "Clarification, identity of the Church, priestly
unity (to present the mystery of our presbytery as the nucleus and the focus
from which the activity of the Church is illuminated) and discernment (so that
the Holy Spirit gives us the ability not to confuse the Church with other lines,
and to be authentically Church, knowing how to understand all others from
our own identity).
There was a lot of cordiality and enthusiasm at the meeting. It gives me the
impression that our clergy is maturing and becoming more and more
supportive of the pastoral ideal of the Archdiocese.
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 1979
In the morning, interview with journalists. A newspaper that is responsible
for denouncing abuses and violations of human rights, tours El Salvador and
has collected a lot of data and asked for the information and criteria of the
Church, which everyone already knows.
Meeting of religious women who work in Pastoral Care. It was very lively.
Father Chus Delgado presented an overview of the real situation in El
Salvador, although it seemed a little biased and political to me, but it
provided the basis for us to later focus pastorally on the work of building an
authentic Church, one that is capable of dialogue and saving everything. that
God has entrusted to us among ourselves. Almost all the nuns were present
and they were also quite interested in the case of the nuns of Arcatao, who
were expelled and returned to their work again.
In the afternoon, I celebrated mass for Mercedes Recinos. This is a worker
shot in her own home due to the repression of that time, since she was a
leader in a union, and in her own home, in La Relocation de Chalatenango,
she was murdered. The mass was attended, in addition to his family, by many
fellow workers, the FAPU, a popular political organization in which several
labor movements are included. I took advantage of the homily to support the
fairness of their meetings and their labor demand, but directing them to the
transcendence, which the late Mercedes already speaks to us about, that
dying fighting for a cause on earth only has complete meaning when it is not
They have lost the perspectives of eternity. And that a Christian must carry, to
incorporate into the redemption of Christ all the redemptions for which these
groups work; although some later understood that I was opposed to groups
and that I only wanted good Christians. I told them: "Here you can see how
difficult it is to be understood and that is why it is easy to criticize the Church
unfairly."
In the evening, a meeting with the ladies who make up the Archdiocesan
Council of Cáritas so that they could freely and frankly expose the anomalies
and deficiencies that they notice in the office staff and in the advice of the
representative of the Church, Father Rutilio Sánchez. They were very frank
and I agreed to meet with the manager and the Father along with a
representative of the Archdiocesan Board to try to guide and correct the
deficiencies and make Cáritas what it always has to be, a school at the service
of promotion of charity and love, using the programs that already exist, but

not concretizing only to that but giving an example of the charitable work of
the Church.
THURSDAY, June 7, 1979
Again, a journalist, Jennie Traf, interested in knowing directly the thoughts of
the Archbishop and the pastoral movement of the Archdiocese. I also guided
a Belgian nun, who works in Cojutepeque and who will help me organize the
Pastoral office in the Curia and the newspaper library.
Together with the vicariate of Aguilares, the coordinating team, made up of
priests and nuns, will study the case of Ciudad Arce, where Father Joaquín
Brizuela and the nun represent two antagonistic pastoral movements, and
enough has already been done to organize and coordinate them. , but it
seems that there is no choice but to remove both to add a more unifying
element. In fact, Mother Josefina arrived to whom we explained very frankly
and she is ready to leave. Father Martel will be in charge of notifying Father
Joaquín and convincing him of the convenience, for the good of the Church,
of changing parishes and for him to express his preferences for this transfer.
We also study other cases of the vicariate, such as the case of
Quezaltepeque, Guazapa and Opico. I was pleased to see the good will to
resolve problems ecclesiastically.
In the afternoon, a group of catechists from the Ricaldone Oratory attended
an appointment that, unfortunately because it had not been confirmed, I was
not able to attend, but I begged Father Brito so that he could talk about what
I wanted to tell them, that is, to see how it would turn out. extends to the
Archdiocese the system of Salesian oratories, but embodied in the concern of
our pastoral care.
From five in the afternoon, at the Hospital de la Divina Providencia, with
representatives of the FAPU and, for our part, with Beto Cuéllar, Father
Moreno and Miss Doris Osegueda, to discuss some points of divergence
between the Church and this organization. Above all, the taking of temples,
the relations of his group with our base ecclesial communities, his criticism of
the pastoral lines of the Church. And the conversation was interesting
because the attention of the Church to certain political movements was also
resolved, although the Church is not a specialist in politics, but can attend as
a guest, always respecting the autonomy and responsibility that the laity and
the parties and organizations have in this matter. But she, as a Church, always
has a word to say to support what is just or to condemn what is unjust.
FRIDAY, June 8, 1979
I had an interview with the board of directors of the federation of Catholic
Schools, in which they informed me of their concern about the election of the
new board that they have to make, since the time has come and they have
their difficulties with the representative of the Episcopal Conference,
Monsignor Apparition. I suggested that they proceed with holy freedom and
that they also include elements that favor the federation, chosen from other
dioceses, of which there are certainly elements, such as some Marist brother,
Brother Izquierdo (this one is in San Miguel) and some nun from La Asunción.
, in Santa Ana, and that they would not give up in their efforts to promote the
Colleges for true pastoral care. I also begged them to be interested in having
the parochial schools actively join the federation. There are works in the
federation of awareness and pastoral work that are worth continuing to work
on as a federation of Catholic Schools.
At lunch with the Provincial Father of the Jesuit Fathers and three others from
the same company, to ask them for advice about the current situation. They
were very explicit and very sincere in giving me their opinion; also to prepare
a next pastoral letter in accordance with a survey that has been done to all
the parish priests and all the communities that come to be like the vote, like
the opinion of the Church in the Archdiocese in the National Forum, which
has turned out to be very partial, but that the Church feels the conscience of
expressing, from its competence, the opinion for the public good in this
situation of the country. We already have an outline and we are waiting for
the communities' responses to incorporate them into the final wording.
This afternoon we had an evaluation of the organizational work of the Curia.
Father Ibáñez helps us with other collaborators from the institution of the
Minimum Housing Foundation. And although it is a small step, they told us
that there was already a movement towards the organization of the Curia,
which we are seeking for a better functioning of the ecclesial institution in
our Archdiocese. One of the most useful conditions was that, the main
people in charge of the Curia and the Diocese, we will meet weekly on
48
Tuesdays at eight in the morning, with the presence of a layman from the
Minimum Housing, who will give us his opinion. seen from outside. Next,
with the same collaborators of the Foundation and Father Pedraz, in charge
of the radio, we talked about the situation of our station and the need to
install the new devices, but that they represent an expense of one hundred
thousand colones for the installation of the new one. antenna. I begged
engineer Galván to write on my behalf a cable or telex for the MISEREOR
institution, which has already helped us greatly, from which we will ask for
new help for this installation, since the old device, which is now suspended
due to lack of a A spare part cannot be found, it is not known if we can repair
it and we urgently need to have a radio that expresses the thoughts of the
Church.
SATURDAY, June 9, 1979
Like every Saturday, we had a breakfast consultation to prepare the notes for
the homily. And it is a very interesting meeting because the progress of the
Secretariat of Social Information is evaluated. We criticized the new form of
Guidance, asking that some very pious notes be suspended and that space be
given to information or criteria that are more useful at a time when our
newspaper is the only voice, since the radio is unable to air. . It was agreed
that Miss Doris Osegueda, who directs Orientation, should be advised of
elements that are a little aggressive, even if they have to be stopped, but it is
always good to have those who also promote in this sense. As usual, I
dedicated the rest of Saturday to preparing the Sunday homily and other
spiritual and personal attentions.
SUNDAY, June 10, 1979
Thank God, the Cathedral mass is always very crowded, especially at this time
when the radio station is failing us and many people come to listen to what
they previously heard on the radio. It is the Sunday of the Holy Trinity and I
took the opportunity to present in the homily the idea of ​the God of our
Fathers, as the Old Testament presents them to us in the first reading, "A God
who accompanies the people in their history" and from there I applied to our
history, applying it concretely to our week, inviting the people to always have
that faith of Israel in the God who went with them even in the greatest
difficulties of the people. The second thought was "The God of Jesus Christ",
the revelation of the Holy Trinity, the love of the Father, a God who is present
in the man who incarnated him, Jesus Christ: mercy, love, dedication for men.
And finally, the second reading from Saint Paul, which tells us about the
sending of the Holy Spirit to carry out in men a process that unites them to
the Holy Trinity, making them children of God, receiving a Spirit of Love, not
fear or slavery. , but of holy freedom and great hope, since we are heirs of
God and joint heirs with Christ.
At noon, I went to celebrate with the Oblate nuns at the Sacred Heart 25
years of religious life of Sister Ana de Jesús Ovín. It turned out to be a very
heartfelt mass, that is, one that everyone cordially participated in and at the
time of the homily some girls from a community in Ciudad Arce also
participated; Just as the participation of the person celebrated, Sister Ana,
was extremely exciting. The provincial, taking advantage of an appeal that I
made in my homily, said that, with the consent of the superior general, they
offered me all their collaboration for the work of spreading devotion to the
Heart of Jesus, not only in El Salvador, but in Central America. Just as it was
entrusted to me in the recent seminar of the cult of the Heart of Jesus, held
in Santo DOMINGO, where they made me
president of a small committee to spread the Heart of Jesus devotion in
Central America. We agree that very soon we will meet with the sisters who
are going to dedicate themselves to this work and I believe it all, therefore, a
gift from the Heart of Jesus and I hope that, through our humble means, his
kingdom will extend and deepen more in our Christians. Central Americans.
At night, in Colonia Atlacatl they also celebrate the patron saint's day of the
Parish, since it is the Parish of Divine Providence and they celebrate precisely
the day of the Holy Trinity. The Redemptorist Fathers, who are in charge of
this Parish, concelebrated with me. The Church was completely overflowing,
there was a loving greeting of applause upon my arrival and I preached to
them the meaning of Divine Providence, it does not exempt the intelligent
and generous collaboration of men and how the Parish in the designs of
Divine Providence is an instrument that We must take advantage to sanctify
ourselves, since the purpose of God's Providence regarding men is to make
them his children, his heirs, to communicate his life to them, which is

precisely the parish work in which we must collaborate so that we all live in
grace. of God.
MONDAY, June 11, 1979
I was visited by a representative of the fourth class of high school graduates
from the Usulután Institute of Technology, who came to offer me their
promotion and ask for permission to call it by my name. I thanked them
deeply and told them that there was no problem, but on the contrary, it was
a great honor and satisfaction. I only told them that I had to count on the
bishop of that diocese, Monsignor Rivera, to be able to participate in the
promotion party, which I asked them to tell me when it was going to be.
The rest of the day was dedicated to preparing my speech at the round table
at the National University, which was this afternoon at five, dedicated to the
topic of birth control. A doctor from the Demographic Society, an economist,
and a social medicine doctor participated in the round table. With me were
Father Guillermo Gibons, doctor, in charge of the San Lucas de San Miguel
Center, to guide the natural method of conception, and also Ms. de Reyes, in
charge of the Population and Family Center, which is another effort of our
Archdiocese to help in the orientation of our families. I explained the doctrine
of Paul VI's Humanae Vitae, emphasizing human rights, the dignity of man,
respect for life, that is, all the positive aspect of the Encyclical that seems to
have impressed enough, to deduce from there the moral laws that govern
that sacred act of the continuation of human life. After the interventions
there was an interesting questioning from the audience who were very
concerned about the shameless dissemination of contraceptive means.
Medical students were very brave in facing the policy of the Demographic
Society and even demanded, in the name of professional ethics and the
freedom and dignity of our people, that they not be so servile to this policy
that is not the solution to our problem. . I indicated this in my speech when I
said that the demographic problem must be included in a comprehensive
social promotion, that only dedicating ourselves to preventing births, and
even worse, promoting abortions, was nothing more than putting a sinful
patch on a problem as complicated as ours. Social situation.
TUESDAY, June 12, 1979
We had the first meeting at eight in the morning to evaluate the organization
of the Curia on a weekly basis. We dedicate today especially to the problem
ofRadio YSAX, which is already of great concern to all the people and we have
made some agreements to speed up the reappearance of this station, which
is so necessary for the Church today.
At ten in the morning, I participated, in Santa Tecla, in a meeting that the
directors of the Salvadoran Communal Union invited me to. It was extremely
interesting to talk with these farmers from various parts of the Republic
about social concerns. I admired their capacity for autonomy and the respect
and hope they have in the Church. I promised them all the help and to
continue being faithful to the slogans of our Latin American Church, of the
preferential option for the poor, thinking mainly of the peasants and their
efforts of vindication.
Some priests also came this morning, since Tuesdays are especially
consecrated to them.
At four in the afternoon I had a meeting with the major seminary of the
Archdiocese that I really liked because of their concern about the liturgy in
the Cathedral and efforts to unite with the minor seminaries, for which an
upcoming coexistence with them was being prepared. , and other aspects
that already indicate a certain maturity in this youth that is preparing to
renew the priestly forces of the Diocese.
At night, interesting conversation with Dr. Castro Salazar, who has been
captured and tortured and is extremely indignant at what is possible in our
current environment. He already says, "I had thought I was keeping the
gloves, because I have always been combative, I have even suffered exile;
However, I believe that our country asks that I put on the gloves again and I
come to place myself at your service in whatever little way I can serve you.
For my part, I admired and thanked him because this gesture of solidarity for
the good of the country is a very powerful word for me.
WEDNESDAY, June 13, 1979
I celebrated the mass of San Antonio in the Parish of Soyapango, which
venerates him as its patron saint. There was a great turnout. We
49
concelebrated with the three Fathers of Soyapango: Father Villarán, the
parish priest; Father Pedro Cortez, coadjutor; and Father Heliodoro Orellana,
who is in the chaplaincy of the Colonia Guadalupe de Soyapango. In the
homily I tried to update the message of Saint Anthony to the circumstances
of Soyapango, inviting them from the doctrine that Saint Anthony taught, it is
the same doctrine of the Gospel, to communion, holiness and commitment.
After mass I had a meeting with the group of young people from that Parish
and they confidently asked me questions that have been very useful for my
own reflection. I encouraged them to always remain faithful and to have their
own criteria so as not to be toys of what they say, but to know how to judge
things with enough personality. I promised them that we would dedicate an
afternoon, according to their and my circumstances, to study in more depth
the problems, above all, of faith and politics that seem to interest these
young people very much.
Afterwards I dedicated the day to rest, going to the house of the Oblate nuns
to Divine Love in Los Planes de Renderos, where I stayed until the evening to
come to dinner with the nuns of La Asunción who had invited me. There I
met Father Fabián and the Vicar General, Father Cortés, with whom we talked
about problems of our clergy and the Diocese.
Above all, from the parishes of Chalatenango, San José de la Montaña and
other special circumstances.
THURSDAY, June 14, 1979
I went to the Archbishopric earlier than usual to attend to several
seminarians who want a personal interview. The good will of these young
people and the concern to live according to the present moment is
admirable. One can easily confuse this healthy concern with other political or
revolutionary aspects that would become dangerous if one does not know
how to guide them, but if taken advantage of, they are impulses that seem
very healthy to a current priest. That is why I have insisted on their own
identification as those called to the priesthood who are, above all,
messengers of the transcendence of God in the midst of a world so
concerned with the present. But let them also know, to live this immanence
with their people.
I also talked with Father Pedraz about the radio and with architect Morales
who happened to arrive and offered us very good initiatives to get our new
station up and running soon.
Several priests also came to the Archbishopric with whom we spoke; as well
as nuns, highlighting the visit of Sister Socorro, oblate to Divine Love,
concerned about the situation of her congregation and quite depressed by
the departure of what was Mother Scaglietti and who has left quite a void by
resigning from her congregation. The same is true for the visit of the
provincial of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception, who currently
work as teachers at the Salvadoran High School, but who want a more direct
pastoral ministry with the people.
I directed them towards Chalatenango, towards Amatepec and lately also,
towards a pastoral care for the sick that is so necessary for us in the capital.
The same as another Parish that soon needs assistance from nuns, that of San
Juan Opico, with its Tacachico branch.
In the afternoon, I made a visit and celebrated mass at the Sara asylum. Five
hundred elderly or disabled people live in that place, they are not very well
cared for, but, thank God, the Oblate nuns of the Sacred Heart are going to be
a very useful pastoral ministry there and the fruit was seen in this mass, well
attended and where did I leave you? a message of comfort and Christian
hope. Among the wheelchair invalids, I found a catechist from La Relocation
de Chalatenango, who became an invalid precisely because a national guard
shot him in the back and I thought, like this one, how many cases of invalids
from families left helpless because of this senseless violence in which we are
living.
I visited the novitiate of the Oblates of the Sacred Heart where I had dinner
and where we talked about an apostolate that spreads more devotion to the
heart of Jesus, adapted to our time. They were very enthusiastic and we tried
to organize a small group to reflect on the way in which we are going to carry
out this assignment that has been given to me for all of Central America in
the seminar on devotion to the Heart of Jesus, which was held last May in
Santo Sunday, Dominican Republic.
I went to visit Father Arce, parish priest of Jucuapa, at the Polyclinic. It seems
that his situation, although the doctor has not told him, is definitely to wait
for an outcome that he himself already senses. I tried to encourage him and I
see him in a very good spirit. He instructed me that, if it was his last illness, to
do everything possible with Monsignor Rivera, to have him buried in his

parish church of Jucuapa. I encouraged him not to think about these things,
but to count on me in everything and that that honor belonged to him, since
he built this Church and has been a very beloved parish priest in that town for
a long time. I also visited a sick teacher, who is recovering from a bullet chase
in this season in which more than 19 teachers are already dying.
Upon returning to my residence I found a visit from General Medrano, a very
interesting conversation. A man very knowledgeable about current politics
and who has very good principles to criticize the many imprudence, disorders
and errors that the current Government and the Armed Forces and the
representatives of big capital are committing. We agreed on many things and
he promised me his help, just as I also offered him collaboration, always for
the good of the country.
FRIDAY, June 15, 1979
There were several visits this day, but the most important thing seems to me
to be the interview with the director and manager of Cáritas Arquidiocesana,
Father Tilo Sánchez and Rafael Medrano, and representing the Archdiocesan
Board of Cáritas, the treasurer, Mr. Merlos, Mauricio Merlos, with those of us
who exchanged impressions about the functioning of the Cáritas office,
complaining about various imperfections; but at the same time, evaluating
very positive things that it is doing throughout the entire Archdiocese. Cáritas
is taking a very original profile. Promoting meetings in all parishes and
cantons, to the extent possible; organizing their respective meetings and
promoting a charity that is truly a promotion and a school of love in our
Diocese. I congratulated them, but at the same time I demanded an effort
from them to perfect the office, where all this work should radiate from.
The other very important conversation was with the rector of the Seminary,
Father Gregorio Rosa, with whom we had dinner and left by car to La
Libertad, talking about various aspects, both about the Archdiocese, the
seminarians, and the relationships with the other bishops. And it seems to
me to be a very effective element for the good of our Church and the unity of
our hierarchy. I thanked him for all his suggestions, at the same time that I
expressed my thoughts to improve his work as rector, especially in relation to
our group from the Archdiocese and his relations with the Minor Seminary.
I had the pleasant news that they had already found the spare part to
operate the radio that has already been suspended for three weeks due to
technical defects.
SATURDAY, June 16, 1979
I have breakfast with the advisors to prepare this week's historical data for
my homily. It has been an extremely dense week of abuses of Human Rights.
Murders of teachers stand out, there are already 19. Finally, you can see the
international bulletin prepared by the Secretariat of Social Media.
After seeing the eye doctor for a vision problem, I went to the Polyclinic
where Father Abdón Arce, parish priest of Jucuapa, had just died. I gave my
condolences to some parishioners who were there from Jucuapa, as well as
to his family, mainly his niece Elena, and I have tried to help them organize
his transfer to Jucuapa and his burial in the parish church. I have also
promised to attend tomorrow, at least for a while, since I have Corpus Christi
in the afternoon, when the funeral mass will be held.
When I arrived at the Hospital I found a representation of Catholic Relief
Services, which visited our diocesan Caritas and wanted to personally express
its willingness to help and its congratulations for an organization that is
breaking traditional molds to embody a true Caritas of the Diocese, and that
they were willing to present any help to new programs that were emerging in
this new inspiration of Cáritas. I have felt great satisfaction and appreciated
this valuable cooperation. In the afternoon, I went to confirm about 20 young
men and women, prepared by the Sisters of La Asunción in one of the most
complicated neighborhoods, Colonia Morazán. I have lived some very happy
moments with this community and at the end of the mass those confirmed
expressed very valuable feelings of solidarity and pastoral value.
SUNDAY, June 17, 1979
I started to hear theRadio YSAX that transmitted the six o'clock mass from the
Cathedral, but very soon it was interrupted again, so I could not transmit the
eight o'clock mass, which was very crowded, and since it was a celebration of
Corpus Christi, I had the issue of framing it in the feast of the Body and Blood
of the Lord denounces so much abuse of so much human life, whether due to
50
the effect of repression, terror and also sins against life that is born, abortion,
sterilization and all criminal contraceptive methods. I referred to this purpose
at the University Round Table and called on the people to avoid so much sin
that, without a doubt, influences the social unrest of our people. There was a
journalist from Colombia, who works for several social media outlets in
America, and he congratulated me on my homily. He asked for a few words
for Radio Caracol in Colombia.
After the Cathedral mass I went to Jucuapa where I had promised to
celebrate a mass at noon in memory of Father Arce who was still physically
present, since he will be buried tomorrow. I had the opportunity to greet
many friends and send a Corpus Christi message to a dead priest, telling them
that the priesthood never ended and that the mission, while the pilgrimage
of life lasts, is through sacramental signs, but that now In eternity it is that
liturgy that the Epistle to the Hebrews of this day tells us about, where Christ
the High Priest makes us see and enjoy the definitive goods.
When we returned, it was four in the afternoon, and the Corpus Christi mass
began to be celebrated in the Cathedral. It was at the time of the homily
when I broke the news that the radio was back on the air and that our mass
was being broadcast. The people who filled the Cathedral applauded with
great joy, since the silence of our radio for technical reasons has been a great
expectation during these weeks. I took advantage of this first radio message
to invite people who were in tune to come to the procession, which in about
half an hour was going to leave the Cathedral around the park in honor of the
Blessed Sacrament. And the warning was effective because many people
were beginning to arrive, and in the procession they made a very beautiful
procession to Jesus Sacramented. After the blessing, in the atrium of the
Cathedral, I received many congratulations that I also communicated to my
parishioners, since together we enjoyed the joy of having the radio at the
service of our community.
MONDAY, June 18, 1979
The same Colombian journalist, to whom I alluded yesterday, did another
interview with me. Also an Italian journalist, who rather studies problems in
Latin America, wanted to interview me to ask me about the situation and the
role of the Church in our country.
We had a secretarial meeting with Miss Godoy, an archives specialist, and
with whom we are trying to better organize the archive system of our
archdiocesan Curia.
The conversation with priest Rafael, who works as rector of the minor
seminary of Chalatenango, gave me much satisfaction. I was moved by his
sincere confession of feeling very happy in his first months of priesthood. And
that our community and the role of the Archbishop give him strength or as he
literally said: "They confirm me in my faith and in my priesthood." He will
have a few days of vacation and will return with new designs always in
vocational ministry. He seems to me to be an excellent young man who will
bring great honor to our Church.
Likewise, it consoled me a lot to know that this same day the priests of the
Flor Blanca vicariate in San José de la Montaña were meeting to provide a
more pastoral orientation to the life of that Parish, which has currently been
left without a parish priest. And that the vicariate, in a sense of team and
diocese, will guide along the lines of our pastoral care. At the same time,
there was a meeting in the Seminary of religious women who work in the
pastoral care of the Archdiocese to analyze and evaluate work in their own
pastoral fields. This work of the religious in the Archdiocese becomes more
providential every day.
In the evening, I participated in the Christianity Cursillos ultreya and took the
opportunity to propose two projects and ask for their collaboration: the first,
in the planning of an urban pastoral ministry; second, cooperation to write
the pastoral letter. Regarding planning, I mentioned to them that the
metropolitan area of ​San Salvador requires a very serious study and they,
since they have knowledge of the environments as their goal in their Cursillo
de Cristiandad, will help me guide this planning by environments. And as for
the pastoral, I noticed that in their same newspaper they had already written
the questions that I have left to consult the bases and that there is a lot of
enthusiasm in providing this collaboration, as well as in helping me in
pastoral planning. An upcoming meeting was arranged to study these
proposals in more depth, but I noticed, as I told you, that the "fruit is ripe"
and that, I thank God, that these workshops can truly be an instrument of
pastoral care in the Archdiocese.

TUESDAY, June 19, 1979
At eight we had the meeting that we have agreed to hold on Tuesdays to
evaluate the functioning of the organization of the archiepiscopal Curia.
We dedicate this meeting especially to discussing the operation of the radio
and the Social Media Secretariat. Architect Morales offered to solve the
problem of the field where the new antenna will be installed. Several aspects
of the responsibility and competencies of the various components working in
the Social Media Secretariat were also clarified. There was also talk about
changing the Orientation format for economic reasons, but it was left to
consult with the clergy at their next meeting.
Next, I had a meeting with the priests, nuns and lay people of the vicariate of
Mejicanos. It turned out to be extremely interesting. Father Rafael Palacios
motivated with a biblical reading and reflection to proceed with an evaluation
of the pastoral work of that vicariate, with a true sense of humility and
sincerity. And thus difficulties were exposed, problems between priests and
lay people and everything related to better functioning, unifying various
aspects of the criteria that should govern the pastoral care of that region. The
meeting was so dense with initiatives, discussions and suggestions that it was
agreed to continue it next week.
In the afternoon, interesting interview with the provincial brother of the
Marists and some directors of schools in El Salvador. They complained about
the distance that has been created between their community and the
Archbishop.
I clearly explained my reasons, my concerns and they also spoke frankly
about the difficulties; Sister Nelly Rodríguez, who belongs to the board of
directors of the federation of Catholic Education Centers, was involved, by
common agreement, to evaluate with her the pastoral relations of the Marist
Colleges in the interesting field of education, seen as a pastoral care of the
Archdiocese. It was agreed to intensify relations and seek among all a
pastoral care truly in agreement with the Archbishopric at the service of this
people with such peculiar characteristics.
CHAPTER 15 Year 1979
DIARY from June 20 to July 8, 1979
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 1979
While I was preparing the recording this morning for the interview that will
be broadcast on the radio this day, I was told the tragic news that Father
Rafael Palacios had been murdered in Santa Tecla, at that time, around nine
in the morning. I finished my recording alluding to this tragic event and
addressed the Senate Board, which was meeting in the house of the
Somascas sisters, to consult what we should do in the face of this new tragic
situation. I was urgent to hear the opinion of the Senate to resolve the
immediate matters of his funeral arrangement and the participation of the
clergy and the people. And then, a more in-depth study of the situation
surrounding this event. As for the first thing, we agreed to collect the Father's
body and after fixing it, return it to Santa Tecla, where he is loved very much,
so that it can be laid to rest in the Church of El Calvario. There would be a
mass there at night. And then, the next day, transfer him to the Cathedral for
the funeral and then take him to Suchitoto, at the wish of his family who is
from there. And after another mass in Suchitoto, he was buried in the parish
church.
While the Senate continued its deliberations, I went to Santa Tecla where
they had already collected the Father's body. I only announced that I would
return with him to watch him at Calvary and that they would make invitations
for the night. From there I went to the courthouse where the forensic
examination was being carried out on the Father's body, which was riddled
with bullets, affecting his face and other parts of his body. The group of
grassroots communities, who loved him so much in Santa Tecla, were there
and cried inconsolably. I tried to encourage them and returned to the Senate
meeting, they were already finished. However, in the Archbishopric there
were people who wanted to comment on this event; among them were his
sisters, and his brother, and together with other priests and seminarians we
talked, a very edifying commentary on what the Father was from his
childhood, in the exercise of his priesthood until the hour of his death. It is
wonderful to know up close a life about which there have been some doubts
and some prejudices. And I think this family reflection that we did in a room
of the Archbishopric taught a lot.
51
In the afternoon, I had an interview on Brazilian television about the situation
of the Church and the country.
They have also collaborated with me to arrange the religious and lay meeting
room of the La Sagrada Familia School, which I am grateful for, because they
do it with a lot of love and with a lot of technique as well.
At night, I went to celebrate mass in the Church of El Calvario de Santa Tecla,
which was completely full. Next to the body of Father Palacios there were
many priests, no less than 25 from the entire Archdiocese who concelebrated
with me. And we deliberated on how to celebrate the next day. Having
agreed that we would meet at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at ten in the
morning and from there we would drive the coffin to the Cathedral for his
funeral. In my homily I commented on this thought, that Father Palacios had
found in Santa Tecla what every faithful priest finds where he works, a lot of
love and a lot of hate. And testimony of hatred was the tragic death by
murder and that indicated how the Church, which has to fulfill the duty of
denouncing sin, has to be willing to suffer the consequences of having
touched that monster that does so much harm in the world, sin. .
THURSDAY, June 21, 1979
The sisters at the Hospital were the first to remind me that this day is the
anniversary of my episcopal ordination and, frankly, nine years ago I was
anointed with the fullness of the priesthood. Although I had to celebrate the
present body mass of Father Palacios, the sisters wanted me to celebrate a
more private mass in the Hospital chapel, to thank God and to reflect on this
ninth anniversary.
It seemed very significant to me to celebrate it with a murdered priest and
with the full solidarity of all the priests of the Archdiocese and many who
have come from other dioceses, including the Bishop of Santiago de María,
Monsignor Rivera. Therefore, although I celebrated this private Mass with
great intimacy before the Lord and on behalf of the people of God, a small
group of nuns and the sick, it seemed like another great way to celebrate this
anniversary, the funeral of Father Rafael Palacios. It was brought from Santa
Tecla and in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart all of us priests, nuns and
numerous faithful were waiting to accompany the body in a procession of
impressive silence to the Cathedral, where a mass, also of a very solemn
nature, was celebrated. I think that no less than 60 priests filled the
presbytery and surrounded Father Palacios's coffin. In my homily I tried to
interpret the voice of the blood of a murdered priest that reveals three points
to us: first, the mystery of iniquity, pointing out the unjust situation of sinful
structures in our country and the sin also of the Church, which many
Sometimes he becomes an accomplice by pointing out or doubting priests for
their efforts to be up to date in the pastoral care of the Church. The second
point, the mystery of fidelity, how to die like this is not for being bad, but for
being faithful, like Christ to the Father, like the Church to Christ. And, thirdly,
to collect a message of hope, since this death gives us the dimension of the
work of the Church, of forming new men in love and opening them to the
eternal perspective that death so evidently points out. Around three in the
afternoon, the body of Father Palacios was transferred to his adopted town,
Suchitoto, where he will be watched and tomorrow at ten o'clock the funeral
mass will be held to be buried in the same Church. I hope to accompany you.
This afternoon I also went to fulfill a promise to celebrate the patron saint's
day of San Luis Mariona, canton of the Parish of Father Julio Orellana,
Cuscatancingo, where there was a reception and a very cordial, very
affectionate celebration. The Father had prepared a group of young men and
women to receive sacred confirmation. A good catechism, well prepared; We
celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit and refer to the patron saint of the
place, Saint Louis Gonzaga, as an example of a Christian who knew how to
live his baptism and confirmation.
At night, I attended an invitation from Mr. Atilio Viéytez along with Father
Estrada and the rector of the UCA, engineer Ramón Mayorga. Extremely
interesting conversation about the current political problems of the country
and the situation of our Church.
FRIDAY, June 22, 1979
In the morning, I went to Suchitoto to celebrate the present body mass of
Father Rafael Palacios. The large Church was completely filled with
parishioners from Suchitoto and other communities who had arrived.
Many priests, many nuns. In my homily I linked the idea of ​the feast of the
Heart of Jesus with the death of Father Rafael. The priest makes present the

Mystery of Christ, which is the Mystery of love. It was the best date for Rafael
Palacios to return dead to his adopted town and say on the day of the Heart
of Jesus: "Mission Accomplished!" Father Rafael Barahona and Father
Palacios' brother, Carlos, also spoke. We circled the park carrying the body
with a large crowd and then it was buried in the chapel of the Heart of Jesus.
Between Easter songs, the tears seemed illuminated by a great Christian
hope.
I went to lunch in the community of Dominican nuns who have a school there
working very well. I congratulated and encouraged them.
In the afternoon, Mass of the Heart of Jesus in the Basilica. There was quite a
crowd, although Father Cortez, parish priest of the Basilica, told me that
there were more people last year, possibly due to a torrential rain that fell
shortly before or because of the general fear that people feel in this
environment. In the preaching I tried to present how the Church was already
in the historical Heart of Christ. And the Heart of Christ is still present in the
Church to sanctify it and to put it at the service of the world, with the mission
that He brought from the Father.
Finally, always in a Parish atmosphere, we went to dinner at the house of Dr.
Mario Levy Van Severén, who is a member of the Parish Council.
SATURDAY, June 23, 1979
Like every Saturday we met for breakfast at the Somascas sisters' house to
review the week and take data for my homily.
I wanted to express a feeling almost of frustration at the coldness with which
the tragic death of Father Rafael Palacios has been viewed. He pointed out,
for example, the basketball game of two Catholic schools, while the Father's
body lay in the funeral chapel, before his funeral mass in the Cathedral and
the lack of sensitivity in the environment and that it was necessary to analyze
a little, what happened before These events should awaken a greater
reaction of solidarity throughout the Church. For this and other points that
require further reflection, we agreed to have a meeting next Monday with
those people with whom we usually consult. And we are going to dedicate
the entire morning so that there is enough time to draw conclusions, since
we have also been charged, on behalf of the clergy meeting, with carrying out
the initiatives that were given then. Of course, the ringing of the bells is
taking place every night at eight, but it was lamented that the radio, as it
were, was only a compliment, having referred to the tragic death of the
Father on the day of his funeral. Then, he has not continued to make any
mention, any claim to this circumstance.
The single mass was also announced and is being announced, on Saturday, in
eight days, as a novena in favor of Father Rafael.
I went with Father Estrada to visit Dr. Badía, rector of the National University,
to try to encourage him not to resign, since his presence is great hope for the
University. However, it seems that he feels very great difficulty in the face of
the disorder of these groups of university students who are even uneducated
and who seem to be manipulated, for purposes that they do not confess, but
that do a lot of harm to the University and he believes that Dr. Badía, It will
not be enough, especially since many are also resigning. I insisted on
encouraging him and also offering him my moral support.
SUNDAY, June 24, 1979
We celebrated the mass of Saint John the Baptist in the Cathedral. Like every
Sunday, there was an attendance that gave a lot of pastoral encouragement.
At eleven in the morning I celebrated the patronal mass in Chalatenango in
honor of San Juan Bautista. It was also a great spiritual comfort. The Minor
Seminary sang the mass, celebrated two years of existence today and is
flourishing with the grace of God and under the direction of a very active
Episcopal Vicar and a rector of the Seminary, Father Urrutia, who is very
priestly understanding of the boys.
After the mass we shared lunch and a little family party at the Seminary
premises. The atmosphere of this community is truly Christian, very
welcoming.
In the afternoon, interesting conversation with the family where Father
Rafael Palacios found a very loving welcome throughout the time he lived in
our Archdiocese. They made very important revelations to me that clarify
some aspects of the Father's murder, his way of being and his pastoral line.
It seems to me that we are facing a case of a priest who has not been
understood and who has left a lot of significance in his pastoral work; above
all, in the base ecclesial communities.
52
MONDAY, June 25, 1979
Since breakfast we spent the entire morning in the house of the Passionist
Sisters, on the way to Planes de Renderos, to study the situation of the
Church in its internal life and in its irradiation towards the world around us,
regarding the murder of Father Palacios. I took the teacher, to whom I
referred yesterday, who knew the life of Father Palacios very well, so that she
could tell us about the murder itself and the background that could have led
to this situation. They were very important revelations, especially when it
came to the details that made the Father's life so hard in his relationship with
the hierarchy and with the other priests.
We continue reflection. Father Moreno made a broad analysis of how he sees
the intra-ecclesial situation and also of the Church's relations with the
outside. There were very valuable opinions and a panorama was clarified
that, at the same time, which worries us, gives us a very optimistic
perspective of the life of our Church which, without a doubt, is maturing, but
which has serious difficulties, above all, in the internal divisions and in their
relationship with the Government and the people.
In the afternoon, I met with Father Jesús Delgado and Father Rafael Moreno,
to outline the outline of the pastoral letter that I plan to publish on August 6.
We expect abundant opinions from the priests and the grassroots, since a
survey has been carried out about the questions that will try to be answered
in this pastoral, as a response to the dialogue, which has been called for us to
give our opinion on the situation and the possible way out of that situation in
our country. Our pastoral letter aims to be an authentically ecclesial, pastoral
voice, to point out the problems and possible solutions, as we can express
ourselves pastorally. This consultation will continue at the next meeting of
the clergy, where this rich material will be collected to be delivered to various
commissions that will draft the letter for the first time.
TUESDAY, June 26, 1979
The entire morning was dedicated to the meeting of the pastoral commission.
It is a meeting that, in my opinion, is the main one since the Diocese lives for
pastoral care and this commission will help coordinate, inspire, and serve the
pastoral care of the Archdiocese. I have been very pleased that the Vicars, the
religious representatives and representatives of the laity of each vicariate are
entering into a rapport with the pastoral ideal of our Archdiocese. Today we
studied the objectives of this Pastoral Commission and I was also very
pleased that you remembered the pastoral week of 1975, which is what
defined the guideline that the Archdiocese is currently following, insisting on
the formation of base ecclesial communities, in the training of leaders or
pastoral agents. And this is where the main part of the reflection went. There
were several other aspects that indicate the vitality of our Diocese. We have
thanked God and asked him to continue blessing us.
In the afternoon an interview was scheduled with members of the FAPU. And
on our side, there was Father Moreno, the girl Doris Osegueda, the high
school student Roberto Cuéllar and me; and we dialogue especially to undo
certain prejudices that the FAPU has against the Church. I think it has been
useful if there is sincerity in accepting the explanations.
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1979
Before going to the office, interesting visits from Father Ramiro, who is a
Passionist and we need him to continue providing his services in our
Archdiocese; from Father Urrutia, Rafael, who brings projects about the
Minor Seminary and vocational ministry in the Archdiocese, and Carlos
Francisco Palacios, brother of Father Rafael Palacios, who also explained to
me his concerns as a young man who wants to enter the Seminary, but before
leave, serve pastorally. I pointed out his brother Rafael's empty position in
the Parish of San Francisco and he was very pleased to be able to work there.
In the Seminary, also, other visits before entering the board of the vicariate of
Mejicanos. The parish priest of Colonia Atlacatl, with problems of threats
from clandestine organizations for a family and wants to help them as our
Church is doing, thank God. Mrs. Raquel also continues to hide due to threats
from the White Warrior Union. The meeting of the vicariate of Mejicanos was
also extremely interesting since it was like a continuation of the one that
Father Rafael Palacios animated last week and there is no doubt that his spirit
was with us, because there was clarity, sincerity in expressing deficiencies,
setbacks , difficulties; but they were clarified in the discussion, so that, at

noon, I was able to make a very optimistic reflection, thinking that our
meeting this morning was similar to those in the Acts of the Apostles and that
we should seek that ideal of making the Christian community, which is the
best way to solve all problems, when we all propose to be, truly, the Church
of Jesus Christ. The Passionist nuns who work in San José Villanueva also
came to inform me how they have also been persecuted there, they wanted
to burn the Church and they had to take the images to their private residence
to avoid any further damage.
In the afternoon, I had a meeting with the Criterio printing press workers; It
was to celebrate the day of their patron Saint John and to share with them a
dialogue in which they expressed their work situation to me. The general
administrator of the Curia, engineer Galván, and Miss Doris Osegueda,
secretary of the Social Media, were with me; as well as, María Isabel and
Silvia, whom I have entrusted with fostering a sense of community among
these workers. We achieved an environment of trust so that they could
express a series of anomalies in the human relationships of typography. They
mainly complain about the two workshop managers who seem to treat them
quite badly; although we made them see the fulfillment of their duty and the
understanding towards the workshop leaders. I also promised them that I
would respond to their requests once we knew how to analyze them in a
frank dialogue with the personnel chiefs sector. It was, I think, very useful to
be able to say, above all, that a spirit must unite us since we are part of the
collaboration of the Church in a sector as important as the publishing of a
newspaper, the maintenance of a typography that, thank God , owns our
Archdiocese.
At night, Father Rafael Urrutia came to see me with the seminarian Joaquín,
who expressed their evaluations about the minor seminary of Chalatenango.
For my part, I asked Rafael Urrutia, together with the current person in
charge of the minor seminary of San José de la Montaña, to be in charge of
the Parish of the same name, to develop a vocational ministry from there.
THURSDAY, June 28, 1979
I began my office work with an interesting interview with Father Rafael
Urrutia and Father Sigfredo, both young people, to whom I communicated my
project to make the Parish of San José de la Montaña a central Parish for
vocational ministry. Father Urrutia has taken it with great enthusiasm. Father
Sigfredo has his qualms about paying more attention to the Seminary, but I
believe that together they can carry out this beautiful work of a Parish that
was born precisely as a function of the Seminary and that has been diverted
only to a cult that has only been limited to almost saying masses. . Father
Salvador Colorado, a member of the team for the Major Seminary, but
belonging to our Archdiocese, also showed his willingness to cooperate. So I
hope that very soon we can make this project a reality. There were several
visits, among them, that of the chargé d'affaires of Venezuela, who, with
great attention, offered his services for our Archbishopric. Even, if necessary,
financial help. I thanked him and we will take it into account.
I had lunch with Mrs. Rodríguez, Mother of the nun Nelly Rodríguez, with
whom I had a lot of friendship in San Miguel, during my time as parish priest
in that city.
In the afternoon, interview with an English journalist. Also a meeting with the
typographers of our Criterio Printing Office and dealing with some specific
labor problems in which I will try to humanize their difficult situation more.
Also the visit from Mr. Arturo Meza who told me about difficult work
situations in the La Constancia company. I offered to give them the Christian
principles that coordinate, according to the thought of the Gospel, the
collaboration between employers and workers, which we will talk about, God
willing, next week.
FRIDAY, June 29, 1979
I celebrated this Saint Peter's Day at the Santa Inés de Santa Tecla School,
where the nuns, teachers and students celebrate the Pope's Day. I spoke to
them about the significance of the two saints of the day, Saint Peter as head
of the Church and Saint Paul as representative of the Gentile world, that is, of
all of us who form the non-Jewish people, but who with the Jewish Christians
form the only one. Church of Jesus Christ. After the mass there was a very
nice event in which the role of the Pope in the midst of today's world was
shown. After sharing some moments of joy with that youth, I went to spend
the rest of the day at the house of the Oblate sisters to Divine Love, in Planes
de Renderos.
53
SATURDAY, June 30, 1979
The main event of this day was the single mass, agreed upon in a plenary
meeting of the clergy, as a gesture of solidarity of the entire Archdiocese
regarding the death of Father Rafael Palacios. The nine days of prayers have
ended in several communities and this day, at noon, we had a large
concentration of communities from throughout the Archdiocese, priests in a
number approaching one hundred.
It was very solemn, very participated. They felt like well-cultivated
communities that, united in a Cathedral, gave a magnificent impression of
participating very actively in the Eucharist. In my homily I interpreted this
unique mass as a gesture of solidarity of the Diocese for three purposes: first,
to revalidate the infinite and divine value of the Eucharist, which is profaned
with many individualisms and celebrations for purposes that are not always in
agreement. with the divine mind of the Lord. Second, we also expressed our
appreciation to the priest, precisely in memory of a deceased priest,
murdered so vilely and manifesting what a Church is empty of Eucharist and
priesthood as all the Churches of the Diocese had been left, this day of the
single mass . And, thirdly, also manifest the voice of the united people of God,
a people who pray, a people who protest the abuse that has been done to
them, but not with vengeance or hatred but rather a people who cry out for
conversion to sinners.
This morning at breakfast we had, as usual on Saturdays, the review of the
week to prepare the news that I must focus on in my homily. And at night, a
meeting with the base community that Father Rafael Palacios cultivated, in
Santa Tecla, to give pastoral guidance.
SUNDAY, July 1, 1979
The Cathedral mass does not decline, thank God, and the Gospel and the
other readings gave us the opportunity to present Christ as the divine power
that gives life, as love and justice, which is the key to solving the social
problems of our homeland.
After the Cathedral mass I went to a mass in the Tinetti market, where those
people were very happy and I preached to them about the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, congratulating them and guiding them so that this devotion does not
decline, but rather is properly cultivated.
In the afternoon, at five o'clock, I preached the Holy Hour, at the Hospital of
Divine Providence, with extraordinary attendance. SUNDAY'S second reading,
Saint Paul recommending the Corinthian collection for Jerusalem, gave me
the opportunity to talk about the spirit of poverty; true solution to the social
injustice of our environment. And I promoted the collection that the Hospital
is doing to acquire new land and continue its charitable work there in favor of
the sick and, above all, the orphaned children of the sick women who die in
this hospital.
MONDAY, July 2, 1979
Today Monsignor Urioste, Vicar General, who had been absent for a month,
on a vacation trip to the Holy Land, returned to the office of the Vicar
General. Father Cristóbal Cortés had served in his place. In the first hour of
MONDAY, for three weeks, Miss Coralia Godoy has given guidance to the
secretaries of the Curia to unify our Archdiocesan Archive. We also
participate with the Vicar General and the Chancellor to have all the same
standards.
The Nuncio from Rome has returned and wanted to talk to me. I went to the
Nunciature to be calmer there and he told me that the Holy Father and the
Sacred Congregation for Bishops are concerned about the division of the
Salvadoran episcopate and that they expect a lot from my collaboration for
this unity. I expressed the reasons that I have expressed many times, that
there is something personal in some of them and that this task is very difficult
for me; However, I will do everything in my power. In a special way I
expressed my difficulties with the auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Revelo, and
with Monsignor Aparicio, who evidently show personal attitudes against me.
However, I have the best will and with the grace of God I will do what I can
for this unification, for I am the first to feel how much harm it does to our
environment. The Nuncio also expressed his concern about Father Rogelio
Esquivel to me. Not as an intervention, but as a word from a friend, who
would try to help him. I have also promised him, after explaining to him that
he is the one who has retired, but I also believe that it is a priestly work of

charity and I told him to do his best to look for me and that I would try to fix
it as best I can, saving always our pastoral care and the feeling of the entire
presbytery. The Nuncio was very friendly and eager to collaborate in my
difficult pastoral tasks. I noticed that he has received some notice in Rome
and is extremely kind to me; For my part, I also showed that I did not have
any aversion, but that I had noticed in him a partiality towards the group of
bishops who did not agree with me and that this, without a doubt, had
greatly influenced the division. That, if he were more impartial and truly
helped us seek unity, there would be that unity.
At night, a prayer vigil promoted by the confederation of religious men and
women was held in the Cathedral, but several priests and many faithful from
various communities attended, including prayer communities of the Renewal
Movement in the Spirit. She was very well motivated; I explained to them in
the work of the homily my hope in a Diocese that places its trust in prayer.
TUESDAY, July 3, 1979
I celebrated mass at seven in the morning at the Tinetti market. This is how
they, the market ladies, closed the festivities in honor of the Heart of Jesus
throughout the month of June until July 3. They are very welcoming people
and I felt very comfortable among them.
Afterwards I went to the clergy meeting, which was also very interesting since
the two main topics were: first, a review of the attitudes we took regarding
the death of Father Rafael Palacios. Successes and failures were frankly
pointed out. Above all, greater solidarity and sensitivity was demanded on
the part of all the priests so that we would not distort the agreements that
were made. A Surveillance Commission was appointed so that we would not
be surprised in these difficult situations, but that there would always be
someone to take all the initiative we need from the beginning. The other
point was the consultation for the pastoral letter that I am preparing and
there were several parishes and communities that provided their valuable
contributions.
In the afternoon, I had a meeting with the major seminarians of the
Archdiocese, in which I have also seen them mature a lot and confidently
discuss their problems together with their bishop. I congratulated them and
told them that, both the content and the way in which they had done it, I was
very satisfied and I hoped that they would be well trained for the priesthood,
just as God wants them to be at this time.
I also received a visit from the Canadian chargé d'affaires, who wants to get in
touch with the Church to find out about the situation of the Church and the
country since she feels a little unaware of all this because she has the
headquarters in Costa Rica for the countries. of American Center. I offered
him the services of the Information Secretariat and expressed the best will of
the Church for these services.
WEDNESDAY, July 4, 1979
For the morning, a solemn mass at the Church of Mary Help of Christians.
Mass sponsored by the Eucharistic religious sisters on the grounds of a
religious profession of two sisters.
In the Archbishopric, meeting of the religious dedicated to parish pastoral
care. Also meeting of the Administration Commission.
At night, visit of the young student Armando Castro, who is going to the
United States to an ecumenical congress of university students and students.
Generous and good boy, he is very interested in my nomination for the Nobel
Peace Prize. I thanked him and wished him success on his next trip, which I
would highly recommend; He has a lot of evangelical sense, since he is a
member of the Ecumenical Student Movement.
My Wednesday talk show aired.
THURSDAY, July 5, 1979
I had a breakfast consultation to present the collaboration that has come
from the various parish priests and communities for my next pastoral letter.
Father Fabián Amaya, Father Ellacuría, Father Sebastián and Father Moreno
were present. Other priests and lay people who had been invited could not
arrive, but they are willing to collaborate. I gave them the material and we
discussed a project to incorporate all of these suggestions. Initially the
scheme will be to see and present the reality of the country; search taking
criteria, above all, from the Puebla document and act, give pastoral
guidelines to present a Church identical to itself, from where it has to give
54
perspectives and orientations in this hour of searching for solutions for the
situation of the country.
Later, at the Archbishopric, I had a very interesting meeting to study the
provisions of the Parish of San José de la Montaña. My project to move Padre
Cortés from the Basilica to San José de la Montaña was accepted; and fill the
position of the Basilica with the transfer of Father Efraín de Chalatenango;
Monsignor Urioste, Father Urrutia, in charge of the Minor Seminary, will work
with Father Cortés as coadjutors; The current person in charge, Father
Sigfredo, will go to Chalatenango to take Father Urrutia's position in the
minor seminary of that city. And Father Salvador Colorado, Archdiocesan
member of the team of trainers of the Major Seminary, will also be coadjutor.
The purpose of San José de la Montaña is not simply a Parish, but an
Archdiocesan center for vocational promotion.
This afternoon Father Efraín arrived who could not be there in the morning
and gladly accepted. We will only have to wait for some circumstances to
make these transfers.
In the afternoon, an interesting intimate meeting, but of great significance.
Leaders of the La Constancia factory, who have already come several times to
the Archbishopric in search of light from the Church for the employer-labor
problem of this large company, attended an appointment that I made to
present them in more depth the social doctrine of the Church. I was very
lucidly advised by Mr. Antonio Orellana, Father Walter Guerra, high school
graduate Roberto Cuéllar and an American nun who works as a social worker
on one of the farms in the diocese of Santa Ana. The very valuable
collaboration of all these elements gave impressions very deep to Mr. and
Mrs. Meza, who thanked them deeply and suggested that it was convenient
to have other meetings, if they did not bother us too much. I have the
impression that this approach will be of great importance, from capitalist
people to the Church, in search of Christian solutions for the social situation
of the country.
I was not able to attend the mass at the Liceo Salvadoreño where the
federation of Catholic Schools offered a mass for the eternal repose of
Brother Blanco, killed in Nicaragua.
FRIDAY, July 6, 1979
A meeting of managers from across the Republic was held today at the
archdiocesan Caritas. At the Archbishopric I received Father Joaquín Brizuela
to talk about the pastoral problem of Ciudad Arce. I expect a lot from him. I
believe that the problematic situation can change if we continue to dialogue.
The seminarian collaborators are very willing to follow a line of pastoral care
like the entire Archdiocese.
The retirement of Mother Josephine will also be beneficial for the unification
of the pastoral care of that Parish.
At five in the afternoon I received a journalist from El Mercurio, from Chile.
SATURDAY, July 7, 1979
After the breakfast consultation to prepare the homily, I went to the Good
Shepherd center, where Sister Luz del Perpetuo Socorro has died, and today
her body mass will be present. A little old lady from the Institute of the Cross,
a branch of that Good Shepherd congregation. I felt the immense affection of
that community for its pastor and the force of prayer that rises to heaven
from there, for the intentions of the bishop and the Diocese. I thanked them
and tried to reciprocate with my liturgical service in which I encouraged them
to fidelity like the Sister who was leaving us.
A grieving mother was waiting for me at my residence, along with the wife of
her son, a fifth-year medical student who has disappeared. He confided in me
and I understood the immense pain of his pain and I promised to do
whatever was in my power; Most of all, encouraging her not to lose her
confidence and to rely a lot on her prayer. Tomorrow at mass I will mention
this case as a new injustice that is being committed.
In the afternoon, I attended to an invitation that the Santa Tecla market had
made me, together with the parish priest of Concepción, Father Alvarenga.
Went; We had a very cordial and affectionate welcome from the children and
the ladies and men who work in the market. I spoke to them about the
Sacred Heart of Jesus who continues his love in the Church, and that we are
all the Church and we have to make the heart of Christ present for our
holiness, for our justice, for everything that makes the life of others more
friendly and fraternal. we.

After the mass, a large crowd accompanied me to the Concepción convent,
where I said goodbye with the affection of those people.
SUNDAY, July 8, 1979
The customary mass in the Cathedral, at eight o'clock, was very well attended
and the biblical readings gave me the opportunity to present the theme of
the prophet: the title of the homily is "The prophet is the presence of God in
society." I developed the topic by presenting how the initiative always comes
from God and how the prophet is nothing more than an instrument of God
and how society accepts or rejects God in the person of the prophet.
The day passed without any major events. Except that in the afternoon I
accompanied the Oblate sisters to Divine Love on a walk to their farm, where
I rested, thank God.
CHAPTER 16 Year 1979
DIARY from July 9 to July 27, 1979
MONDAY, July 9, 1979
We began the week with a meeting of secretaries led by Miss Godoy, mainly
on archival matters, but today we have expanded on concerns about various
aspects of the Archbishopric's Secretariat and my special Secretariat.
After attending to other official business, I went to the town of El Paraíso, in
Chalatenango, where the Betlemita Sisters had invited me for lunch and gave
me an atolada. It has been a very interesting, very pleasant pastoral
experience, since that Church and convent that previously seemed dead,
today are the center of a swarm of faithful, mainly young people, who come
to live their Christian life alongside the sisters. The attack took place next to
the river, where the boys had set up a bower and where the various groups of
women, young people and children demonstrated in simple speeches, in
artistic acts that expressed more than anything the sincerity and simplicity of
those people. We ended with a mass in the Parish where I expressed my
gratitude and encouraged them to continue creating the community, which
already had quite a base and which would be a shame to ruin due to lack of
perseverance.
TUESDAY, July 10, 1979
Like every Tuesday we have the meeting of the Executive Council of the Curia.
We formed it with the Vicar General, the Chancellor, the Administrator and
the engineer Silva, who on behalf of Minimum Housing provides us with very
useful advice. We have dedicated ourselves today, like the previous weeks, to
the study of the operation of the radio, but we have already added other
general aspects of the Secretariat, the archive and various aspects of the
operation of the Archdiocesan Government. They are very useful meetings
and I believe that they will give us more efficiency and order in our pastoral
and administrative work.
There were visits from several priests, but mainly that of Father Manuel
Reyes, with an evangelical pastor, to propose an ecumenical charity work
project and ask for a subsidy that, in part, has already begun to work. I
congratulated them and encouraged them to continue because I think it is a
very good work that will benefit the Parish of Father Reyes, September 10; as
well as to the evangelical community of the respective pastor. I told them
that well-studied ecumenism was a true spiritual movement of conversion
towards an authentic Gospel.
In the afternoon, meeting with Father Pedraz and the Secretary of Social
Media and the Vicar General to clarify the operation of the radio. It was
substantially agreed to give Mr. Napoleón Navarro Oviedo the position of
managing director.
WEDNESDAY, July 11, 1979
I spent the entire morning at Domus Mariae, Mejicanos, with an interesting
meeting of the vicariate of Mejicanos. The Executive Committee advises the
Vicar, Father Samuel Orellana, and has been very active.
Today's meeting organized the various functions of the Parish, grouping them
into three commissions, one for social promotion; another of growth in faith
55
and another of visible Church and structures. The scheme of Medellín, but
filled with the commissions that want the diverse needs of this Parish. After
lunch the meeting continued to reflect on the new meaning of the Church.
THURSDAY, July 12, 1979
Today we had a meeting with the workshop leaders of Criterio Typography
because difficulties have arisen with the workers. It was clear that the
workers, many of them apprentices, were to blame for not being productive
in their work and
They demand benefits that, on the other hand, we will try to resolve fairly.
Therefore, with them and in accordance with the clarifications of the
workshop leaders, the list of requests that a group of workers has presented
will be taken into account. I have strongly urged that great diligence be put
into the case to avoid any labor scandal and that a more humane sense be
cultivated in relations with our workers of that Catholic typography.
Afterwards, the entire morning has been very active with visits and
interviews that have arrived at the Curia.
At four in the afternoon I went to Soyapango to see the Church land where
Cáritas wants to build its winery. It was also the parish priest and the ladies of
the Archdiocesan Commission of Cáritas and Luis Alonso Machado, on behalf
of the Administration Commission of the Archdiocese and we agreed to
request a reconsideration of this commission that had advised selling this
land, which is worth a lot, and buy for cellar elsewhere. But the commission
found this place more appropriate and is committed to building and
supporting some educational and social work, for the benefit of the Parish of
Soyapango. I find this request very useful and I will support it, since it is about
a presence of the Church in a sector where there is no such presence until
now. I was accompanied by Father Nicolás González who commented with
great enthusiasm on the pastoral situation of the Archdiocese.
And after dinner, I met with the team of the San José de la Montaña central
major seminary with whom we discussed many aspects, both of the
seminarians of the Archdiocese and of the life of the Seminary and the
management of the Seminary property, according to between the
Archdiocese, which is the owner, and the Seminary team that manages the
Seminary.
FRIDAY, July 13, 1979
There are three pastoral activities that I can highlight this day: the first, the
breakfast meeting with the advisors of the Fourth Pastoral Letter. They
presented their studies with great competence and we have also summarized
the survey that was done to the priests and communities; Together, it is a
very rich material to express the opinion of the Church at this time when a
national dialogue is called for. We will be able to speak as a Church, and from
the very base of the Church, with an official expression of a pastoral letter. I
ask God that what must now follow, which is to better assemble these parts
and make a definitive draft, be blessed by the Holy Spirit who illuminates the
paths of our Christians at this moment.
The other meeting was in the house of the Passionist nuns, on the way to
Planes de Renderos, very interesting, it is about bringing together the families
of the five priests who have been murdered; Except for the family of Father
Ernesto Barrera, they were all very well presented and expressed with all the
familiarity of someone who has known them since childhood, those priests
called by God to the supreme testimony of giving their blood for Jesus Christ,
for justice, for truth. It was agreed to write all these memoirs for the example
of Christians. And also other options of a legal nature and also of a pastoral
nature, so that the example of these martyrs is not lost and so that the justice
of God is also respected in them. The spirit of forgiveness and call to
conversion that prevailed over all the comments was edifying.
Finally, in the afternoon, I went to the beaches of Acajutla with the
seminarians who are going to have a gathering there, lasting until tomorrow.
But I could only stay this afternoon until quite late at night; I had dinner with
them and we had a first meeting in which they expressed their problems
about the integration of the two seminaries, Major and Minor, of the
Archdiocese, which was the main purpose of this meeting. There is frankness,
courage, sincerity in expressing what they do not like and also a very sincere
desire to seek solutions so that the future clergy of the Archdiocese prepare
for their mission with a greater sense of unity and team.
SATURDAY, July 14, 1979

I went to Comasagua where Father Chalo González had prepared a
confirmation group, but what was my surprise when I arrived at the agreed
time, nine in the morning, and did not see any people in the Church or its
surroundings. I expressed my surprise to the Father, perhaps with a little
disgust, and he told me that that's how cold those people were. I insisted that
perhaps there had been a lack of motivation on the part of the priest,
however, when the ringing began, some people arrived, but only one child
arrived confirming.
At the confirmation mass I tried to clothe myself with the greatest kindness
and explain the indifference towards God and ask those present to enthuse
their community in the face of the goodness of our Lord. After the mass I
invited the people to stay and talk to analyze this situation and together with
the priest several people recognized that there is coldness and, in addition,
there is fear regarding the situation in the country. But some lay people also
frankly said that the Father lacked more motivation, that with the previous
parish priest there had been many catechists and a lot of life in the
countryside and in the town, although less in the town. I spoke fraternally
with the Father encouraging him, since it is an arduous task that he has to do
in that town.
SUNDAY, July 15, 1979
That eve of the Virgin of Carmen requires a lot of work, an indication of the
fervor of our people for this Marian devotion. I dedicated the Cathedral Mass
to honor the Blessed Virgin under this title of Carmel and I put the Virgin as a
model of the Christian who should imitate, live the Gospel, which in this case
invited us to participate in the prophetic mission of Jesus Christ. And I spoke
of the Virgin as faithful to the Word of the Lord, a collaborator in the spread
of God's message.
After the Cathedral mass I went to the Belén School, where the Carmelites of
San José celebrated the profession of seven new nuns. Following the
inspiration of the second reading of Saint Paul, I presented religious life as a
testimony of the eternal love of God for men and of the redemption of Christ
and of the eschatological transcendence of which religious life is a witness
among men. I shared with the community, after the mass, some very
pleasant moments.
In the afternoon, in the Parroquia del Carmen, in Colonia Roma, the
Carmelite Fathers prepared a beautiful first communion group that I had the
joy of celebrating.
And in the evening, I had a visit from the vice president of the International
Reconciliation Movement which is based in Vienna. And they came to offer us
their collaboration to promote action in El Salvador, about non-violence or
presented more positively, about justice and peace. I really liked his ideal, but
I felt incapable of resolving his acceptance on my own and that's why I asked
for a new meeting for tomorrow night, along with some advisors.
MONDAY, July 16, 1979
Day of the Virgin of Carmen. I celebrated my first mass in the Church of La
Merced, exhorting the so historic brotherhood of Carmen, along with the
pontifically crowned image, to maintain this tradition, but try to clothe it with
a new spirit, the new spirit of the Church.
At nine in the morning the solemn and traditional mass in the Church of
Carmen de Santa Tecla. The Church was completely full and the theme of my
preaching was to present the Virgin as "model of the Church"; reason for
national religiosity and example of our union with God and our union with
our neighbor; presenting that what hinders union with God is sin and that
every Christian has to fight to the death against that kingdom of the devil and
against the slavery that results from it. And commit to men from God's
perspective, but up to the ability to give one's life for God and one's neighbor.
In the Church of Concepción de Santa Tecla, we continue the tradition of
confirmations this Carmen Day; But unlike previous years, we have achieved a
very nice group of children over eight years old, already conscious, so that
they were duly prepared by their parish priest and his catechists, to receive
the Holy Anointing within a Holy Mass.
Later, at night, in the Carmen of Colonia Roma, the celebration of the mass
was also held and then a beautiful procession with lamps resembled the
torchlight procession of Lourdes, singing the Hail Mary of Fátima, applied to
the Virgin of Carmen. I congratulated the Carmelite Fathers and the faithful of
that Parish, reminding them that a people devoted to the Virgin cannot
56
perish. And we prayed the salve, I gave them my blessing and we happily said
goodbye to our homes.
TUESDAY, July 17, 1979
All day at a meeting of CEDES, Episcopal Conference of El Salvador. The
agenda included the election of new positions, starting with the president
and dealing with the issue of the Seminar. I had previously written a letter
referring to our disunity and begging that the election be postponed and
that, instead, we dedicate ourselves to reflecting on this situation that
urgently requires repair, episcopal unity. We have spoken frankly about the
many shortcomings of our hierarchy. We have acknowledged faults, but I am
concerned about the radicalism of some brother bishops against my pastoral
actions. They mark her with a wish that she not move forward. It makes me
sad to think that they are not sensitive to the situation in the country and
that they feel more comfortable with a pastoral ministry, a preaching that
does not purify, that does not tend to free our people from this terrible
situation. We couldn't draw any conclusions, but we have talked quite
in-depth and I think that "the earth has been moved."
to continue next August, when another meeting was scheduled.
In the evening, I had a meeting with the major and minor seminarians who
had just had a coexistence for their integration. I was very pleased to hear the
conclusions of their coexistence and feel the spirit of unity that encourages
them to make the Seminary, both Major and Minor of the Archdiocese, a
compact unit in the ideal towards the priesthood.
I also had a visit at the little hospital from the interim rector of the National
University, with whom we spoke extensively about the difficult problems of
this maximum center of culture.
WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1979
The first visitor today arrives, precisely, at breakfast time, it is Father Rogelio
Esquivel, who expresses his desire to work in this Archdiocese, since he
considers it his own, and there is no reason to go anywhere else. I frankly
explained to him the pastoral line that we have to follow here and that I
would not like to rush a resolution. I just told him that I was glad he was back
and that we were willing to continue talking. At eight we met with the Vicars
of Mejicanos, Nejapa, Aguilares, who have promoted a day of prayer and
reflection in the Cathedral on the occasion of the thirtieth day of the death of
Father Rafael Palacios.
I urged them to be very cautious in everything they say and that it would be
better if they put it in writing.
We plan the celebration of the concelebrated mass at twelve on the 20th and
from the 20th in the morning until Saturday the 21st at noon there will be
various events and reflections; many of these programs will be broadcast on
the radio. Also present were the Secretary of Social Communication Media,
the person in charge of the radio, Father Pedraz, the Vicar General, Father
Cortés, and the person in charge of Social Communication as an Advisory
Council, Father Rafael Moreno. And everyone agreed on a worthy celebration
to take advantage of and raise awareness of the mission that our Church
preaches.
Among the most notable visits this morning, that of Mr. John McAward, of
Justice and Peace of the United States. An interesting conversation about the
desire to serve, from the members of the United States Embassy and the
members of Justice and Peace to the human rights line in our Archdiocese.
Also the visit of Mr. Gabriel Delgado, former brother Julio, who presents his
impressions about the division of the bishops and the religious ignorance of
the people. I asked for your collaboration, above all, among teachers to
promote them to be promoters of this Christian formation. I agreed to give
him a list so that he could call them and work with them. Along these same
lines, the federation of Catholic Schools also presented its new directive to
me today and we talked expressing the desire that the Catholic Schools be
true instruments of the pastoral care of the Archdiocese. Dr. Napoleón
González, director of the Crónica del Pueblo, which was just burned last
Saturday, also came. I gave him words of encouragement and promised to
start a fundraiser to help his newspaper.
In the afternoon, meeting with those in charge of liturgy, sound and other
aspects that prepare the next feast of the Divine Savior. The meeting was in
the Cathedral and there is a lot of enthusiasm to celebrate this year, as
always, the Divine Savior of the World.

I later went to want to visit the burned-out premises of the Crónica del
Pueblo, but it was closed.
THURSDAY, July 19, 1979
Today we had breakfast where we collected the second draft of the pastoral
letter. Today it was about organizing the various collaborations into a single
scheme. Also introducing the contributions of the survey, which are very
numerous and very good. This work was done by Father Fabián Amaya and
we analyzed it carefully, presenting a judgment of the whole, as the pastoral
letter is already presented, and after some details again, Father Fabián will be
in charge of collecting all these opinions and making a second more draft.
coordinated and enriched with the suggestions made today.
In the Cathedral, starting at six in the morning, several vicariates have
promoted a long day of prayer, forty hours that will last until tomorrow at
noon in memory of Father Rafael Palacios who today is precisely celebrating
30 days since his tragic death in Santa Tecla. At twelve I concelebrated with
almost all the priests of the Archdiocese, but when I arrived, the Cathedral
was under siege by security forces...
FRIDAY, July 20, 1979
Upon arriving at the Cathedral to concelebrate with all the priests, we were
surprised to find that it was surrounded by police and national guards. It
seems that a false alarm had been spread that it was an occupation of the
Cathedral or that some political group would arrive. to take advantage of this
prayer vigil. But, thank God, we were able to concelebrate. In my homily I
alluded to the prayer and reflection that was being done, as if collecting the
message of the Word of God and taking advantage of the prayer of suffrage
for Father Palacios; I also mentioned his charismas, and what his death
meant, asking: "How is it possible that this crime of murdering priests is
reached?" And he responded by analyzing a situation of injustice and sin that
the priest has to denounce and which means being ungrateful, not pleasing,
to society, which, like Jerusalem, kills the prophets and those who are sent to
them. The vigil continued all this afternoon and will continue all night with
great fervor on the part of the communities that have come from various
parts of the Archdiocese.
Father Luis, a young Belgian, has returned to the country, who will work in
Zacamil together with Father Rogelio. He was very happy to find himself in
these circumstances of the Cathedral. I also greeted Father Juan Macho
Merino there, who was Vicar of Pastoral during the time I was in the diocese
of Santiago de María, a Passionist who is currently returning from Spain and
brings with him the charge of erecting here a house where they can have
their young vocations. I pointed out several possibilities and that I would
gladly accept whatever he chose. The convent of San Francisco, in Mejicanos;
or Apulo, the “Santa Teresita” house, or the Parish of Guazapa, that currently
these three possibilities are already available and that there would still be the
possibility of changing, if any of these proposed houses did not meet the
requirements.
SATURDAY, July 21, 1979
As I had promised, today I completed my visit to the town of San Miguel de
Mercedes in Chalatenango; With Father Fabián we reached Chalatenango and
from there we learned that there were checkpoints at the entrance to San
Miguel, on one side and the other, to prevent people from arriving at the
appointment we had in that town.
Indeed, upon arriving at Mercedes, a group of soldiers stopped us, made us
get out of the car, searched, perhaps believing that there were weapons. We
saw that there were many people detained there, whom we greeted and with
whom we wanted to undertake the journey to enter the nearby town, on
foot. However, the leader of that platoon told me that they could not
continue, that I should go in the car, which was a superior order. I
commented that it was an irrational order since they were peaceful people,
mostly women, who came to fulfill a wish of their faith. But reason does not
enter with these people and I was very sorry to leave them, express my
solidarity with them and ask them to pray together, they there and I in the
Church, and I continued. A few steps away, a good group of people from the
town and some who were able to enter the town, despite the checkpoints,
were waiting for me, riding as they say; with which I went to the Church,
which was almost filled. There they told me that at the other entrance there
57
were a greater number of people, it was the majority of San Antonio Los
Ranchos and I sent them to tell them to return, that, when I finished my
commitments in San Miguel, I would go to San Antonio to thank them for
their visit and talk to them. We celebrate mass. The Mayor was present;
which is not in agreement with these interventions that spoil the tranquility
of the city, of the town.
In the homily I described the nature and mission of the Church; the role of
the Bishop, who must visit the communities; the function of the great
beneficent communities of the people and regret, then, that this mission of
building the true community was so hindered, even with the violation of faith
and the freedom to believe. After mass I had an interview with the pastoral
agents; nuns, priests and, above all, many catechists from various cantons
and the town of San Miguel, with whom we share the pastoral concern with a
very generous desire on their part to continue their work. I loved seeing how
the nuns of La Asunción who work in that town together with Father Fabián
Amaya, from Chalatenango, have made enthusiasm flourish in the youth. And
we shared lunch with them. There was joy in the convent and when I said
goodbye, I felt that touch of nostalgia that these circumstances give, despite
the trial that we all had to endure, but that we overcame with Christian joy.
After lunch, I went to San Antonio Los Ranchos and, indeed, in the hermitage
of the Cross there were almost a hundred people who had not been able to
enter through the checkpoint, but there we left, prayed, sang, talked, a
interesting dialogue of questions, answers, initiatives, suggestions, in short,
an atmosphere of family, joy, faith, hope. I left them a little card of Pope John
Paul II as a souvenir, telling them that it was for them, I had reserved it and
had not given it to San Miguel. I committed to a more specific day for San
Antonio Los Ranchos, which will be in the month of August.
Upon returning to my residence, I found two sad cases of repression, as a
Mother, a Father and some brothers from La Unión came to lament to me
that they had lost a young man from the family, who was captured by
Pasaquina and the which nothing is known, even though several days have
passed. The other case is that of a man, owner of a printing press in San
Salvador; who was also captured without knowing anything about his
whereabouts. And finally, the parish priest of El Calvario, Father Federico
Sanggiano, spoke to me telling me that the Church is occupied by the FAPU,
precisely to demand the capture of this last man.
SUNDAY, July 22, 1979
At the eight o'clock mass, I began my homily with a greeting to Nicaragua,
which this week made the beginning of its liberation by overthrowing the
regime of General Anastasio Somoza and installing the new Government
Junta. We have prayed for the country of Nicaragua and we have reflected,
drawing consequences from this event. The theme of the homily is suggested
by the biblical readings, the shepherds, which Jeremiah refers, precisely, to
the rulers, but the Church also applies to bishops and all those who are
pastoral agents or participants in governments; We reflect on the difficulty of
poorly governed people, the distinction between good and false shepherds
and how Christ is the true Shepherd King, presented in the Holy Scripture and
in which we place hope in the difficulties of all peoples. After the mass,
interesting dialogue with the young people who make up the Quezaltepeque
choir, which participated in today's mass. Also a representation of the Santa
Lucía Parish of Ilopango, who want to coordinate their efforts with the Curia
to see how to bring back Father Astor Ruiz, who was expelled from the
country when trying to enter from Colombia and was sent to Guatemala the
day before yesterday. I told them that I had already spoken with the Father
and that tomorrow, MONDAY, we would have a meeting to better study the
case. And that same night I would go to Santa Lucía to celebrate the seven
o'clock mass and talk with the community, which they were very pleased
with.
There were other visits after mass, very interesting and it was a very good
meeting with the people, mainly those who attended the Cathedral mass.
And at night, I celebrated mass in Santa Lucía and after mass they introduced
me to their activity and it really is a Parish where the Christian community is
being lived in a very lively way. A catechist explained to me the work that is
done with children; a young man explained the work that is done with youth;
and a lady works with adults. And then we deal with the matter of Father
Astor. They suggested writing a public, open letter, but I told them that it was
better to wait for the resolutions that would be taken in the Council of Priests
and that they could send a representative to take the conclusions there.

MONDAY, July 23, 1979
Today we had the meeting with the Father Vicar General, Father Cortés; with
Father Brito, as chancellor; and with Father Villarán, as Vicar of Ilopango to
which Santa Lucía, Parish of Father Astor, belongs.
A lay representative of the Parish and Father Moreno also attended. Our
opinion was to first request an interview with the Minister of the Interior and
find out what the causes of the Father's expulsion are.
Then visit Father Astor to see what his mood is; since it seems that there are
other dangers that he foresees and perhaps he does not want to enter the
country yet. After this, what is appropriate will be done at the public level,
both in the country and abroad; since it is appropriate to say something
about these abuses.
I went to lunch with the minor seminarians of Chalatenango, with whom I
had a very interesting dialogue. They are restless boys in knowing, more and
more, their vocation and the problems that arise for every man who wants to
embrace the priesthood. I had a very good impression of that young
community; recently ordained priests such as Rafael Urrutia, Ezequiel Gámez,
a deacon already to be ordained, Jaime Paredes; a seminarian already
studying Theology, Joaquín, and some nuns from La Asunción, also young, but
with a great sense of pastoral care and teamwork. In this environment, this
youth of the Seminary is growing, it seems to me that it is a real promise.
Father Brito informed me upon returning that Father Cortés had spoken at
length with the Minister of the Interior, who seemed surprised, since he did
not know anything about what had happened to Father Astor and promised
to find out and inform him tomorrow. The trip to Guatemala, therefore, is
also postponed.
TUESDAY, July 24, 1979
The first visit of this day is from Father Walter Guerra who asks me to
intervene in the case of the brassieres' strike, where the workers are holding
a group of leaders hostage; but the General Manager does not want to arrive
because he does not run the risk of being held hostage himself. But they are
willing to grant a large part of the workers' requests.
Father Walter promised me that the employers would come to talk to me
and, from there, he would call the strike leaders to intervene with them. I
gladly offered to do it, but having designated a time and being ready for this
intervention, Father Walter himself told me that it was no longer necessary
and that everything was already on the way to a solution, thank God!
I had the meeting that we have on Tuesdays with the Executive Council of the
diocesan Curia. We especially deal with the problem of printing, which is also
in the process of being solved. There are many apprentices and a more
qualified hand is needed to direct a typography that is already modernizing;
but, at the same time, justice will be taken into account regarding the
unemployment of these apprentices. We also deal with theRadio YSAX. And a
solution will be given according to the suggestions of the current director,
Father Pedraz. A board responsible for solving this problem has been
appointed, composed of the current director, Father Pedraz; Engineer Galván,
administrator of the Curia and Father Fabián Amaya. Other aspects of the
administration of our Archdiocese were discussed. Everything seems to be
heading towards coordination that will bear greater fruit. For her part, Miss
Coralia Godoy and the secretaries are also better organized in the secretarial
service; as well as the administrator of the Colegio de La Sagrada Familia,
Mrs. Elizabeth Arias, is helping me arrange material aspects of the Curia
office. I thank the Lord, then, that all these things are seeking a greater
functioning of this main office of the Pastoral Care of the Diocese.
And we discussed pastoral matters all morning with the Pastoral Commission
that was due to meet today and in which it is seen that this pastoral
coordination is going very well, since the office is functioning; although
Father Astor, currently expelled from the country, will not be able to be in
charge; but Father Octavio Cruz, who spoke with him and has a lot of pastoral
sense, will be in charge of this office together with Piquín, who has also
turned out to be a good lay administrator of the lay part of the Pastoral
office. In this meeting, which was quite long, we made an evaluation of the
Cathedral vigil, in which the negative points and the prevalence of positive
values ​were frankly noted; Above all, the more vivid awareness that the
communities have taken of the defense of their priests, since the reason was
the thirtieth day of the death of Father Palacios. I made very strong
recommendations to them to take advantage of these circumstances to
58
clearly explain the thinking of the Church. Church that no one has to
manipulate for other purposes.
In the afternoon, I went to celebrate a family mass in Apopa, where I greeted
a beautiful community gathered there and shared dinner with my family.
WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1979
Santiago Apostle Day. I celebrated the mass of the patron saint Santiago in
the old Parish of Aculhuaca.
I expressed my excitement to celebrate in a Church that links the ancient
indigenous civilization with the Christian civilization that the Spanish
missionaries brought to us. I spoke of the need to have the spirit of James in
these hours of persecution of the Church. After mass I shared very pleasant
moments with the community and especially with the priests of that town,
Father Crespín, parish priest of Santiago Aculhuaca; Father Nicolás González,
from Paleca and Father Gutiérrez, from San Sebastián; all three from Delgado
City.
When I returned, I was surprised that the workers at the Criterio printing
press were on strike that day, demanding a raise in salary and other benefits.
But, thank God, the administrator of the Curia with the Vicar General and the
secretary of Social Media and Father Pedraz, administrator of the printing
press, have made some first interventions and I spoke with them before going
to the promised session with the strikers. And a renewal plan is proposed,
since the majority of the workers are apprentices, and a group of competent
workers will be appointed and the dissatisfied will be fired with
compensation. But when proposing this solution, the group's representatives
asked for a truce until tomorrow to propose to the plenary session and they
will bring their resolutions. I hope this isn't going to complicate things for us.
In the evening, he visits Dr. Semsch; very encouraging in the actions of the
Archbishop and the Archdiocese.
I have received a lot of correspondence and tonight, late into the night, I am
solving various problems.
THURSDAY, July 26, 1979
The main concern this morning is the strike at the Criterio typography. My
two correspondence secretaries came to breakfast to communicate the same
concern to me because they saw that it was being treated in a very
businesslike and unchristian manner. I made them see that there was a work,
business aspect that had to be respected and that I also begged them to
inspire that Christian spirit in the boys of the strike so that they would also
proceed Christianly. I myself spent a while with the three representatives of
the strikers to make them see, from my pastoral aspect, without getting into
the labor field, that the administrative part is dealing with it, that they
proceed with rationality and, above all, with a Christian spirit and that They
will count on my friendship in any resolution that is made. They thanked me,
but it seems that their main attitude is to stay in the legal field and threaten
to go to the Ministry and take other measures. I told this to those in charge of
the administration so that they would take it into account, since this
afternoon it seems that they will meet again to resolve this problem.
Between the morning visits I was very pleased to greet an old acquaintance in
my hometown since I was a child. Mrs. Susana Castro, the one who
encouraged me to follow the line that I have undertaken, despite the fact that
she realizes, with other old friendships that have been lost, the disagreement
with the evangelical claims that our Church makes. I thanked him for his word
of encouragement and asked for his prayers.
Father Trejo's father and sister, who is currently in Venezuela, also came to
ask for an extension. I made him see the need for priests and that it was not
very priestly to remain outside the country where he is so urgently needed.
But for my part I would discuss the matter with the Presbytery, with the
Presbyteral Senate. That they bring in writing the request that the Father
himself made to study it properly.
A journalist also arrived with whom we talked about the situation and
mission of the Church in this situation of the country. Members of the
community of San Francisco, in Mejicanos, also came to explain their pastoral
concerns to me, which seems to me to be very much in accordance with the
initiatives of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Ministry.
At night, we met with the Archdiocesan Cáritas Commission, where we
studied, mainly, the construction of the archdiocesan Cáritas warehouse; the
financial situation, and the new programs that are emerging; the good
impression that this new way of carrying out Caritas is making and I

encouraged them so that they would not give up and, despite the difficulties,
we would continue our work of Caritas as a true school of charity.
FRIDAY, July 27, 1979
For the second time Father Rogelio Esquivel visited me and told me that I had
the opportunity to go to serve in Guatemala in the Parish of Monsignor Ham,
since he will go to the United States for a season. He wants to always
consider himself a priest of this Archdiocese. I explained to him the
difficulties he has with the clergy and that I tried to take advantage of this
stay in Guatemala to foster friendships...
The first visitor today was Father Rogelio Esquivel; who wants to always
consider himself incardinated in this Diocese and currently has the
opportunity to go to Guatemala to spend a season in the Parish of Monsignor
Ham, who will go to the United States. I gave him my affirmative opinion and
begged him to take advantage of this stay in Guatemala to foster friendship
with Salvadoran priests, since, at the end of that period, he could return to
fully join our presbytery.
The situation of the printing press on strike remains the same. Today certain
interviews of Curia employees are complicated; which seem to give full
support to the young people of the Criterio Printing Strike. There were
meetings of the Administrative Council of the Curia with employees of the
Archbishopric to explain to them the situation of the printing press, which
seems very fair; but that they see the solution of sending the printing press's
apprentices as unchristian. They have agreed to continue discussing these
points.
At night, a confidential visit from an Army major who confessed the situation
of corruption that exists among senior leaders and how there is a group of
healthy soldiers who want to maintain the honor of their military vocation. I
encouraged him to continue his honesty in the Army, instead of retiring as he
wants, because it seems to him that he cannot perform well as a man in
situations like those that an Army man lives in at this time in the midst of so
many injustices, sponsored robberies by the same senior military officers. In
such a way that many work for honesty in the Army, despite not taking
advantage of the circumstances as others do. I congratulated him and
encouraged him to continue living and being the leaven of his own dough.
CHAPTER 17 Year 1979
DIARY from July 28 to August 26, 1979
SATURDAY, July 28, 1979
In the Saturday morning meeting we clarified a little the situation of the
Criterio typography, in order to make some determinations that would lead
to the solution of the problem that has arisen there. The bachelor Roberto
Cuéllar, who was already informed of this situation, gave us some lines of
solution and he was in charge of putting them into practice. But
unfortunately, although everything seemed to reach a solution, with a delay
tactic, the strikers said that it would be better to leave the last word for
Monday.
In the afternoon, at the Don Bosco School, I administered confirmation,
within a very beautiful Eucharistic liturgy, to a group of young students from
the same School. The Church was full of the same confirmands, and their
parents and their godparents. It turned out to be a true catechesis of this
great sacrament that, thank God, is taking on the importance that our
pastoral care wants to give it.
SUNDAY, July 29, 1979
I mentioned in this morning's homily the fifty years of priestly life of Father
Santiago Garrido.
The homily had the opportunity to present Christ as the solution to all
problems as long as men collaborate. And there was also the opportunity to
make many important complaints about so many abuses that are being
committed in the country. After the mass, where German television was
present filming events in our Cathedral, the same television had asked me for
an audience and other Italian journalists had also asked me for an audience;
the one that took place in the Cathedral convent, with questions about the
situation and the perspectives that the Church sees in this country.
59
In the afternoon, at the Ricaldone Institute, conjugal meetings held a
coexistence, which I went to close, speaking to them about the three topics
that they had reflected on in their groups: the responsibility of the Parents;
communication with children, and Christian living at home.
MONDAY, July 30, 1979
In the morning, a refugee in the Archbishopric who has been persecuted to
death, thanked me because he was going to leave. But first he wanted to
leave a testimony of the cruel persecution and torture to which he has been
subjected during his extreme left political struggles, but what has been done
with him is a sign of the tremendous disrespect for man in our country.
There were other very important interviews, among them, two American
journalists. A journalist who is connected with Georgetown University, which
sent me greetings, since it granted me, on another occasion, the title of
Doctor Honoris Causa. The topic was very important since there were very
intelligent journalists.
And at night, we had, in the Church of El Calvario de Santa Tecla, the mass for
the forty days of the death of Father Palacios, which had a character of
reparation for the murder of this priest.
We have reviewed with Father Rafael Moreno and Father Fabián Amaya the
drafting of the pastoral letter, which is already shaping up quite well. I
received a letter from Father Astor Ruiz, very Christian, very priestly, in which
he expressed his
deep feelings at feeling unexpectedly expelled from your own country. But I
am happy with the great priestly spirit with which you are offering this test to
the Lord.
TUESDAY, July 31, 1979
Among the morning visits, the one from Dr. Morales Erlich stands out, who
had been exiled in Costa Rica and was a candidate for the vice presidency of
the Republic in the last elections, when everything ended in the exile of the
candidate Colonel Claramount and the vice president, Dr. Morales Erlich.
They belong to the Christian Democratic Party. He came to greet me with
another member of the party, David Trejo, and to offer to collaborate with
the Church, as a Christian. I thanked him and told him that the Church often
took a substitute role in defense of Human Rights and the Gospel; many
things that are, precisely, the political parties who must do them and that
hopefully their return to El Salvador would mean assuming that responsibility.
He appears very optimistic, despite seeing the great political difficulties in the
country.
Also an interview with a Costa Rican radio station, My Message, mainly
regarding the example of Nicaragua. I always placed myself in the pastoral
and evangelical perspective and evaded answers of a political nature.
At noon, I went to concelebrate with the Jesuit Fathers, to honor Father
Santiago Garrido who celebrated fifty years of priesthood last Sunday.
WEDNESDAY, August 1, 1979
Today I had a very interesting meeting with all the staff of the Curia, to
evaluate what happened at the Criterio Printing Office, since there was a
letter signed by the employees of the Curia. I tried to explain to them the
administration procedure and also ask them for the hierarchical fidelity that a
Diocesan Curia needs towards its bishop; since we form a team that is
director of the entire Archdiocese and must be a good example of solidarity.
There were very interesting, very sincere discussions, and I believe that the
balance has been very positive in search of an increasingly closer solidarity
and faithful service to the hierarchical Church.
Father Octavio Cruz was present, who will be in charge of the pastoral office,
with whom I spoke particularly and who has very balanced criteria to make
our pastoral what I have always dreamed of, a current line of the Church
without extremism and who knows how to understand the moment that our
homeland lives. I believe that we have a priest at the head of the Pastoral
Commission who will bear many fruits, God willing.
I celebrated the Holy Hour at the Hospital of Divine Providence and took
advantage of the theme of LIBERATION, from the perspective of liberation
from sin and promotion of man to the height of God. Next, two journalists,
one from Brazil, from El Globo and another from Venezuela. A very
interesting interview, too, since they are two very intelligent journalists,
trying to analyze the role of the Church in El Salvador.

THURSDAY, August 2, 1979
With the Chancellor I updated a series of letters and commitments. The
rector of the Cathedral informed me yesterday afternoon that the Cathedral
is occupied by the February 28 Popular Leagues. A new organization that
demands the freedom of some captured and missing members.
In the afternoon, Father Pedraz informed me that a representative of that
group wanted to speak with me and I told him that I was at his service, that I
was interested in negotiating the matter of the Cathedral because I did not
want that on SUNDAY, August 5, and, above all, everything, on Monday the
6th, was in that situation, preventing us from the place where the patron
saint's day of the Divine Savior is traditionally celebrated. He agreed to come
tomorrow at nine in the morning.
Another interesting interview was that of Silvia, the private secretary, who
appears very hurt by the solution that was given to the Criterio printing press
strike. She and her partner María Isabel believe that they have acted unfairly,
that money and machinery have been taken into account more than men. I
tried to make her see the impartiality with which these things must be judged
and also take into account the interests of the printing press, which does not
neglect humanism but which fulfills one of the most serious duties of the
bishop, taking care of the goods of the Church, and which I have promised to
talk separately with the dismissed employees to help them resolve their
problems; that they did not wait to be resolved as had been planned, but
rather anticipated it with a strike, in which there were also offensive terms
for the hierarchy. He also told me that their feeling was shared by all the
employees of the Archbishopric, which seemed very exaggerated to me and I
maintain my intention that, if someone does not feel comfortable working in
the Archbishopric, the best thing is to leave the place and look for a position
where you can work more comfortably. In any case, this and another very
intimate conversation that I had with Father Pedraz, has made me reflect that
we must review the personnel with whom we work and try to introduce a
mystique according to the thinking of the current Church, which is all my
hope and, in no way, betray the principles I preach. Because Silvia also hinted
to me that there was a contradiction between what is preached and what is
done. Before God I have prayed to ask for his light and also to ask him to
always remain faithful to what I try to follow the Gospel.
In the evening, visit by an American journalist, who represents three
newspapers, along with the translator from the United States Embassy. We
had a very interesting dialogue about what the Church thinks about violence
and the hope it tries to sow in this situation in the country.
FRIDAY, August 3, 1979
I have spent this day solely dedicated to the study of the Pastoral Letter.
SATURDAY, August 4, 1979
I was also able to dedicate myself to studying the Pastoral Letter like
yesterday. However, in the evening there was a fairly long interview with
Father Moreno and the bachelor Cuéllar who brought me the news of the
week and we made some comments about the latest situations in the
country. This day, in San Esteban Catarina, Father Napoleón Alirio Macías,
parish priest of that town, was riddled with bullets. In the afternoon, I went
and had direct news of this very tragic event, which had been planned for a
long time. The Father mentioned judicial, a group of men who lurked in front
of the Church and who took advantage of a moment of the Father's solitude
to go in to kill him, between the door of the sacristy and the main altar.
SUNDAY, August 5, 1979
I dedicated special thoughts to Father Macías at the Cathedral mass. The
choir that the Sisters of Charity have prepared, in Tepecoyo, came to sing,
about sixty voices, truly a celebration hubbub in the Cathedral. And at the
time of the offering they also offered fruits from the field of that community
along with the bread and wine. People applauded this gesture of sympathy
and solidarity.
In the afternoon, the traditional “Bajada” was very impressive, in a chariot
that represented the storm at sea and the inscription: “Lord, save us, we
perish!” I greeted the crowd, as the entire ceremony was conducted by
60
theRadio YSAX and there was an opportunity to carry quite a message during
the two hours that the procession lasted.
MONDAY, August 6, 1979
The mass concelebrated with almost all the priests of the Diocese and with a
large representation of the communities that encouraged popular singing and
filled the street in front of the Cathedral, and a large part of the park was a
truly patronal and people's mass. The presence of the Lord was felt in our
liturgy and there was a joy that was based on faith and Christian hope.
Instead of the homily, I presented the outline of the Fourth Pastoral Letter. It
was many times interrupted by applause, where the people expressed their
solidarity with the thought, which is the theme of the Charter: "The mission
of the Church in the current crisis of the country." "I hope," I told them at the
end of the mass, "that when you leave here each one of you will be a builder
of that new civilization of love that our country so needs." I greeted many
people at the end of the mass, people who came from many corners of the
country, and who showed true cordiality with their pastor.
In the afternoon, another great apotheosis! Perhaps the largest that the town
of San Esteban Catarina has seen, whose parish priest, Father Alirio Napoleón
Macías, was murdered two days ago and this afternoon at four o'clock he was
going to be buried in that parish temple. Monsignor Rivera, bishop of
Santiago de María, preceded in his capacity as a parishioner of that Parish,
since San Esteban Catarina is the hometown of Monsignor Rivera and
because the bishop of the Diocese, Monsignor Aparicio, who is in Mexico,
was not present. An immense crown of priests and the park and adjacent
streets completely filled with faithful. Monsignor Rivera had a very inspired
homily saying that so much pain was necessary for so much redemption, and
that the death of so many priests already suggested that the hour of
liberation was near. The people applauded several of his thoughts. At the end
of the mass, a route was taken around the park, without the crowd moving,
which was too much, and they only opened a field along the street for the
parade of priests to pass through; Perhaps a hundred priests attended this
funeral and the body then entered the Church, where it was buried. There
was a moment of horror at the mass, as a false alarm spread and panic
spread; Several people fell on top of others, but, thank God, things soon
calmed down and the ritual continued normally. The comments, both about
the murder of the Father, its authors, and, above all, the very positive effects
on this manifestation of faith, are of great hope for the Church.
TUESDAY, August 7, 1979
Meeting of the Executive Council of the Curia and several visits, although
important, but not outstanding.
WEDNESDAY, August 8, 1979
I made a tour to the east to give my condolences to the families of San
Miguel, the Giralt family and the Argüello family; I visited Miss Aurora
Asturias, the girl Angélica de Mena and, mainly, a humble but very loving
couple, Don Luis Aparicio and Doña Avelina, very elderly, they have sanctified
their pain, their illness; she amputated her legs in a hammock, offering
everything to the Lord; He, also very Christian, offers the ailments of his old
age for the Holy Church. At noon, I had lunch in Jucuapa with Dr. Jiménez
Barrios, who told me all the details, many events of his interesting life.
At night, he meets with the seminarians to evaluate the criteria regarding the
death of Father Macías and also the patron saint celebrations of August 6.
Extremely appropriate reflections that give me the pleasant impression of
vocations that are maturing very well for the priesthood. I invited them to
bring these same reflections to the meeting of priests, which will reflect on
the same topic, and to the Pastoral Board, where many of their initiatives can
be incorporated on the occasion of the patron saint's festivities.
THURSDAY, August 9, 1979
Almost all morning with a group of priests from various dioceses who are
preparing a general meeting of the national clergy for next Saturday. A very
pleasant thing was the news that Monsignor Barrera, bishop of Santa Ana,
will publish a demonstration of solidarity, and we from the Archdiocese
joined in, and solidarity was also obtained by telephone from Monsignor
Álvarez and Monsignor Rivera. In this way, I believe that the late Father Alirio

Macías is realizing the great dream of my prayers: the union of the bishops
and the clergy. We ask the Lord very much that this gesture of solidarity in
the death of Father Macías be given at the beginning of a unity of the entire
episcopate and clergy, which will be so useful to the people of God in our
country.
FRIDAY, August 10, 1979
At Belén School we had breakfast to meet with the other social media
collaborators; Mr. Munés, advertising specialist, was a new element. During
the day there were several visits from priests and some groups and, at night,
an interview with a journalist.
SATURDAY, August 11, 1979
In the Guadalupe room of the San José de la Montaña Seminary,
representatives of the clergy from all over the country met. At the same time,
the Nuncio invited the bishops to the Nunciature. Both together to reflect on
the death of Father Alirio Macías. While the meeting of priests was very
cordial, very enthusiastic, in defense of the clergy and in solidarity with the
diocese of San Vicente; that of the bishops was unfortunately a...
The meeting of the bishops at the Nunciature confirmed the division that
exists between us. It was only agreed to officially denounce the murder of
Father Macías. The Nuncio also offered to support this complaint during his
next visit to the President of the Republic. But when it came to looking at the
causes, the board let itself be carried away by the prejudices of a Marxist
infiltration within the Church and it was not possible to remove all the
prejudices from there, even though I tried to explain that the situation of
persecution of many priests, it is because they want to be faithful to the spirit
of the Second Vatican, translated to Latin America by Medellín and Puebla.
Very little is understood about this and rather the blame is placed on an
instrumentalization of Marxism that the Church is serving, according to them.
I offered God this test of patience, since I was largely blamed for the evil that
is happening in the country and in our Church.
I finished the meeting early because I had to go to San Antonio Los Ranchos,
where I had promised to be and, although I postponed the meeting with
those good people until the afternoon, there was a very large attendance.
We celebrated mass and shared a very beautiful Christian coexistence that
compensated for my disappointments of the morning.
SUNDAY, August 12, 1979
The mass could not be celebrated in the Cathedral because it was occupied
by striking workers and we had to do it in the Rosary Church. The homily,
always commenting on the sixth chapter of Saint John, gave me the
opportunity to present the flesh that Christ offers as sanctification of human
flesh and what the flesh of man is when it does not feed on Christ. At noon, I
had lunch with my brothers, who were kind enough to anticipate the
celebration of my birthday.
MONDAY, August 13, 1979
Nothing special since the office had many visits, but of an ordinary nature.
TUESDAY, August 14, 1979
In Santa Tecla, in the house of the Carmelites, we had the meeting of the
Presbyteral Senate, in which we mainly dealt with the problem of the disunity
of the bishops, by a commission of priests who will convene representations
of clergy from the other dioceses to confront this problem directly. with the
bishops.
We also try to clarify the accusation that Monsignor Aparicio makes to our
Archdiocese of having offended his Vicar, on the occasion of the funeral of
Father Macías. The testimony of all attendees was invoked, who will be able
to say that all this is false and that it is nothing more than the product of
Monsignor Fredy Delgado's resentment.
The Coordinating Commission of the agreements made at the meeting of the
clergy and nuns informed me that they had postponed the commitment to
fast by a group of priests and nuns because they did not have the solidarity of
all the dioceses and because they believed it to be premature. It will be
61
postponed and greater solidarity among priests will be worked on to carry
out an action that achieves the objectives that were proposed.
Afterwards, the Curia staff offered me their birthday tribute, which was very
nice in the meeting room.
At night, other journalists interviewed me at the Hospital of Divine
Providence.
WEDNESDAY, August 15, 1979
The students of the Seminary surprised me with a beautiful serenade, then
we went to celebrate mass and breakfast, and we visited the sick wards. They
were very happy hours, very Christian, very full of charity; but at nine I had to
go to celebrate the patronal mass at Mejicanos where La Asunción is the
patron saint. Father Orellana had prepared a group of confirmations that
looked very good at the patronal mass. And I had lunch in the company of the
parish priests of that vicarage of Mejicanos with whom we talked about very
interesting things about our pastoral care, especially about the base ecclesial
communities.
At seven at night, in the Church of San José de la Montaña, the seminarians
had prepared a mass with the participation of many priests, many nuns and
faithful. Truly a tribute that filled my heart. Father Cortés, before my homily,
presented that tribute as the best gift that the priests and people of God
could give me on my birthday. After the mass, a young man from the
Ecumenical Christian Student Movement presented a letter in solidarity with
the nomination of my name for the Nobel Peace Prize to ask everyone to sign
this effort to that petition, and with applause they expressed their willingness
to sign that they later carried it out on the way out of the Church.
After the mass there was also a coexistence with the seminarians and other
communities that was also very joyful and very friendly.
THURSDAY, August 16, 1979
At eight in the morning, the religious of the Sacred Heart, the teaching staff
and the students of the Marie Paul school offered me a very loving tribute.
At eleven o'clock I celebrated in Chalatenango with the communities of that
head of the vicariate and with the seminarians and all the priests and nuns.
But before arriving at the mass, an Army checkpoint made me get out of the
car, examine me like any suspect, and it is clear that there is a desire to show
off their arrogance in front of the Church. Also during the mass there was a
lot of surveillance on the part of the military, may God forgive them!
At seven at night, the patron saint mass of San Jacinto, in the neighborhood
of the same name that the Pauline Fathers take care of. It was also a very
cordial ceremony.
FRIDAY, August 17, 1979
For this day the meeting of bishops was called; I attended at the time, but
Monsignor Aparicio had convinced the other bishops to suspend this meeting
for fear that the priests who were meeting would also force a dialogue with
the bishops.
Although Monsignor Rivera and I opposed suspending the meeting and
following it normally, the opinion of withdrawing prevailed, although the
priests had no such intention.
At noon, a nun from the United States came to present me with greetings
from her congregation, also bringing greetings from some bishops, especially
those who work with Latinos, and to express her feeling of solidarity from all
those beloved Churches of North America.
At six in the afternoon I had dinner with the third-year seminarians and I will
try to instill more this intimacy, since very soon they will be our priests.
SATURDAY, August 18, 1979
This day a group of priests, nuns and Christian communities began three days
of prayer and fasting in the Church of the Rosary. They have explained their
objectives to me and I have respected their initiative, recommending
maximum caution so as not to compromise the Archdiocese. The
Coordinating and Information Committee has been informing me and I
believe that it is an ecclesial priestly initiative; The spiritual value of prayer
and fasting will prevail and will result in a prophetic denunciation, as they
assure, to stop this wave of crimes, of abuses in which the priests themselves
have been victims.

I had to go to Usulután to preside over the promotion of the Usulután
Technological Institute, since this promotion was nominated with my name
and in a feeling of gratitude I went to be with them. I presided over the Te
Deum in the Church and the cultural event where they received their
graduation, at the Alameda Theater. I expressed my gratitude and gave them
some words of guidance and encouragement for a youth who, with their
bachelor's degree, is another hope for our country. I visited the Franciscan
sisters who were very cordial to me. I took them to that city and I am happy
how they have flourished in their San Agustín school-College and in other
pastoral works in the city and in neighboring towns.
I went to lunch in Santa Elena where the parish priest, Father Rodas, is my
seminary classmate and where Monsignor Rivera was, since it was the town's
patron saint's day. There were several priests with whom I cordially shared
the moments of lunch.
I returned to celebrate the mass of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, on the
novena of Sister María Mercedes, who died nine days ago.
SUNDAY, 19 August 1979
As the Cathedral is still occupied by workers on hunger strike, I celebrated for
the second time in the Rosary Church. The priests who have begun their
three days of prayer and fasting since yesterday, asked me to allow them to
concelebrate with me and I gladly did so; Even at the time of the homily I
explained to the people the presence of so many priests and asked one of the
priests to explain the objective of that prayer and that fast. I distinguished, so
that the people would not be confused, that it was not an occupation of the
temple or a hunger strike, but rather an ecclesial act that I believe I have no
reason to prohibit. It is an action that, with the forces of Christianity, prayer
and fasting and the objectives also seem healthy to me, since it is the search
for greater unity of the Church, mainly of its hierarchy. And, at the same time,
cry out on behalf of the people who are hungry in the face of so much
injustice with which they are being trampled. Father Moreno explained, after
my homily, the objective and it seems to me that the idea was very clear.
Even after mass, many of those attending mass showed solidarity with that
group all day.
After mass, I went to the canton of Los Sitios, Dulce Nombre de María, where
they celebrated the corn festival.
A military checkpoint at the entrance of the town carried out the well-known
search, in which they do not respect the presence of the Archbishop who is
going to visit the town that he has to visit for reasons of his ministry and they
are suspicious to the point of examining all the things that were taken. in the
car. May God forgive you and enlighten you!
The event was extremely pleasant, although under a heatwave sun we
celebrated the Holy Mass. I preached to them of the bread of life to which
the bread of the earth must rise. The tortilla of our corn; and that we would
thank God, but that we would elevate to God all these gifts that he gives us. I
called for the civilization of love. The National Guard, who arrived while the
mass was being celebrated, attended the homily and took care of that group,
although there was no need to give this military appearance.
At night, I had dinner with the engineer Carlos García Prieto and his wife
Antonieta. A very interesting conversation, although it seems to me very
inclined towards capitalism, even with criticism of the current action of the
Church, but always in a respectful way.
MONDAY, August 20, 1979
I celebrated mass in the Church of San Antonio Abad, where this mass crowns
the patron saint festivities of the Assumption of the Virgin, which continues
to this day. In the ordinary office of the Curia, several visits.
TUESDAY, August 21, 1979
Pastoral Commission. Interesting meeting chaired by Father Octavio Cruz,
new secretary of this Commission. I was only able to reach the end and they
informed me of the good results.
There is a special record.
This morning I went to celebrate mass at the Betania School, in Santa Tecla,
for Sister Rosa, a little old lady, one of the founders, who died yesterday. I
preached about religion, the religious, testimony of a baptism that has been
taken to its consequences, imploring that the baptism that our people receive
be taken more seriously, so as not to have a people of baptized pagans. At
62
that mass I had the displeasure of meeting a woman who said that I was not
the same as before and that I had let them down. I didn't want to comment
on anything at all. And I understand that this slander is generalized among all
those who would not want the Church to touch their petty interests.
In the afternoon, the visit of Sister Paula, a Belgian Christian, who helps us
with great affection from that country and will help us, I hope, in the proposal
that I made to her to build the episcopal house. I also had a visit from Mr.
Carlos Borgonovo and the rector of the University to talk to me about the
current situation of the country, and to mutually seek what paths we can
point to our beloved country, so bloodied and so afflicted. I told them that
this simple fact of caring and coming together was already a sign of hope and
that we should continue searching; I could not give any technical light on my
part, but, as a pastor, I encouraged hope and encouraged those in the know
to collaborate with their knowledge and experiences.
Some meetings of this consultative type may possibly be held at the
university.
WEDNESDAY, August 22, 1979
A busy morning in the Archbishopric, with many visitors. But I had to attend
mainly to the meeting that I had promised with the Council of Administration,
where we evaluated the great work that this Council has done in advising the
Archbishop on the matter of the administration of the assets.
I accepted some deficiencies on my part and promised to correct them and
encourage them to continue working, since their Council is extremely useful
for the administration of the Curia.
Visit of young people from Mexico who left very impressed with the work
being carried out in our Archdiocese. Also visit from a representative of the
Christian Democratic Party of Latin America, with whom we also talked about
the situation in the country and he expressed the good role that the Church is
playing.
The closing mass of the days of prayer and fasting took place in El Rosario. I
asked the Presbyteral Senate for advice, who suggested that I not attend,
since it was a debated event, and my participation could bias, rather than
unite, the clergy of the Archdiocese.
THURSDAY, August 23, 1979
An interesting evaluation with the priests who are attending the dialogue
with the Christian Democratic Party and businessmen from San Salvador.
Father Estrada, Monsignor Urioste, Father Jesús Delgado and Father Cortés.
In summary, the various meetings that have been held have been
characterized by progress in mutual understanding and that the Church has
had the opportunity to clarify several misunderstandings and that it is moving
positively towards better knowledge and broader horizons in favor of the
solution. of the crisis in our country.
Meeting with the new managers of theRadio YSAX and Criterio typography,
together with the Administrator, the Vicar General and others interested in
social media. The affection and enthusiasm with which work is being done to
disseminate the thought of the Archbishopric is very interesting. Several
deficiencies were pointed out. Some improvements were indicated that will
take advantage of the dissemination of our thoughts.
In the afternoon, visits from journalists and television at the Hospital de la
Divina Providencia. And at seven at night, a meeting with the seminarians of
the Archdiocese, where we clarified a little the conflict that exists with the
Seminary team regarding the fact that several students of the Mayor went to
participate in the days of fasting and prayer, without having counted on said
equipment. Naturally, they were urged to ask for forgiveness and to reconcile
and dialogue, from now on not to take actions on their own initiative.
FRIDAY, August 24, 1979
Today I went to celebrate the patron saint's day of Arcatao, in honor of San
Bartolomé Apóstol; Very picturesque trip, but the road is quite bad due to the
storm that has been falling even this morning. At the Sumpul River we are
greeted by a checkpoint made up of Chalatenango troops and agents from
the National Police. They made us descend, we were the priests of
Chalatenango, some nuns and I. They stopped us quite a bit, we were patient
and after our registration, we moved on. Upon arriving at the town of
Arcatao, a strong contingent of the National Guard detained us again. For the
first time, they make me put my hands on the car and search me. They search

everyone. An American journalist from Boston was with me, who realized and
was alarmed, above all, he felt the defenselessness of our people against the
Armed Forces of our country.
After the registration and search, which was witnessed by the sisters of
Arcatao who were very close, we continued where the people were already
waiting for us and enthusiastically hailed our arrival and we continued
accompanied by a large number of faithful towards the Church. One of the
military leaders told me that they had orders to take care of me and to leave
me, and that they were going to be in the Church to keep watch. I told them
that it was not necessary, that I rather asked them to take care of the people
and that the military presence in the Church did not do much honor, given
the situation of the country. But we continued our march and it seems that at
first they were in the Church, although later a nun convinced them that it was
better not to be there. And they went to make captures in other parts that
already sowed a little nervousness in the environment. But the Church was
completely full of faithful and when I spoke to them about Saint
Bartholomew I told them that he had been skinned, precisely, for his fidelity
to the Gospel and that God sometimes asked us for sacrifices, for us to have
serenity and courage and to continue teaching the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It
was a nice party; Afterwards we went to the convent where they gave me a
singing event with very beautiful messages and where we had a family
conversation with part of the people, and at lunch time, with the catechists
from the various cantons, who began a very interesting dialogue with their
pastor. We returned quite late and the commitments I had for the night were
fulfilled by Father Moreno and the nuns of the Hospital of Divina Providencia.
SATURDAY, August 25, 1979
I celebrated mass in San Juan Opico on the occasion of a beautiful group of
young people who were preparing for their confirmation. Many children
arrived, young people from the neighboring parish of Tacachico. It was a very
lively mass. The Church was filled and we gave the liturgical meaning all the
importance on the occasion of a confirmation.
After the mass, which was attended by several priests from the vicarage, I
spoke with a very significant group of catechists, true supporters of the parish
priest. A confirmation group, which had delays due to transportation
deficiencies, was confirmed in this parish hall, resulting in a new ceremony of
great animation for the catechists.
In the afternoon, I held a family party at the Liceo Salvadoreño. A young girl
who turned fifteen and the family belongs to my old diocese of Santiago de
María.
SUNDAY, August 26, 1979
The Sunday mass, which was very well attended, as usual, I had to celebrate
in the Rosary Church, since the Cathedral is occupied by political groups.
There were several journalists and representatives of foreign television
stations at the mass.
In the afternoon, I went to celebrate the second anniversary of the death of...
This afternoon I went to the El Salitre canton, in the Parish of Tejutla, in the
department of Chalatenango. The second anniversary of the catechist Felipe
de Jesús Chacón was celebrated there, who was cruelly murdered by having
his face skinned two years ago. An admirable man who left a wonderful
testimony, lovingly collected by Cursillos in Christianity, above all, since,
starting from a Cursillo in Christianity, he dedicated himself to working for the
Kingdom of God in a very edifying way. The mass was very crowded and we
could not celebrate it inside the Church, we had to take the altar outside. I
did not have time to chat with those communities that had arrived because I
had another commitment in the community of La Palma, where the second
anniversary of the “La Semilla de Dios” cooperatives was being celebrated. It
is a very important and curious social work, because it has managed to raise
the level of that poor and helpless region. It's picturesque. It is a cool summit.
We celebrated mass outdoors and there was a lot of attendance. I tried to
give the message that work and prayer are the strength of man.
CHAPTER 18 Year 1979
DIARY from August 27 to September 16, 1979
MONDAY, August 27, 1979
63
The ladies of the Archdiocesan Board of Cáritas gave me a lunch, where I also
tried to leave a message of love, which is what the Church needs so much
today.
TUESDAY, August 28, 1979
The most important thing about this morning, which was very busy in the
Archbishopric, was the visit that we later went to make with Messrs. Poma
and De Sola. Two leaders of private companies who are very concerned about
the situation in the country and wanted to share their opinion with me on
this matter, since, according to them, the Church is the only one that has a
moral voice that can lead the country. I was grateful for this appreciation, I
tried to listen to their opinions and to frankly give mine as well. Although we
do not agree on everything, I believe they accept the harsh demand of the
Gospel, that true peace can only be made if true justice is done. And I very
much emphasized that it was necessary to change the social, economic, and
political structure in the country. At least, let the people see that this
transformation is beginning seriously, otherwise we cannot stop this wave of
violence.
In the afternoon, we had a very important meeting at the house of the
Passionist Sisters of Planes de Renderos to evaluate precisely the result of
these conversations that have been held with businessmen and with the
Christian Democratic political party and other leading sectors of our society.
representation of the Church: the Vicar General, Monsignor Urioste,
Monsignor Cortez, Father Jesús Delgado, and Father Estrada. We evaluated a
situation of the Church in this environment and frankly it was like "putting
the thermometer" on our own Church and better orienting our pastoral work.
We were not able to finish it and we agreed to meet tomorrow at noon at the
Hospital of Divina Providencia.
In the evening, I had dinner with the grassroots community group organized
in Santa Tecla by Father Rafael Palacios. His memory saturated everything
with very beautiful testimonies of a man who in a hidden way could do so
much good. For my part, I expressed to them the relationship of the bishop
with a priest and, specifically, with Father Rafael and how, through the priest,
the bishop and the community they manage to form a single spirit, a single
family that I begged them to continue preserving in a truly community and
ecclesiastical sense.
WEDNESDAY, August 29, 1979
I couldn't go to San Juan Cojutepeque where the patron saint's day is
celebrated today. I attended several journalists and representatives of foreign
television in the archiepiscopal Curia.
A Franciscan Father from those who work in Gotera came in the afternoon,
along with a nun. He is Irish and she is English and they told me the result of
their trip to their country on the occasion of the vacation they had and how
they managed to create enough atmosphere to show solidarity with our
country. Personally, they brought me very meaningful greetings and an
invitation to go to Ireland, which I told them was very difficult for me given
the situation and, above all, the language barrier, which I do not know how to
speak perfectly. There was another journalist there in the afternoon and at
night, although they test patience, however, I think it is a wonderful
opportunity to spread the word and thought of the Pastor.
THURSDAY, August 30, 1979
An important visit from the Central Campesina. A group of field workers who
expressed their desire to show solidarity with the Church and ask for its
specific collaboration. For my part, I offered them that I was happy to do so.
Another very nice meeting was that of the parish priests of the Mejicanos
vicarage. In the house of the Belgian nun, next to Domus Mariae, we talked
very friendly and intimately about their relations with the Bishop. I began by
expressing to them my desire to hear with complete frankness suggestions
and even complaints, to improve my relationship with them. Second, the
relationship between themselves was extremely frank. They took out all their
flaws and encouraged themselves to cultivate their good qualities and their
friendship, which is very noticeable. And, finally, relations with the laity,
which is where many psychological and pastoral difficulties arise, but the
atmosphere was extremely cordial and very encouraging.

FRIDAY, August 31, 1979
This day marks the year of death of our remembered Monsignor Valladares,
since Sunday I asked for prayers for him, since I always feel him so close.
In the Archbishopric, several visits. The main one, the Colonia Dolores Parish
Commission, with Mr. Tomás Sánchez Zelaya, an old friend, who are willing to
now build the convent, since they have almost finished the Church and also
continue with the construction of a parish school. I gave them all my
enthusiasm and they also have their own organization and their generous
collaboration.
I had lunch at Don Pepe Simán, who is on the eve of a trip to the United
States. The cordiality of this home, which gives me a lot of friendship, is also
an oasis for me in my work.
I was not able to hold the meeting with the third-year seminarians, but we
have moved it to next Wednesday.
SATURDAY, September 1, 1979
We had the usual Holy Hour at the Hospital of Divine Providence where many
people attended. The epistle of James that was read this Sunday gave me a
wonderful opportunity to talk about the Father, superior to all the light of the
stars and where all good comes from, and invites us to intimacy with him.
There was a baptism at the mass, which I also took advantage of to catechize
in the baptismal commitment of Christians.
SUNDAY, September 2, 1979
Father Manuel Loarca and the Daughters of Charity religious who work in that
region had invited me in time to celebrate a confirmation of young people.
The crowd was immense; It didn't fit in the Church and it had to be done at
the neighboring school. They were well prepared and there was real youthful
enthusiasm, as the majority were fifteen year olds. It was a precious offering
with baskets of the products of that land. An atmosphere of cordiality and joy
that makes us think about how beautiful a liturgy is when it has truly been
understood by life. Many communities that receive continuous cultivation
from those pastoral agents, parish priests, nuns and many lay people, true
catechists of serious commitment.
MONDAY, September 3, 1979
The main thing about this day was my visit to La Chacra, an extremely poor
region where the Sisters of La Asunción work. Swiss television wanted to get
the impression of the Church in all our sectors and just as yesterday they
were with me, along with other Mexican journalists, in Ateos, today they
were taking various aspects of the miserable, but joyful and Christian life of
this community of La Chacra . I entered small houses where the storm that is
falling wets the walls and floor. Many times, the wall is the ravine to which a
tin roof has been attached. The journalists were extremely impressed by this
situation of misery and human proliferation: there were many children
coming from everywhere.
I ended the day having dinner at the Carmelite Institute, since the postulants
who are going to leave this week had invited me and gave me a cordial
reception. I encouraged them to be faithful to their vocation and, in a joyful
and familiar way, a very encouraging moment in our lives passed.
TUESDAY, September 4, 1979
Meeting of the clergy, on the theme "Basic Communities", we occupied the
entire day. There was a very serious discussion about the article published by
Father Luis Montesinos, in which he criticized various aspects of the
Archdiocese.
And it gave me great pleasure to see the solidarity and unity with their Bishop
of the entire clergy, except for a few who, not because of a lack of
communion, but because they do not agree on many things, also have the
frankness to express it. I said this at the end, that all these tensions, as long
as they were maintained in communion, were a sign of health; that we
sought, nothing more, to make the supreme values ​of charity and unity
prevail.
WEDNESDAY, September 5, 1979
64
I listened to a Swiss television recording taken in Arcatao of ORDEN
representatives, who openly point out the nuns as instigators of subversion in
the various cantons. I already referred to this in Sunday's homily as a slander
and it truly is, since these people have not understood what almost all the
people have understood, the evangelizing mission of these nuns who are
doing a lot well in that region.
The Oblates of the Sacred Heart also came who are going to take over the
Jayaque Parish, since there is no priest there and they are also very animated
by the pastoral spirit.
A group of priests from the various dioceses met in the hall of the Parish of
San José de la Montaña to evaluate their activity on fasting and prayer in the
Church of the Rosary.
Throughout this week, Swiss television has been among us with the task of
taking on aspects of the Archbishop's life. That is why we have seen them
perform at the eight o'clock mass on SUNDAY, at the meeting of the clergy
and in the offices of the archiepiscopal Curia, as well as in the Hospital of
Divina Providencia, taking scenes from the dining room, the chapel and of the
sick, to indicate the residence of the Archbishop. A journalist from Sweden
also came who has visited various opinions from various sectors of national
life and also wanted to interview the Archbishop about the pastoral aspect of
this situation.
THURSDAY, September 6, 1979
A very active morning, between visits, meetings, and ended with the lunch to
which the Fathers of Opus Dei had invited me. They told me all their work
among professionals, university students and also workers, maids. It is a silent
work of great spirituality. I had the opportunity, after lunch, to watch a report
on Italian television about the founder of Opus Dei, where he insisted on the
values ​of prayer and the sanctification of the lay people's own vocation. It
seems to me that it is a mine of wealth for our Church, the holiness of the
layman in his own profession.
In the afternoon, the Social Security nurses had asked me for a mass, which I
gladly celebrated, to thank God for having resolved the problems of their just
claims in a peaceful, rational manner. And I told them that I wish all the
country's conflicts would be resolved through these paths and that one day
we would thank God, not only for this aspect of the economic-social problem
that they were in Social Security, but also for everything the country in its
various complex problems.
I went to dinner with the secretary of Cursillos de Cristiandad. It was a family
dinner and in which I introduced a topic that was deepened very Christianly
and evangelically: the topic of UNITY; asking them to fraternally point out to
me what paths I could follow to find unity with my dear brother bishops,
because if I am the cause of any hindrance to this unity, I am willing to amend
it. The frankness with which they spoke to me, where the positive prevailed,
was extremely pleasing to me. They told me that unity has to be based on
Gospel criteria, that unity is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and that the people
interpret that Spirit many times better than the hierarchy itself and that,
according to these evangelical criteria and the Holy Spirit, no There was no
doubt that the line we have adopted in the Archbishopric is the work of God.
And that, if they separate it, criticize it, oppose it, we must not seek unity
outside of this Spirit, but rather ask for conversion for all and that I myself
also try to be faithful to the Spirit and the Gospel, converting more and more
to its inspirations.
FRIDAY, September 7, 1979
It was a tragic day. The news broke of the murder of the brother of the
President of the Republic, a retired professor who lived in Apopa. The
secretary came to visit me, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense,
Colonel Iraheta, who told me that the President and the Minister of Defense
and other Government men had talked at the wake of the deceased, about
the danger that I was in and that they offered me the security that I would
like, even an armored car. I thanked him, sent my greetings to the President,
giving him my condolences for the death of his brother, and respectfully
telling him that I did not accept that protection, since I wanted to run the
same risks that the people are running; that would be anti-testimony
pastoral, I walk very safely, while my people are so insecure. I took the
opportunity to ask him, rather, for protection for the people in certain areas
where checkpoints, military operations wreak so much havoc, or, at least,

sow so much terror. I told him that I myself had been the object of these
humiliations when upon entering Arcatao they placed me with my hands up
and searched me. He was surprised, asked for my forgiveness and said that
they would try to see that many times the subjects transgress the rules that
have been given to them. I also spoke to him a lot about the situation of
tolerance that is evident in certain crimes; I mentioned the murders of our
priests that have been left without investigation; Sometimes, the suspension
of these investigations seems voluntary. In short, it was a conversation that
seemed useful to me, in the sense of respectful complaint to those who can
provide a remedy.
It's first Friday and there have been many communions. I went to confess at
the Church of Carmen with the Jesuit Fathers, where I saw how this devotion
to the Heart of Jesus is flourishing.
He had promised to go to Paisnal to celebrate a mass next to the tomb of
Padre Grande; since Swiss television also wanted to carry this memory of the
tomb of the Father, who was the first to fall into this series of crimes against
our clergy; But they advised me that, given Apopa's crime, there were many
operations out there and that I could take some risks, which were not worth
it, since it was not a pastoral goal, but rather a pandering to television.
Therefore, we warned by radio that the mass was not going to be held and
next SUNDAY, when I will go to celebrate another mass in the same area of
​Aguilares, we will visit the tomb of Padre Grande.
In the evening, a meeting with the major seminarians of the Archbishopric.
They referred to the meetings they have had with the rector, Father Goyo,
about the activity of fasting and prayer in the Rosary Church. Five meetings in
which they have been able to evaluate and draw very positive conclusions,
but at the same time, discover problems that were precisely what we tried to
discuss in this meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, two emissaries from
North American ecumenism were present; He, a pastor of the Methodist
Church and she, Brazilian, who works at the Ecumenical Secretariat in the
United States. They shared a moment affectionately with the seminarians
and said goodbye very pleased.
With the group of seminarians we delved quite deeply into the topic of
UNITY, into the topic of mutual respect with the team, about the Seminary
being a true center of unity for bishops, priests and for the seminarians
themselves. In short, I think it was a very rich meeting in which I also began
the work so that the commission of priests would be responsible for more
intense work in the formation of our clergy and in the good relations of the
Archbishopric with the team of formators of the Seminar.
SATURDAY, September 8, 1979
I have spent preparing my homily for tomorrow night, the information they
give me, like every Saturday, to complete the information and complaint table
of the homily. The afternoon was also very beautiful in the Santa Luisa
chapel, where on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Walter
Deininger school, several sacraments were celebrated: baptism, confirmation
and the marriage of several couples. A nice way to express how the school is
a true pastoral irradiation, when given the full sense of evangelization that a
Catholic school should be.
SUNDAY, September 9, 1979
For the second time, I had to celebrate mass in the Basilica of the Sacred
Heart, since the Cathedral and the Church of the Rosary remain occupied.
The attendance seemed bigger to me. Someone highlighted the immense
number of men who attend this mass. A Methodist pastor from the United
States and a secretary of the World Secretariat of Churches from that country
were also present. The homily inspired by the miracle of the healing of the
deaf-mute gave me the opportunity to present Christ as THE TRUE
LIBERATOR, who does not destroy, but rather remakes and projects all the
dimensions of men, the transcendent and the historical-social. After the
mass, I went to preside over the solemn profession of perpetual photos of a
Passionist nun in the Church of Concepción. A very beautiful ceremony that
served me to call all the baptized to live their baptism seriously, since
religious profession is not a different sacrament, but rather baptism itself
carried to very serious and very sanctifying consequences and of great
cooperation for the Church.
After a frugal lunch at the house of the Passionists, I went to Aguilares, where
we were going to celebrate the ninth day of the murder of Jesús Jiménez, a
great catechist, whom there they call "the man of the Gospel."
65
In the afternoon, I went to Aguilares to celebrate the novena of the murder
of the catechist Jesús Jiménez, whom they call "the man of the Gospel",
because despite being illiterate, he had his biblical notes, which he was
choosing for certain circumstances, and He was very faithful to his role as
community coordinator and was mysteriously murdered. They found his body
already taken to the Mayor's Office, from where the women had to take it to
the canton where the mass that I went to celebrate was, a little far from the
parish seat. Great attendance from communities that are promoted in all
those places, a very exciting mass. Swiss television, which wanted to capture
this celebration, told me its impressions, very pleasant, very original. After
the mass, we went to visit the tomb of Father Grande, to Paisnal, where the
television was also there to capture some views of that venerated place, for
the Archdiocese. There was a lot of fear in the atmosphere. People watched
from afar, but they didn't come closer. An ear, as we say, was very close
spying on what we were doing and you could see the National Guard about
half a block away, where they have their headquarters, also very restless. In
short, an abnormal situation, a psychosis that has been created in all these
places so tormented by repression.
MONDAY, September 10, 1979
This morning I met with the pro-seminary Council. Father Sigfredo, rector of
the Minor Seminary, is in charge of the affairs of the Seminary and I have
pressured him to study, with the entire commission that was appointed and
that has not worked, the delicate situation of the Interdiocesan Seminary in
relation to the Archbishopric. A tension that, above all, before the bishops
has led to a division, since Monsignor Aparicio has withdrawn almost all the
students from the Seminary to take them to Mexico and the Seminary team
also studies a series of problems that they encounter in their relationship
with our Archdiocese. There is discontent among the boys of the Major
Seminary and it is urgent to prevent a greater disaster, an expulsion of several
boys who could be very valuable priests. The entire problem was widely
discussed and the need for a dialogue with the Seminar team was seen, but
for this we must better prepare the material and we will meet to continue
this dialogue next Friday.
I went to lunch at the Guadalupano School where I saw the Provincial, who is
Salvadoran, and I encouraged the nuns who work in Arcatao and who,
practically, have been expelled from there, due to the situation of the
Government, and I tried to justify this work to the Provincial. , so
misunderstood by many, of the human promotion of that region. Meanwhile,
the sisters from Arcatao are helping me in the secretariat.
At night, I went to the ultreya. Cursillos de Cristiandad received me with great
affection and after my intervention, I invited the entire group to stay to
discuss the urban pastoral project.
Very good suggestions arose, but the main one was that courses, having as
one of their charisms the Christian animation of the environments, will study
the environments of the capital and the metropolitan area, in order to lay as
a basis the study of a adequate pastoral care.
TUESDAY, September 11, 1979
Following a wish from the Nuncio, I went to visit him. He was very cordial, he
told me that the main purpose of the visit was to communicate to me the
concern of the President of the Republic about my safety, that he sees many
dangers and that he offered me security. I repeated to the Nuncio what
Colonel Iraheta said, who also came on behalf of the President to offer me
the same security, that he was willing to run the same risks as the people,
that it would be very difficult for me to present myself defended, while the
people suffer defenseless. . And that we had confidence in God that he would
protect us. The Nuncio referred to my homily last Sunday to praise me and
tell me that I had spoken well and that he understood that I was between two
enemies, the right and the left, and that he understood that the position was
very delicate.
I thanked him for his deference; I discussed other matters, such as that of the
Ecclesiastical Court, which is urgently reorganized, and I begged him to
intervene before the Episcopal Conference so that this national department
of the Church could function.
There was a meeting in the morning of the Pastoral Commission; very lively.
We evaluate the past meeting of the clergy and project various pastoral
aspects with all sincerity and candor. I spoke with Father Gámez, who has

problems in Chalatenango. And the Catholic Relief Service also came to visit
me to explain to me the difficulties that exist with the Carmelite congregation
in Santa Tecla, because the center that, with the help of this institution, has
operated there is being used for another purpose. I promised to intervene so
that justice was done and, above all, for the good of our pastoral care. He
also offered me this North American institution, CRS, willing to help me in
matters that the Church had to face for emergency reasons. I proposed to
him that we were living in an emergency, that there were many families of
missing people, murdered people, captured people who needed to be
helped. And he thought it was good that a fund was created for this aid and
he will be interested in better institutionalizing this way of doing good.
In the afternoon, we had a social media meeting. The secretary, Miss Doris
Osegueda, was there; the radio manager; Father Moreno, in charge of the
Social Communication Council; the Vicar General, Monsignor Urioste; Father
Torruella. And we discussed various aspects of the radio, La Prensa and other
complementary publications. Father Fabián Amaya was also present, who
proposed programming that would undoubtedly improve the operation of
the radio for the good of pastoral care, catechesis, and liturgy, which are the
purposes of our Church.
At night, a phone call to the Hospital informed the Mother Superior that they
were already coming for the ten thousand colones that I had offered to kill
someone. The Mother was very alarmed and forced me to go sleep
somewhere else, although I told her: "They are anonymous calls to sow
psychosis, rest assured"; However, the alarm spread, but everything was in
vain.
WEDNESDAY, September 12, 1979
A morning of many private visits; Standing out among them was the YSU
radio interview, to broadcast on the Central American network, the question,
mainly about the situation of the Church in the midst of this conflict in the
country.
I had lunch with Fathers Ellacuría and Jon Sobrino, who have just returned
from participating in scientific conferences or meetings. Both told me about
the good reputation that our Archdiocese has in other environments. In
Germany, Father Sobrino saw my homilies translated into German and I spoke
with Protestant pastors, who are praying intensely for our line of the
Archbishopric; Just as they also promised me the prayers of thousands of
coreligionists. Father Ellacuría gave me great encouragement when he told
me about the interview with Father Arrupe, in Rome; and at the same time,
Father Arrupe's interview with the Holy Father; The Pope expressly asked
Father Arrupe about me, who gave him glowing comments on my pastoral
work and my preaching; which seems to have greatly influenced the
judgments of the Holy Father. Thus, it was also evident that he was surprised
when Father Arrupe informed him that there were already six priests
murdered in the country. It gave the impression that the Pope was not given
objective information about the situation of the Church in our country. Thank
God, everything has been very positive for our Archdiocese in this
relationship between the two Jesuits and Europe.
In the afternoon, a new interview on Swiss television, after having had an
interview with the President of the Republic, who said that I was preaching
politics and that in doing so I was disobeying the Constitution, and that this
was a sign of the freedom that there is in the country. I had the opportunity
to explain to Swiss television that it is not a political preaching, but an
evangelical one that illuminates politics as the Council commands us when it
remembers the right and obligation that the Church has to illuminate, from
Christian ethics, the various human activities. , among which is political
activity.
Another interesting interview this afternoon was with Mother Teresa
Margarita, general superior of the Carmelites of San José, to recommend that
she not take the purposes of CESPROR, a promotion house that the
Carmelites have in Santa Tecla, to another objective; since, according to
references from the Catholic Relief Service, which has helped a lot in this
work, it seems that they want to suspend the work of promoting women that
has done so much good, to dedicate this house for the purposes of the
congregation.
The Mother was surprised that these things were known and expressed that
it was going to be a momentary suspension, and then return to the end, since
they did not have money to continue this work. But I have noticed in all your
comments, rather a fear of the line of the Archbishopric, undoubtedly due to
influences, which I suspect are from the Nunciature itself; and may this make
the Mother retreat in a work, which we all see, which is of great good for our
66
pastoral care. I agreed to talk with Catholic Relief Service, which, in due time,
promised to continue helping me so that this work was not suspended.
THURSDAY, September 13, 1979
The morning newspapers, El Diario de Hoy and La Prensa, present on a full
page the homily of Monsignor Aparicio in San Vicente, the last Sunday. It is a
tremendous condemnation of the priests, whom he says he cannot defend
and almost accuses and exposes them to murder; saying that the priests who
were killed were purged by the left itself and that there are priests
committed to the left who cannot retreat without being killed. We have met
with other priests who are very outraged by this very dangerous accusation.
In the comment ofRadio YSAX The Monsignor's attitude was harshly
criticized, which is not at all pastoral, and the priests have undertaken to
study how to confront Monsignor Aparicio to make him see the seriousness
of his accusation and, at the same time, show solidarity with the priests of
that Diocese.
We had a meeting with the Pastoral Steering Committee to talk, mainly, with
Monsignor Urioste, who until now has been the Vicar of Pastoral, so that he
could give us his experience and help us with the administrative aspect. He
was very understanding and said that he left everything in the hands of the
commission and offered to continue providing all his services for the good of
the Diocese. I clarified that this new organization does not take anything
away from Monsignor Urioste, since he is the Vicar General and as such he is
very united with the Bishop to oversee all the pastoral aspects of the Diocese.
Furthermore, it is the Vicar of Administration which is the sector, in the
current organization of the Pastoral Care of the Diocese, being therefore the
main commission of the pastoral care to which the entire administration is
subordinate; He, as Vicar General and Vicar of Administration, is the best link
between the pastoral life of the Archdiocese and the Pastoral Commission.
He understood perfectly and is very cordially united with this new effort to
give life to a pastoral commission, which will be the director of all this main
work of the Church in the Archdiocese.
At lunch time, I had the satisfaction that the Guadalupana sisters, who take
care of my Secretariat, also take care of the small kitchen and personal dining
room, where with them, in the form of a very cordial community, we had
lunch and talked about the problems of the Diocese. It seems to me, then,
that it is a moment of pastoral solace, very useful for my life and for the life of
the Curia.
In the afternoon, after resting, in my own room that I prepared in the Curia,
which I had almost never occupied, I spoke with the seminarians who had
asked me for an audience. I also saw in this another advantage of staying for
lunch so that I could dedicate the early hours of the afternoon to this very
useful work of personally orienting the seminarians. There were four
seminarians who had requested an audience and who had personal problems
that, I realized, how necessary it is for the pastor to know his seminarians
more intimately. The day ended with a dinner at Mr. Viéytez's house, where
there were very current and very rich conversations about experience, the
world and politics.
FRIDAY, September 14, 1979
It is the day of the exaltation of the Holy Cross and the College of Divine
Providence, directed by the Passionist Sisters, celebrates the College mass
today. It was in the Church of Concepción. I went to preside over it; They
offered it for
the eternal rest of José Mauricio Flores; an engineering student, murdered
yesterday, son of a professor at the College, Don Mauricio Flores. At the mass
I said that this murdered young man and the grieving family are the symbol of
many people and families who are suffering in this hour of the country. And
that evoked in us the meaning of the Cross. I urged them to be faithful to
their duties, to make their country not by killing, but by giving life, fulfilling
their duty well.
In the Archbishopric the Seminary Commission meets to study the conditions
that we would like to achieve in a seminarian of our Archdiocese, who is
preparing for our pastoral care. Father Fabián Amaya, Father Rafael Urrutia
and Sigfredo made a beautiful study based on Puebla and other reflections of
a seminary nature. It was commissioned to make some norms with them that
would be our ratio institutionis and the dialogue that would be had with the
team of formators of the Seminary was prepared, in order to achieve a
mutual understanding in the relations of the Archdiocese with the team of

the Seminary. The matter is very delicate and it is necessary to approach it
with courage because the Seminary is the hope of the Archdiocese.
I had a visit from an American journalist. I also participated in the meeting
held at the Hospital of Divina Providencia by priests from the diocese of San
Vicente. I offered them my support and that I was at their orders, since their
own bishop in his homily last Sunday abandoned them and almost accused
them of a dangerous line, which is highly persecuted by the Government.
I was not able to go to Cojutepeque for the confirmations that would be held
this afternoon because there have been many disturbances in the city and
there are many checkpoints on the highway that goes to Cojutepeque. In the
city, a demonstration of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc was being prepared,
which was dissolved by gunfire by members of the security forces. There have
been deaths and injuries. There have been burning of buses and the
demonstration was dissolved. There is a lot of expectation for tonight and
tomorrow September 15th, since it has been mentioned a lot that there will
be serious things in September. May the Lord allow tempers to calm down
and peace to reign.
SATURDAY, September 15, 1979
It's a sad Independence Day. In addition to the rainy environment, it is an
environment of violence, tragic.
It dawns very desolate because, due to yesterday's riots, the van service lines
have been suspended and there is an atmosphere of fear. However, I was able
to go to Colonia Dolores to celebrate the patron saint's day of the Virgin of
Dolores. I invited people to make it not just the mass of the Colony, but to
make it the mass of the entire country. May we feel solidarity with the great
needs and problems of the country and, using the Virgin at the foot of the
cross as our intercessor, we would ask the Divine Redeemer for the graces of
salvation for our beloved people.
There was a nice number of confirmations, of girls who were already grown,
of some older children, already eight years old, and I have noticed the effort
of Father Mamerto together with a Sister of Charity and other catechists in
properly preparing the reception of this sacrament of the Spirit Holy. I also
met several members of the Committee of that Church, encouraging them to
continue the work, not only of finishing the Church, but of building the
convent and the parish school.
I spent the rest of the day in the Hospital, preparing the homily and reflecting
on the situation in the country.
At night, the Guadalupana sisters of Arcatao informed me that they had
received an appointment from the director of Immigration, who is already in
agreement with the Mexican consul, to define their situation. They fear that
it is an expulsion from the country. Monsignor Urioste will go to accompany
them and I gave them encouragement and serenity. I told them that after
mass, tomorrow, we would see each other.
With Father Moreno and Beto Cuéllar we prepared the set of information
that is tremendously tragic; of violence, of kidnappings, of labor problems
throughout this week. May the Lord always inspire my word to be fair in my
assessments.
SUNDAY, September 16, 1979
It dawns extremely rainy. Mass cannot yet be held in the Cathedral because
there are many damages as a result of the occupation, which was long, by the
Popular Revolutionary Bloc. However, there were many people in the Basilica
of the Sacred Heart. There were television services from other countries and
a reporter from Le Monde, from France. There has been a very affectionate
welcome, especially when I told them in the homily that the Holy Father had
asked about me, as in fact, it was the news that Father Ellacuría brought me,
from an interview by Father Arrupe, after having traveled through Central
America. And that Father Arrupe had expressed to him the actions of the
Archbishopric of San Salvador in very complimentary terms, mainly with
regard to the teaching work from the Sunday homily. There was other
information and, above all, the allusion that the Pope made in an Angelus
address asking for prayers for El Salvador. With this principle, which was
applauded by the people, I began a homily about CHRIST, THE TRUE MESSIAH.
And I was explaining the false messianisms, since the readings lent
themselves...
At night, I went to the Parish of San Francisco de Mejicanos to inaugurate the
new parish priest, Father Juan Macho Merino, a Passionist, since this
congregation is going to take charge of this sector of the Archdiocese and
67
there will have a group of theologians and philosophers preparing for this
same congregation. Meanwhile, they go to the San José de la Montaña
Seminary or the UCA to receive their instruction. Afterwards there was a
joyful and cordial coexistence in Domus Mariae which is next to the Church.
CHAPTER 19 Year 1979
DIARY from September 17 to October 19, 1979
MONDAY, September 17, 1979
In the quiet atmosphere of the house of the Carmelite sisters of San José, in
Santa Tecla, the Presbyteral Senate met. The main points were to analyze the
serious accusations that Monsignor Aparicio made in his homily last Sunday,
saying that the priests who have been murdered have been killed by leftist
groups, which did not allow them to retreat. The other point was an analysis
of the occupation of the temples.
In the first point, it was agreed to go visit Monsignor Aparicio on behalf of the
Archdiocese, which feels affected, and to make him see the seriousness of his
accusation; the support this gives to the murderers of the priests; ask for
proof because we need to know them, if they really exist; and ask for an
effort of unity with the Episcopate to defend and not to accuse the rights of
our priests and our people. At the same time, information is prepared as
objectively as possible for Rome. Regarding the occupation of temples, it was
rather agreed to study this more slowly in a specific meeting that Father
Federico Sanggiano, parish priest of El Calvario, which has been one of the
Churches most disturbed by the occupation, was commissioned to organize.
The arrival of Father Quintero, who has asked for reconciliation with the
Church, was awaited, but he did not arrive.
Father Sanggiano was also commissioned to speak with him and propose a
spiritual revision and, at the same time, psychiatric treatment. Father David
Rodríguez arrived at the end of our meeting and had lunch with us, and
informed us that there was another new homily by Monsignor Aparicio last
SUNDAY, in which there were serious accusations for the Archdiocese and he
prohibited the reading of the newspaper Orientación in the homes of his
Diocese.
After lunch, Monsignor Urioste came to visit me to report on the interview
with the director of Immigration, where the matter of the Mexican sisters,
who work in Arcatao, was discussed. The Mexican consul went with them,
who, contrary to what Immigration had said, knew nothing about this matter.
The director of Immigration was very rude to the envoy of the Curia, to
Monsignor Urioste, although he later asked for forgiveness for his direct
attack on the line of the Archdiocese, saying that he should excuse himself,
that that was not the intention as it was not in the President, nor in the
Government, because Monsignor Urioste asked him if his attitude towards
him, personally, corresponded to an attitude of the Government. Monsignor
Urioste also gave me three statements from progressive soldiers who are
planning, confidentially, of course, a change of Government on more
democratic bases. This fills us with hope and I hope that soon El Salvador will
breathe better air than the current environment of violence in which we live.
While they were talking with Monsignor Urioste, a phone call came from
Argentine television, asking me to make an assessment of the situation in the
country in one minute. I stood in my position as Archbishop and offered a
brief pastoral vision of how conflictive and explosive our environment is and
of the mission of the Church, preaching peace based on justice. The usual
topic, reduced to one minute.
TUESDAY, September 18, 1979
In the morning we celebrated the General Assembly of the Society of
theRadio YSAX, the Pan American Voice. The new manager, Mr. Teto Samour,
reported on the year's activities, almost all of which were carried out by
Father Rogelio Pedraz, who lately has had to retire because he is a Jesuit and
has work in Guatemala; but it has left a very deep mark on this dissemination
work. I have already written to you expressing my deep gratitude and my
hope that, when circumstances allow, you will be able to work with us again.
The report, also financial, led to the appointment of an auditor who fell to my
brother, Arnoldo. Various aspects of the radio were discussed. There was talk
about the installation of the new equipment and the new antenna, for which
I also wrote a letter to a friend who has land there in Tonacatepeque.

We hope that from there the antenna would spread the Pan-American voice
more widely. There was an atmosphere of optimism and understanding for
this work that, thank God, is providing so much service to our Archdiocese
and the entire Church in El Salvador. In the afternoon, also very important
was the meeting of the Seminary team with the Seminary Commission of the
Archdiocese and with the presence of Monsignor Rivera who is in charge of
the Seminar on behalf of the Episcopate. In that capacity and in his capacity
as bishop of Santiago de María, he made very valuable contributions to the
discussion between the team and the commission, which at first seemed a
little tense and prejudiced; but, thank God, it softened and entered a field of
cordiality to work in a sector that is most important in the life of the Church:
the formation of our future priests. Father Sigfredo Salazar, rector of the
Minor Seminary, was appointed coordinator on behalf of the Archdiocese,
with whom the team of trainers also had tensions, but they were also
softened and it seems that God has greatly blessed this meeting. It was
agreed to continue holding more frequent sessions, discussing such an
important topic.
In the evening, I went to the archdiocesan Caritas meeting. But they had
already finished and I only took the opportunity to express my condolences
to Miss Elsa Herrera, since this meeting was going to be at her house.
WEDNESDAY, September 19, 1979
The work in the Archbishopric began today, giving space to two
photographers from North American magazines who asked me to pose for
them; They entertained me for about fifteen minutes, taking an immense
amount of photographs that I told them was the first time they had forced
me to take so many poses as if I were an artist.
Then followed the work of interviews, most of them today, very poor people
or people distressed by situations of injustice, mothers of missing people, to
whom I tried to say a word of encouragement or give some guidance for their
difficulties. The meeting culminated this morning with work on the
Cathedral's labor economy. The occupations have brought serious disruptions
to worship and the construction of our Cathedral. The Administration
Commission took the problem very cordially and pointed out three solutions:
that the work not be suspended, because if it was suspended it would be
difficult to resume it again and an immense amount of money would be lost,
since the entire structure of the dome would be ruined. . And, therefore, it
was necessary to contribute what was needed to finish the dome, even if it
was taking the money from somewhere else. And it was offered to borrow
from the bank on our same mortgage bonds, or to ask Father Sáenz, who has
been lent money for its construction, to advance its return; or finally, ask the
Priestly Cooperative to accelerate the purchase of the inn that is proposed for
purchase. Everything was specifically entrusted to one of the attendees who,
as I repeat, are all willing to resolve this difficulty. There was also talk of
taking a trip to Europe to visit aid institutions to solve this economic problem,
to which could also be added the need to build a house for the bishop, since
he does not have one, and for the offices of the Curia, which They are also
missing in the Archdiocese.
I went to lunch with the Claretian seminarians, in Santa Tecla. A nice group of
nine boys and a priest who cares for them, with whom we shared moments
of many memories for me with the spirit of the Claretians, who nourished my
first minor seminary in San Miguel. The table and after-dinner dialogue was
very interesting, and they were, I think, very satisfied, just as they also gave
me a lot of encouragement.
In the afternoon, my work began with a mass celebrated for a little boy of a
few years who died of cancer. I preached to their afflicted Parents and
companions how God, by taking these little flowers from the world, is telling
us that not everything is lost and that, in the midst of so much hatred and
violence, so much unpleasantness, the world can offer the Lord the best
flowers. for his throne, our children. And, secondly, this suggested to us the
need for suffering that the world has to save itself, that the crucified Christ
continues to redeem the world from suffering and pain.
Then I attended the meeting to study the criteria and attitudes that must be
taken regarding the taking of our temples. Monsignor Rivera advised us
canonically and Father Fabián provided a very good pastoral reflection. It is
clear that in normal times these occupations are desecrations that the law
sanctions. And that, in fact, it does a lot of harm, especially in the sense of
de-Christianization of our people, but that the situation is abnormal. And just
as Christ said: "It is not man for the SABBATH, but the Sabbath for man," and
just as in abnormal circumstances the shewbread was permitted to be eaten,
68
so the occupation of temples, when all the doors have been closed channels
of expression, are a lesser evil and, therefore, reflection should only be to
feed our criteria, but not to appear as rejecting a need of those who must
express the concerns of the people. On the other hand, specifically, it was
agreed to close the Cathedral, the Church of the Rosary and El Calvario, since
they are the three most desired, without publishing it and they remain closed
while a place of worship other than the Church is searched, while this
situation passes .
Finally, late at night, I received a visit from Sister Judit who had been
expelled, but, thank God, she has returned from Guatemala and will continue
working at El Paraíso de Chalatenango. I was also visited by a family who,
crying, told me: "We come as children to a Father to tell him our feelings,
because they have burned a bus that was our business, our way of life and
today it leaves us extremely financially compromised." I gave them words of
encouragement and was happy that he is alcoholic anonymous. And it is a
family that under the charismatic inspiration of the Holy Spirit has made
progress in the maturation of its faith and its hope, and I told them that they
had the secret of the solution in a great faith, but that, at the same time, they
should work because God would have to bless them, just as he was testing
them.
THURSDAY, September 20, 1979
The first problem we dealt with with the General and Episcopal Vicars and
the representative of the provincial of Guadalupana nuns was the matter of
the Guadalupana sisters who work in Arcatao. The concern of the nuns is the
persecution and slander to which they have been subjected, and the Mother
General recommends that they not return, although they would send others
and that a condition would be the attention of a priest who comes even
every fifteen days, which is It was resolved that Father Fabián Amaya,
Episcopal Vicar, and Father Isidro, Jesuit, have committed themselves to this
spiritual assistance. The other sisters who cannot return to Arcatao today will
dedicate themselves to the Secretariat of the Archbishopric and see what
community or what job near the capital they can dedicate to their pastoral
work, which they do not want to give up.
During the morning, several visits from priests, nuns and faithful arrived. In
the afternoon I received a representative of the February 28 Leagues, to
announce an upcoming visit, the next day, in order to present the common
platform that has been developed in the popular dialogue, offering peaceful
solutions to the situation in the country.
Then I left for Cojutepeque. In the Parish of San Juan, Father Edmundo
Brizuela prepared a good number of young people and children, over eight
years old, to receive confirmation. A lively, joyful, participating community
also renewed its baptism and confirmation commitments. Afterwards we
chatted amicably with the people on the way out and with the Father in his
convent.
I was not able to attend the Seminary meeting that I had promised tonight,
but they celebrated it with the Rector Father of the Minor Seminary.
Today I also had the news that two bishops who were friends of Venezuela,
Monsignor Roa and Monsignor Ovidio, had come from Nicaragua, en route to
Mexico. I announced that the next day they would concelebrate at the
Church of the Hospital of Divina Providencia and leave after breakfast to walk
around the surroundings of our capital.
FRIDAY, September 21, 1979
A morning of visits. The interview with Radio Cadena Central stands out, in
which he wanted to confront my opinion with that of Monsignor Aparicio, but
I told him that I did not want to touch on controversial topics and I
complained to them because several times he insisted on dialogue, on this
confrontation. I took the opportunity to reaffirm the position of the
Archbishopric in the Pastoral. Also very important, the interview with a
Brazilian journalist, who is a reporter for major newspapers in that country
and for the BBC in London. He gave me a series of questions for me to think
out loud. In such a way that it was not exactly a dialogue, but rather a
proposal of topics that I later developed in the way that he proposed to me,
like someone who thinks speaking out loud. And it was nothing other than
the reaffirmation of the Church's position in the face of misunderstandings,
misunderstandings and persecutions to which it is subject in this country.
I had lunch with the Guadalupana nuns who work in the Secretariat, since
they have rehabilitated the kitchenette in my apartment. I also invited Father

Nicolás González and Sister Rosa María who is suffering a very serious
misunderstanding on the part of the congregation of Carmelites of San José,
since they have eliminated her and sent her to her homeland, a nation in
South America, but She wants to stay and work among us, which she can do,
since she is not dependent on the congregation once she has been eliminated
from it. I encouraged him and then he stayed talking with the Vicar of
Chalatenango and was offered several solutions to continue his work with
courage.
After lunch I dedicated myself to assisting the third-year seminarians,
individually, in front of their ministries, some of whom want to receive,
others are waiting. I made them see the closeness of the priesthood and the
need for good preparation that would fulfill the hopes of our Archdiocese.
And at night, at the Hospital of Divina Providencia, representatives of political
parties and popular political groups presented me with the common platform
developed in the popular dialogue in order to call for a unification of the
people, on a common platform, and I thought it was very good. , and I believe
that it is one more path that is offered to the rationality of our people. I
congratulated them and promised to give them all my support on behalf of
the Church.
SATURDAY, September 22, 1979
Today I went to Guazapa to administer confirmation to a group of young
people aged fifteen or older, prepared by the parishes of Guazapa and
Aguilares. It was a very conscious and very participatory ceremony. In the
end, the young people gave very beautiful testimonies of their commitment
to the Church and truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. After mass I had a
meeting with the catechists to learn about their work and to clarify some
doubts they expressed. I had lunch with the Carmelite sisters of San José,
who have the concern of their congregation that does not seem to fully
understand this pastoral work. We agreed that tomorrow we would have a
private meeting with the other nuns of Apulo, where I will go tomorrow.
In the evening, I received the Ambassador of Germany, together with a
deputy from West Germany. The conversation was very interesting about
topics of the Church and the country. They offered me all their support. The
Ambassador promised to visit me and be attentive to any need we might
have to help us.
Afterwards I had the meeting with Father Moreno and Beto Cuéllar analyzing
the week that has been extremely dense, above all, of statements and
violence.
SUNDAY, September 23, 1979
The mass was in the Basilica since we have agreed to keep the Cathedral
closed to avoid the difficulties of the occupations. There was a lot of
attendance, a lot of applause at the homily. I explained to them that it did not
make me conceited, but, on the contrary, they made me feel more like a
servant of the people and try to interpret this communion of feelings that
they express with their applause. I asked for a lot of commitment in prayer
and in following Christ with his cross.
After mass I had a meeting with Italian television, which was present at the
mass also taking details, and a journalist from London.
Then I went to Apulo where they were celebrating their patron saint's day
today in honor of the Virgin of Dolores. A picturesque gathering by the lake;
We celebrate the mass with the lively participation of the communities, who
are very conscious there. During lunch, the youth groups participated with
happy songs.
There was also the news from the Carmelite nuns of San José.
After lunch, we had a very private meeting with the four sisters who work in
pastoral ministry, in which they clearly expressed their concerns about not
feeling understood by their institute. I told them that as long as there was no
substantial change, they should always remain faithful to their Carmelite
vocation and that we should pray a lot to continue investigating what God
wants in our situation.
Upon returning from Apulo, I saw the sad spectacle of some boys chasing
each other to death with stones. People next to a truck where the disorder
was, looked extremely worried, but I couldn't do anything given the fury of
these people. I hope they were safe after that violence.
At night, visit from Italian television that could not capture several things that
it would have wanted due to lack of material, but that arrived from Nicaragua
and wanted to complete its information.
69
After the Cathedral mass I went to celebrate the patron saint's day of the
Virgin of Dolores in the canton of the same name, Dolores, Apulo, next to
Lake Ilopango, in the Parish of Ilopango. It was a very picturesque party, since
the chapel has a beautiful view of the lake and the people are extremely
affectionate, attentive to the message of the Church. I presented my pastoral
letter to them and the theme of the homily was the exhortation to devotion
to the Virgin, which I propose at the end of said letter, as a contribution of
our Church to the solutions to the country's crisis. After the mass we shared
lunch with the Carmelite sisters, the novices who had come to sing and
representatives of the various communities, having had a very happy time in
the Apulo dining room. Then a very private conversation with four Carmelite
nuns who feel that their pastoral work is not understood in a congregation
where great care is taken of forms, but that they do not have all that ecclesial
spirit to understand the pastoral care that our Archdiocese carries out. I told
them that as long as there was no change, they would always be good
Carmelite nuns, obedient to their superiors, and that I would take care to
speak to make them understand this pastoral work that many do not
understand, especially when there are so many slanders and
misunderstandings. At night, Italian television came to complete its
informative work, taking photographs and statements regarding the situation
in the country and the Church.
MONDAY, September 24, 1979
Day of the Virgin of Mercedes
I celebrated mass in the women's prison, where the Good Shepherd sisters
have prepared a good group of women and some ladies to receive the
sacrament of confirmation. The theme of the homily was the Holy Spirit,
which is given in Confirmation, who achieved the perfect woman in Mary,
and asking them for a Christianity as inspired by the Holy Spirit in our days. I
had lunch with the inmates who invited me and in a very nice event, the
Mexican Lions offered several recreational events. I went to finish the
afternoon of rest very pleasantly.
At night I returned to celebrate the patronal mass of the Virgin of Mercy in
the Parroquia de la Merced, under Father Torruella. It was crowded and gave
me the opportunity to talk about devotion to the Virgin as a characteristic of
Latin America, but a devotion that, as the Pope and Puebla advised, has to
evolve in accordance with the needs of the people.
TUESDAY, September 25, 1979
A morning of great intensity of visits, especially from priests, since I have to
dedicate Tuesdays especially to priests. However, there were some lay
emergencies. The visit of a soldier to tell me about the difficult situation and
his very secret purposes, which we will talk about in a conversation with
others, which he will prepare for these next few days. Also visits from
journalists, always interested in our situation.
In the afternoon, there were meetings of the Seminary Commission with the
training team of the Interdiocesan Seminary. I could not attend because I was
not notified in time and I had another commitment with the Central de
Campesinos Salvadoreños. Very interesting, they offered their full
collaboration and asked that the Church guide them to be able to give an
appropriate response to the moment in which they are living. I urged them to
always remain identical as peasants, as a group, and I thanked them for their
sense of attention to the Church, which, despite all the slander, has no ill will,
but rather the desire to serve and guide sincerely according to the Gospel. .
I prepared the recording for the next day's dialogue on the radio.
And in the evening, a visit from a businessman who informed me about the
activities that young businessmen are carrying out to unite the various
right-wing and left-wing protest movements around social justice. I
congratulated him and promised him the collaboration of the Church, which
cannot commit itself, naturally, to any political group, but does have the duty
to guide and support whatever good there may be in this search for solutions
for the country.
WEDNESDAY, September 26, 1979
The first visit this morning was from a Jesuit missionary from India, who has
heard a lot about our Archdiocese and told me that he had very much
enjoyed hearing the homily of the last Sunday, and that he brought as a
souvenir of his time in San Salvador. several homilies of which have already

been distributed in print, to show them to his companions in India, as an
example of a Church that is an inspiration for the entire world and that he
considers almost a miracle. I thanked him for such laudatory phrases and also
offered him our gratitude, in prayers for India, just as we asked him for the
solidarity of the prayers of those Churches.
Another interesting visit today is that of a journalist and political scientist
from Venezuela, who recorded impressions of our way of thinking about the
situation in the country and the Church. He showed great interest in the life
of our Church and its coherent defense of Human Rights.
Also several priests and several lay people were busy this morning with a lot
of work and visits to our Archbishopric. The Missionary Father had a very
pleasant impression of the activity of our central office of the Archdiocese. I
thank God for this testimony that our Church is giving and, as I told the
Missionary Father, I will take advantage of his impressions to encourage our
Church to remain faithful to its Gospel.
At noon I went to lunch with the Fathers of the Mejicanos Vicariate, in the
Mejicanos Church, where Father Samuel Orellana attended us very kindly.
There we celebrated the graduation of Father Nicolás González, who gave me
a copy of his thesis, reading me the affectionate dedication that he wrote on
the first page of his thesis to me. I thank you for this new testimony of
priestly solidarity.
The thesis is about an author and on the topic of "Love as an expression of
personality." During lunch he was explaining to us various philosophical
aspects of his topic.
Several priests from the diocese of San Vicente and Father Clemente Barrera
from the diocese of Santa Ana, accompanied at noon Miss Ana Echeverría,
daughter of Doña Guadalupe, a noble matron from Mexico, who had a very
hospitable sense towards all these priests when they were seminarians and
she came to visit me, surrounded by all these priests, for which I praised that
sense of hospitality and the great reward that God gives to those who care
for their priests in this way. She felt very moved and on my part I was also
very grateful to the Lord because his priests, despite the persecution, always
find Betanias that welcome them with affection.
THURSDAY, September 27, 1979
This day the Somascan Fathers invited me to concelebrate in the Basilica of
Guadalupe, in La Ceiba, the Eucharist in honor of their patron saint the Virgin
Mater Orfanorum. I had the pleasant surprise of meeting not only with the
Somascos, but with the priests of the vicariate of La Asunción, in Flor Blanca,
who are doing spiritual exercises this week in the novitiate of the Somascos
Fathers. The nuns, their novices, their students, as well as the seminarians
and students of the College of the Somascan Fathers also attended. It was an
intimate and, at the same time, solemn party. I preached in the homily about
the shortcomings of orphanhood. That is, lack of fullness of life, lack of unity,
since the Mother is the bond of unity of the family and when it is missing, it
seems to disintegrate, and lack of orientation. When the Mother is missing,
the loving guidance of the child is also missing; Applying these three
shortcomings to the great needs of our people and for which we have to
invoke the Virgin, our Mother, without her we are orphans and lack, as El
Salvador is suffering, lacking life and lacking guidance. After mass, all the
priests went to lunch in the Novitiate, in a very cordial and family meeting.
At two in the afternoon I received the representative of the Canadian
Embassy, ​who brought an offer of thirty-two thousand colones for works that
must be organized through Cáritas and who promised us more next year. I
thanked him and I have to inform him so that we can present the appropriate
project for that offer, which we greatly appreciate.
I went to celebrate the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul in the chapel of Saint
Luisa, where we also inaugurated the Via Crucis, which was very pious with
the participation of sisters and students and daughters of Mary. There was
also a very cordial dinner with the parish priests of El Calvario, who are the
same Somascan Fathers and the nuns of La Caridad. An extremely family
dinner, very cordial.
We have heard on the radio the interview with Monsignor Aparicio, in which,
unfortunately, he continues to condemn with false accusations priests who
are thus left in great danger.
Tomorrow, God willing, I will go to spend two days in Ciudad Barrios, thus
pleasing an invitation from the sisters and, at the same time, a great desire to
see my beloved town again, even if only quickly.
Friday 28 and Saturday 29 September 1979
70
On Friday, September 28 and Saturday, September 29, I was in Ciudad Barrios
visiting my people, encouraging the Maryknoll Fathers, who recently took
over that Parish, and the congregation of Carmelite sisters who have been
collaborating in that pastoral work for some years. The memory of childhood,
the contact with old friends, renews the enthusiasm in life to continue the
vocation that God gave me in that humble town of Ciudad Barrios.
When I returned I felt a little in poor health; I think the flu is starting.
SUNDAY, September 30, 1979
I celebrated mass in the Basilica with quite considerable attendance, and in
the afternoon, despite my physical discomfort, I went to celebrate the
anniversary of the Legion of Mary in the Parish of Divina Providencia, in
Colonia Atlacatl. A very loving reception; a little party in which I could only
begin to participate and I returned to take better care of my health.
First week of October 1979
From Monday October 1st, I began to rest in bed. It was a flu that prevented
me from fulfilling all of my commitments this week. Thanks to Monsignor
Urioste and Father Brito, and others who collaborated, it was possible to
fulfill, by representation, the mass at the Carmelite Institute. I was able to
preach the Holy Hour at the Hospital of Divine Providence. I was not able to
attend the Christology course being held at the San José day school all this
week, directed by Father Arias, a Jesuit, and attended by about sixty,
including priests, nuns and lay people from that vicariate. I was also unable to
attend the Ayutuxtepeque meeting to discuss matters of the Parish
Committee.
Monsignor López Portillo was kind enough to give me confirmations at the
Hogar del Niño and at the Santa Inés School, in Santa Tecla. Also by
representation I attended the mass on San Francisco's day in the Church of
Concepción and in the Parish of San Francisco Morazán, Chalatenango.
Monsignor Urioste also went to give possession to the sisters of the Sacred
Heart in Jayaque, where he had promised to attend this Saturday, October 6.
Thank God, I feel better at the end of the week and within my small
limitations I will try to fulfill my duties next Sunday. I had assistance from a
very dear doctor, Dr. Suárez, a cardiologist, who also assured me that my
situation was now normal, although taking care with a little rest.
SUNDAY, October 7, 1979
I was not able to attend the gathering for young people organized by the
seminarians in San José de la Montaña, nor the confirmation that the sisters
had prepared in Zaragoza, but Monsignor Modesto went there, and
Monsignor Urioste attended the gathering. I celebrated mass in the Basilica
with quite a few people in attendance.
After mass, interview with three foreign journalists. And in the afternoon, at
six, in the Church of the Rosary, today the day of the Virgin of the Rosary, to
celebrate a confirmation of young people prepared by the Dominican Fathers.
I preached about the Virgin of the Rosary and thanked the Fathers for their
pastoral work in that Parish.
Last night, visit from two soldiers who speak to me confidentially about their
projects in the renewal of the Government. We will be waiting this week;
Meanwhile, I promised them my prayers and all the moral collaboration that
the Church can offer in such delicate circumstances.
TUESDAY, October 9, 1979
There was a meeting of the Pastoral Commission. I was only able to reach the
end because there were many visits from priests.
At twelve, as promised, I gave an interview to Voice of America, which will be
broadcast from Washington on the radio, about the Holy Father's visit to the
United States and his speeches at the UN and the OAS.
In the afternoon, there was a meeting of the Seminary, the Seminary
commission and the team of trainers; I couldn't attend either, because I don't
feel well and I stayed resting in my residence.
WEDNESDAY, October 10, 1979

At the Belén School, in Santa Tecla, I met with Fathers Monseñor Urioste,
Father Jesús Delgado, Father Fabián Amaya, Father Ellacuría, Father Estrada
and the laymen Román Mayorga and Héctor Dada, to seek advice about the
attitude that the Church should take in case of a planned coup. They were
very prudent in advising me that, above all, we should be expectant and that
even, in the best of cases, we would have to wait for the risk that things will
take and not advance any show of solidarity that could compromise. Many
conditions were put in place that have enriched my judgment about such a
difficult situation. The main conditions that had to be requested are, first, a
purification of the Army, a plan for profound structural changes and
participation of the people and all their opinions in a true democratic
opening. The Church will express the feelings of the people and the hopes
they may have in a Government that will improve this current situation.
In the afternoon, I celebrated mass in memory of Mrs. Abigail de Giralt, a
benefactor of the Hospital and a great personal friend.
THURSDAY, October 11, 1979
Visit of the United States Ambassador with the political advisor. For my part,
Monsignor Urioste and Father Estrada advised me. It was about answering
some questions from the State Department about the Church's judgment in
the current situation in the country and what the most effective solution
could be. Theoretically, we said that it was democratic opening, but that, in
practice, this path was hindered by repression and the few signs of credibility
that the Government gives. And what was seen coming was a violent solution
or a coup d'état. We asked the United States Government for its influence to
accelerate what theoretically seems more useful, but which, in practice, is
being destroyed, since the aforementioned signals are not given.
I had lunch at Colegio Guadalupano to greet the Mother General of the
congregation who has come from Mexico.
I was in the afternoon at the San José de la Montaña Seminary with the group
of priests from the vicariate of Cuscatlán, who are in exercises. It was a very
fraternal, very cordial interview in which we told the truth and made
resolutions to improve our relationships and our desire for authentic pastoral
care.
In the evening, interview with Dutch television at the Hospital de la Divina
Providencia and with a journalist from La Prensa de Costa Rica.
FRIDAY, October 12, 1979
Visits by representatives of the International Red Cross, coming from
Switzerland at the request of the Government to give their testimony about
the violation of Human Rights. They say that they are not for this, but for
humanitarian relief and that they will not be able to give a testimony like the
one announced by the President. They asked the Church for its opinion and
we informed them thoroughly, through Father Moreno and Beto Cuéllar, who
are in charge of the Legal Aid files and the complaints that reach the
Archbishopric.
There was a Domus meeting of the Mejicanos vicariate in Domus Mariae, but
I could not attend.
I had lunch at the house of Don Pepe Simán who told me his impressions of
his trip to the United States, where he was able to see up close, in New York,
the passage of the Holy Father.
In the afternoon, a nice mass and Te Deum in the chapel of the College of the
Holy Spirit, where about thirty Franciscan nuns, Eucharistic Mercedarians,
Passionists, Carmelites of Saint Joseph and Saint Teresa, nuns of the Good
Shepherd, and Josephine nuns graduated. I spoke to them about the figure
that the Church has to carry out today in Latin America, evangelizing the
culture of our people.
SATURDAY, October 13, 1979
I went to Nejapa, where the vicariate of Quezaltepeque organized a group of
young people for confirmations.
These young people prepared with such care by catechists and parish priests
are very impressive, and after being confirmed they give testimony of their
desire to work with all their youthful efforts for the Kingdom of God.
In the afternoon there was an ecumenical event in the Rosario Church, but I
could not attend, since I was waiting for Dr. Badía, who brought me very
important information about the confidential news to which I referred
71
before. It seems that there has been some betrayal in the military group and
they are very tense, but always firm that they will carry out the planned act.
SUNDAY, October 14, 1979
Sunday mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart with a good attendance,
despite the bad weather.
This whole night it rained a lot and it also dawned timeless.
At six in the afternoon, in the Church of Mary Help of Christians, an
impressive confirmation ceremony for groups from the various parishes of
this vicariate. About a hundred boys and girls, after having made a spiritual
retreat all afternoon with their parish priests, came full of conscience to
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
MONDAY, October 15, 1979
I celebrated the mass of Saint Teresa of Jesus at the Hospital and asked for
special prayers for the national situation, since this day is a definitive day.
Indeed, shortly before eight, Father Jesús Delgado informed me that at eight
in the morning the military organization will take over all the barracks and
from there they will order the President's performance. I had an appointment
in the Parish of San Juan Cojutepeque to attend a Bible contest at the parish
school and I asked that parish to be notified of anything. It was an extremely
interesting morning. Father Raimundo Brizuela and Professor Don Luis Molina
have done wonders with biblical reflection; the boys' Bible study and
flourished this day with an oratory contest and biblical catechesis. These
children and young people develop in a highly biblical environment, truly
soaked in a Christian spirit. Many values ​were noted in eloquence, in poetry,
in memory, in intellectual capacity. This was my impression that I expressed
to them when I congratulated them and thanked them for this wealth that
they had given me.
At noon, when we were eating with the teachers, the news arrived that there
was a rumor of a coup d'état and they warned me that it was dangerous to
return to San Salvador. However, I returned and everything seemed normal. I
was tense because I knew what they had announced to me in the morning
and I didn't see any effective results; I thought it was headed for failure, but
quite late, around five o'clock, the news began to spread on the radio that
President Romero had abdicated and gone to Guatemala. And, indeed, the
taking of the barracks was effective, having left the President without
support, who sought refuge in any barracks, but all of them were taken. And
the coup, as they say, was scientifically prepared and delivered in such a way
that no change was noticed in the people; normal life, not a drop of blood,
outside of San Miguel where there was opposition from the commander and
a bodyguard died or was wounded, but everything else seemed normal. At
night, I had a reflection with Monsignor Urioste at his house, since he is ill,
and other priests and lay people to advise me on what the attitude of the
Church should be.
They said that it was convenient to wait for the direction of things, but that
pastorally an exhortation could be advanced to the people, calling them to
sanity, to avoid any extremism of the right or left, and, at the same time, a
call to the new Government to hope that Fulfilling its promises would give
the credibility that the government has lost among the people.
Tonight I prepared the message that will be communicated on the radio the
next day. A breath of hope was noticeable in the atmosphere, although at the
same time the fear of having been a military coup makes one fear the
reaction of the left-wing forces that were already calling for a popular
insurrection. There is also fear for the extreme right that will feel provoked by
the new Government's manifesto that promises many reforms in the
economic and social field. We hope in God that he knows how to understand
good will and that together we will seek to get out of this crisis in the country.
TUESDAY, October 16, 1979
Also a day of great significance. I woke up preparing the archbishop's
statement; Father Moreno and Father Gregorio Rosa helped me, and a visit at
nine on behalf of the new Presidential Board. He asked me to hasten a word
calling for sanity, since outbreaks of reaction were beginning to be seen in the
left field. In Mejicanos, in Soyapango there were outbreaks of violence,
threats, provocations and they, the new rulers, did not want to allow
themselves to be provoked. I held a radio dialogue with Father Jesús Delgado
in which I expressed the concepts of the statement that I announced for

noon. At noon, we had the following statement ready: “Pastoral call in light of
the new situation in the country.”
Since yesterday, El Salvador has entered a new and delicate juncture in its
history. A military insurrection deposed the Government of General Carlos
Humberto Romero. Our Church, which, from its own identity and by
evangelical demand, has committed to accompanying the people in all their
vicissitudes, feels the responsibility to say its first word in this new situation.
This is not a political word, but rather a reflection, in the light of our Christian
faith. For this reason, above all, it is raised to God like a prayer and from there
it takes light and energy to guide the people and interpret before the new
Government the just desires for liberation of the Salvadorans. God first. This
very Salvadoran expression springs from the deep religious sense that the
Church cares for in the soul of our people. That is his first word and his first
attitude. We raise our prayer to the Lord of history because if "the Lord does
not build the house, the workers toil in vain; if he does not guard the city, his
sentinels watch in vain," Psalm 127.
Our prayer is also thanksgiving to God because according to the information
we have, so far, bloodshed has been avoided in this event.
Our prayer is, likewise, an offering to the Lord of all the suffering and pain of
our people, who have bathed our soil with their blood. Let this costly price be
sufficient for God to provide us with a future of authentic justice and peace.
Finally, our supplication to the Lord becomes a prayer for redress and a call to
conversion because hate or revenge can never be the path to true liberation.
The path that leads to authentic well-being forever through justice and love.
«To the people: After addressing God, our word, which is the word of a
pastor, is addressed to the people as a call to sanity and a promise of service.
We understand that the patience of our long-suffering people is running out
and we fear that the expectation created by the military insurrection could
resolve into dangerous impatience or degenerate into new violence. All the
more so that countless martyrs and heroes have emerged from this town,
who are the dramatic testimony of these last nightmare years. However, in
the decisive hour we are living in, we want to exhort our people to be
prudent, because it is prudent to observe and wait before judging and acting.
An impatient and violent attitude would be as guilty and unjust as the
oppression and repression in which our poor country has been immersed.
Our call is also addressed to those who, by unjustly defending their economic,
social and political interests and privileges, have been guilty of so much
unrest and violence. Let me remind you that justice and the voice of the poor
must be heard by them as the same cause of the Lord, who calls to
conversion, and who is to be judge of all men. We want to invite those who
are active within popular political parties or organizations to demonstrate
true political maturity, flexibility and capacity for dialogue. Only in this way
can the people be sure that they are truly inspired by the true good of the
country. Fanaticism or idolatry of one's own party or organization would be
today, more than ever, a serious sin against the common good. The crisis that
the country is trying to overcome cannot be solved by a group alone; It has to
be the work of everyone, all the people must, therefore, build the common
platform of their own justice as the basis of their fraternity. Our message is
not only a call to sanity, but also a promise. The Church is committed once
again to continue providing its selfless service in favor of the people. The new
situation in the country does not change this desire to serve in any way. It
was that sincere desire to serve and defend the people that led the Church to
come into conflict with the previous Government; Therefore, this conflict can
only be resolved when we have a Government that is also a servant of the
people.
» To the new Government: Our word is directed, finally, to the new
Government that emerged from the military insurrection that deposed the
previous regime. We have carefully studied the messages that express the
official thoughts of the new Government. In them we recognize good will,
clarity of ideas and clear awareness of their responsibility. However, we want
to make it very clear that this Government will only be able to deserve the
trust and collaboration of the people when it demonstrates that the beautiful
promises contained in the Proclamation, released this morning, are not a
dead letter, but rather true hope that has begun to our homeland a new era.
For our part, in our capacity as pastor of the Church, we are willing to
dialogue and collaborate with the new Government, we only set one
condition, that both, Government and Church, are aware that 'our reason for
being is the service to the people, each one from his own competence',
Gaudium et Spes, »This is our first word on the difficult path that begins
today and that we hope, with God's help, to continue illuminating from the
Gospel of Christ. May the Divine Savior guide the steps of all men of good
will, who work for the construction of justice and peace in our country.
72
San Salvador, October 16, 1979.
In the evening, I learned that there have been very good comments, both
about the dialogue with Father Chus and about this pastoral call. The leaders
of the movement themselves, the two colonels, Gutiérrez and Majano,
designated by the entire Armed Forces as leaders of this moment and of the
Civic Military Committee, came at one in the afternoon to thank me for this
support and to place themselves at my command. I took advantage of giving
them the opinion of the Church, above all, that they expressed it with
actions; The most sensitive to the people would be: the general amnesty and
sincere information about the disappeared, the return of the exiles, etc. They
promised to do everything and that they appreciated these suggestions; The
inexperience of an extremely difficult position, assumed almost improvised, is
still evident in them. However, the coup has been planned, they say, for
about a year and they feel that the success that has crowned their effort
forces them to be faithful servants. The same as the trust that the entire
Army has placed in them and that everyone is also aware of the need to
incorporate lay people soon.
In the afternoon I had reports of the violent outbreaks that have occurred in
Mejicanos, in Soyapango, where Father Villarán also disappeared, being taken
away among the entire group of captives. But from the same Government
Board they informed me that they apologized because he had been
unconsciously taken to the Treasury Police and that they were already
returning him. I contacted the Government for a visit from priests and lay
people who will report on these episodes that could discredit the hope that
the people can place in them.
And to insist that they show that they are motivated by the best will and that
they demonstrated it with actions.
There have been many calls from journalists, but I have answered them with
the statement I just read. There is a lot of news of reactions in various ways
and we are waiting. For our part, the position of the Church has been
defined, always at the service of the people from the perspective of the
Gospel.
WEDNESDAY, October 17, 1979
Last night I had a dinner with engineer Román Mayorga, rector of the UCA,
but due to circumstances it was postponed, since engineer Mayorga will be
part of the new Civic Military Government. I have a phone call with him this
morning, which I will report on at the end of this day.
This morning I prepared the radio interview that will be held at noon with
Monsignor Urioste to ratify the position of the Church at this time of change
of Government. We will strengthen the thought that the Church is not
committed to any specific political situation, but always maintains its
independence to be able to approve the good and criticize the bad.
There have been many visits from priests and lay people with whom I have
taken the opportunity to enrich my criteria and give my guidance as a Church,
to illuminate this very historic moment in the country. Several journalists
have also come to ask for the opinion of the Church, which has all been given
in that same sense.
In the evening, with the third-year Theology seminarians, we were discussing,
as we have done in previous meetings, about the hope of the Church in these
six new elements that will be incorporated into the presbytery next year. We
talked about his youth and vocational ministry in the Parish of San José de la
Montaña, but with Archdiocesan horizons. And I am pleased to see how they
have come together to do this work that, without a doubt, will benefit the
Seminary and youth in general. They have already appointed a commission
for Youth Ministry, made up of other young people who had their coexistence
two Sundays ago.
They also criticized some attitudes at the time of the change of Government,
including towards my message, especially for having been broadcast on the
national network. They believe that it has been a manipulation of the Church
in support of the new Government. And that the Church had to give more
testimony to its independence. I was glad for this critical sense and I told
them that it was good that whenever there were doubts they consulted and
came out of them with greater solidarity towards the Church. And as for the
specific case, I told them that I was responsible for what I had written and
said, and not for how it was manipulated by one sector or another. The fact
of having appeared on the national network does not seem to me to be
something that compromises the Church, since the message that was
transcribed there was, precisely, my thought of autonomy, of independence
from the new Government, of prudential support, naturally, because It is not
fair to criticize and attack him without having had time to know his actions.

They were satisfied and I also told them that it was the risk of every prophetic
mission in the Church, even of being criticized by one's own and even of
being left alone, but with the satisfaction of having tried to be faithful to the
Gospel.
The phone call with Engineer Mayorga was, precisely, to arrange a visit that
we had and in which he asked for the opinion to join the Civic Military
Directory, and I told him that he was a trustworthy person, that he would give
confidence to a large sector of the people and given his Christian spirituality
and his academic knowledge as rector of the UCA, he was the right man to
give rational support to the movement, which until now is only military. In a
gesture of humility, engineer Román Mayorga told me that he felt the voice
of God in me and that he would commit himself. I also told him that it was
not an unconditional commitment, that if inconvenient things happened, he
himself would have to leave and if I realized this, I would tell him myself. He
knelt down and asked for my blessing. And I believe that he is a man in whom
we can fully trust, who brings a sincere representation of the thought of the
Church to the difficult field of politics.
THURSDAY, October 18, 1979
Among the visits this morning I received one from the Ambassador of
Sweden, interested in knowing the thinking of the Church at this time. Also
the architect Adalberto Morales, who gave me a very valuable complaint
from the social media, that in this change of Government they have to make
a clarification of their servile and complicit attitudes with the previous
Government in defaming the Church and in insulting institutions. and very
venerable people. I have also received another similar letter from Napoleón
Navarro, who also asks the new Government Board not to spend so much on
weapons and to return the fifty million that the previous Government took
from various ministries to give to Defense to buy weapons. Navarro also
criticizes the attitude of the United States Government which, by lifting aid
sanctions on El Salvador, is now offering to provide military aid. This letter
says that it is not military aid, we are already fed up with bullets and
weapons, what is needed is a hunger for justice, we need justice and aid to
promote our men. Also very valuable was the visit that engineer Tato
Osegueda made to me, who worked part of the previous Government, but
resigned to follow the voice of his conscience and today he fully agrees with
everything the Church has done and he wants to be a collaborator. of this
same thought. He told me that this hope of redemption that the coup d'état
has given, in large part, is the fruit of the awareness that my preaching has
been sowing. I thanked him for this appreciation and, for my part, I naturally
rejoiced, without vanity, but rather thanking God that his justice and his
kingdom make their way through his servants in the Church.
Several journalists have also come this day. And at seven at night in the
Church of San Ignacio I presided over the promotion of the Sagrada Familia
College for young ladies. At the end of the mass, a bomb exploded very close
to the School, ruining the power plant in that area, as well as a gas station.
The light went out and we finished that promotion in the dark. In my homily I
pointed out, as a message to the new graduates, the double synthesis that
the Church expects from everyone who is cultivated in Catholic schools and
institutions, a synthesis between faith and culture and a synthesis between
faith and life.
FRIDAY, October 19, 1979
Around ten in the morning we had given an appointment to the journalists
who were looking for a single press conference. There were television from
Holland, Mexico, and radio and press journalists from other parts, and also
from our country, to whom I confirmed my thoughts about the Church and
relations with the new Governing Board.
This afternoon I went to San Rafael Cedros with Father Deras, parish priest of
that town, who had prepared a meeting for me of his collaborators, mainly
catechists, with whom we shared the concerns of the Church and the hopes
that she has in the laity. There was a very interesting dialogue...
This afternoon I went to the Parish of San Rafael Cedros where I had a
dialogue meeting with the pastoral agents, mainly catechists. And then I went
to the inauguration of the sewing exhibition of the San Rafael sewing and
sewing academy, which was founded and continues to be directed by Father
Leopoldo Deras, parish priest of that town, who gave me a very affectionate
and intelligent greeting and to whom I responded by praising the work of the
Church, not only in spiritual evangelization, but in these social promotions;
73
encouraging the ladies to continue that synthesis between faith and their life.
We finished the afternoon by going to the Church to celebrate Holy Mass.
It was packed and, above all, a beautiful group of young people stood out
who had prepared to receive confirmation. I took the opportunity to excite
that community at the service of the people, the charismas that the Holy
Spirit gives us and the vocations, above all, living our confirmation.
CHAPTER 20 Year 1979
DIARY from October 20 to November 17, 1979
SATURDAY, October 20, 1979
I went to the funeral of Don Marcelo Weil, a great friend from a long time
ago; Although he was not a Christian but a Jew, he was a man who respected
each person's faith and his human honesty is a true guarantee that God
received him into heaven. A very close-knit family with whom I am truly
friends and I feel at home when I arrive at their house.
This day I also went, in the afternoon, to the Lourdes school of the Sisters of
La Asunción to celebrate a first communion for boys and girls. I praised the
work in that popular and poor sector, and encouraged all attendees to
collaborate with them. At the end of the mass they called me by phone from
the Presidential House. They wanted me to go because they needed a
consultation, but I begged them to go to my residence, since my presence in
the Presidential House could be misinterpreted. They understood the reason
and came to the Hospital of Divina Providencia: Colonel Majano, the Minister
of Defense and another soldier, with a large apparatus of bodyguards and
detectives, which is still annoying given the simple situation in this hospital.
However, the topic of the conversation was very interesting; they brought as
a concern about the criticism that our radio stationRadio YSAX has made the
appointment of the director of the Military School, Colonel Rafael Flores
Lima, whom the Catholic radio station criticized for his actions in the previous
regime as head of the Information office of the Presidential House. He is
responsible for the distortions of the news, the slanderous campaigns against
the Church, the falsehood and the lies, which is what was spread from the
Presidential House. They tried to defend him. We maintained our position:
that, if there was not more drasticity in changing the figure of the military in
the country, this coup d'état would have no result and the people would
suffer a new failure. We also insist on the way in which the Minister of
Defense, who was present, was appointed, because only the military
appointed him when the civilians were not yet there. Colonel García, who is
the Minister of Defense, had the idea to say there in front of us, Father
Estrada was with me, that he was resigning at that moment from the Ministry
as long as the civilians did not ratify the appointment, which the two colonels
who had made him had made. they named. I also took the opportunity to
denounce the abuses that the Church is receiving even under this new regime
and the appearance of repression that the people feel with the military
operations that have taken place this week. They tried to explain that they
are debugging, mentalizing, with new ideas, but that the work is difficult and
they asked us for understanding to wait; that they were sure that there was a
lot of corruption and that they were even deposing leaders, which brought
them new risks because they know that they are meeting and could launch a
right-wing countercoup. In short, it was such a cordial dialogue that it ended
with a cup of coffee, offered by the nuns and in a very cordial atmosphere,
although it had been very sincere, very frank. There was a promise of mutual
help, but at the service of the people.
Then I continued the meeting with Father Estrada and Father Moreno to
prepare the data for my homily. Late at night, Father Moreno left and,
unfortunately, took the papers with him, but thanks to a very helpful friend,
Salvador Barraza, I bothered him at midnight to go pick up those papers from
Santa Tecla, in the Jesuits' house, and I told him that he should hurry because
it was eleven at night and martial law begins at twelve. But, thank God,
everything went well and I continued studying my homily until four in the
morning.
SUNDAY, October 21, 1979
The mass was celebrated in the Basilica. There was a lot of expectation
because they wanted to hear the judgment of the Church and its position
regarding the new Government. The Voice of the United States commented
on this judgment as conditional support and that was true, because I called

for support and collaboration in what is just that the new Government
proclaims. To be cautious and not attack it before judging well. But I also
complained to them about the series of violent events, military abuses that
have taken place this week and the noticeable slowness in making offers to
defend Human Rights, insisting mainly that they must account for the missing
and call trial of all the guilty. I have had many congratulations for the
impartial and fair position that the Church wants to have; at the same time,
support the hopes that this new coup d'état can give, which, if we know how
to take advantage of it with sincerity, can be the rational solution that the
Pope said for the problems of Latin America, where, according to the Pope at
the OAS , there is no need to resort to violence, since all our problems can be
solved through rationality. There was much applause in various parts of the
homily, which indicates that he was expressing the feelings of the people.
And I told the Governing Board that it was not a negative criticism, but rather
a support and encouragement to accelerate their same ideals, before giving a
sense of frustration to our people.
After the mass there was an interesting press conference in the Basilica itself.
Television, radio and the written press carried out a very dense interrogation
and a large part of the people surrounded this dialogue, among them Father
Inocencio Alas, who surprised me and whom I greeted affectionately,
promising to see him later.
At night, Father Inocencio Alas talked to me about his current occupations in
the United States and his current jobs in companies in Nicaragua. He insisted
on the convenience of going to the United States, since there are many Latin
communities there that support me and whom I should go to thank and, at
the same time, encourage in their solidarity efforts. I promised him I would
go, we even added the towns of San Francisco, California, and Los Angeles.
MONDAY, October 22, 1979
I received very good comments from yesterday's homily. The trial refers to
the justice that I tried to give at the current moment, to claim against the
new Government Board various facts that distort proposals and promises,
but, at the same time, criticize the violent, intransigent and impatient
attitude of the groups of extreme left.
This morning there have been many visits from priests and faithful in the
Archbishopric. I went to lunch at Don Pepe Simán's house, quite late, as we
had to delay due to these visits and consultations. I felt very overwhelmed by
not finding understanding in the environment about the political moment
and the attitude of the Church. At four in the afternoon, I had an audience
with elements of the February 28 Popular Leagues, who maintain an
intransigent attitude. I offered them that I could get them a dialogue with the
new authorities of the Government, but they said that they had to consult
their leadership and that they did not believe it was appropriate, since they
were completely in disagreement because this Board is, nothing more, a
hindrance to the process of the people's insurrection. I tried to make them
understand, but they are very stubborn. At five in the afternoon, at the San
José day school, the Legal Aid had promoted a press interview with foreign
and national journalists and the presence of the families of the disappeared
and political prisoners. The authentic presentation of families who truly cry
and suffer due to the disappearance of one of the members of their
household was very moving. Legal Aid was given the opportunity to present
its position, very much in accordance with the line of the Archbishopric:
defense of Human Rights, complaints, denunciations of all those who offend
these rights, and the strict attitude of continuing to demand the appearance
of these prisoners. , which consists of documents that the Legal Aid has well
verified.
TUESDAY, October 23, 1979
We had an Executive Council of the Archbishopric in which we commented
on the difficult situation of the country. Fernando Valero Iglesias was present,
who has brought an invitation from Holland for the Archbishopric of San
Salvador to be the one to motivate the activity that an ecumenical
organization carries out in Holland in December. On previous occasions,
Monsignor Helder Cámara and Monsignor Méndez Arceo have performed,
and they want to present Latin American bishops in union with their
ecumenical movement, which provides this aid service to Latin American
works. It was also a very dense morning of visits, among them that of Fathers
Majano, Rivera and Rodas of Santiago de María, who came to invite me for
the twenty-fifth anniversary of that diocese, which will be on December 2. It
74
was proposed to me that the celebration would be three days, dedicating one
to each bishop of that diocese, therefore, they dedicated the second day to
me in honor of the Blessed Virgin and offered me an event after the mass,
and that I would have Sunday in that there will be a concelebration that is
expected to be attended by all the bishops. Naturally, I accepted, since it is a
diocese that I served and where Monsignor Rivera serves with such affection
today, who is a true pastoral support for me.
Pepe Simán and Father Goyo Rosa, Father Fabián, Monsignor Urioste, the
radio manager, analyzed the attitude of the radio and the media, which has
to be very delicate at this difficult time in our country. Don Pepe Simán and
Monsignor Urioste also arranged and coordinated my next trip to the United
States.
I went to lunch with a group of priests who were having a spiritual retreat
with the Opus Dei Fathers in Clara Luna. The topic we meditated on was Pope
John Paul II's letter to priests during Holy Week this year. Father Fernando
guided me about a letter that has been stolen from the Congregation for
Bishops and that seems to have been distributed with ill will, to defame the
work of Opus Dei. I told him that I wanted to study the matter and discuss it
with him later. In the afternoon, interview with Swedish television at the
Hospital. Also an Italian journalist always in the same sense of capturing my
thoughts about the position of the Church at this time in the country. The
concepts that I expressed are the same as those from the homily last Sunday.
I had to cut out the visit to Dr. Semsch because I had to go record my program
tomorrow, since tomorrow I won't have time to go to La Libertad, and at
night, I also had dinner at Dr. Chávez's house with Monsignor Urioste, the
Father Estrada, Dr. Morales Erlich, of the Christian Democrats, a new minister,
the Minister of Planning and two other young industrialists. It was a very rich
conversation of experiences, with quite open criteria. I got the impression
that in the business world there are also very cultivated minds that are very
sensitive to social issues. For my part, I believe I have expressed among them
the genuine thought of the Church and a call to the wealthy classes to
facilitate the change that our people need.
WEDNESDAY, October 24, 1979
Today is Hospital Day and in my radio dialogue I was referring, in part, to this
event, remembering that the patient is the center of the hospital and around
him the doctors, nurses, etc., who work, are congratulated and admired.
Hopefully, with the spirit of Christ, everything that is done to a sick person is
done to Christ himself.
But my pastoral activity took place all this day in the Parish of La Libertad. At
nine in the morning, a beautiful batch of three hundred confirmations, all
over twelve years of age, well prepared in the respective communities of the
cantons, in the neighborhoods of La Libertad. And then, in the Cangrejera
canton, at two in the afternoon, another batch of confirmations, one
hundred and fifty young people who were also very well prepared. Thank
God that we concelebrated with the two North American Fathers and Father
Manuel, who works at Ateos, and thus we were able, among the four of us, to
confirm and maintain a liturgical enthusiasm in the crowd. I congratulated the
priests, the nuns and the catechists, and all the collaborators and invited the
people to take advantage of this diffusion of the Holy Spirit to further
promote our Christianity as a community and, in this hour of the country, to
be truly Christians at the height of the moment.
In the evening, I was visited by Mr. Herson Meyer, from the World Ecumenical
Council of Switzerland, who came to visit me with Valero Iglesias, to simply
talk, as a greeting, since he is in transit back to Switzerland.
There were calls from the Presidential House that I could not answer because
I was outside the archiepiscopal headquarters, as I said, in La Libertad.
THURSDAY, October 25, 1979
This morning I had an interesting question about the political situation in the
country. Very instructive, since one of the participants is a specialist in these
analyses. We concluded the need for a longer reflection and arranged for
next Monday to spend the entire morning in Bethlehem and invite others
who are a decisive part in the Government of the Archdiocese.
In the evening, meeting of the Major and Minor Seminary with the
Archdiocesan Seminary Commission. The idea of ​integrating these two
entities was presented so that the seminarian feels that a group of priests,
representatives of the entire presbytery, offer them all the collaboration of
the priests and so that they, the seminarians, are introduced into their future

ministry. which must be together with all the priests. At eight o'clock at night
I went to the house of engineer Román Mayorga Quirós, member of the
Revolutionary Government Junta. I noticed that he was extremely tired and
very concerned about the situation, especially because of the rebellion of the
extreme left. But I tried to encourage him and tell him that the responsibility
of the moment is great and that God had to help them. The meeting was at
their house and Mayorga's wife attended to us with great finesse.
FRIDAY, October 26, 1979
I celebrated mass at the Carmelite Institute, where many days ago I promised
to come to celebrate mass and today we did it as a closing of school work.
Lunch was at the home of the United States Ambassador, who together with
the two collaborators attended to Monsignor Urioste, Father Estrada and me.
It was a very interesting conversation, above all, about the change of
Government and we tried to suggest the help that the United States could
provide in this change so that it would be peaceful. They offered to do
everything in their power.
At four in the afternoon I celebrated a mass for one of the young people who
fell in the repressions of San Marcos last week.
Colonel Jaime Gutiérrez, head of the Revolutionary Government Junta, visited
me and explained the difficulties regarding our claims, mainly regarding the
missing persons. I note that there are real difficulties within the Army and we
clearly express our concern if this very delicate matter is not resolved to the
satisfaction of the people. There was also the opportunity to offer our
services, within the autonomy of the Church, and also to be able to demand
things that may offend the Church or delay the process that they want to
initiate and undertake, to achieve the peaceful changes that the country
needs. It was a very interesting conversation and Monsignor Urioste and
Father Estrada also participated.
I had dinner at Fernando Valero Iglesias' house, since he had prepared a
memorandum for me to plan the next trip to Holland at the invitation of an
ecumenical institution.
In the afternoon we had a brief meeting with the Archdiocesan Board of
Cáritas. The problem today is on the part of the manager, Rafael Medrano,
who has written a very insolent letter to the director, Father Rutilio Sánchez;
There has been a need to fire a supervisor for certain abuses within the office
work, the result of which is a pregnant secretary who is being given legal time
off. And yet, you are seeing bad behavior. It is a difficult situation, but I told
the ladies of the Archdiocesan Board that they could mediate and resolve this
issue. For my part, I offered to talk to Father Tilo and the Manager to see if a
more practical solution could be expedited. For example, that Medrano
resigns, since it seems that he is not happy in this institution.
SATURDAY, October 27, 1979
I went to confirm a good group of young people and children, prepared in
Tamanique by the Maryknoll sisters. I greeted Mother Juanita, who has been
absent due to her mother's illness, who died and she is worried today about
having left her father alone, but she is very dedicated to this community. The
Tamanique community gave me the impression of great vitality. After lunch,
we had a very lively coexistence. The Mass, of course, was very fervent and
the celebration of confirmation, a true sacramental liturgy, very encouraging.
In the afternoon I celebrated mass at the Minor Seminary as it closed its
work. At the time of the Gospel we all shared the reflections and it was a very
beautiful animation for the thanksgiving to the Lord at the end of the year.
In the Archbishopric there were several visits at this time and a small press
and television interview, since they are journalists from Venezuela and other
countries, who have to return very early tomorrow.
We were waiting for a member of the Governing Board, engineer Mario
Andino, but he did not arrive. I had to speak by phone to the Presidential
House about another matter and they were in an emergency meeting.
SUNDAY, October 28, 1979
The mass in the Basilica was very well attended; The homily has been
commented with a lot of praise, although there have been no shortage of
voices that disagree with the political line they would like one to follow.
In the afternoon, I went to the Colón Parish, in the Delicias canton; There was
a beautiful ceremony of confirmations and marriages. Fourteen couples who
have been catechized by catechists from that region.
75
After the mass, which was very solemn, we had a conversation with the
pastoral agents, who through the microphone expressed their enthusiasm for
the pastoral ministry and their solidarity with the pastor. I was very pleasantly
impressed by the work that Father Nicolás Menjívar is doing there with the
religious of the Sacred Heart and the lay people, who are truly a hope.
I forgot to say that after the mass in the Basilica there was a press and
television conference in which journalists from Germany, Venezuela,
Honduras, Guatemala and I don't remember which others participated.
I also gave a radio interview to YSU, which asked my opinion about the
current political situation.
I gave it from a pastoral perspective, as I always clarify.
MONDAY, October 29, 1979
We spent the entire morning at the Belén School, in Santa Tecla, together
with Monsignor Urioste, Father Estrada, Father Ellacuría, Father Fabián
Amaya, Father Moreno and a political science expert from the UCA, in order
to reflect on the current political situation of the country, to take timely
pastoral measures. The political scientist explained to us the revolutions in
Peru and Bolivia, in order to have a frame of reference for our situation. And
then, we immersed ourselves in the analysis of the situation in the country. In
the diversity of opinions, I found a lot of richness of thought because I
understood that both the Government Board and the popular political
organizations that are very much in conflict with the Government, have their
positive points and also their negative points. And from there, the position of
the Church of encouraging what is good, of supporting it, both in the Board
and in the organizations. as well as for the love of the country and for the
sake of justice, to protest against those things that hinder this revolutionary
process that seems to have begun. In any case, we feel that there is
something new and that we have to be very attentive to the signs of the
times.
The day has passed in much violence. When we were passing to Santa Tecla,
they were finishing burning some tires placed in front of the Basilica of La
Ceiba. And around noon there were shootings in the center, where there
were also deaths. Also in the afternoon, the Minister of Defense spoke to me
on the phone to tell me that shots were coming from the Cathedral towards
the National Palace, but that the security forces were under the instructions
of exhausting all their patience and not repelling, as long as it was not
absolutely necessary and asked for my intervention in the inhabitants of the
Cathedral. I sent Father Sigfredo, who met there with Monsignor Modesto
López, rector of the Cathedral, who had been looking around the Cathedral
and did not notice anything abnormal, other than that the Church is
occupied, closed and from inside there are slogans coming out. the
microphones in the sense that is already known, on behalf of the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc.
There is uncertainty in the environment, but we hope in the Lord that
everything will turn out well.
The Ministries of Labor and Economy, which have been occupied for several
days by the Bloc, have announced that the hostages will be released today,
except for the heads of the ministries, who will continue in that captivity.
TheRadio YSAX He asked me for a brief comment on the situation and I
condemned the acts of violence, and I was glad for the freedom of the
hostages, but with that same right of freedom, I asked that everyone be
rescued to freedom very soon. I was also asked about the situation of the
Cathedral and I said what I have already expressed, that we have not noticed
anything abnormal and that also the occupation of temples, ministries and
other scandals are not constructive, especially when an appeal is being made
to the dialogue. I invited political creativity, to learn political language instead
of violent language, since today is a very dangerous time to use violence in
this explosive environment. And, on the other hand, it is very constructive to
express, in a legitimate pluralism, the opinions of the various sectors of the
people. I advocated again for peace and for a more rational path towards
justice and towards peace. The Catarina di Maggio School, whose director is
Sister Socorro, came with a representation of students to give me a check for
five hundred colones, which the school has collected with activities to help
our station.Radio YSAX. We had a very nice conversation, which is complete
solidarity with the thinking of the Church. At night, Dr. Chávez invited me to
dinner with the engineer Napoleón Duarte. He has just returned from his
exile in Venezuela. He was a candidate for the Christian Democrats, along
with Colonel Molina, who rose to the presidency, according to popular rumor,
by fraud. So Duarte considered himself president during this entire period
that he lived in exile. The new Government Board has lifted its banishments

and Duarte has returned. There, in Dr. Chávez's house, we saw the
conference on television by the same engineer Duarte, who alluded to me
with great praise as a maintainer of the people's hope and he offered to
collaborate from the political field in this same struggle of the town. It was a
very solid and hopeful conference. In the lively conversation with him, we
also maintained different points of view about the current situation of the
country and Dr. Chávez said that Duarte and I were two people, who, in our
own field, the Lord had raised up to guide this people. . For my part, I want to
thank you for these honorable appreciations, which correspond to the
fulfillment of my evangelical mission. Just as I agree that engineer Duarte has
leadership skills and, without a doubt, is a charismatic man at this time. He
must be very careful because there are many enemies who would not want
him to have so much influence in the town.
TUESDAY, October 30, 1979
We held the Executive Council to deal mainly with the Social Communication
Secretariat that Fernando Iglesias plans to request a subsidy from Holland
and set up a good Information Secretariat. We also try to coordinate help
forRadio YSAX, since all advertisers have withdrawn and it is a good
opportunity to support an independent, purely cultural radio station. The
manager, Teto Samour, and Father Gregorio Rosa were in charge of finalizing
details for this campaign to support the radio.
I went to see the doctor, Dr. Basagoitia, after taking blood tests and, thank
God, he told me that my health is fine, even better than the last exam he did
on me. I thank God and promise to continue using my life in the service of his
Church.
In the afternoon, I celebrated mass at the Hospital of Divine Providence, for
the eternal rest of the four dead, peasants, among them, the remembered
Polín. There are four farmers who died riddled by military bullets, there on
the road to Santa Ana.
In the evening, a meeting with the students of the Minor Seminary of the
third year of Baccalaureate; There are fourteen young men, all of them willing
to continue their studies for the priesthood. Some in the life of the diocesan
priesthood and others in the religious one. We talked a lot about the
vocation, about the current problems of the country, about the hope I have in
them. The sisters from the Hospital served us pupusas and chocolate, and it
was a very pleasant coexistence.
In the evening, I prepared the speech that, God willing, I will deliver to the
New York Council of Churches. I haven't been able to finish it yet.
WEDNESDAY, October 31, 1979
Today I got up very early to continue my work on the pastoral message that
the members of the National Council of Christian Churches in New York have
asked of me. I have continued working as much as I can, but the morning of
visits has been very intense, because at half past seven I went to make my
recording for the noon program about the situation in the country and other
points that the people consult. I also had a meeting with the vicarage of
Aguilares to discuss the matter of Father Joaquín Brizuela and the pastoral
care of Ciudad Arce. It seems that Father Brizuela prefers to go to another
vicarage; possibly, to that of Cuscatlán, in the Parish of San Rafael Cedros,
whose parish priest, Father Leopoldo Deras, proposed a change so that he
could move to Ciudad Arce.
I had an interview with English television and Guatemalan television and
other journalists always interested in knowing the Archbishop's thoughts on
the current situation in the country.
In the afternoon, I could not attend the El Paraíso mass, which I had promised
to the children who were going to be consecrated today as Mountaineers, but
I begged Father Sigfredo to take my representation. I have dedicated this day
to completing the work already mentioned for my trip to the United States.
THURSDAY, November 1, 1979
I had breakfast with the Seminary team, to discuss some issues regarding the
relations between the Interdiocesan Seminary and our Archdiocese of San
Salvador. They referred, above all, to the premises of the San José de la
Montaña Seminary which, although it is property of the Archdiocese, it is
advisable to leave it absolutely to the Interdiocesan Seminary; Therefore, the
team suggests the withdrawal of the Archbishopric to avoid inconveniences
that arise in the conflict with the other bishops. The issue of occupation of
76
office rooms was also discussed, which is in the same previous matter. The
main thing is the report of the seminarians in order not to provoke between
the Seminary and the Archdioceses, as was the case last year. I suggested to
them that for that purpose what has already been started, thank God, was a
greater dialogue between the team and the community of the Archdiocese,
through the Commission of Priests of the Archdiocese. It is a group of priests
of diverse tendencies, which can also give the team criteria for a joint report
about our seminarians.
This morning has been very busy in the Archbishopric. Among other visits,
that of Don Lencho Llach, concerned that in the occupation of the ministries
there are also people dedicated to coffee who were fixing the affairs of small
and medium-sized coffee growers and were trapped by the occupation.
Representatives of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc also came with whom I
shared my opinions, naturally different from them, about the current
situation. And I took the opportunity to ask them for a prompt resolution of
the ministries' occupations. They are very dogmatic in their ways and it is
difficult to dialogue when they already have fixed ideas. However, I tried to
be as friendly as possible, in order to leave open the possibility of dialogue
with them.
I went to lunch at Don Pepe Simán's house, where Monsignor Rivera and
Monsignor Urioste also went, and we talked about the convenience of our
trip to the United States, although we always remain aware of the
circumstances that are so variable at the moment.
In the afternoon, I had the Holy Hour with a lot of people in the Hospital
chapel, where I greeted several people who are in the Government today or
who have very interesting opinions about this situation.
I finished today, typing the speech, or, rather, the pastoral message that I will
bring to the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States on
November 8th. When I finished this work, almost at nine at night, very
alarming calls came from the Presidential House and they begged me to go
and intervene in the Rosario Church, occupied by the February 28 League,
since they had captured a national guard and The Guard barracks were
demanding that the Government Board and its authorities were going to
rescue, dead or alive, this guard. I tried to communicate with Monsignor
Urioste, with Father Rogelio and we went to the Rosario Church, where the
leaders of the Leagues informed us that it was true, that they had captured
this guard because he was going with weapons, clandestinely to enter the
temple and They believed that he had bad intentions because two other
armed agents also arrived with him, whom they could not capture and who
had been notifying the prosecutor of the Republic to come and pick him up
officially, but who had not received a response from the Prosecutor. I asked
them if they could deliver it to me and they said yes, through a document and
witness. I reported this to the Presidential House; They were very happy that
the solution was so easy, but they did not believe that it was going to get so
complicated, since then those from the Leagues insisted that they should
hand it over to the Prosecutor for greater guarantee. Monsignor Urioste
contacted the Prosecutor and asked for his presence, which was very
necessary at this time. The delay of the Prosecutor complicated the situation,
since almost at half past twelve national guards began to be seen arriving
around the Rosario Church.
I tried to get information from the leader of this operation, who told me that
there was very strong pressure in the National Guard barracks. Around one in
the morning everyone wanted to come; I tried to calm them down. The
colonel who was directing this operation came to his senses, but I noticed
that the guards were extremely aggressive. They even said quite strong words
to me and it was clear that they had no patience and that they were willing to
start, at one in the morning, which was already a few minutes away. I told
those of the Leagues to speed up the delivery of the guard; the minutes had
already been made; The Prosecutor also agreed and so we handed over, but
upon receiving the guard, despite noticing a relaxation, they began to say
that there were also two other police officers and that they were coming to
pick them up as well. We denied that there were more captured, but they did
not believe and it seems that they complicated things with the National
Police. The guard who had been released caused tranquility in the Guard
barracks, where the aggressiveness ended, but the Police barracks were
ready to insurrection demanding the return of their captured police officers,
according to them. We were deliberating. The Prosecutor felt very nervous.
Also the colonels who had come from the Presidential House and the Police
felt that there was something uncontrollable. We proposed a search by police
officers known to the missing, according to the Police, to check the interior of
the Church. But the Leagues asked that they enter unarmed. And so it was
that two police officers dressed in civilian clothes, unarmed, whom I

accompanied along with Father Alejandro Peinador, a Dominican of that
Church, and a member of the Human Rights Commission, accompanied the
two police officers who were seeing everyone one by one. the occupants of
the temple and also the coffins, twenty-one corpses that were unburied,
which are going to be buried, in a grave that is dug inside the Church,
because according to the occupants, they were in great danger when taking
them to the cemetery to bury them. Thank God, no sign of the police
appeared, and, at the same time, it was reported that they had already found
one in his house. This also brought respite from the other pressure of the
National Police and thus the atmosphere could calm down. However, the
occupants asked me to stay, for whatever reason, and the Dominican Fathers
adapted a room for me; They did the same with Monsignor Urioste, and so
other Human Rights representatives stayed the night.
FRIDAY, November 2, 1979
Day of the Dead. At six in the morning I returned from the Rosary Church. I
later received phone calls from the Presidential House to thank me for the
intervention. I took the opportunity to describe how I saw the situation in the
security forces: bosses who are polite and want peace of mind, but agents
who can become insubordinate and who in a moment of disobedience can be
fatal. I was glad to have intervened and told them that I was at their disposal,
that that was what the service of the Church was for. I spent the day resting
because the sleepless nights hurt me a lot.
However, at noon I celebrated the three masses for the dead. And at night, I
waited for the visit of some young soldiers, who, through Father Gutti, had
asked me for an audience, but at the last minute they announced that they
had been called by the Presidential Emergency House and that they were
very sorry, leaving this interview for later. .
SATURDAY, November 3, 1979
I spent the entire morning in the Parish of La Palma, Chalatenango, where the
Franciscan Father, Vitto Guaratto, gave the title of the cutting and sewing
academy to a new group of young people, who for two years have been
preparing for that art. We also blessed the house under construction that the
Father will use to promote spiritual life and also for courses to promote all
human classes of that beautiful Parish. Fresh atmosphere, very good people.
A great promotional work is being carried out, both by the parish priest and
by the cooperatives, "La Semilla de Dios", which is an industry that is already
being exploited as a source of tourism. In short, it is a very beautiful set of
work and prayer. The Carmelite sisters of San José also have their home
there, whose novices were at mass and then took us for a walk to that
beautiful residence.
In the afternoon, or rather at night, I greeted Colonel Claramount who has
returned from his exile in Costa Rica and we were discussing the delicate
situation in the country, if the Board of young soldiers does not take advice
from the old military experts, among whom , Colonel Claramount selflessly
offers to help.
Afterwards we had an interview with two representatives of the Popular
Revolutionary Leagues, with whom I discussed the occupation of the Rosario,
the burial of twenty-one dead in that Church and I clarified several situations
that the official reports blame them and that, according to them, are
otherwise. I invited them to open themselves to the capacity for dialogue and
collaboration, but they are quite attached to their principles and it is difficult
for these people to admit collaborative dialogue for the common good of the
country; They want to make only their organizational criteria prevail.
Next, I was with Father Moreno, with Monsignor Urioste and with Beto
Cuéllar, to review the week and form a criterion that will inspire my
performance in tomorrow's homily. It is about balancing a very delicate
situation of the abuses of the security forces, the good will of the
Government Board, and the rejection of popular political organizations. But
with the help of God, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and with my sincere
desire to be just and to sincerely help the people, I believe that I have formed
sufficient criteria to be able to encourage and denounce in my homily
tomorrow in the light of the God's word.
SUNDAY, November 4, 1979
I concelebrated in the Basilica with four priests who completed their
twenty-five years of priestly life: Father Antonio Vides, Father Andrés
77
Alvarenga, Father Joaquín Brizuela and Father Óscar Martel. There was one
from San Vicente, but it could not be controlled. At the same time, Father
Ramiro Jiménez, a Passionist, concelebrated with us, since he was appointed
parish priest of the Basilica that same morning. I took advantage of the
homily that speaks of the priesthood of the Eternal Christ, while the priests
who pass through time are replaced; from the Epistle to the Hebrews, and
also taking from the other readings, what is the ministry of priests, the
defense of monotheism against so many idolatries, denounce the idolatries
of our society, as I say in the Pastoral Letter; also, builder of the civilization of
love and minister of the true worship of the living God. After the mass, we
shared a small refreshment with the priests and some of their communities in
the convent of the Basilica, where a press and television conference of
foreign and some national journalists was also held. This interview after mass
is becoming customary, as are other private interviews, which give a very
pastoral, very family atmosphere to those moments after mass.
In Metapán the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception celebrated
their centenary of foundation. They had invited me to lunch, but I only made
an allusion at mass and begged them to excuse me. I was also not able to
attend the coexistence of the catechumenal communities, who celebrated
their exorcism process in a retirement home in Planes de Renderos. I went to
dinner with the sisters from La Sagrada Familia School at their little farm in
Planes, and it was an atmosphere of rest and great cordiality.
Again tonight I waited for the young soldiers who, according to Father Gutty,
were going to arrive, but they couldn't arrive either.
MONDAY, November 5, 1979
At eight in the morning I had a visit from two journalists, one Dutch, another
from Ireland and another Salvadoran who works in Guatemala. Always the
same questionnaire, but it gives me the opportunity to adapt it and be more
and more precise about the situation in the country and the work of the
Church as a Church.
I received a letter from the Nuncio of Costa Rica, brought by a Salesian nun, in
which, confidentially, he informed me that the Vatican Secretariat of State
had asked him to inform me that the news of a threat against my life from the
extreme left.
This eventual threat, which could become reality, is intended to create
problems for the new Government Board and increase confusion in our
people. It has not ceased to worry me, given the seriousness of the channel,
since I have received many of this news only as popular comments, but, even
so, I think I will give it the importance that I have always given: a prudent
citizen, but without exaggerations.
I consulted about this with Monsignor Urioste, who agrees with me, that they
may be the same popular balls that also reach the upper levels of the Vatican.
I also discussed it with two government officials who came to visit me, and
who told me that it was advisable to denounce it in public and that, if I
wanted, they would give me a guarantee, even an armored vehicle. But I told
them that I wanted to continue running the same risks as my people, and
that security of that kind would not be edifying. I took the opportunity to
urge them to speed up actions that suit the people, who become
disillusioned if they do not see faster activity in the Government. They
explained to me that in some commands of the military corps there are
certain people who do not trust them and who may be the causes of some
betrayal, but that they are going to purify those points. We talked about
other aspects of the new Government and I thanked them for their trust and
offered them my services within my pastoral capacities.
I went to visit the Nuncio, who had asked me for an audience, and in the
evening we discussed this news from the Costa Rican nunciature. He offered
me that he would let me know there that he had received the letter, as that
Nuncio requested. We also commented on the situation of the bishops. I
asked him to do everything possible to promote our unity, but based on a
serious reflection on the situation in the country. He agreed with me and
promises to do everything in his power. We also discussed the situation in the
country, and he is concerned that the Vatican has not yet given its approval to
the new regime, which is in his interest so as not to be so far behind. He is
surprised that the new Government, especially the new Minister of Foreign
Affairs, has not yet had communication with him. A diplomatic concern is
evident in our Nuncio.
Since three in the afternoon, members of the Government Junta have been
meeting at the Nicaraguan Embassy with members of the leadership of the
Popular Revolutionary Bloc to negotiate the freedom of the hostages of the
Ministries of Labor and Economy and, above all, the list of demands that the

Bloc wants to obtain at all costs. The negotiations lasted until nine at night
and were suspended to continue tomorrow at eight in the morning. With my
collaborator in the dialogues, the seminarian Octavio, I prepared a brief
dialogue to make known this threat to which I referred before and to give my
impressions of serenity and tranquility; to say that it is common for those
who dedicate themselves to preaching truth and justice to be a sign of
contradiction in the world and that their voice, even if silenced by death, will
always continue to sound in the conscience of those who think the same. I
also referred to the suspension of my trip to United States in view of the
delicate situation in the country. And I also commented, thanking the words
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras, who mentioned me as a
possible element of working on peace with that country. And other points
that I have forgotten at the moment, but they are a micro-interview
thatRadio YSAX wants to begin to encourage collecting diverse opinions
about situations and circumstances.
TUESDAY, November 6, 1979
This morning, as the first TUESDAY, was the meeting of the clergy, attended
by many priests of the Archdiocese and numerous nuns and lay people who
work in the Pastoral Care of our Archdiocese. The point of study was
knowledge of popular political organizations. The three main ones had been
invited, which are: FAPU, REVOLUTIONARY POPULAR BLOCK, and LIGAS
POPULARES 28 DE Febrero, but this day the Block and the Leagues have other
activities and could not attend, but we heard a very interesting explanation of
the ideology and the FAPU strategies. This is a fight for a Government of the
people for the people, explained the general secretary of the Group...
The general secretary of the FAPU explained the ideology and strategies of his
organization at the clergy meeting this first Tuesday. Afterwards we
distributed ourselves in groups by vicariates to ask these two questions: first,
what pastoral incidences are there in this reality of popular political
organizations?, and second, the attitude of the Church.
The reflection by groups was very enriching because when it came to the
plenary session, a set of very positive ideas was given that further
strengthened our pastoral care of incarnation in the national reality,
strengthening, above all, the identity of the Church. Therefore, in conclusion,
I taught them that I had been struck by the clarity with which those organized
present their ideas, the nature of their organization, their strategies and that
hopefully we, pastoral agents, having an entire theology, an entire tradition
of the nature, mission and life of the Church, let us become more aware
every day and know how to express it not only to explain what the Church is,
but to live it with true Church identity, without leaving our ecclesial line, from
which we can do so much good to the same political realities, but to the
extent that we are authentically the Church of Jesus Christ. I also expressed
to them how these men from the organizations are so dedicated to the work
of liberating the people and that we fully understand this, but it distresses us
to think that this struggle is only immanent, only of slavery and earthly,
political, economic, etc. realities. ., that we can understand all of this and be
in solidarity with those liberating efforts, but from our perspective that is
much more complete, because it starts from the liberation of sin and
promotes man to the dignity of son of God, heir of the eternity of God and,
therefore, we are better able to understand the liberations of the earth and
direct them to the great liberation of Christ. And I also told the pastoral
agents that the unity that these forces demonstrate is the secret of their
effectiveness and that we too, since we have a theology about communion,
should try not to disperse, much less criticize one another, not even less
separating ourselves from the ideals and objectives that the bishop, as the
main person responsible for the Pastoral Care, points out to the pastoral care
of the Archdiocese. When there are differences, let us dialogue and
understand each other and try to never break our Church communion. I also
announced the invitation of the diocese of Santiago de María, which will
celebrate its twenty-five years on December 2nd. It was a very cordial
meeting, very enriching of ideas and pastoral purposes.
In the afternoon, a Father from the Franciscans of Gotera, who came with
another priest from a diocese in Ireland, interviewed me on television to take
to his country about the reality of our Church and our country. This afternoon
we are dealing with a meeting of the Seminar Commission with the Seminar
training team. It was also very enriching, since a lot of trust is being gained
between these two sectors that previously seemed a bit antagonistic; We
have objectified our meeting and our mutual work for the good of our future
priests, who the more united they see the clergy and the formation team, the
more they will also have an authentic priestly formation.
78
At night, the new Minister of Health, Dr. Badía, visited the community of the
Hospital de la Divina Providencia and I shared with them a pleasant talk, in
which a lot of optimism and a very good will to serve the country in this very
necessary field of health. Dr. Badía, the new minister, is perhaps the most
qualified doctor in knowledge of Social Medicine and knows well the health
problems of our people and is a man of very good will, very honest and very
competent, which is why I believe he has to do a lot of good. He has already
come to offer his services to this hospital and has also obtained some
subsidies, not official ones, but from charitable institutions. Which indicates
the desire to serve this type of works.
WEDNESDAY, November 7, 1979
As I had promised Dr. Lara Braun, I called New York by phone to confirm my
intention of not being able to attend the ecumenical meeting of the National
Council of Christian Churches that begins tomorrow, Thursday; but this
afternoon they had scheduled a mass for me at the Cathedral of San Patricio
with the Salvadorans and Central Americans of that great metropolis. I
expressed over the phone my regret at not being able to attend, but at the
same time, I explained my pastoral commitment to be with my people. He
understood perfectly and expressed to me, rather, admiration on the part of
that meeting and that they will take this situation of the country into account
in their prayers. I dictated to him by phone some concepts of the message
that I had prepared and that have been sent by mail, as well as a message for
the Salvadorans who are going to meet this afternoon at the New York
Cathedral. The telephone interview was recorded and was broadcast in the
interview that I broadcast every Wednesday at one in the afternoon. In this
one o'clock interview I also illuminated problems such as the recognition of
the new Government by the Holy See.
At four in the afternoon we had an interview between Catholic radio and the
FAPU, which complained that there were comments that did not clearly
distinguish their work and confused it with other leftist groups. Many things
and misunderstandings were clarified and they were offered that, when they
had something to clarify, we would gladly reproduce their clarifications, as
long as they corresponded to the truth and were always positive criteria for
the construction of the common good of the country. Also in a radio meeting,
after this interview, we agreed to appoint the new accountant, the auditor of
theRadio YSAX.
Then, two television interviews in Germany and England and, finally, a visit
from Dr. Lorens, who is going to the ecumenical meeting in New York, and
wanted to give me a greeting, to which I also conveyed a greeting and a hug.
for that congregation and I also gave him my messages in Spanish and
English, in case they had not arrived. It was a very cordial interview and he
understood perfectly that he couldn't go.
We talked a lot about the situation and we gladly awaited the offer that Dr.
Lara made to me on the phone that he would come to bring greetings and
solidarity from that meeting. I also had a private interview with Dr. Saca and
Dr. Badía, in which we approached with great confidence various aspects of
the new Government and we promised to help support the good will and all
the good that they are doing. Just as on my part, I reiterated the purpose of
being faithful, above all, to my Church, which has to be conscience in history
and, therefore, also has to criticize inconvenient things and support what is
always an advance of Humanity towards the Kingdom of God.
THURSDAY, November 8, 1979
I accepted the invitation of the vicarage of La Resurrección to go to the sea,
or rather, to Lake Coatepeque to celebrate Father Vides who completed
twenty-five years of priestly life. At the El Lago hotel we spent a very fraternal
day with Father Ramiro, two Augustinian Fathers from the Miramonte Colony
and a Josephine Father from the Central America Colony. The conversation
always revolved around the current circumstances and specifically I asked
them, and the dialogue was very interesting, about the way in which we
could help to truly purify the Army, especially the security forces. Father
Vides, who was chaplain of the Guard, is a witness to many abuses that were
committed there and to the sincere desire that, among some officers, has
always existed to renew, in accordance with the Constitution, this Armed
Force, which if not security for the country becomes armed terrorism. There
is good will. I announced to them that tonight the director of the National
Guard would come to talk to me, because he asked me for guidance, moral
help and I believed, in conscience, that the Church has to accept these

challenges, but know how to serve with truth and sincerity. They gave me
many practical suggestions and, on the other hand, I had invited Father
Fabián Amaya and Father Jesús Delgado for advice tonight.
Upon returning from the Coatepeque lake walk, at night, the Director of the
Guard, Colonel Eugenio Vides Casanova, arrived, who, in a very respectful
manner, expressed that he had heard my homilies for a long time and when
he is not here in San Salvador Let your child record them so you can listen to
them later. And he congratulated me on the ideology that he has tried to
capture and that he believes is what is urgent in the country. I was happy
about this coincidence and this desire of a man who is not only a soldier, but
is a professional who has studied abroad and who has a true desire that all
the obstacles that existed in the previous Government be removed and that
there be a true renewal in the National Guard corps, which he accepts only as
a sacrifice and a service to the country. We tried to comment, together with
Father Fabián and Father Jesús Delgado, on the various abuses and anomalies
that were noted in the Guard throughout the last Government, especially in
areas such as Chalatenango and other more repressed areas. We also
complained about the lack of understanding of our pastoral work and we
offered everything within our reach as collaboration in the noble effort to
one day have security forces that are truly respected and not feared. He
expressed to us the fears of the new Government in the face of extremist
situations on the right and left, but, with the help of God, they believe that
they can overcome and leave a principle of renewal, which must continue the
Government that the people elect, when it is have created the democratic
conditions of the country.
FRIDAY, November 9, 1979
Amidst the intense movement of the Archbishop's office this morning, I
received an interview from foreign television and another from the country's
television, precisely, from the University. Also an interview from the
Indigenous Association, who came to explain to me important points of their
indigenous group, which had participated in the episcopal meeting of San
Cristóbal de las Casas, where several bishops, with Monsignor Ruiz, did a
study on these aspects of Latin America . Among us is a small group of
indigenous people from Izalco, who want to have the support of the Church
to maintain their originality and their true native meaning and not only be an
object of exploitation by Salvadoran tourism. They left me the work they
studied in Mexico and which we are going to reproduce here to inform you of
such an important point.
Also with socio-political concerns, they came to ask the Church for guidance,
a group from the Workers' Central and to express their full solidarity with the
thought of the Church in a situation as difficult as the one we are
experiencing at the moment. These consultations and these approaches to
the Church give me a lot of comfort in how the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
through his Church, can continue to be a word and a voice of hope and
guidance to so many human groups.
I went to have lunch with the priests of the Mejicanos vicariate, who are
doing their spiritual exercises in the Somascos house, next to the sea, in the
port of La Libertad.
Another very interesting invitation for the night. A meeting of former priests
who have found in this fraternal meeting a way to share their concerns and
their situation as priests retired from the Ministry. They were very happy that
I was with them and they proposed their idea of ​creating a grassroots
community. I encouraged them in their purpose, since, just because they had
retired from the Ministry, they still remained select members of the Church.
That the priestly character they carry qualifies them for a work of the Church,
such as a true basic ecclesial community, from which they have to live the
missionary and sanctifying characteristic of the Church. I notice a lot of
sincerity, a lot of cordiality and a great sense of adherence to the hierarchy.
SATURDAY, November 10, 1979
In the morning, I spoke with Rafael Medrano, manager of Cáritas, who has
problems with Father Tilo Sánchez, director of Cáritas, and together we
agreed that it was better for both of us to retire and leave the management
of Cáritas to a Christian or religious community, to which I asked for his
collaboration.
The community of Aguilares was specifically thought of, in order to guide
Cáritas for the entire Archdiocese.
79
Also at breakfast I spoke with Father Jesús Delgado about the situations of
the current Governing Board and, above all, the role that the Church can play
at this time. In the Army they are willing to receive Christian guidance, but it
was thought that, while Monsignor Álvarez was serving as military vicar, this
would become very difficult and that he had already suggested to the new
Government that it worry about solving this aspect, since the Minister of
Foreign Affairs Mr. Héctor Dada, is a man of the Church and perfectly
understands this hierarchical problem. You will be interested in providing a
solution, not only to the aspect of the military vicariate, but also to other
aspects of the Episcopate and its relations with the Government and the Holy
See. Specifically, I proposed to Father Jesús Delgado that, even if there were
not these changes, it was advisable to take the Christian orientation of our
Army in a very pastoral sense, and he was a very valuable element, since he
has many friendships with the Army and the same Father Estrada, Jesuit.
Then Dr. Chávez arrived, who is a good analyst of the current situation from
the Christian Democratic Party. He explained to me his points of view, a draft
strategy, in order to strengthen this movement that has begun with the new
Government Board and have the courage and frankness to collaborate with
them for the good of the country. I offered him that, from my pastoral
perspective, without leaving my Church identity, I was willing to do any work
for the good of the country. He had proposed a meeting of the military
members of the Government Junta with me and with some other element of
his Christian Democratic Party; simply a meeting of friendship and
appreciation of the situation. It seems that next WEDNESDAY, God willing, we
would have this meeting.
At noon, Father Gregorio Rosa and Miss Doris Osegueda offered me very
good criteria for the homily about the events of the week. It is a very focused
orientation and analyzing it together with the one that Father Rafael and the
bachelor Cuéllar usually bring me at night, they give me a guideline to be
more fair and impartial.
SUNDAY, November 11, 1979
In the Basilica I celebrated the Holy Mass with a large number of people in
attendance, in which I tried to be very fair between the situation of the
Governing Board, which offers us true hope that some do not want to see,
but which is my duty to nourish, and the perspectives of the left-wing
opposition, which is increasingly more intransigent and which, in armed
groups, reaches violence that cannot be tolerated. It took me more than an
hour to explain the Gospel of the widow of Zarephath and the widow of the
gospel, presenting my homily as the three forces that offer the true liberation
of the country: the spirit of poverty, the sense of God and our firm hope. in
the mystery of Christ. Only from this triple Christian perspective can a
Christian see liberation and, therefore, it was not a political perspective, but a
pastoral one. Which puts me in a situation of autonomy and independence to
be able to support the good in any sector, as well as denounce the bad in any
sector.
At noon, I went to celebrate the mass of the patron saint of San Martín in the
city of San Martín, where there was much jubilation of the popular festival
and also a lot of fervor in the Church. The communities gave me their
greetings, information about their work and also a very interesting dialogue
in a lunchtime gathering, in which they expressed political points of view,
which worried me a little because it seems to me that the criteria of their
communities prevail. political analysis than the pastoral criteria that their
bishop offers them. Likewise, I felt this concern at night in the Colonia Santa
Lucía, where I also went to celebrate mass, and after mass I offered a
fellowship, especially with the young people, who are also very imbued with
the politics of the organizations, but There is a good group also very focused
on the pastoral vision of the Church. These two meetings have left me very
concerned and I must seek, together with the direct collaborators of the
Diocese, the way to better religious instruction, so that Christian criteria
prevail over political analyses.
MONDAY, November 12, 1979
This day I went to rest at the house of the sisters of the Holy Family, where I
spent the entire day. But at night, there was a meeting with a group of young
soldiers, about ten, including captains and majors, that Father Gutiérrez
coordinated and Father Estrada and Father Jesús Delgado were on my side. It
was a very interesting dialogue. I saw the good will of this military youth, the
sincere desire to offer the country a contribution of true liberation and a

search in the thought of the Church, to better this moment of a
democratization process. We had frank freedom to present the Church's
points, just as they also spoke with complete frankness about their political
and military perspectives. We agree that these meetings must be repeated
and that they must always be understood from a mutual autonomous
perspective; ours, pastoral, and theirs, political and military.
TUESDAY, November 13, 1979
Like every TUESDAY, I dedicated my attention to the priests, although there
were some visits from a layman, for example, Dr. Jiménez Barrios, from
Jucuapa, who brought me a volume of his poems to give as a gift so that, if
we published it, the product is for the Seminar. We talked a lot about other
things and I thanked him for his generous gesture towards the Church,
especially when one thinks that he is a convert who has found his happiness
in his conversion to Christ.
In the afternoon, I received Mr. Pepe Simán, who has been appointed as
president of INSAFI. He is determined to do it, but he wanted to have my
opinion and my blessing. I told him that the only points that worried me were
his salary and the insecurity in which he was placed, since it is a transitional
Government with many conflicts. He said that he had already thought about
these two things and did not give him any major concern. He wanted to serve
his country and if that was why he burned, it was an honor for him to have
selflessly served his country. I congratulated him, encouraged him and he
knelt to ask me for my blessing, which I gave him with great pleasure and
fervor for him, for his family, for his new position.
There was a meeting with the Major Seminary and some priests. It is an
approach that gives me great satisfaction from the clergy and the Major
Seminary, which is already the future clergy. We talked a lot about an
evaluation of the work in the Seminary, in light of the parable of the talents,
and I guided the examination about the Seminary as a community, and about
each one, how many talents, as a group of young people who should have
their physiognomy own as a Seminary of the Archdiocese and many opinions
were given to define these characteristics of the Major Seminary of the
Archdiocese. One of the ones I liked the most was the one that said it was a
balanced social sense, under the direction of its bishop. I told them that I
approved of all this and, above all, that they should be characterized by their
piety, by their approach to God, by being men of prayer, just as our people
will one day need them as priests.
There was also talk of planning a gathering of young people for next
Christmas when the abbot of Taizé announced his visit, with whom I made
friends at the meeting in Puebla, and he promised me from then on this visit
to the country to celebrate together, here, the Christmas coming. There is
enthusiasm among the seminarians, who will convene the young people on
these holidays and I believe that something very splendid will result in
accordance with this charisma of the abbot of Taizé, who has a lot of special
grace in dealing with young people. On this occasion, four of the six
third-year Theology seminarians will receive the ministries.
Father Goyo Rosa, with a soldier of the rank of major, came to pay me a
confidential visit in which the soldier made sensational revelations about the
disorder that reigned in the Army, of which he was also a victim; but of the
good spirit that exists in the youth to purify the Army of El Salvador. I thanked
him for his confidences, which referred especially to the attacks in Soyapango
and the factories the day after the coup d'état. All this was a false
interpretation of an order, in which he was in a bad position and had to leave
for another barracks. With due reserve, he left me all his confidences, for
which I thanked him as an enlightenment that will be very useful to me.
WEDNESDAY, November 14, 1979
The morning was spent in the Administration Commission, which was holding
its meeting, especially to deal with the Bishop's residence and the office for
the Archdiocese. The opinion of the commission is that there is no need for
an expense, since it is good in the Seminary and that it bears more testimony
to poverty and austerity, but I explained to them the reasons that we had
discussed with the Seminary team, in response to the discomfort with the
other bishops, that it was better to make a building independent of the
Archdiocese, even if it were on the same land as the Seminary, and that for
me, personally, a residence was not necessary since, thank God, I share the
community of the Carmelite nuns of the Hospital of Divine Providence, but I
would not want my successor to find himself without a house to reside in.
80
Furthermore, I informed them of the offer of help from European institutions
for this work and that, therefore, it would not cost us. But what if we made a
project of functional simplicity and it was everyone's opinion that not only
the present be taken into account, but the future, since the life of the
Archdiocese, thank God, is growing significantly and will need new functions
for its functions. offices, and that the Seminary is also growing and will need
to be left exclusively for this work. I was very happy at the coincidence of
opinions, after having had that divergence of points of view.
In the afternoon, an interview announced many days ago with Mr. Jorge
Acosta, who together with Mr. Valero Iglesias, make popular editions of the
pontifical documents, as they also did with my pastoral letters. The title of
the notebook is El Guanaquito. And he explained to me how they assimilate
the language of the peasants and make the ideas of these documents reach
them, even if they are illiterate.
It is a truly brilliant work and, as he informed me, it has gained the attention
of other countries that believe it is very useful to imitate this effort to get
closer to the peasantry. For my part, I congratulated them and gave them
some ideas and encouraged them to continue doing work that is so useful to
the teaching of the Church and, above all, to the Christian education of our
people.
Afterwards I went to visit the group of priests who are doing spiritual
exercises in the Seminary. This is the vicariate of Quezaltepeque, but there
are priests from other vicariates. We talked about the current situation of the
country and the role of the Church, the various aspects and opinions that
reign among the clergy themselves, among Christians, and I insisted a lot that
our perspective was entirely pastoral, even without ignoring the political
problems that it is. necessary to illuminate. But I liked the second part more
when we dealt with the human aspects of our relationships as a presbytery of
the Archdiocese. There is very good will. We told each other the defects that
can hinder this communion, not only of faith, but also psychologically, and I
was grateful for the pointing out of my deficiencies, which can hinder
relationships that I would like to be very cordial. There were very useful
insights for each of us who participated in that meeting.
In the evening, as usual, I dedicate myself to reviewing correspondence.
Thank God, I have a good secretary, Sister Nicolasa, from Guadalupana, who
gives me the summary of the letters and in which I write down the ideas to
be answered. There is a lot of correspondence that arrives daily and, thank
God, I believe that we are also doing a true apostolate through brief
responses and timely messages.
THURSDAY, November 15, 1979
I forgot to mention that yesterday I had a phone call from the Presidential
House. It was Colonel Majano only to greet me and express his solidarity,
since he had heard of the death threat that I have been subjected to and to
inform me that they are very optimistic about the situation in the country,
that they believe that the project that they maintain will be consolidated.
some necessary changes and a Government that responds to the demanding
objectives of the people. I congratulated them, encouraged them and also
told them that the Church was always ready to serve the people and that, in
that sense, they could always count on the Church. Just as I would have the
freedom to denounce anything that offends the human rights of our people.
This day, Thursday the 15th, I went to Candelaria de Cuscatlán, where Father
Salvador Interiano had invited me to preside over the patron saint's feast of
the Dulce Nombre de María, which they celebrate there on this date. I
preached to them with the spirit of Puebla, how devotion to the Virgin is part
of our Latin American identity, but that it was a devotion that had to be up to
date, just as Puebla also announces for the present and the future, a Mary
who is the inspiration of the suffering of our people, not passively, but with
the spiritual energy of giving pain the meaning of redemption and supporting
God's project of changing injustices into a more fraternal and just order.
We later talked with Father Modesto López, rector of the Cathedral, who was
present there and we had lunch together; a sense of brotherhood that I
would like to grow more and more among us priests.
Upon returning to the Hospital, I was informed of several phone calls that I
tried to answer; above all, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the pastors
of the Baptist Church, who, without a doubt, are very excited about the
arrival of Dr. Lara Braun next Sunday.
I also had an interview with the psychologist, Dr. Semsch, whom I have not
been able to see for days and whose interviews are very useful for me to
verbalize problems that, with his help, I try to solve in a more calm and safe
way.

FRIDAY, November 16, 1979
Several groups of people who have felt affected by violent acts by left-wing
extremist groups have arrived at the Archbishopric. It thus turns out that the
left has become more repressive than the repressions it was denouncing
before. We have expressed solidarity with all these workers who have
suffered serious consequences in their family and economic situation. At
noon we had a beautiful mass for peace in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart,
promoted by the Parish Committee of the Basilica. At the time of the homily,
a lady, the girl Lydia de Pineda, spoke a very deep, deeply felt speech about
peace. I emphasized the sense of peace that the lady had made and invited
the laity to, like this example, take the messages of Christianity to the world.
And I also took advantage of emphasizing devotion to the Virgin of Peace, as
the mediator of this great gift that our people need.
I had lunch with the Jesuit Fathers, where we discussed, above all, the topic
of the current situation in the country and the role of the Church.
Today was the closing of the Major Seminary and I was not able to attend the
mass that I had been invited to, but it was in the name of Father Cortés
because at that same time, at six in the afternoon, we were going to have a
meeting with a member of the Government Board and others from the
Christian Democratic Party, to analyze and provide help to the new
Government. It was a very interesting meeting. Colonel Majano arrived and
with complete frankness we expressed points of view that the Government
liked very much as a collaboration. This meeting was institutionalized, as an
emergency, at the time when they needed advice and also, weekly, to work
on pointing out goals and projects that are urgent in our environment as
support for the Governing Board and, most of all, to accelerate the structural
changes that the country needs.
That afternoon, Dr. Jorge Lara Braun arrived from New York, bringing a
message from the National Council of Churches for our Archdiocese, which
he will present next Sunday at mass in the Basilica, at eight in the morning.
SATURDAY, November 17, 1979
At the Hospital I had an interview with a Dutch journalist. Then I went to
Santa Tecla. In the Parish of El Calvario we had a vicariate meeting which Dr.
Lara Braun attended and participated in praising the pastoral work of our
Archdiocese. I explained the pastoral letter to them, which was the subject of
reflection in groups and then, in the plenary session, we drew very practical
conclusions as a service of the Church to the current moment in our country.
The Carmelites even explained to me situations in their own congregation
that we treated with a lot of understanding. In the afternoon, I went to
celebrate Holy Mass at La Relocation de Chalatenango. One thousand families
are relocated in the three groups of that relocation and a large number
attended...
In the morning, interview with a Dutch journalist. In the morning I went to
the Church of El Calvario, in Santa Tecla, where the priests, nuns and lay
people of the vicariate of La Libertad met. The central theme was the
presentation of my Fourth Pastoral Letter, which was then reflected on in
groups and we concluded in a plenary session with very practical applications
to the pastoral life of that vicariate. Dr. Jorge Lara Braun participated, who
has come from the United States bringing a message to our Archdiocese from
the National Council of Churches.
In the afternoon, I went to celebrate the Holy Mass at La Relocation de
Chalatenango, where nearly a thousand families have settled, after having
lost their lands and their houses in the Cerrón Grande flood. The festival they
celebrate today is that of Saint Teresa, who was the patron saint of their old
canton, now flooded. Also here, Dr. Lara participated in the homily and there
was a very cordial welcome and coexistence with those Christians, who
expressed themselves after mass in very beautiful testimonies through the
microphone.
CHAPTER 21 Year 1979
DIARY from November 18 to December 23, 1979
SUNDAY, November 18, 1979
81
The mass was always in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and after the mass,
an interview with a television reporter, I think Switzerland. In the afternoon, I
went to celebrate the blessing of the hermitage of Cantón El Carmen, in the
Parish of Santo Tomás. Father Teodoro Alvarenga, a priest who has governed
that Parish for more than twenty-five years, is highly esteemed and the
people are very close to the Church; I had a truly ecclesial welcome. I felt like
a shepherd and that the shepherd's affection found a wonderful echo in
these peasant people, in addition to those who came from the towns.
For this day, a meeting with young soldiers had been announced, but I could
not attend it due to my visit to Santo Tomás. I commissioned Father Estrada
to represent me.
MONDAY, November 19, 1979
This morning and this afternoon there was also a meeting of the Episcopal
Conference of El Salvador to elect the new board. First of all, the Nuncio gave
a greeting and urged union, since he had not achieved greater unity of the
bishops during his service in the Nunciature and offered to occupy his last
days, since he believes that next year, at the beginning , you will have to finish
your task, to do everything possible towards this unity. For this, he
recommended the appointment of two bishops, specifically, Rivera and
Monsignor Revelo, to constitute a commission that would work on the unity
of the bishops, but later the bishops, mainly Aparicio and Álvarez, rejected
this proposal from the Nuncio who, I For my part, I supported and said that it
was convenient to appoint her and that she would work even before
proceeding to elections, that the environment was not conducive to that,
given that we were polarized and there would be no possibility of the
elections uniting, but rather, They will further crack our unity. In fact, the
elections were held and the procedure was very partial, very arbitrary. So the
majority, Aparicio, Álvarez, Revelo and Barrera did what they wanted with the
vote. The election of the president proceeded canonically and an absolute
majority was not achieved in the first three votes, but in the eighth,
Monsignor Rivera obtained a small relative majority that, unfortunately, we
did not observe in time, but after the ninth, the ninth vote. , when the canon
was read and I noticed that, in the eighth vote, that relative majority had
been achieved in favor of Monsignor Rivera. However, since he was not a
candidate accepted by the majority, it was said that the notice was already
out of time and a tenth vote was held, where Monsignor Álvarez, who was
given the position of president, was favored with a relative majority.
But for my part, I have written a letter to the Nuncio with the order of
sending it to the Congregation for Bishops, pointing out this anomaly, which
vitiated the entire procedure of a new president, elected in such an arbitrary
manner.
The other positions as well, very important commissions, were given
according to the opinion of this majority and the additional vote that the
president who assumed Monsignor Álvarez, as the new president, has. For
my part, in that letter to the Nuncio I asked that the anomaly be corrected
and the presidency be given to the person who canonically corresponded,
which was Monsignor Rivera, who, on the other hand, is a more suitable
person, as more conciliatory, to provide unity. , as well as more prudent and
intelligent to give a new face to a conference that is very discredited and that
will be further discredited with the presidency of a bishop markedly noted for
his political and social position with the previous Government and for his
imprudence in criteria and superficiality, in trials that do not give a good
representativeness to the Salvadoran Episcopate.
I hope that my letter is attended to, but at least my disagreement with this
procedure will be recorded.
TUESDAY, November 20, 1979
There was a meeting of the Executive Council of the Archbishopric to discuss
especially the construction of the Archbishop's residence and the offices for
the Archbishopric. It is planned for the land adjacent to the Seminary,
towards the east side. And the architects have presented a very functional
and practical plan, on which the request for a subsidy will be made that is
already well underway in European institutions.
I later went to have a meeting with the vicarage of Soyapango. Almost all
priests, religious communities and faithful and lay people dedicated to
pastoral work attended. In the dialogue with the Bishop, the political and
pastoral problem arose that I clarified on my part and I am concerned about
the excessive politicization of some communities and some pastoral agents.

At night, the interview with Father Rafael Moreno, with whom some doubts
arise despite how loyal he has been in his service; but lately it makes me
worry because of its too much partiality towards popular political
organizations.
I went to dinner with the engineer Román Mayorga Quirós, a member of the
Revolutionary Government Junta, who in an atmosphere of great confidence
told me about the projects and work of the Junta, and that the Junta has
already managed to become more compact and become more politically
aware. of the structural changes that have to be made. I saw it as quite
optimistic and I also felt that my hope, in this change, despite the enormous
deficiencies of the principle and the criticism of the opposition, is a
well-founded hope. I ask the Lord like this and with this intention, mainly, I
will make my pilgrimage to the Virgin of Peace, on her day, tomorrow,
November 21.
WEDNESDAY, November 21, 1979
Day of Our Lady of Peace. And I went to participate in the concelebration
with the other brother bishops in St. Michael's Cathedral. The Cathedral was
packed, it was broadcast on the radio and I felt, frankly, very sorry that the
homily, which could have been a message for this people hungry for guidance
and inspiration, had been let down, in large part, by a very colorless and
abstract of the Nuncio. I respect their responsibility and their mission, but,
frankly, the prophetic role of the Church was not fulfilled here, in a
circumstance as beautiful as a festival of the country's patron saint, in front of
a people in need of a more vibrant, lived message. and deep.
I always noticed in the Episcopate the desire to marginalize me; But the
people, on the other hand, gave me a warm ovation upon leaving the Church,
which I already sensed and that is why I stayed last, so as not to offend my
brothers who left more privately with this kind of popular rivalry. I thank the
people and do not feel vanity, but rather joy in being in tune with the feelings
of a people who expect ever deeper solidarity from their prophets and
pastors.
THURSDAY, November 22, 1979
I wrote a letter to Engineer Pacheco, who borders the land of the Hospital de
la Divina Providencia, to support the request that the sisters of this hospital
have been making to him for a long time, to collaborate to establish the limits
of the sisters' property, since the engineer has introduced his limits in this
terrain. I made him see that it was not charity that was being asked of him,
but rather a right of justice and that, even in the field of charity, it was worth
helping this center of such sacrifice as the Hospital's patients. Therefore, he
begged him to help so that this conflict would end soon, hinting that,
otherwise, his maneuvers would have to be publicly denounced, which have
already done enough damage to the Hospital's land.
At nine thirty in the morning, we began the meeting of the Pastoral
Commission. It is interesting to hear the report of each of the vicariates,
because it is seen that there is a lot of activity in the various sectors of our
Diocese. There is a lot of creativity, there is a true blessing of the spirit of God
among us, but the main point of our meeting was the study of a statement
published by a group of priests, nuns and lay people from base ecclesial
communities and parishes throughout the Republic. . He is anonymous
because no one takes responsibility with his signature and examining the
current political moment, they draw conclusions that are sometimes
offensive and negative against our Church. They tried to justify it as an effort
to enlighten in the midst of confusion. There were very valuable defenses,
such as that of Father Fabián, Monsignor Urioste, Father Torruella, some nuns
and other elements. But there was also defense of the criteria of this
document. For my part, I made them see that it seemed more like a political
analysis than a pastoral document and I urged that we try to do Church and
not politics and that, in this sense, I asked for maximum sincerity and trust in
the Archbishop; above all, those who make up this group of the Pastoral
Commission, so that united in unity of criteria we work for the construction
of the Kingdom and from there illuminate the various realities of the country.
The discussion was very fruitful and although there were moments of heat;
The confidence with which opinions have been sincerely expressed in this
very difficult field of faith and politics has prevailed.
In the afternoon, I had a visit from a member of the MNR political party and
an old friend, Arturo Gallegos, who expressed to me an invitation from the
Government Board of Nicaragua and we discussed the reason for this
82
invitation and explained to them that, as long as I did not have greater
knowledge of the relations of that Government with the hierarchy of that
country, I could not undertake a trip, even if I accepted an invitation, out of
respect and solidarity with my brother bishops and that, in any case, I would
consult him. Arturo Gallegos brought to me the concern that the Government
should have an advisory and technical office to create an environment in
accordance with the mystique of the Revolution that the military has initiated
after the coup d'état of October 15. I tried to understand the full scope of this
initiative and gave it my support, but, at the same time, expressing the
independence that the Church retains and that it cannot identify itself, even
in an effort to collaborate, with any specific political movement. Yes, it was in
the plan to educate the people and raise civic awareness, we have gladly
done it and will continue to do so. I promised to get him an audience with a
member of the Governing Board, so that they could understand him directly.
At night, Beto Cuéllar from Legal Aid came to inform me with great emotion
that they had found, next to the Treasury Police gariton, an underground
where several prisoners had evidently been tortured, whose signs they had
left written on the wall and that, As well as this unexpected meeting, there is
no doubt that there are other clandestine prisons that are violating the
Constitution in the last regime.
I encouraged Cuéllar to continue this investigation and to duly inform the
Investigative Commission as a contribution of our Church.
FRIDAY, November 23, 1979
In the morning, meeting of the Presbyteral Senate. We gave priority to the
analysis of the Church's actions in this political situation of the country and
we took into account the statement of a group of priests that seems, rather
than pastoral, a political analysis. It gave me great satisfaction to feel the
solidarity of the majority of all the senators and to discover, providentially,
the priests who are more with the political lines of the popular organizations
than with the Pastoral Care of our Church. I expressed my deep feeling as a
pastor for not having the sincerity of some of the most intimate collaborators
and I urged them, together and for the good of the Church, to build the
Kingdom of God. And from that Kingdom of God, which we felt deeply in
faith, we could better illuminate the political realities and the good of this
society of our country.
Several points of interest of the clergy were touched upon and it was an
extremely constructive meeting. In the afternoon, I went to a gathering of
catechists from the catechumenal movement, at the Rinaldi Institute in
Planes de Renderos. I celebrated the Holy Mass and expressed my joy to see
this movement flourish and taking advantage of the Pope's document on
catechesis, I asked them to try in their lives to connect the catechumenate
with sacramental life, with the community, a service of the people of God to
our society, and they would also join the catechumenate with the kerygma,
that is, that that announcement that should have made us encounter Christ,
but which was not in our baptism, nor in our previous life, we tried to make it
from now on a continuous encounter with the Lord, so that kerygma and
catechesis would perform their true role in the evangelization of our lives and
in those with whom we have to share fraternal coexistence.
Upon returning, I met at the Hospital Colonel Abdul Gutiérrez, a member of
the Revolutionary Government Junta, with Dr. Saca, with whom we very
cordially shared intimacies of the same Government and even Colonel
Gutiérrez, who was the main agent of the coup, told me of state, very
intimate things from that day, October 15. So, I was surprised and happy by
the confidence with which they talked about this matter.
I also took advantage of giving my initiatives, in order to ensure that this very
difficult time for the country was handled with the greatest sense and
balance, since so many dangers are exposing this hope for the liberation of
our people to failure. Colonel Gutiérrez shared those concerns with me, but
at the same time, the confidence that God will help us turn out well.
Specifically, we are talking about the division that, it seems, some soldiers
want to create between the two Government soldiers. He said that it was
possible, but that they are also doing everything possible to ensure that
nothing divides them because a split between the two could be fatal, both for
the Army and for the country. I also expressed concern about the missing
people and offered the collaboration of Legal Aid as we are doing and so on,
other aspects that, I think, have been a very useful conversation, as well as it
was also very long.
SATURDAY, November 24, 1979

This day I dedicated myself to preparing the homily, but among the
correspondence, I received the news that the University of Leuven has agreed
to grant me an honorary doctorate and that this title will be awarded to me
on February 2, the patron saint's day of that University, along with with two
other men, a man and a woman, distinguished with this honor for their
intellectual abilities and their social work. They also asked me to give the
speech for that session.
Father Juan Deplanck Lencho, who, without a doubt, is the one who has been
very interested in this, also writes to me telling me not to reject and to
answer urgently, and that he will help me in everything appropriate.
I have thanked God for this new testimony of his love and encouragement.
Father Rafael Urrutia, who translated the French for me, also gave me a note
of congratulations, which has encouraged me a lot because it is a stimulus to
the effort we make for a liberating pastoral ministry. I think I must accept,
since it is not only a personal honor, but also an encouragement to a cause
that in the Church needs a lot of support.
At night, we analyzed the reality of the week with Father Moreno, with
Monsignor Urioste and the high school student Cuéllar. It is an extremely
dense week of which I will report in my homily tomorrow.
SUNDAY, November 25, 1979
I celebrated in the Basilica. It is the feast of Christ the King. We made the
consecration to the Heart of Jesus, as Pope Pius , since I announced that next
Sunday to begin the liturgical year, we will celebrate again in the Cathedral.
And if only there is a hindrance again, we would return to this Church or to
the one that is free.
At eleven in the morning, confirmations at the Church of the Heart of Mary. A
nice group of young people prepared by the parish priests of that vicarage. I
was very surprised that the Church's own priests, the Claretians, did not
appear in the liturgy. I must ask for an explanation on this.
In the afternoon, in the Parish of San Francisco, of Mejicanos, I attended the
religious profession of two Passionists. Young people who have given their
lives to this congregation. There was the Provincial Father of Central America,
and Father Juan Macho, parish priest, and other Passionists and other
religious women, also Passionists.
Afterwards there was a very nice gathering in the neighboring Domus Mariae,
but which I was not able to attend in its entirety.
MONDAY, November 26, 1979
This morning I went to Chalatenango. In the Minor Seminary, an interesting
late vocations course is being carried out to learn about their cultural level
and promote adequate training that equips them for the priesthood that they
still long for; They are not very advanced ages, but they are young people
who already believed that the priesthood was not possible for them, and I
have been very impressed by the testimony of dedication and joy that is seen
in them when they see the realization of their ideals possible.
I visited the community of Sisters of La Asunción, in Chalatenango, and also,
again, I visited the Passionists in the Parish of San Francisco, wanting to see
the Provincial Superior, but unfortunately he was not there; However, I had a
very interesting talk with Father Juan.
TUESDAY, November 27, 1979
I had an interview with the Ambassador of Sweden, who is interested in the
situation in the country and the role of the Church. Another interesting
interview with an expert in social communications, Argentine, who is in
Mexico and another man who was also expelled from Uruguay and is in
Mexico, and is a specialist in creativity for radio, he works with CERPAL. Their
interest was to get to know me and ask me something about what they
admired, they say, at Sunday Mass: communication with the audience.
“Sometimes,” I told them, “one does not realize those technical aspects that
you know, but he knows that the grace of the Holy Spirit guides his Church
and makes his Word fruitful. To that I attribute all the success that you
believe you have found in that homily, as well as in all my pastoral work. "I
trust in the Holy Spirit and try to be his instrument, love the people and serve
them sincerely from the Gospel." The conversation was very interesting
about other topics of the reality of our country.
83
This morning was filled with the meeting that the Pastoral Commission and
the Presbyteral Senate organized in order to study, together with other
priests, the attitude that the Church should have in this political circumstance
of the country. And in light of these principles, the document that a group of
priests published was analyzed, in which they criticize the attitude of the
Church quite a bit. And one notices, rather, a political criterion than a pastoral
one. The discussion went very deep. We have spoken frankly and it is
discovered that, for many priests and communities, the political aspects are
more interesting and an attempt was made to orient ourselves, precisely,
towards a pastoral task and a sign of unity in the midst of this pluriform
variety of parties and political organizations.
In the afternoon, I visited the group of religious women who work in pastoral
ministry and who are doing spiritual exercises in Planes de Renderos, under
the direction of Father Rafael Moreno. We talked all afternoon, mainly about
the difficult aspects of Pastoral Care, in such a politicized environment, but I
tried to tell them that, with all frankness, we should be brave in carrying the
evangelical message and being a true Church, which does not live in
circumstances nor fear. the varieties because he is preaching the Kingdom of
God, which tries to illuminate the realities of the earth. It was interesting to
see this group of women from diverse congregations who feel so united in
pastoral work. And this was one of the confessions that I liked the most, that
they feel that the line of the Archdiocese is so defined that they feel they are
always walking, each one with Christian maturity.
At night, I went to dinner at Mr. Viéytez's house, where Dr. Chávez,
Monsignor Urioste, Father Ellacuría and Father Estrada were also present.
And we deal with issues of current politics and the role of the Church, mainly
analyzing the specific situation of the Government Board and the
Government in general.
WEDNESDAY, November 28, 1979
In my radio interview this day, I recalled that today is the anniversary of the
death, by murder, of Father Ernesto Barrera and nine years ago, also on this
day, the first priest who died in this way in our Archdiocese was murdered,
the Father Nicolás Rodríguez, whom I went along with other priests, at the
request of Monsignor Chávez, to pick up there near San Antonio Los Ranchos,
in Chalatenango. In memory of these two anniversaries, a solemn mass was
celebrated in the afternoon in the Parish of San Sebastián, in Ciudad Delgado,
where Father Neto Barrera was parish priest precisely when he was killed. It
was a very nice Mass, starting with a very cordial meeting that Father
Gutiérrez organized for me at the entrance to the town of Ciudad Delgado. A
joyful, cordial reception and a mass that was also very enthusiastic.
There were some confirmations and I took the opportunity to say how the
people of God, anointed by the sacraments and among whom their priests
stand out at the service of the people, force them to provide a priestly service
to the people, which cannot be confused with other services of a nature.
merely political and that is why it has to carry a distinction, a holiness as
Christ wants it, precisely, so that it is more effective in the work of liberating
the people.
In the morning there were quite a few visits from journalists and other
people, priests and seminarians. Rubén Zamora's wife, Doña Ester, offered
her services in the secretariats of our Archbishopric, free of charge.
We have taken the opportunity to have him work in the Secretariat of Social
Communication and also in the Private Secretariat of the Archbishop. She,
well, already started working this afternoon.
This day a review was also carried out at the San Martín convent. The police
had received information that Father Tilo Sánchez had weapons and that they
were going to go pick them up, but they agreed to notify the Archbishop and
he called Father Tilo to inform him of this accusation and, spontaneously, he
offered to go with someone. police officer and some witness from the Curia
to examine her convent. Which was done, the police information having
turned out to be false because there were no weapons in the convent. I took
the opportunity to thank the police for this more prudent procedure than
before and that in every conflict I wish there was always this prior dialogue,
which thus avoided things that would have been very serious if the
intervention of the Church had not been taken into account. The police also
understood and said they were grateful and agreed to do so on future
occasions.
Monsignor Urioste went to the airport to meet Monsignor Stehle from
ADVENIAT, but he did not arrive, possibly he will arrive very late at night. In
any case, we look forward to it and we have our thanks to ADVENIAT and also
new programs to ask for your help. Monsignor Stehle's visit was announced

as one of solidarity with our Church. Just as it will move to Nicaragua to offer
the valuable services of ADVENIAT.
THURSDAY, November 29, 1979
At the Archbishopric this morning, I received the Secretary General of the
UDN political party. He is a Marxist and had very complimentary words for
the work of the Church. He said that it was very different from other times,
when his Marxism called the Church "opium of the people", that now, on the
contrary, the Church was its best awakener and that much of what was
happening in the country for the benefit of the Transformation was the work
of the Church.
He wanted to offer me a dialogue to seek ways of collaboration in solving the
country's problems.
We agreed that we would have this dialogue next Monday and we indicated
the people they were going to invite.
There was an interview with a Colombian journalist who writes for North
American newspapers.
At lunch, at Doña Aída de Muyshondt's house, with a group of Ladies of
Charity, I celebrated the Holy Mass, for the eternal rest of several deceased
relatives of these ladies. And at lunch and in the dialogue there were very
constructive ideas about Cáritas, which will have as manager a religious
woman and as visitors also religious women who have this charisma of clarity
and promotion in our town.
In the afternoon I went to visit the Eucharistic nuns who are doing their
spiritual exercises. About thirty nuns shared dinner and then a very
interesting conversation, in which I offered answers to various concerns. I
have managed to get them to commit to a catechism in the Cathedral, and to
help me support the liturgy of our Sunday mass.
I went to see Fernando Valero Iglesias tonight, who is preparing for surgery at
home, since somewhat serious symptoms have been found in his lungs. I
have tried to encourage him and thank him for his many and generous
collaborations.
FRIDAY, November 30, 1979
In the morning, I had a very important meeting with the editors of the
comments ofRadio YSAX. A letter from Monsignor Urioste to Father Ellacuría
asking him to take responsibility for these programs provoked a response
letter in which they clarify their support for the Archdiocese and that they do
not think they should be separated from this work linked to the
Archbishopric. This was the point of discussion for the entire meeting, in
which very clear ideas emerged, although there were some resentments; But
I think that, in general, the meeting was positive, since everyone, laymen and
priests present, will continue working and a way will be found to be united
with the thoughts of the Archbishopric without appearing to be an official
voice of the Church, which is the core of the problem.
A meeting of the Seminary Commission was also held this morning in which
several points were analyzed regarding the reports and the life of the
seminarians. It seems that there is an underlying problem and it is the
ideological problem that is also causing some havoc in some communities,
where the true concept of the Church is lost. We will try to be very faithful to
the theological thought of the Church and to illuminate the work of the
Diocese and the Seminary in accordance with this thought.
Monsignor Emilio Stehle wine from ADVENIAT. We had lunch with him at the
Hospital of Divine Providence.
We visited the group of nuns who are doing exercises in Planes de Renderos.
She shared with them and we thanked her that, thanks to ADVENIAT, this
work of the nuns can be carried. And we talked to him about the other
programs and he presented, more than anything, a greeting of solidarity with
our Archdiocese. He also visited the UCA, the Cathedral and there is hope for
some help for these works.
At night, Father Estrada had prepared an interview-dinner with a simple and
good family, professors from the UCA, where they also took a couple of
peasants who felt very happy at the meeting with their pastor. We shared
very unitedly, the two couples and the two priests, a frugal dinner, and above
all, a very cordial friendship.
SATURDAY, December 1, 1979
84
I had the closing mass of the work of the Fe y Alegría Schools in the chapel of
the San José day school.
A good group of five academies for men and women offered there the fruits
of the promotion work that this academy is carrying out.
The representative of MISEREOR also came, with whom we spoke together
with Father Ramón Vega, who is already among us, and Monsignor Urioste
about the many economic collaborations that this MISEREOR institution is
providing us.
This afternoon, I went to the diocese of Santiago de María where since
yesterday they have been celebrating the jubilee celebrations for the
twenty-five years of existence of that diocese. This day dedicated to the
Virgin and women, has also been consecrated to the second bishop and in
that aspect I am going to celebrate the Eucharist. In the evening, there was a
beautiful dramatic act in which some priests and several laymen actively
participated, representing the martyrdom of Thomas More. Father Majano,
Father Rodas, Father Cabrera and other great friends of that clergy, where I
participated for two years of work, gave me a very affectionate welcome, as
did Monsignor Rivera and many lay members of that community.
SUNDAY, December 2, 1979
After a very cool night, in Santiago de María, although its silence was
interrupted by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc that spent the entire night
singing and haranguing in the Central Park, we woke up to celebrate the
twenty-fifth anniversary of this diocese. A joyous dawn swept through the
streets and after sharing the intimacy of prayer and breakfast with Monsignor
Rivera, we went to the Cathedral where we met with the other bishops and
all the clergy of the Diocese and numerous pilgrimages that had come from
various places. parishes. The Holy Mass was solemnly celebrated; Father
Majano had a very appropriate, very eloquent homily, in which the bishops
who have had the honor and happiness of governing that diocese paraded.
After the mass, diplomas were delivered from the Municipality and from the
Diocese to Monsignor Machado, who was the bishop of San Miguel, when
this part of the diocese of San Miguel was returned to form the new diocese
of Santiago de Maria. Monsignor Machado had been brought expressly from
his retreat in Santiago Nonualco. Monsignor Chávez y González, who was the
metropolitan when this division of the Diocese was made, and the other
bishops in office also attended. A silver tray was given to Monsignor Rivera,
since he is the bishop who received the Silver Jubilee of the Diocese.
After the mass, the president of the Episcopal Conference, Monsignor
Álvarez, called an emergency meeting, in which some doubts about the
selection of the president and the new positions were clarified. I expressed
my complaint sent to the Nuncio, who had called for this meeting through
the president of the CEDES. Monsignor Aparicio also invoked an abnormality
in his favor. My claim was in favor of Monsignor Rivera, who had a relative
majority that was not taken into account and, therefore, the Presidency of
Monsignor Álvarez was illegitimate. However, I myself proposed that, pro
bono pacis, things be left as they are, but that it be recorded in our protest.
After a discussion that left me, as always, bitter in my relations with the
Episcopal Conference, since there was personal resentment towards me,
however, offering everything to the Lord, I went to the celebration of a
meeting at the College of Saint Gema de Aludani, where we were also given a
nice lunch.
Upon returning to San Salvador, I encountered several problems. An
intervention is requested from the Archbishop on behalf of the South African
Embassy to see if its Ambassador, who was captured a few days ago, is freed
from the kidnapping. I was thanked for the intervention I made in writing and
on the radio in favor of the Ambassador and against all the violence that is
devastating the country. The Nuncio in Santiago de María also congratulated
me and said, "I couldn't be better." Also another problem. An interview with
the Provincial Father of the Jesuits and Father Moreno, to deal precisely with
the ideologies within our Church. They were very understanding and the
dialogue was developed on a broad basis and in search of a true employer's
association during this very difficult time in the country. Father Moreno,
despite having many prejudices against him, is a man of the Church and
agrees to the advice of the Archbishopric because, precisely, we need to
understand the ideology and the mind and the strategy of the popular
political organizations that he understands and, I believe , with true Church
criteria. It will therefore continue to be an advisor, but at the same time
complementing it with other criteria to have a complete judgment on reality.
I proposed calling to this meeting of criteria, together with Father Moreno,
Monsignor Urioste, Father Fabián, Father Octavio Ortiz or Walter Guerra.

Another problem is the occupation by popular organizations for the benefit
of the Zacatecoluca Cotton Cooperative. The Governor spoke to me asking for
the support of the Archbishopric to go early tomorrow to negotiate with the
occupiers and avoid possible violence that is expected to come. I asked Father
Cortés to go there, along with the Legal Aid, represented by Beto Cuéllar, and
they have gladly offered this collaboration.
Finally, they were waiting for me, it was almost eleven at night, a priest, the
episcopal secretariat of Los Teques, from Venezuela, where Father Roberto
Trejos, a Salvadoran, is located. The Father comes to ask me, in the name of
the Bishop of that Diocese, that Father Trejos be allowed to continue, since
he is doing great pastoral work there. I told him that I was in great need of
priests and that now they could enter, that a call had been made to everyone,
but that I left it to the discretion of the Father and the Bishop whether it
would be useful to prolong their stay for a reasonable time, and that He
considered the missionary character an honor, or the simple fact of
communion of our Church with the diocese of Los Teques. The priest left very
pleased and after some general talks with bishops and old companions from
Venezuela, he said goodbye; He was with Father Gregorio Rosa, rector of the
San José de la Montaña Seminary.
MONDAY, December 3, 1979
I invited to breakfast with me the Minister of Foreign Affairs, our friend
Héctor Dada, Don Pepe Simán, Father Jerez, provincial of the Jesuits, Father
Estrada and Monsignor Urioste in order to try to make the most of his
authority as chancellor, Mr. Dada, so that in his relations with the Holy See he
informs and, as a Christian, asks for collaboration with the pastoral line of
Puebla and Medellín, which the Archdiocese tries to follow and that, in this
sense, the actions of the Mr. Nuncio and certain bishops, who are very far
from this pastoral line. The dialogue was very interesting, since, in addition to
his authority as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dada stated that he would
also act as a Christian man who intimately lives the concerns of the Church.
Possibly, send Don Pepe Simán on a special mission to bring good information
and concrete suggestions and supplications for our hierarchical Church. There
was talk, specifically, of the military vicariate, which has not been functioning,
as it should be in its pastoral character, as well as the attitudes in relation to
the Government and the economic ruling class of some other bishops and
the disunity, above all, of the hierarchy.
In the morning, the provincial nun of the Good Shepherd came, bringing the
announcement that the sisters of the Good Shepherd, who for so long had
collaborated in the women's prison, were going to have to withdraw due to
certain internal difficulties in that prison and of the Ministry of Justice, and
for also lacking sufficient personnel to serve that ministry. I very much
regretted this separation from such a needy environment, but she offered
that they would collaborate with prison ministry, not only in the women's
prison, but in the other penal centers of the Archdiocese. I insisted a lot on
this work and that I would give all the support to the collaboration that they
wanted to provide in a sector as needy as that of prisoners.
Among the interviews that day, I received one from a Polish writer and
journalist, who was very interested in knowing the Church's opinion on the
situation of violence in the country. He has written several books and, more
than a journalist, he is a writer who studies these situations.
Another very important interview was that of Dr. Calvani and other Latin
American members of the Christian Democrats, who spoke with me about
the position of the Church and the political actions of their party. It is
interesting to know that there are so many human and Christian capacities in
the laity for the development of our Latin America.
Very interesting, also at night, was the meeting of the various components of
the Popular Forum, who came to the Hospital of Divina Providencia to talk
with me. I had Father Estrada and Father Ellacuría as advisors and very
important points were touched upon regarding the attitudes of the
Government and how to promote political and civic sense in our people. I
offered the media on my part, especially the radio and the newspaper, and
they were very grateful and would take advantage of this to educate the
people.
This day I prepared the recording for next Wednesday since tomorrow I plan
to go on a short vacation to Guatemala.
TUESDAY, December 4, 1979
85
I sent some letters. I attended several matters, especially requests that are
going to be made to ADVENIAT, MISEREOR and other European aid
institutions for Latin America since Monsignor Urioste will personally carry
these requests on his trip, which will be the day after tomorrow, together
with Monsignor Rivera to Holland and Furthermore, because Monsignor
Stehle, director of ADVENIAT, and Dr. Córdova, director of MISEREOR, have
personally visited; aid that has been requested before and that is going to be
renewed and, in addition, other new projects.
After this morning, which has been very intense, I left in the afternoon for
Guatemala, where I will spend this week, which will culminate with
SATURDAY, in the profession of Carmelite nuns in their retreat in Carmel Juyú.
Tonight, we arrived in Guatemala and I have felt how good a small vacation is
in the midst of so much current hustle and bustle of our ministry.
WEDNESDAY, December 5, 1979
This morning, in Guatemala, I visited the Loyola bookstore, where I found
several very useful books today. I also met several Guatemalan priests who
showed me their great appreciation and affection. I have thanked the Lord
and them for this testimony of fraternity that, thank God, is even enjoyed in
other countries where one thinks they are not so well known.
We walked from Guatemala to the property of the Carmelite sisters, which is
about three hours away, a picturesque road, especially when we reach Lake
Atitlán, on whose shores this beautiful house is located, which we arrived at
night. I celebrated Holy Mass with the Carmelite community, which is very
cordial; They gave me a very affectionate welcome and after the mass we had
dinner and made pleasant memories of life in their congregation and in El
Salvador, in a special way, where I have a lot of gratitude, since they have
welcomed me in one of their homes, the Hospital of Divine Providence,
where practically my entire residence and my family are.
THURSDAY, 6, FRIDAY, 7 and SATURDAY, December 8, 1979
Three days at this summit that the Carmelites have called Carmel Juyú,
because it is in a canton called Juyú, in the jurisdiction of Panajachel, next to
Lake Amatitlán in Guatemala. The novices, who are preparing to make their
profession on the eighth, are the center of affection in this community. Some
nuns accompanied me to visit the town of Chichicastenango, with its
traditions that go back to indigenous paganism in the same Christian temple,
where healers and prayers, in their own way, incense, offer prayers, express
their intentions in different colored petals before the patron of the people,
who perhaps in their mentality they confuse with their pagan idols. It is a
very interesting popular religiosity.
On the eighth, we had mass in honor of the Immaculate Virgin and in which
the six new Carmelites made their profession; The superior general of the
congregation was here and a large number of nuns from Mexico and Central
America. I celebrated and expressed in the homily my admiration for this
place and my hierarchical service to religious life. The Vicar General and a
Carmelite Father concelebrated.
On Saturday afternoon, I returned to El Salvador and after a four-hour trip, I
met with Father Moreno, with Beto Cuéllar, with the Vicar General, Father
Cortez, and the chancellor Father Brito, who has already returned from his
trip of health to inform me and take criteria for my homily about the life of
the country in this week that I have been absent.
SUNDAY, December 9, 1979
The mass was celebrated in the Cathedral. At first there were not so many
people, but then when we left, the Cathedral was, as usual, packed. The
second Sunday of Advent gave me the topic to talk about "God saves the
people in their own history" and needs the men of that town to save the
world; communities that, like Juan Bautista, do not identify with political
movements, but that illuminate all of them, as well as all the concerns of the
people. After the mass, there was a conference of journalists and television
who were interested in the topics touched on in the homily and in other
aspects of the mission of the Church in El Salvador.
I went, at half past eleven, to share the coexistence of the first communion
children and parents, catechists in the Parish of Divina Providencia, Colonia
Atlacatl, a truly lively environment.

I congratulated the Redemptorist Fathers; I expressed my pleasure at that
event to the catechists and all the collaborators of the Parish and addressed a
small message to the numerous boys and girls of first communion. I had
lunch with the Fathers.
At four in the afternoon he was arriving at the El Espino canton of the Parish
of San Pedro Perulapán, where Father Solórzano had gathered a large
number of people to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception on
this Sunday. It was a true catechesis that I had the opportunity to carry out,
through the mass and the homily. I was very satisfied; The Father himself
expressed and several lay people also expressed, in the end, their desire to
work in the evangelization of our people.
In the evening, I attended a closing ceremony of the Ladies' Christianity
Cursillo, which was held in Planes de Renderos. There was a lot of faith, this
new encounter with Jesus Christ aroused a lot of enthusiasm and I took
advantage of my words to say that the course and its charisma of conversion
and first encounter with Christ is nothing more than one piece of the
numerous set of elements that evangelization entails. , and that they try to
carry out the other aspects so that their evangelization was complete. I
referred specifically to catechesis or the most systematic study of religion, to
the sacraments that are the signs of our belonging to a community; the
community working not for itself, nor for a small group of courses, but for the
entire Parish and for the entire Diocese and apostolate, everyone who is
evangelized must evangelize others. It is a beautiful group of ladies, from this
capital, from Jucuapa, from Santiago de María, from Santa Elena and from
Jocoro.
MONDAY, December 10, 1979
I went to spend the morning with the Dominican nuns at the College of
Fátima, where the Superior General is and the chapter is held to elect the
new provincial. The same previous provincial was elected, Mother Nieves,
who has indeed done a lot of work and is very fond of and cared for very well.
There are a number of young religious women who are a hope to share the
life of our people. I congratulated them for their performance that I saw
during the election, a unity and, at the same time, a humility of the new
provincial, who asked to postpone the election that had been made of her,
because she had something to present to the Superior General who is among
us. and after an hour of reflection, the election was approved and the new
provincial expressed his willingness to serve the congregation. Afterwards we
sang the Te Deum, where I expressed this congratulations and this hope that
this congregation would continue to provide valuable pastoral services in our
Archdiocese.
In the afternoon, I went to celebrate the twenty-five years of religious life of
Sister Nelly Rodríguez and two other religious of the Sacred Heart, and fifty
years of the girl Mariíta who is a secular oblate. At the Sacred Heart School,
families of these nuns had gathered and we concelebrated with Father Isidro.
In my homily I expressed the value of religious consecration and how vows
are an index for the social solutions of our time. The detachment from our
religious vows gives the true meaning of the irrational nature of certain
extremisms in our time.
Before going to dinner at the house of Sister Nelly's brother, Dr. Abraham
Rodríguez, I returned to the Hospital of Divina Providencia where two young
soldiers urgently needed me to express their concerns about certain attitudes
within their own military union. In particular, they expressed their discontent
against the Minister of Defense, who is an ally with the past and who
endangers the mystique of renewal that military youth has. For my part, I
prudently expressed the support that the Church gives to everything that is
just and everything that is renewing, and I exhorted them that they were the
protagonists of this provisional moment in the Government and that they
should do according to their conscience. They promised to continue visiting
me with other soldiers who, as they told me, have a lot of faith in my word. I
will always try to maintain this integrity of the pastoral line of our Diocese.
There was also an interview earlier with the community of Zacamil, since they
have given up the distribution of our newspaper Orientación and express
themselves very dissatisfied with the current direction of this weekly
newspaper. They feel addressed when we talk about the division of the
Church and groups that are more political than ecclesiastical. I tried to
accommodate all their concerns, their complaints. I sincerely expressed to
them the thoughts of the Pastoral Ministry of our Archdiocese and invited
them to continue a dialogue with those responsible for La Prensa and the
radio, and I believe that this dialogue was very positive. They left happy that
86
they could talk and express their thoughts, but at the same time, hear other
opinions.
TUESDAY, December 11, 1979
The community of Zacamil, as they had been invited by me the previous
afternoon, came to meet with those responsible for the newspaper
Orientación, and theRadio YSAX. I was not able to attend personally, but I
entrusted the Vicar General, Father Cortés, who coordinated an interview
and took it through very calm paths to a reflection that left the dialogue open
so that our media respond to the concerns of our entire Church. I could not
attend in person because there was at the same time the meeting of the
Pastoral Commission, which was very lively. A letter from the group of priests,
who had published a manifesto, stated that they could not attend this
meeting because there was no atmosphere for dialogue.
That the Church once again felt like a teacher, that they were dissatisfied with
certain publications, that the previous meeting had ended very badly, above
all, due to the Archbishop's terrible interpretation. And that is why they
suggested other points to discuss and not the point for which the previous
reflection had been invited to continue. For my part, I tried to be calm and
said that the Pastoral Commission was an instrument of consultation for the
bishop, which pointed out the topics according to the consultation he wanted
to make, and since the consultation had already been prepared and indicated
in the agency , to be carried out as prepared. And that those who had not
wanted to come were expressing their lack of capacity for dialogue and that
they were invited to express, with serenity, in dialogue with the Bishop or
with the organizations that the Episcopate has for dialogue, their own
opinions and confront them, and correct or strengthen ways of thinking.
Dialogue is not about defending positions or expressing resentments, but
rather about seeking the truth and sharing the love and unity of our Church.
In the afternoon, we had a meeting with the staff of the Curia, the Vicar
General, Father Cortés, the chancellor, Father Brito, the vice-chancellor,
Father Rafael Urrutia, the secretary, Sister Nicolasa and the administrator,
engineer Galván. We are mainly trying to keep the Diary of the Curia more
effectively, since, for my part, I am bringing this Diary, on cassette, so that
they can pass it cleanly, but it is only the attitude and activity of the bishop
himself and I would like that he would keep a Diary of the entire Curia and
the entire life of the Archdiocese; that this is the story that will be of great
interest, especially in such dense days as we have to live. Father Rafael
undertook to collect the work of all the departments of the Curia and to
prepare, together with these personal notes of mine, the DIARY that we are
longing for and then study how to recover all the time that has passed, in
those details that have not been recorded. could have been taken for a
newspaper.
At night, I went to celebrate mass in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe at
Colonia Las Delicias, in Santa Tecla, with Father Javier; We then went to the
house of the girl Carmen Chacón, where we always found a very cordial
welcome.
WEDNESDAY, December 12, 1979
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I went to celebrate at the Dulce Nombre de
María Parish, in Chalatenango, run by the Maryknoll Fathers. The theme of
my homily was “Mary, teacher and model of evangelization”; how she was a
collaborator to bring us the great evangelizer, Jesus Christ; and how she,
secondly, is the model of the evangelized person and, thirdly, how the
evangelization of a person translates into an evangelizer and Mary is the
great evangelizer of our America.
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice and other lawyers had been
announced for tonight, but at the last minute they said that they would not
be able to come. I went to celebrate the mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe
tonight in the Colonia de Guadalupe in Soyapango. Father Eliodoro Orellana is
the chaplain of that chaplaincy and the Church was completely full. There
were confirmations and the message I left in the homily was the same as the
Sweet Name of Mary this morning. Afterwards I went to dinner with Paco
Calles, a neighbor of that Parish, where there was also a group of young
people who form a community with him and the parish priest of Soyapango,
Father Villarán and Father Eliodoro, from the aforementioned chaplaincy,
were present.
THURSDAY, December 13, 1979

Saint Lucia Day. This patron saint of Suchitoto summons those very fervent
people to the parish church of Santa Lucía, where Father Jorge Benavides is
parish priest, who had invited me to preside over this celebration. I took the
opportunity to guide this very abundant life of Suchitoto, people who are
highly promoted in politics and in practical matters, to tell them that the light
of the eyes that we ask of Santa Lucía was not only for material vision, but
above all for the gaze of faith and that faith asked of us today in the problems
of Latin America and our homeland, especially, the three visions that the
Pope indicated in Puebla as the theological basis of our pastoral reflections,
that is, the truth about Christ, the truth about the Church and the truth about
man, which I tried to apply to the circumstances of our country. After mass,
we shared with several priests from that vicarage and had lunch at the
convent of Father Benavides.
With Father Abrego I went and came back talking about very interesting
things, above all, about the problems of our presbytery and I will try to be
more careful and attentive since they constitute the main part of our pastoral
care and there are dangers of misunderstanding and also divisions. I ask the
Lord to free us from all these evils and to give us a united, holy, efficient
clergy for our situation. In the afternoon, I went to visit at the Polyclinic two
Belgian sisters who work in Quezaltepeque and who suffered, several days
ago, a traffic accident that has left them quite bad, since they are in a cast,
and I tried to cheer them up; They have a very good spirit and are willing to
continue their work in that Parish of Quezaltepeque.
In the evening, I received representation from labor organizations from
Holland, Belgium, the United States and unions from our country. It was a
very interesting interview in which they showed their admiration for the role
of the Church in defending the organization and the rights of workers and
peasants. And they offered their solidarity and, at the same time, their
economic support wherever possible from countries that have always helped
our Latin American countries. I thanked them and tried to answer their
questions as honestly as possible about the situation in the country and,
above all, about the role of the Church in our country.
FRIDAY, December 14, 1979
In the morning, board meetingRadio YSAX, the Pan American Voice, mainly to
deal with the auditor and the change of manager, since Héctor Samour has a
scholarship to Germany and will leave next January. They presented
themselves as two candidates, among whom I prefer Napoleón Navarro,
because he is better known and very trustworthy people are needed in that
position.
We then went to have lunch at Domus Mariae with the staff of the Curia, the
typography and the radio; It is a very large staff, about fifty people, and I felt
the need that we should repeat these meetings to identify ourselves in our
criteria of service to the Church from such important positions.
I couldn't go to the meeting at the Ana Guerra de Jesús Promotion Center,
and I entrusted it to the Dominican Fathers, who are closer there. It is a
promotion center for market ladies, where the girl Refugio Álvarez is the main
agent of a promotion that is producing many fruits.
In the evening, I went to the College of Fátima, where the general superior of
the Dominicans of the Annunciata is and they have just celebrated their
provincial chapter. They showed me the beautiful film of the beatification of
its founder, Father Coll, a beautiful ceremony in which I personally
participated, since these nuns from the College of Fátima gave me the trip.
There was a rumor that serious things were happening in San Salvador and
they didn't want me to come from Santa Tecla, but I insisted and it was all a
rumor because, in truth, the situation is always tense, but there was nothing
extraordinary.
Also this afternoon we had an important meeting with the Seminary
Commission and some senators of the Presbytery, to study the situation with
the Episcopal Conference, after the meeting on December 5 in which the
board of directors was changed, Monsignor Aparicio becoming president
again, appointed secretary of the Social Commission to Father Juan León
Montoya, who is not in communion with the Archbishop, and the elimination
of five professors from the Seminary that the Archdiocese approves. It was
about perhaps the time to hold our own Seminar and not be victims of so
many injustices from the Episcopal Conference. And it was also agreed to
prepare a good report to Rome on how the Conference in our country does
not provide the services for which the episcopal conferences were born. And
how there is an almost personal tendency against the Archbishop and against
the Archdiocese. Father Fabián was entrusted to prepare this report and
87
Father Rafael Urrutia was also entrusted to speak by telephone tonight with
Monsignor Rivera, who is in Holland or Belgium, so that he can take this
information to Rome.
SATURDAY, December 15, 1979
There were activities in the Curia, so I could not dedicate it to my reflection
on the homily. I also went to a family commitment with my brother Mamerto
to Apopa and in the afternoon to Santa Lucía, the Parish where many first
communion children and young people for confirmation have been prepared.
The ceremony was very impressive, with great participation by everyone and
it was truly felt that the sacraments bring together the Christian community. I
congratulated that community and urged them to unite and never disunited,
despite all the temptations that currently polarize our country.
SUNDAY, December 16, 1979
The mass in the Cathedral, at eight, gave me the opportunity to focus from
the pastoral perspective, the most important news of the week, the agrarian
transformation, which is a true necessity. I have the impression that this
comment has caused good impressions in the environment and that it has
defined more...
After the mass in the Cathedral, I went to the Eucharistic College, where the
catechists of the Parish of Divine Providence, of the Atlacatl Colony,
celebrated a gathering in which I participated in a roundtable where there
were very interesting questions about the Pastoral Care of our Archdiocese.
Most of the participants are young and gave me the impression of quite a bit
of maturity. I congratulated the parish priest, a Redemptorist, and the nuns of
the Eucharistic College, who are truly influencing a good catechism ministry
in that Parish. I invited them to collaborate at the Archdiocesan level with the
Pastoral Commission, to focus on this aspect that we are still missing, the
catechetical aspect.
I then went to celebrate a mass at the San José de la Montaña Seminary,
where a group of priests who have left their ministry had gathered for
spiritual reflection. Several were with their wives and it gave me the
opportunity to answer many of them, and to celebrate a Eucharist that was
very cordial and then we had lunch together on the terrace of the Seminary,
with very cordial comments and with enthusiasm to make this group a
grassroots community, which, given the theological and pastoral preparation,
can greatly serve our Archdiocese.
At night, at seven, we had a beautiful confirmation ceremony for young
people in the Parish of Montserrat. I greeted these very welcoming people
with great affection and then shared, in the privacy of the convent, with
Father Molina, Father Sanggiano, parish priest of El Calvario and several
young people and adults from the parish community of Montserrat.
MONDAY, December 17, 1979
I have dedicated this morning to dealing with the four seminarians who are
preparing to receive their ministries next Sunday. We analyzed the reports
given by the Seminary team, which have quite a few negative points, but I
believe that the situation is not so serious, but rather that there is a lack of
understanding for the concerns of our Archdiocese and our youth. I also had
consultation or dialogue with some journalists. I went, for health reasons, to
visit two doctors, but it was not serious, but on the contrary, they gave me
encouragement, since, thank God, I am enjoying very good health these days.
In the afternoon, we dedicated it to the recording of the WEDNESDAY
program, since tomorrow will be very hectic, the priests' meeting and I have
another visit to a canton in Ciudad Delgado.
At night, the Christmas ultreya of the Cursillistas of Christianity was
celebrated in the "San Pablo" house, Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
TUESDAY, December 18, 1979
This morning we celebrated the monthly meeting of the clergy that was
postponed to be closer to Christmas and make this meeting a fraternal
Christmas gathering. However, a topic for study was proposed. The meeting
took place in San José de la Montaña and the young priest Jorge Benavides
spoke about the unity of our clergy. It evaluated and provoked an evaluation
of how much positive there is in the Archdiocese and also pointing out the
negative aspects. It was a true examination of conscience that was later

carried out in reflection groups by vicarages and that ended in a plenary
session with very valuable and optimistic contributions.
I concluded this series of reflections by telling you that Christmas presented
us with the point at which we should all converge, despite our personal
differences, and that is that Christ is the great mystery of transcendence and
immanence. That in these two tendencies is where we can differentiate
ourselves, but that the balance of Christ gives us the guideline to live as
priests, always seeking to be the representation of Christ in the world. Christ
is the Word who became flesh, a mystery of immanence; God becomes man
and gets into human realities and illuminates them all, but always being God.
And that the priest has to carry the identity of his Church, of his mission to
illuminate all the realities of the earth: political, social, economic, but without
ever losing his own identity. The other tendency is transcendence, that if
Christ became man it is to elevate all things to God, and that this is our role;
transcend things from their own core; not to remain in immanence but to
transcend as Christ can say at the end of his life: "I came from the Father to
the world and returned from the world to the Father." Afterwards they
served us a lunch in which nuns and priests shared fraternally.
That same afternoon, I went to the San Laureano canton, in the Parish of
Ciudad Delgado, to celebrate the patron saint's day of the Virgen de los
Remedios. It was a meeting where marriages and confirmations had been
prepared. An extremely affectionate people, a deep joy, that makes you
forget all the flavors.
I had dinner with the archbishop of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Monsignor
Domingo Roa, a former colleague in the Pío Latino and who has come
expressly to see me and offer his collaboration also on behalf of the president
of Venezuela, in which they can help the difficult situation in El Salvador . I
decided from the beginning that I would act as a pastor, as I have always tried
to do, since, in the political aspect, the President of Venezuela has had
opportunities to deal very thoroughly with the political problem of our
country with Engineer Duarte, who He lived in Venezuela for a long time. But
from the pastoral point of view, I would only ask for international influence to
soften the extremisms of the left and right and, perhaps, send political aid to
the different parties in our country, but this belonged to the field of politics.
My desire as a pastor is to seek unity, to soften so much violence and, if they
could do something in this sense, it would be, pastorally, a true collaboration
with the Church that we would greatly appreciate.
WEDNESDAY, December 19, 1979
Today the Parish of San José Quezaltepeque celebrates its patron saint's day.
Invited by Father Roberto and that community, I went to celebrate there, and
at Mass there were a good number of young people who were confirmed and
children who made their first communion. The attendance at the College of
the Dominican Sisters was very numerous, since it cannot be had in the
parish Church, still occupied by Father Quinteros. While I was having lunch in
the dining room of the Dominican sisters of Quezaltepeque, they told me by
phone that the Archbishopric had just been occupied by the popular political
organization, Ligas Populares 28 de Febrero. I later contacted the person
responsible for said occupation to ask him what his objectives were and to
complain about improper occupation of these offices of the Archbishopric.
They said they were interested in speaking to me personally; However, I
managed to obtain their objectives, which were to help them find the bodies
of those killed in the evictions that the security forces had just carried out
and also the return of the prisoners in those evictions and, thirdly, to file a
complaint in the manner demagogic in which the Government Board
addresses the problems of the people.
In the afternoon, a group of priests from the Presbyteral Senate came,
summoned by the Vicar, Father Cortés, to discuss the situation of the
occupation. At that time, Father Rogelio Poncel, a Belgian, who seems to be
very committed to this occupation, also came to ask me that the occupation
was asking me to go to dialogue. I got a little upset when he told him "not to
represent the interests of an organization so directly, being a pastor of all
Christians." There was a small altercation with him and other priests, but
later I ended up reconciling with him and telling him that I trusted his priestly
and pastoral sense to understand this delicate situation we are experiencing
and not be biased. I went with a representation of the priests and with the
director of the Legal Aid, Bachelor Cuéllar, to talk with the occupants of the
Archbishopric, who reiterated to me the objectives that I already mentioned
before. We talked a lot about various aspects, I even heard them quite
distrustful of the actions of the Church, as if "it had turned one hundred and
eighty degrees", their expression of their attitude before God, as if it had
88
betrayed the interests of the people, which bothered me a lot seeing the
sincerity with which I try to defend, as always, from the Gospel, the interests
of our people. And I told him that, for today, I was not so interested in this
general discussion, but that we should return to the specific case of the
occupation. We also spoke with a group of hostages, there are fifteen of
them, among them four priests, the secretaries and other employees, who
had been deliberating that it was not necessary to pressure the Archbishop
for the complaint and for his actions in favor of justice, since he has always
been the role that has been played in the Church. And that they also feel
captive and that, therefore, it is not a peaceful occupation, although certainly
unarmed, but it violates their freedom, and other considerations that seemed
very brave and fair, among them also, the permission for the women in this
occupation. I also said that I would stay if what they were looking for was
security, that the presence of the Archbishop would be enough and that they
would let all the other hostages go. But they said that the hostages said that
they understood my generosity, but that they preferred that I be outside to
act better in any other aspect and that they were happy to remain in
solidarity with the Archbishop inside.
However, analyzing later, I have found some small ambiguities in some who
seemed to be in solidarity with the cause of the occupiers. I then had
telephone communication with Colonel Majano of the Government Junta,
who was the one who called first, but I took the opportunity to ask for his
support in this situation and that Legal Aid would be there soon to express to
him, more specifically, the details. Also that night I had an appointment to
talk with engineer Mayorga Quirós, who confidentially expressed to me his
fears of collaborating with a Government that still maintains a lot of force of
repression. However, I encouraged him because, despite this repression that
is noticeable, there is also a level that seeks fair solutions through more
intelligent means and that he was at that level, and that it would be a shame
to see how they got rid of that effort. the civilians, in whom we have a lot of
confidence; although this does not imply approval of the Board, but rather
hope; to be able to find paths that are not violent and bloody. It was already
late at night, almost eleven o'clock, when I went to the dinner that the
Cursillos in Christianity were having, at Sigfrido Munés' house, and where we
talked extensively about the situation in the country, and the attitude that
Christians should have at this time. I was very consoled by the sense of
understanding and dedication of these lay people.
THURSDAY, December 20, 1979
At breakfast, I spoke with Chancellor Héctor Dada, a very good Christian, with
Don Pepe Simán, with Father Estrada and Father Fabián Amaya. We analyze
the situation and it seems extremely difficult. However, we have confidence
in God and I encouraged the civilians of the Government to influence so that
the military union was also in line with the efforts of true social justice that
animates the principles of the Government Junta. Then, we also discussed
the ecclesial issue, placing special emphasis on a trip by a special envoy to
the Holy See and, in principle, it was agreed to appoint Mr. Pepe Simán as
Ambassador, who is well aware of the hierarchical problems and priests of
our Church.
I hope that this mediation will do a lot of good for our Church. The Chancellor
expressed that, in the current situation, the Nunciature rather expresses that
there is no hope for changes in this sense in our Church.
On behalf of the Archbishopric and at the request of the February 28 Popular
Leagues, which occupy the Archbishopric, Father Cortés and high school
student Beto Cuéllar, on behalf of the Legal Aid, went to talk with the soldiers
of the Presidential House. And they got the impression that there is good will
and, this afternoon, they agreed to resolve the problem that the Leagues are
asking for, that is, the situation of those captured and killed in the
occupations, who were violently evicted by security forces. Monsignor López
reported that the Cathedral has been taken over again by the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc and that there they are watching over a corpse fallen in a
confrontation, which will be buried from the Cathedral.
I spoke, this afternoon, with Mr. Ernesto Rivas Gallont, who, as consul of
South Africa, came to clarify some point regarding the kidnapping of that
Ambassador, of which we have no news.
FRIDAY, December 21, 1979
Because the archiepiscopal Curia was occupied, we met at the Hospital of
Divina Providencia, Father Fabián Amaya, Father Cortés, Father Brito and Miss

Doris Osegueda, secretary of Social Communication, in order to study a
bulletin that describes the occupation of the Archbishopric. The analysis
made of the occupation was very interesting and, from there, the thinking of
all these organizations that fanaticize a little and in which Christians and even
priests are also involved. It seems that the influence of Father Rogelio, parish
priest of Zacamil, has been decisive in this decision. I don't want to judge with
certainty, but it does make me suspicious, as do other elements of
communities in that same Parish. It was also agreed to celebrate mass in the
Basilica, since the Cathedral is taken over by the Popular Revolutionary Bloc,
although they say it is open, but it means exposing themselves to
manipulating the mass. It was also decided to suspend the youth meeting
that was going to be held on Saturday and SUNDAY, but there will always be
the ordination of ministries of the four young people in their third year of
Theology.
Dr. Badía, Minister of Health, was very kind in personally bringing the data
that Legal Aid requested of him about the wounded who are in the care
centers and who suffered in the eviction of the Popular Revolutionary
Leagues' seizures. The doctor's visit was very rich in experiences, since he is
one of the ministers most interested in the transformations of the new
Government. But he also sees with reality the difficulty of taking steps
forward with so much opposition from both extremes. Miss María Julia
Hernández, who has been in charge of the homilies and editing them, has
brought three volumes that cover the liturgical year.
I have thanked her and congratulated her for this work of disseminating my
thoughts, which I believe is doing some good. And today, as I see the three
elegantly bound volumes, I realize the inspiration that the Holy Spirit has
given to his Word in our Archdiocese. Blessed be God. I hope that the Lord
blesses this sowing of his Word and illuminates the realities that week after
week we try to illuminate with his Divine Word.
Finally, in the evening, Monsignor Urioste, back from Holland, arrived with
Father Cortez and we talked about the situation in our country, as well as the
circumstances of his interesting trip.
Colonel Guerra and another colonel who was in exile and who has returned
also came to visit me quite late at night; He seems to be quite pessimistic
about the current situation. It's a pity, because this decline in spirit can be
fatal in men who must handle the situation with great courage today,
precisely because it is difficult.
Monsignor Modesto López, parish priest of the Cathedral, was kind enough
to go to represent me at the patron saint's day of Saint Thomas, since I, due
to these circumstances, preferred not to move; Also, I feel a little flu-like. I
also begged him that tomorrow, when I had to go to the La Esperanza canton
of San Pedro Perulapán, he would come and represent me, which he will do
with kind kindness.
When mentioning the priests with whom I met this morning, I forgot to
mention Father Rafael Urrutia, rector of the Minor Seminary, and chancellor
in the Curia, who has behaved very dignifiedly, with courage and with great
fidelity to his Bishop, a characteristic that also has distinguished the other
priest, Aníbal Romero, and the two seminarians who have remained to guard
the patrimony of the Archbishopric. I therefore express a very special
gratitude and congratulations for this spirit of priestly fidelity.
SATURDAY, December 22, 1979
Due to the situation of the Archbishopric, taken over by a popular political
organization, I did not think it was advisable to go personally to fulfill my
commitment in the La Esperanza canton of San Pedro Perulapán, but
Monsignor Modesto López kindly went and there, together with the parish
priest, Father Solórzano, the Vicar Father Montesinos and the Father of
Suchitoto, made a good representation of the Church in a canton that is
frightened by the execution that, in a vengeful manner, armed revolutionary
elements carried out there.
It was, therefore, a great consolation for the Church, although, as I was
informed, there was a lot of fear and there were not as many people as
would have been wanted. Some had even spread the bad news that I was
going with the intention of bringing more violence to that poor canton. Poor
people, how they have been suffered so much, first by the official part,
ORDEN, and the National Guard, and today out of revenge, by the leftist
groups. May the Lord grant these poor hearts the tranquility they have lost.
The mass was, they say, very well celebrated with participation in the very
appropriate Gospel commentary by all the attending priests.
I also omitted personal attendance at a confirmation ceremony at the
Lourdes school, but there I was also represented by the parish priest of El
89
Calvario, Father Federico Sanggiano. Also for this reason, the youth vigil that
was going to be held this afternoon and tonight was suppressed, since Father
Rafael Urrutia, who was the main organizer, could not activate his immediate
preparations due to being held hostage in the kidnapped Seminary.
Towards noon the Archbishopric of San Salvador was left free; We regret that
they have caused so much hindrance to the functioning of this service office,
the February 28 Popular League, and that there have been Christian elements
who have participated so actively in this occupation of their own Curia. It is
incomprehensible, but in these moments of confusion we must try to
understand.
SUNDAY, December 23, 1979
At the mass, which was in the Cathedral, despite the fact that there was
advice to the contrary, because the Cathedral had been taken over by the
Bloc in the last week, and it was believed that there could be some disruption
in the ceremony, but it was decided, Finally, in the Cathedral with very good
success, and at this Mass the ministries were granted to four seminarians
from the third year of Theology. There are four hopes already close for the
presbytery of El Salvador; Possibly next year we will be ordaining these four
young people who are now starting out in the ministries.
After the mass, the people greeted them very affectionately at the door of
the Cathedral and, on behalf of the Seminary, we threw them a small party at
the Hospital of Divina Providencia.
In the afternoon, I went to El Calvario de Cojutepeque...
This afternoon, accompanied by Monsignor López, I went to Cojutepeque to
bless the new Church of El Calvario, which has been paid for by Miss
Mercedes Barriere, now deceased. A beautiful Church, which will serve as a
reliquary for a very ancient and venerated image of Cojutepeque, the Lord of
Mercies.
I took the opportunity to preach in the homily the Christian meaning of
redemption, without which the other redemptions on earth have no
meaning. Very welcoming people, they made me feel the joy of a community
that truly lives the Christian faith in its simplicity. The parish priest, Father
Cayo Ayala, the Belgian nuns, who work there, the Franciscan nuns, who also
have a College there, and a large group of faithful constituted the nucleus of
this beautiful ceremony of blessing the new temple.
At night, I had an invitation from Colonia Atlacatl to attend an inn, but I felt
very tired and begged the priest to excuse me.
CHAPTER 22 Year 1979
DIARY from December 24, 1979 to January 15, 1980
MONDAY, December 24, 1979
Christmas Vigil. We had breakfast with the Vicars General and the two
chancellors, Father Amaya, to evaluate a little the current problems of the
Archbishopric, mainly about the occupation of the Curia, the pastoral attitude
of some priests, the Seminary and other things that were very well seen. ,
analyzed, with a very pastoral and very cordial sense, with the concern of the
Archbishop. The whole morning was gone and we were almost leaving the
table when it was time to go to lunch again, but they went to prepare their
Christmas parties for their various ecclesiastical positions.
In the afternoon, in Colonia Roma, in the Church of the Carmelite Fathers, I
presided over a first communion ceremony. A beautiful group prepared there
to celebrate the coming of the Child Jesus.
At eight at night I celebrated Christmas mass in the Cathedral, despite the
fear and the fact that they advised me that it was better to close the Church,
it turned out to be a very nice mass, quite a few people and we shared, thus,
the celebration and greeting of our Christmas . The message was three
phrases from today's Gospel: the first, which refers to the great news, "God is
the great news", his presence in the world has placed a germ of novelty in
history, there is always hope when there are changes in history because God
goes with us; the second phrase, "the sign that the angels gave to the
shepherds: they will find the Child wrapped in swaddling clothes in a
manger", Christ is God who covers himself with human misery and who
assumes all the pain and suffering to give it redemptive value ; and third,
"glory to God in the highest heaven," is the goal of every man's life, to do
everything to the greatest glory of God.

At ten at night, I celebrated mass at the Hospital of Divina Providencia, where
there was a large attendance, despite the fear in the atmosphere because it
was feared that this Christmas was going to be a black Christmas, without
electricity, without water. However, it passed peacefully, bless God.
TUESDAY, December 25, 1979
I went to preside over a first communion and confirmation ceremony in the
Parish of Huizúcar, where Father Benito Tovar and the Passionist nuns have
prepared these children and young people very well.
In the afternoon, I prepared the recording for tomorrow's interview. Octavio
came from Sonsonate, which indicates a very good will to collaborate in this
apostolate.
And at night, I went to dinner with the family of the girl Angélica de Mena,
the Argueta family, where we also remembered very beautiful times lived in
San Miguel. It was our Christmas dinner because we couldn't have it the day
before, due to pastoral duties.
WEDNESDAY, December 26, 1979
At the Hospital of Divine Providence, I received several important visits, the
main one being that of the provincial of the Augustinian Fathers, who has a
very good impression of our Archdiocese and the work of the priests. He will
found a kind of vocational College, where young people who intend to follow
their paths of Augustinian spirituality will meet.
This morning Father Cortez went to fulfill his promise in Quezaltepeque, that
today Father Quinteros, who has been an intruder for a long time, would
leave the convent and the Church. But the mission failed because a group of
twenty-five people gathered the rebellious priest inside the convent, with the
pretext that they were not going to hand over a national to a foreigner.
Father Roberto, who is the legitimate parish priest, is Belgian and, perhaps,
this is a hindrance to carrying out this pacification. We will see if a change of
priests is appropriate, but we will insist that Father Quinteros has to deliver
what corresponds to him.
THURSDAY, December 27, 1979
Today the Priestly Cooperative celebrated its Christmas party at the San José
de la Montaña Seminary, but I could not attend because today, the day of San
Juan Apóstol, I was invited to San Juan Los Planes, at the summit of the San
Salvador volcano, jurisdiction of Quezaltepeque , where many Christians
celebrate the patron saint's day, organized as a community by university
students who for some days or years have been working there under the
direction of Monsignor Urioste. It is an example of a grassroots community
promoted by lay apostles. It was a beautiful first communion, a marriage and,
most importantly, a group of basic ecclesial community. Father Roberto was
there, who is the parish priest of Quezaltepeque and who knows that work
very well.
Upon returning, on the radio, I realized a crisis in the Government. There has
been a confrontation between ministers and the Armed Forces and it seems
that they are preparing a statement that is, practically, a threat to resign
because they believe that the Army has gone to the right, is promoting the
pretensions of the oligarchy and the ministers, who have entered inspired by
the proclamation of October 15, they want the deep, structural
transformations that our people need. We are waiting for this crisis that
arises within the Government.
In the evening, I had a meeting with the Seminary Commission in which we
studied the situation regarding the attitudes of the Episcopal Conference and
the Seminary team. There is a group of priests who are very interested and I
believe that it will be resolved well in the form of having our seminarians
from the Archdiocese more directly under our pastoral formation, although
they will receive their academic training at the Interdiocesan Seminary, just
as other groups of priests do. religious students.
A visit, at night, from a member of the UDN party could not be made because
I was busy in this other meeting. And when I told them that I could come
later at night, he announced that he had another occupation at this difficult
time for political parties.
FRIDAY, December 28, 1979
90
Day of the Holy Innocents, which has its headquarters in a special way in the
Parish of Antiguo Cuscatlán; I was not able to attend because I am busy with
many things, since many members of the Government and the Army come to
consult with me. It is an index of the prestige that the Church has and that I
try to serve with all sincerity, without stepping outside my pastoral role. Due
to this same political situation in the country, in which I must be in my
position to attend to various queries, I could not even go to the meeting of
seminarians that is held in San José de la Montaña - these are seminarians of
the Archdiocese, but the Monsignor Urioste-ni guided the meeting of
catechumens who are celebrating their preparation for the scrutiny of the
“María Eugenia” house, in Planes de Renderos; nor was I able to attend the
Christian Renewal in the Spirit meeting that they are holding at the Rinaldi
Institute of Planes de Renderos under the direction of Monsignor Talavera,
who has come from Mexico; nor could I attend a pastoral meeting that we
were going to have in the Parish of San Sebastián, Ciudad Delgado. But
everyone has understood that my role is now at the service of these interests
and that I could not move from my headquarters
.
SATURDAY, December 29, 1979
Due to the same circumstances, I had to skip the visit to Candelaria,
Cuscatlán, where Father Interiano prepared a good group of young people for
confirmation, but Monsignor Modesto López went to represent me.
I also couldn't go to San Antonio Los Ranchos where they celebrated their
traditional corn fair. Father Fabián, Episcopal Vicar of Chalatenango, was
there with other priests and he brought me very fond memories of that
community and a gift, a hat made of tusas, woven as if it were made of reed,
with corn hair decorations. And a very nice letter from Potonico, an
expression of true solidarity from those good people.
During lunch, I asked for advice from Monsignor Urioste, Father Fabián, and
the girl Doris Osegueda, for the historical focus of tomorrow's homily.
SUNDAY, December 30, 1979
It has been a Sunday of intense pastoral work. I celebrated Sunday mass in
the Cathedral, where about four hundred young people, who had celebrated
their vigil at the San José de la Montaña Seminary, attended to crown this
night of prayer. One of them expressed, at the end of the mass, a beautiful
testimony. The mass was very timely: the feast of the Holy Family and I
focused in a special way on the young Jesus in his family to also give a
message to this youth, who had such a beautiful gesture of prayer and
reflection. They are young people from various communities and express how
community life is being renewed in our parishes.
Afterwards I went to celebrate, in Tonacatepeque, a confirmation and first
communion ceremony. Father Luis Cázares was waiting for me with his
traditional groups of Daughters of Mary, Nazarenes, Guardia del Santísimo
and an immense representation of the people on the shore of Tonacatepeque
and we headed between joy, songs, applause, confetti, to the Church, where
We had a beautiful celebration. I also spoke about the Holy Family, but in the
sense of the spirit of God that will be given in confirmation and that gives a
sacred meaning to all our Christian families. At the time of the offering, the
Father had prepared a very generous procession of gifts and gifts that truly
overwhelmed me, filling the altar with these gestures of affection from the
people. We had lunch together with the Father's family and other friends and
I get the impression that Tonacatepeque lives an intense parish life.
From there I returned to be at the National Gymnasium at half past two in
the afternoon, where the Renewal in the Spirit Movement had held a great
concentration. I believe that about eight thousand Christians from various
parishes and about twelve priests presiding over the concelebration gave a
truly rich appearance of fervor and attendance to this special Mass. In the
end, Monsignor Talavera invited me to lay hands to reaffirm the
commitments of baptism, confirmation and the presence of the Spirit in that
great crowd, to which I said: "Go as messengers of the Spirit, of peace, of the
truth, of justice, for this entire country that needs it so much.
And, finally, in the evening, I celebrated in the Church of Carmen the mass
that the Conjugal Encounters Movement was preparing and also a small
meeting with the Secretariat to review and plan new pastoral work of a
Family Pastoral nature.
MONDAY, December 31, 1979

I had breakfast with Dr. Chávez, secretary of the Christian Democratic Party
and I did not have time to talk much with him because the young soldiers
who make up the Permanent Council of the Armed Forces were already
waiting for me outside, with whom we talked at length about the situation
and their purposes. to always maintain his proclamation, which has given rise
to the new Government. In all frankness, I warned them of the risks and the
things that I thought needed to be amended to overcome the crisis of the
confrontation with the civil ministers.
I then went to the airport with Monsignor Urioste, to meet Cardinal Aloisio
Lorscheider, who had announced his visit to me. The Nuncio and Monsignor
Revelo were at the airport. I asked the Nuncio if he would take him to his
Nunciature; He expressed to me that he didn't know anything. For my part, I
had prepared Dr. Chávez's house, where he would be gladly welcomed if he
wanted. The Cardinal told me that he would prefer to be in the Seminary, but
when we arrived at the Hospital of Divine Providence and I told him that I had
my modest residence there, which I would gladly give it to him, he liked this
last solution better because, he told me, "thus I manifest that I am with you."
The Cardinal's gesture also supporting me in my work has given me a lot of
encouragement.
From here, a series of visits and interviews have already begun this afternoon
to learn about the reality of the country and the situation of our Church. He
realized the intensity of the political moment, in this conflict between
civilians and the military, and gave me a lot of guidance, since his experiences
are similar in Brazil.
And I had, well, the opportunity to guide many people this day and this
afternoon. This afternoon the Cardinal visited Monsignor Revelo, the Nuncio,
and also received some lay people; In fact, at lunch the engineer Román
Mayorga, a member of the Revolutionary Government Junta, was with me. At
night, I celebrated in the Cathedral, at seven in the evening, and at nine in the
Hospital of Divine Providence, ending the year with a family dinner with the
sisters and some friends who had come to the mass, which was very solemn.
At midnight, the passing of the old year and the entrance of the New Year are
always greeted with intense fireworks that give the impression of a true
liturgy of time, as Father Segura said, may he rest in peace.
Among the transcendental visits of this day was that of Dr. Badía, Minister of
Health, who proposed that I summon the conflicting parties of the
Government to invite them to dialogue before the Church. After analyzing
this proposal, it appeared to me that this service had to be provided and I
begged the same doctor to call the civil part and that I would invite the
Government Board in its military aspect, which I did, with Colonel Gutiérrez
also offering me It was convenient to take the High Command. I told him that,
for my part, there was no problem, as long as we were sincerely intending to
dialogue with the civilians. The Meeting was scheduled for next January 2nd.
Year 1980
CHAPTER 22 Year 1980
DIARY from December 24, 1979 to January 15, 1980
TUESDAY, January 1, 1980
New Year. The country dawns tense under these divisions within the
Government. A ministerial crisis is becoming increasingly clear.
It seems that civilians are convinced that this is a military government that is
leaning to the right and that they cannot continue in this direction. I try to
understand and guide and say that, above all, they see the people, who must
be served.
Like every first of the month, we had the Holy Hour at five in the afternoon at
the Hospital of Divina Providencia, with extraordinary attendance. I spoke
about the fullness of time, about which Saint Paul speaks and how God is
making his great history of salvation in natural history; how Christ has
inserted himself into history and gives supernatural meaning to all our years.
WEDNESDAY, January 2, 1980
I woke up very worried because today it is my turn to guide this
transcendental meeting, but I count on the prayers of the sick, the nuns, and
all those who have realized the transcendental moment that our country is
experiencing.
91
At the Board, Monsignor Urioste and Father Estrada advised me. The civil
ministers and other members of the Government, civilians, arrived punctually
at nine thirty. The military seems to have chosen the wrong place and went
to the Hospital; However, they arrived a little late, but they did not want to
enter until they spoke to me; It was as if they had not understood that they
were going to dialogue with the civilians and were reluctant. I told them that
dialogue should prevail for the good of the people, and that it was necessary
to talk, that I had clearly expressed to them that it was a meeting with
civilians. After some conversation with the military, Colonel Gutiérrez said
that he was open to dialogue and that he demonstrated it by attending the
meeting. I thanked him and took them to join the civilians, who were at the
top of the Seminary, in the library, where the meeting took place. I apologized
for the delay, since it was almost eleven in the morning, and I motivated
them with my role as pastor, representative of the Church and as a
Salvadoran, representative of a large sector of the people, to ask them on
behalf of the Church and the people who would carry out a frank, sincere
dialogue and who could seek a solution in the service of the country, who
would not give a new sense of frustration to this already suffering people.
They treated me with great respect. I thanked them and invited them to open
the dialogue, exposing the root of the problem, of the conflict, then looking
for the many convergences that exist between the sectors in conflict and,
finally, pointing out the divergences to try to overcome them. Dr. Zamora,
Minister of the Interior, began by exposing the root of the problem: the
ambiguity of the military, the right-wing, as they call it, which means they do
not feel comfortable continuing to work and instead of being accomplices of
a military government. that continues to support the right, they prefer to
withdraw. The dialogue was very frank between the military and civilians,
although it seemed that the civilians did not want to believe the promises of
the military, or were not clear about their definitions in favor of the
proclamation that the Government has promised to defend. In the end, I
summarized this meeting, saying that I saw an ideal, what is the revolutionary
process that they try to promote. I also saw difficulties and pointed out
everything I had heard in this discussion, such as the ambiguities of the
military and other negative aspects against the process of promotion of our
people. And, thirdly, I told them, that I had also heard ways to a solution, the
main ones being sincerity, communication and everything that encourages
rapprochement. And among these paths I offered the service of the Church,
which was being provided at this time and which I was willing to continue
providing.
It seems that a cordial atmosphere was achieved and that the final farewell
greeting was very different from the one at the entrance. But unfortunately,
as we were leaving, we could already hear on the radio the response of the
Permanent Council of the Armed Forces, in which they affirmed their military
position, yes in defense of the proclamation, but they rejected several points
as unconstitutional on the part of the ministers and this predisposed ,
because at three in the afternoon there was going to be the meeting to
collect the response from the military, they already heard on the radio and
they did not even send them the response, but rather they had to send it to
be collected. It is all these things that have once again soured the situation
and have already caused the first resignations of ministers, which will
undoubtedly be followed by others. On the other hand, I couldn't attend...
At noon I had the invitation from the Nuncio for a lunch in honor of Cardinal
Lorscheider, but with the meeting here that lasted almost until two in the
afternoon, I begged him to excuse me for this situation, which he well
understood. The Cardinal had already told me that, perhaps, he was not
going to attend and that for him my meeting with the Government was much
more important and that I should not be careful if I could not attend there;
concepts that he confirmed to me when we saw each other after the meeting
and lunch. The Cardinal was already leaving for the airport, I accompanied
him; We talked very cordially. He has good impressions of my work, of the
people with whom he has spoken, and believes that it is about personally
suggesting to the Pope a reinforcement of the Episcopate and a more radical
solution to the situation of our Church. He believes that my actions, after
having read the pastoral letters, the homilies and having spoken with
impartial and concerned people in the life of the Church, is a work that
deserves support, which has left me once again confirmed in the work that
we are carrying out in our Pastoral Care.
THURSDAY, January 3, 1980
Breakfast with Sigfrido Munés and Dr. Chávez, with whom we talked about
the difficulty of the moment.

Dr. Chávez is an advisor to the Christian Democrats and the Government, and
he told me that the participation of the Christian Democratic Party was
already being negotiated for a few days and that now, in this crisis of the
Government, he is going to negotiate his political work, trying to save the
situation.
After breakfast, he left for the Presidential House, where they have held
meetings all day.
I had visits from some members of the Government and I have been filled
with satisfaction by the trust they have in the Church and some good that can
be done by guiding them from a pastoral perspective.
FRIDAY, January 4, 1980
This morning I dedicated it to a meeting with five priests of the Archdiocese,
with whom there are some difficulties in the most intimate communion, due
to political aspects of their Pastoral Care. But by dialogue very thoroughly and
sincerely seeking a solution to these difficulties and mistrust, I have found a
lot of human, Christian and priestly value, which we will continue to cultivate
in future meetings. I remember that they were Father Rogelio, Father Benito
Tovar, Father Trinidad Nieto, Father Rutilio Sánchez, Father Pedro Cortez;
Father Juan Macho and Father Walter Guerra also attended, giving me very
good help with their well-focused and priestly guidance.
In the afternoon, I had a visit from the Ecumenical Catholics of Sweden, who
announced to me a Peace Prize this year for our Archdiocese, on behalf of the
Christians of the Free Churches, which is what the Christian communities in
Sweden are called, since only the Lutheranism is official. They say that in May
they will announce the prize that this news that they have brought me and
for which I also thanked on behalf of the Archdiocese.
I also had a visit from Dr. Guillermo Ungo, who has just resigned as a member
of the Revolutionary Government Junta, along with other politicians, to
analyze the situation and see that there is always hope for a way out of this
very difficult situation. The other member of the Board who has resigned
spoke to me on the phone, engineer Román Mayorga, who is going on a rest
trip to Mexico.
SATURDAY, January 5, 1980
At noon, the two members of the Government Board, military personnel,
Colonels Gutiérrez and Majano, arrived.
I attended to them with Monsignor Urioste and it was a sincere dialogue
about the problems as they see them and their hopes for a solution. I had the
opportunity to reaffirm my thoughts, always seeking a service to the people,
so that new reasons for failure are not created. They believe that the mass
resignation has been a very good experience, a crisis, but that it is not exactly
a failure. There is optimism in them, in their negotiations with the Christian
Democrats and also with the negotiations that are going to be promoted with
popular groups, to always seek a Government that is of the people and for
the people. They had lunch with the priests who were with me, helping me
reflect on the situation for tomorrow's homily.
In the afternoon, visit by the rector of the Seminary and Father Rafael
Urrutia, in charge of the Minor Seminary and the Seminary Commission. I
also asked Father Urrutia to be my private secretary, to keep us closer, since
he is a young, intelligent and active priest and, therefore, to try to at least call
me by phone and come to eat from time to time. from time to time to the
Hospital. We discussed several seminar points, since, at that time, Father
Jesús Delgado also arrived and gave us magnificent suggestions, among them
that of creating, for this year, the preparatory year so that those who enter
the first year of philosophy and are given, rather, introductions to the priestly,
vocational spirit, and all this that would mean a kind of novitiate, which is not
very necessary to know where those who have sometimes come from
Colleges where they have not heard of seminary or vocations. We will try to
have this in Domus Mariae; The collaboration of Father Juan Macho Merino,
who has there, in the neighboring Parish of San Francisco de Mejicanos, a
group of Passionist students, will be asked for collaboration, and there was
also an attempt to give a year of diakonia to the theologians who are going to
do their fourth year and that it will be very good for them to be able to better
prepare themselves, in more communion with the people, for their future
priesthood; In short, other initiatives of a seminary and youth apostolate
nature that were very useful in this improvised meeting.
SUNDAY, January 6, 1980
92
It has been a Sunday full of work and pastoral satisfaction. I celebrated the
Epiphany Mass in the Cathedral and in my homily I compared the moment of
El Salvador with that disturbance that the Gospel tells us about Jerusalem,
when the wise men search for the King and that we would seek, with the
same spirit, salvation. of our people who, certainly, God has it; since the
Epiphany shows us that God has come for the salvation of all people. After
the mass there was a small press meeting, since during the mass there had
been quite a few press, television and radio representatives, and we talked
about the points that I had said in my homily and other aspects of the current
situation in the country. A Swiss journalist also begged me for a more private
interview for the next day at the Hospital.
Then I went to the Aculhuaca Parish, where the catechists had prepared a
nice group of young people and children for confirmation. I also took
advantage of the Epiphany celebration to talk about that life of God that
Christ has brought us and that continues to be distributed through the
sacraments. After lunch, a meeting with the small Pastoral group. I noticed a
lot of division and disorientation, and that they reproached the priest a lot for
his neglect in serving the communities. I believe that Father Crespín took
note in order to give a practical response to this situation in his Parish.
After lunch and a short rest, I went to the Community of Rosario de Mora,
where the Oblate nuns to Divine Love work and have achieved a very lively
community. You see a lot of outreach among young people and children, and
you really notice that the pastoral spirit is lived there and the pastoral line of
our Archdiocese is followed with true solidarity. We had a first communion
with a very well carried out liturgical preparation and then a coexistence with
the Pastoral workers, among the joy of the children who burst their first
communion piñatas; In short, a family atmosphere which is what Christ
wanted when founding his Church, the family of God.
In the evening, together with Father Moreno, we attended an interview that
had already been announced by a representative of the Popular
Revolutionary Bloc, who explained to us his current thinking, his analysis of
the situation in the country, and I have noticed a fairly big change in his
openness. to dialogue with other organizations, including this invitation they
make to the Church, which we take advantage of to inspire the pastoral
follow-up that we want to do to all those Christians who join these popular
political organizations, in order to safeguard the faith of this people in these
militancy. For me, this dialogue that we agreed to continue doing was very
encouraging. Colonel Guerra also remained to come, who was the only
soldier who signed with the civilians the resignation of his ministerial
positions and who, undoubtedly for that reason, has suffered some revenge,
since his car was machine-gunned and miraculously nothing happened to
him. . It's a shame that it was already late at night and he didn't come,
although I tried to contact him through Father Chus Delgado. I hope there is
nothing tragic at this moment for this colonel.
I also spoke by phone to Héctor Dada, who was Minister of Foreign Affairs
and who resigned along with the Cabinet, but who as a member of the
Christian Democrats has been placed on the Revolutionary Government
Junta. He came to pick me up in the morning and I spoke to him on the phone
to say hello. He said that he only came to look for me to say hello and to talk
a little about a tragedy that has happened in Chalatenango, where he has
been informed that there are about seventy dead. I told him that I didn't
know more than what he had reported at the mass, about four; but that this
news was interesting and that we would inform ourselves, and that it should
take these situations into account, which are what spoil the good will of the
Government. I predicted that they would be successful and that we would
pray a lot for the country to find a solution to the option it had just made, of
calling on Christian Democracy to help the Government resolve this crisis.
MONDAY, January 7, 1980
I briefly went to the Archbishopric and saw a lot of life in the various offices.
In the Pastoral Commission, the study of the Base Ecclesial Communities is
prepared; Legal matters of the Diocese were also dealt with in the Vicarage
General. There were several people, priests, nuns and faithful who visited the
offices for various reasons. I spoke with Father Alas, who works in Concepción
Quezaltepeque. Very exemplary priest, with whom we share several pastoral
criteria, which seem extremely focused, priestly to me. Thank God, we have
priests with a great spiritual and priestly background. I also noticed the
preparation for tomorrow's clergy meeting, which will be a spiritual retreat to
frame the delivery of the licenses that will be done solemnly.

I spent the rest of the day at the farm of the Oblate sisters to Divine Love,
taking a short break. But when I returned, I had, at night, a very important
interview at this time of the crisis of the Government and the country; Many
consultations or visits come to which, thank God, are attended to with the
lights that the Holy Spirit is giving me and for which I thank him so much,
asking that his Church is always worthy of being present in the moments of
our history.
TUESDAY, January 8, 1980
The meeting with the clergy was extremely rich in spirituality and theological
reflection on the reality of the Church and, in a special way, on the sense of
communion and mission, to give the delivery of the ministerial licenses of the
priests and the letters which, for the first time, are given as a document of
authorization to religious communities, had a deeply theological meaning. It
was my turn to present the background meditation and propose some points
of reflection that were then collected in a brief plenary session to move on to
the Eucharist in the chapel of the Seminary, where the solemn Eucharistic
concelebration was held, at the end of which they gave themselves, as a
mission to the entire Archdiocese, these documents that authorize the true
mission of the priest in the parishes and towns where they have to work.
In the afternoon, I went to Santa Tecla; I visited the Salesian sisters of the
Santa Inés School and I wanted to give my condolences to Doña Concepción
de Viguer, but I couldn't find her.
There were some phone calls in the house. I listened to Dr. Morales Erlich on
television, presenting the criteria of the Christian Democratic Party, which has
assumed a commitment, but conditioned, to help the Armed Forces get the
Government out of this crisis situation. I think it was a very clear, very solid
presentation. A call to the people to agree on a democratic solution, which is
the most rational at this moment, since the others would be from the
extreme right, which entails tremendous repression, or from the extreme left,
which would be a revolution that would also cost a lot of blood. There were
also other phone calls that had arrived during the day and that I tried to
connect at night.
WEDNESDAY, January 9, 1980
Today's first interview was with a group of Carmelite nuns from San José, who
are going to leave the congregation to have a pastoral experience; They will
live in community and with religious commitment, but without already
belonging to their congregation; They will be in the Parish of Guazapa. I urged
them to take this problem very seriously and have an experience that will be
of great good for our Diocese. One of these Sundays I will go to celebrate
mass and present this experience to that community.
Another very important interview was with Monsignor Rivera and Father
Vega and David, the person in charge of the Social Secretariat, since it is
about clarifying the situation in view of the fact that Monsignor Aparicio,
recently appointed president of the Social Commission, has appointed
Secretary Father Juan León Montoya, a priest who is not in tune with our
pastoral care and who can make our work very inconvenient; For this reason,
we try to return the Social Secretariat to its Archdiocesan origin, distinct from
the Social Commission of the Episcopal Conference.
I received a visit from Dr. Chávez who spent the entire night discussing the
agreement between the Christian Democrats and the Armed Forces in the
Presidential House. Lately, I was satisfied to have achieved, in all the points
proposed by the Christian Democracy, the approval and acceptance of the
Army, although he indicated to me some points that always leave some risk, if
they are not carried out soon; such as, for example, the resignation of the
Minister of Defense who, also citing my homily last Sunday, made the Junta
see it as something very convenient to remove the figure of repression that
this military command can mean.
But Dr. Chávez warned that there will be some secret compromise, since
everyone supports the Minister, who the people already quite generally
repudiate. But, in general, Dr. Chávez is very optimistic that this restructuring
of the Government Board with elements of Christian Democracy and free,
progressive elements, can provide a good solution to the acute crisis in our
country.
Father Mauro Yánez, an old companion from our studies in Rome, visited me
and although the visit was very brief, it was very cordial and full of memories.
I went to the vicariate of Mejicanos, but I no longer found the priests
gathered, but only spoke with Father Juan Macho, who has just been elected
93
as Vicar of that vicariate, for which I am very satisfied, since he is a very
pastoral and very spiritual. We talked about various problems of the vicarage,
but he believes that by carrying out the work at the level of the vicarage
team, all these problems of the vicarage will be resolved with the help of the
Lord. I gave him my portrait for his community, another for Domus Mariae
and another for the Belgian Sister who works taking care of that pastoral
meeting house and which, possibly, serves as a location for our year of
propaedeutics for the Major Seminary.
At noon, the complete integration of the Government Board was heard over
the radio station, with two already known soldiers, Colonels Majano and
Gutiérrez, and with three civilians, two from the Christian Democrats, Dr.
Morales Erlich and the engineer Héctor Dada, and one progressive
independent element, a doctor named Arévalo, I believe. But in the popular
political environment, confidence in the solution of Christian Democracy
allied with the Army has not yet taken root and, rather, the option for popular
insurrection, promoted by leftist groups, is heard. These have received a very
big publicity blow today, since the former Minister of Culture, Mr. Samayoa,
publicly retreats underground in the Farabundo Martí Popular Liberation
Movement. The news has caused a great stir and is commented on in various
ways. In my radio interview, I said that the first thing was to respect his
option, of course he will have taken it very consciously, and draw the lessons
from this option, which denounces the closed-mindedness of the extreme
right that does not allow peaceful solutions, but only the media. violent acts
promoted by these leftist groups. And also the fault of the Army that has
become accustomed to repressing the aspirations of a people and which
believes that there is no other way to defend itself but with the same
weapon: violence! "I hope," I said in my comment, "that this case of Mr.
Samayoa makes us think that there is little room left for rational peaceful
solutions, and that we must urge all those who can do something, so that this
peaceful and rational solution leads to move forward with the changes and
there is no need for the bloodbath that is seen coming.
Don Ernesto Rivas Gallont brought me the response from the Government of
South Africa and the family of former Ambassador Dunn, who is kidnapped,
and in the response they ask the kidnappers to take into account the efforts
that are being made and not to ask for higher conditions to the capacity of
both South Africa and the Dunn family. I am the mediator and I hope that the
clandestine elements come to carry this correspondence, to which I added a
letter from me making an effort to save Mr. Dunn's life.
We spoke with Father Moreno and Monsignor Urioste about matters of the
Secretariat of Social Communication.
We expected an interview from members of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc,
but they did not come.
THURSDAY, January 10, 1980
The superior of the College of Divina Providencia brought a letter on behalf of
the general superior of the Passionist congregation, announcing that they
cannot continue supporting the community of nuns of San José Villanueva. In
private we discussed various aspects that motivated this removal and Mother
General offered to explain it better to me when she comes at the end of this
month.
There were three important meetings at the Archdiocese office this morning.
One with the Vicars and chancellors to deal with issues of some priests and
parish situations; another from the Seminary to study the reports of the
seminarians and another from theRadio YSAX, to study legal aspects of this
Public Limited Company, of the auditor, which currently does not have one,
and in terms of dissemination of thought, study the comments ofRadio YSAX
at noon. The main conflict with the new manager, Mr. Napoleón Navarro, is
that he wants to have better knowledge and even censor this aspect that is
very important; In which it seems to me that it is just your wish, but, on the
other hand, I do not want these valuable comments to be lost, which are
already widely heard on our station.
In the afternoon, I had a visit from the Father in charge of the Society of Jesus
for Central American affairs in Rome, next to the General Curia of the Jesuits.
With him came other Jesuits with whom we discussed various aspects of our
current situation and the Church. Father Arrupe sent a special greeting, to
which I also responded with brotherly affection, thanking him for his support
and solidarity.
The other important visit this afternoon was that of the Minister of Defense,
Colonel García, together with the Undersecretary. They widely expressed
their desire for transformation in the country and how it was unfair to be
described as right-winging the movement. Specifically, he referred to my

complaint on Sunday in which I asked for the resignation of this minister,
since it was what seemed appropriate to me, after all the other ministers
have resigned and he continues to be a figure that hinders the credibility of
this process of transformations in the country. There was an extensive
conversation that lasted almost two hours.
Also visit by members of the Emmanuel Church to discuss issues of the
upcoming celebration of Ecumenical Week. Finally, Father Gregorio Rosa
made some observations to me about the work that I plan to present in
Belgium and of which I must perfect several details.
FRIDAY, January 11, 1980
This morning there have been several visits of a private nature, but some of a
more official and transcendent nature, such as the interview with the
manager of theRadio YSAX, elucidating the problem of midday comments.
The conflict has arisen especially due to a comment about the choice of Mr.
Salvador Samayoa, who after being Minister of Education has gone
underground, to the FPL, and the comment is presented almost praising this
attitude and encouraging people to follow it, since There seems to be no
other option at the moment. This seemed like an incitement to insurrection
and that is why it was not allowed to be published on the radio, which has
raised tensions in the group of commentators. Father Estrada came and
spoke with the manager, Navarro, and with Monsignor Urioste and was
convinced of the reasons for suppressing this comment. For my part, I begged
them to continue providing this service of solidarity with the line of our
Church.
Another important visit was that of Dr. Rubén Zamora, from the Christian
Democratic Party, who came more in a private capacity to seek a little
strength, consolation and guidance, since the moment for the party is
extremely difficult, having almost left him only to save the situation of the
country, while, on the other side, there are the popular organizations that
unite to combat this alliance of the Christian Democratic Party with the Army.
I tried to tell him that, as a man of faith and hope, he has to serve the country
generously, and the same vicissitudes and risks must be accepted with
righteousness of intention; I think he was satisfied with his query, which was
more of a spiritual nature. For my part, I believe that I should encourage the
hope of all those who feel concern for the country in such a difficult time.
The new Manager, who is very good-willed, also came to explain to me the
disorders that are evident in the Cáritas office. I told him not to get
discouraged and that, precisely, that was why he had been called, to help us
make a true Caritas of the Archdiocese function.
Father Ramón Vega, who is going to be secretary of the Social Secretariat, is
also going to be in charge of Cáritas. I have signed several appointments of
cooperating Vicars. I have also entrusted the chaplaincy of the Sara asylum to
Father Bernardo Amaya. The Oratory Fathers, who have been dissolved and
are seeking work in the Archdiocese, serving the parishes of Colonia Luz and
10 de Septiembre, have organized themselves as a team to administer these
two parishes. Father Brito showed me a rather impressive letter from Father
Fernando Abad, who is in Colombia, a little uncertain about his pastoral and
diocesan situation. I told him to come, that there was a lot of work and that
we should organize ourselves so that he would not feel this difficult
psychological situation that he is experiencing.
Deacon Pedro García, who has come from La Ceja, Colombia, has given me a
bad impression because he wants to make his desire to be a priest prevail as
soon as possible and he does not want to submit to the test of the diaconate,
which, from experience, we have to put in our Diocese. His last feature was a
letter asking for excardination, because he cannot work in the line of our
Archdiocese and that he already has a bishop who will receive him. We are
going to ask which bishop he is referring to, because I have to report his
attitude, but first I will call him pastorally so that he reconsiders his steps.
In the afternoon, a very important visit from a journalist who covers eighty
social media outlets and we had an interview for more than an hour in which,
thank God, I was able to express the Church's position as accurately as
possible. He told me that throughout the country and in the various sectors
with whom he has spoken, there is a lot of respect and solidarity with me, for
which I thanked him, telling him that my attitude was, precisely, freedom to
judge everyone's actions in the light of the Gospel and, without a doubt, for
this reason the truth will always shine.
In the evening, Father Paulino, who will be in charge of the group of students,
came to visit me to determine the final details of his residence in our Diocese.
It has been agreed that they will take the Parish of Lourdes and for that they
will be informed; I already told Father Cortez, as Vicar General, that I
94
informed Father Mateo Quijada that the Parish of Lourdes, which until now
has been entrusted to him, will be entrusted to this Pauline community. The
Pauline students, like the Passionists before them, will be in charge, in
addition to their study in the Seminary, of this pastoral task of the Parish of
Lourdes.
I was also visited by a Catholic and two Baptists, who are organizing the Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity; I thanked them for their initiative and I have
offered them all my support, since it is one of the ideas that the Council has
promoted for the modern Church, ecumenism.
I also spoke with a young, progressive businessman, who feels the
tremendous conflict of the moment, facing an oligarchy to which he belongs
by economic category, but from which he is very far away due to his social
sensitivity; With others of the same sentiments, they try to be collaborators
in the country's transformations and ask for guidance and support, which I
gladly gave them on my part.
I have had other phone calls to several people who wanted to talk to me and
we finished our task late at night, but with the satisfaction of having done
something for the Kingdom of God.
I forgot to say that Father Chus Delgado and Aníbal Romero have also helped
me to better express the pastoral feelings in the speech that, God willing, I
will deliver at the University of Louvain, on the occasion of my Honoris Causa
Doctorate on February 2.
SATURDAY, January 12, 1980
Around noon, Colonel Gutiérrez, from the Presidential House, called me to
ask me if I could mediate in the matter of the occupation of the Embassy of
Panama, where the Ambassador of Costa Rica is also being held hostage. A
high school graduate from the Legal Aid went, on behalf of the Archbishopric,
to talk to the occupiers, who are the Popular Leagues, but they did not want
to accept this mediation, since the Ambassadors of Venezuela and Mexico
have already requested it; This is how I responded to Colonel Gutiérrez and
he thanked, at least, our good will.
But the situation has remained the same at the Panama Embassy.
We learned in the afternoon that, in Arcatao, the two Guadalupana nuns had
been captured as hostages by a National Guard, who had been captured by
some popular organization. We went to the Minister of Defense and he
ordered the National Guard to go investigate and, thank God, at midnight,
the sisters returned, who reported that, in fact, they had been prisoners,
separated, with the threat that, if The guard that the groups had captured did
not appear, they were going to kill them.
I had lunch with the priests Fabián Amaya, Monsignor Urioste, Rafael Urrutia
and Miss Doris Osegueda, to advise me on the situation of the week. The
Church's criteria with which this consultation is guided is interesting, which I
feel is necessary for my homily.
In the afternoon, the visit of a Mexican journalist, who covers about eighty
social media outlets. The conversation lasted for more than an hour and was
very interesting about the situation in the country, and the role that the
Church is playing at this time.
SUNDAY, January 13, 1980
I celebrated Sunday Mass in the Cathedral as usual with a good attendance.
The topic was the baptism of Our Lord and our baptism, which commits us to
be better citizens; there was applause, like other times; There were television
agents from Guatemala and some other countries. After the mass, some
striking factory workers took over the Cathedral. They told me that it was not
an offense to the Church, but rather a request for pressure to be able to
dialogue with the employers, who refuse, in this strike, and which affects
many workers, and they asked me to play the role of mediator to bring
employers closer and dialogue with them. I offered them my services, but I
also told them that this attitude of taking over the temple was not convenient
because it interferes with the worship of our Church; However, she has
remained busy all day. After mass I had a press conference and also a
television conference, in which the usual questions were asked about the
situation in the country; The journalists fear, and that is why they say that
they will have to continue here in El Salvador, any outcome that may come,
especially if it is bloody. We hope that men are prudent and know how to
negotiate in time. It's a shame that there are many people animated by this
spirit of violence and they are already almost calling for a popular
insurrection.

In the afternoon, I went to San Pedro Perulapán, where Father Solórzano was
leading a meeting of lay people from the entire department of Cuscatlán; I
spoke with them and it is clear that there are very good lay people who are a
hope for our Church. At the mass, Sister Beatriz, one of the two who were
captured in Arcatao, spoke and explained the situation in Arcatao, where,
according to what they had threatened, if they did not return the prisoner
guard by two in the afternoon, they were going to make a very cruel
operation in that region. An appeal was made, both to those who have the
guard to return him and to the Guard, so that he does not proceed in a spirit
of revenge. An Ecumenical Commission also took advantage of the homily to
invite people to celebrate the Octave of Unity, which as always will be from
January 18 to 25.
MONDAY, January 14, 1980
This morning, we had the Presbyteral Senate meeting; There was talk about
my next trip to Belgium. I was recommended to go to Rome carrying
objective reports to counteract any bias that might creep in there. There was
also talk of the renewal of the Senate and the Vicars, next March. Then, we
delved into analyzing the political situation of the country and I really enjoyed
seeing the maturity of my priests in this realistic reflection, despite having
different criteria in politics. However, there is only one pastoral vision and I
noticed growth in the sense of Church. For this reason, I congratulated them
and begged them to continue advising me so that, in this turbulent sea of
​national politics, our Church is led with evangelical and pastoral criteria that
make it useful, precisely, to this whirlwind that surrounds us.
I was waiting for messages from the Liberated Forces to discuss the matter of
the kidnapping of the South African Ambassador, but they did not come; I
hope that, tomorrow, you will come to collect an interesting answer.
In the evening, I had a psychological analysis with Dr. Semsch, who reaffirmed
that the position I am trying to take is the correct one; a vertical line that
honors the preaching, the mentality of the Church. We analyzed some
negative points and it has been a very psychologically enriching reflection for
me.
This day I also went to visit the two Guadalupana sisters who recently
suffered in their community of Arcatao. There, a national guard was taken
prisoner by a group of popular organizations and they wanted to take the two
nuns and a brother who was working with them in Arcatao as hostages; They
took them to jail and threatened them that if the national guard did not
appear, they were going to suffer the consequences: they were going to kill
them! Here we went to the Government and thanks to this intervention they
went to collect them, which seemed a very difficult thing, since the director
of the Guard himself said that when these agents insurrectioned, they did not
obey any authority, but, thank God, the nuns were able to return.
They arrived at midnight, almost two in the morning, and were handed over
after passing through the Guard headquarters, in the Archbishopric, where
Father Rafael Urrutia and Father Salvador Colorado received them. They are
very saddened by the suffering of those people, since, if the guard does not
appear, there will undoubtedly be very cruel revenge in that entire sector.
Late at night, the director of the Guadalupano School called me to tell me
that the Superior General had ordered the two sisters to leave for Mexico,
while the danger that they may face here passed. I objected that it wasn't
that big of a deal, and that they could, at the same school, spend a few days.
However, it is a higher order and tomorrow the Vicar General, Monsignor
Urioste, will go to speak with the Guadalupanas to give the opinion of our
Archbishopric and see if, in this dialogue, the confrontation of this situation is
done more calmly.
TUESDAY, January 15, 1980
This famous day of the Lord of Esquipulas in our Archdiocese is celebrated in
San Bartolomé Perulapía, in Colón and in Aguilares, where the Holy Christ is
given the title of the Lord of Mercies. I went to this community to celebrate
Holy Mass; The Church was full of people; We were going to inaugurate the
healthcare clinic run by a very dedicated doctor there together with Father
Octavio Cruz and the Oblate religious sisters to the Sacred Heart. There are
many catechists and there are very alive communities, memories of Father
Grande and the Jesuits who worked so intensely in that pastoral ministry. I
was very satisfied with the life of that liturgy. My message was to focus on
"the crucified Christ with his mystery of incarnation, crucifixion and
95
resurrection", as the path and goal of human promotion that we all have to
do within our evangelization.
In the afternoon, FPL messengers came to deliver the response from the
family of Mr. Dunn, former Ambassador of South Africa, who is kidnapped. I
sent a response to FPL, through the people in charge of this communication.
In them was the response from Mr. Dunn's family and also a letter from me,
in which I invoked human values ​to free this poor man, whose wife is
seriously ill.
Related to this same kidnapping were Don Ernesto Rivas Gallont and another
relative who, independently of Don Ernesto, wants me to better represent
the family and be the only procedure to accelerate the resolution of this
painful matter.
A delegate from the Popular Revolutionary Bloc also came to talk and we
attended to him along with Father Rafael Moreno and it is admirable how
they have the capacity for analysis and have very clear political ideas. For our
part, we rather tried to see what was interesting for the mission of the
Church.
Together with an ecumenical group, I prepared the recording for tomorrow's
interview. A very pleasant and entertaining topic was that of ecumenism,
under various aspects developed in the form of a natural conversation.
Monsignor Urioste informed me of his visit to the Guadalupana nuns where
they are determined to take to Mexico the two nuns who suffered
persecution in Arcatao. The Monsignor also informed me of the meeting with
the comments ofRadio YSAX to resolve an impasse in which this program
found itself. There were still a few things to be resolved lately.
CHAPTER 23 Year 1980
DIARY from January 16 to January 22, 1980
WEDNESDAY, January 16, 1980
Since last night, at around eleven, Father Fermín Sáinz announced to me the
visit of the wife of Don Jaime Hill, kidnapped by the ERP (People's
Revolutionary Army) and they have scheduled his execution for this day, at
seven at night. if the conditions that they have set are not met and that,
confidentially, they explained to me that it is twenty million colones and that
they have done everything possible to obtain them and have not been able to
achieve them, given the frozen situation of the banks and other laws that
make it impossible for them to obtain, not even borrow, such an exorbitant
amount and they have come to ask me for mediation, to say a few words on
the radio, so that the captors can hear them, about the family's difficult
situation, asking for an extension to this peremptory deadline and a
negotiation to cover those conditions as much as possible. I made a recording
so they could play it on theRadio YSAX, in this sense of appeal, and they will
also broadcast them on other radio broadcasts.
I then left for San Miguelito, in Chalatenango, where there was a Corpus
Christi celebration. It was a very affectionate arrival. Children with pine
branches in their hands and a picturesque climb to the level of the hermitage
and the school group, where the mass was held with a lot of people. At the
mass, some lay people spoke and expressed, in a simple but very cordial way,
their solidarity with the pastor.
In the afternoon, when I returned, I was worried about seeing some response
to my appeal, but there has been nothing more than a confirmation of the
conditions that were published by some stations, saying that they extend, but
for a short time, the deadline and that it can be , perfectly, this family, make
use of their money that they have abroad and do not accept any other
negotiation.
I also received a visit from Father Estrada with Eddie Stein, who care about
the noon program, the comments of theRadio YSAX. I have also seen the
convenience of it being a voice of the station, but I asked them to submit to
prior censorship to avoid the conflicts that have led to the suspension of this
program these days.
I also spoke with Monsignor Rivera by phone to express my surprise about
the Episcopal Conference and my intention of not attending the next
meeting.
I received a telephone call from Monsignor Marcos McGrath, the archbishop
of Panama, who was also asked to make an appeal regarding the
aforementioned kidnapping and he told me that he had done so, thinking
that I would have no problem and that he had taken the opportunity to also
make an appeal for peaceful solutions in El Salvador. I also learned that the

Archbishop of San José, Costa Rica, had referred to the matter through the
Central American Radio Network.
I had an interview with a Brazilian journalist about the situation in the
country and the role of the Church. This day a series of studies on Base
Ecclesial Communities began at Domus Mariae that will last three days.
Unfortunately, I confused the date and I committed to going out these next
two days to La Palma, so I begged Monsignor Urioste to be present and take
great care of the ecclesial meaning of this meeting. According to what he
informed me, the work on the first day has been very positive and that he has
no major concerns, since everything is going well.
Today we finish the speech that I am going to give in Belgium and tomorrow,
God first, I will send it by airmail for immediate delivery. The details of my trip
are also already specified. I will go via Iberia to Madrid, Rome and from there
to Belgium, to take advantage of some business in Rome with the
Congregations of Bishops and Seminary and to visit Monsignor Pironio and, if
possible, also the Secretariat of State.
THURSDAY, January 17, 1980
I had breakfast with Monsignor Rivera and we discussed the situation of the
Episcopal Conference and our pastoral relations.
Then I went to La Palma, where Father Vitto Guaratto has prepared a two-day
pastoral visit for me.
We left La Palma immediately for San Ignacio, the subsidiary town of this
Parish, where a small but very affectionate group of Christians welcomed me
and we celebrated a beautiful confirmation and first communion ceremony in
the Church. In the end, we talked with the group that helps the Father most
closely. They asked me to found a community of religious there and we talked
with the Father about the possibility of bringing two or three Franciscan
sisters. We had lunch in La Palma and immediately went to the picturesque
peaks of Las Pilas, an extremely steep road. Our jeep broke down halfway, but
we took advantage of the other jeep carried by the sisters who work in Citalá,
another subsidiary town of La Palma. We passed through a place called
Miramundo, and it is the highest peak in El Salvador, at two thousand two
hundred meters high, and from there we descended a little towards the
picturesque valley surrounded by pine trees of Las Pilas, where other cantons
of those converged. summits. We celebrated a beautiful Eucharist outside the
Church because the crowd could not fit. A very affectionate welcome and
several first communions and many confirmations prepared by the catechists
of that place were celebrated.
We descended at night, after having heard many messages from those
fervent Catholics. The Holy Spirit works wonders in these simple people, who,
on the other hand, are promoted by the Revolution in the Spirit, which this
Franciscan Father promotes with quite a balance.
After a quiet night in La Palma, we celebrated there, in the morning, a
concentration of faithful coming from the various regions of the Parish. The
Church was packed, I made many confessions, we gave general absolution, on
the condition that they confess later, and we celebrated first communions
and many confirmations, well prepared. In the evening we had had a meeting
with the main leaders of the Parish who collaborate with the priest. I then
visited with the Father the work he is doing: a center that is a true peasant
university, with a lot of work, but a work very well done, where courses will
be given, or spiritual retreats will be given, etc.
The outcome of this visit is very positive and seems to me to be characterized
by an awareness of the Holy Spirit, through catechesis for confirmations. I got
the idea that they are a people very capable of grasping this revelation that
Christ brought us from the Holy Spirit and that they live it quite intensely,
with great piety.
I thanked them for that treasure of prayer that emerges there and that is like
the lung, the breathing of the Church.
After lunch, filled with gifts and affection from those people, I returned to
San Salvador, where a very busy afternoon awaited me.
The ecumenical meeting opened tonight; eight days of prayers for Christian
unity. But I could not attend its inauguration because there were very
important visits to the Hospital of Divina Providencia regarding problems that
abound these days. We also had a dinner to reflect on the reality of El
Salvador, which seemed quite enlightening to me, despite the complicated
situation.
SATURDAY, January 19, 1980
96
This morning characterizes the general meeting of the CONFRES, where I
developed the theme of the service of religious life in the current situation of
the country, inviting you to identify with the line of the Archdiocese, since
knowing how to adapt constitutes one of the signs of religious authenticity to
the pastoral work of the particular Church where they work.
I had visits from the families of those kidnapped, the Hill family and the
former Ambassador of South Africa. And they harbor hopes, they have great
confidence in the Church, they go to her, they are grateful for every
intervention. Above all, I try to give them comfort and a lot of trust in God
and to accept what he has and to keep their spirit high to pray and trust.
Father Moreno and Miss Doris and Father Rafael Urrutia met with me to
prepare the summary of the week that will be used for the homily.
SUNDAY, January 20, 1980
The Cathedral being occupied by unions demanding the opening of their
factories that they say have been unjustly closed; dispute in which the Church
has also intervened, trying to call the employers' side to dialogue, but
without success and that is why the Cathedral remains occupied, we had to
celebrate Sunday mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart with the
attendance that usually goes to the Cathedral. The Gospel passage of the
Wedding in Canaan gave me the opportunity to make a homily of optimism
and joy, since God wanted to reveal the Mystery of Christ and the
Redemption under the sign of a wedding feast and that, despite difficulties
and problems, like the one that the Virgin detected at those weddings, she
always trusted the Church because Christ is present in the problems and
difficulties.
After the mass, I went to San Francisco, in Mejicanos, where a prayer vigil and
a profession of faith were crowned, which began in San Antonio Abad, where
Father Octavio Ortiz and four young people who were making a spiritual
retreat died a year ago, and in the field, in front of the Church of San
Francisco, in the institute being built by the Carmelite sisters. A large crowd
attended the Eucharist that we concelebrated with the priests of the vicariate
of Mejicanos and other friends of Father Octavio. In the homily I preached
the two areas of our Christian liberating message: transcendence, from
where Octavio and the dead speak to us, the end and destiny of our kingdom
on earth, and the earth, where we still have our feet planted, to embody that
transcendent message, to the extent that we work here for the liberation of
our people, for the Christian redemption of the world, so we will also have a
part in that heaven that is a transcendent reward for the works of the earth.
It was difficult for me to leave because there were many people saying hello.
I went to lunch with the Oblate sisters to Divine Love from La Sagrada Familia
College. I was very sorry not to accept the invitation of the parish priest, who
along with all the priests were going to have lunch at Mejicanos, but I had
committed myself to this religious community and they were already waiting
to take me.
In the afternoon, new meeting with the families of the kidnapped. I also have
a message from the kidnappers of the former South African Ambassador and
we talked about the difficult circumstances that are proposed as conditions.
In this regard, the daughter of the former Ambassador also calls me from the
United States, extremely distressed; I tried to encourage him and guide him
towards some steps that can be taken.
At night, Dr. Saca visited me to say goodbye, because he is going to the
United States with his family, to settle in with his family and return. He told
me that Colonel Gutiérrez, one of the members of the Revolutionary
Government Junta, was sick in his clinic, and I begged him to take me to see
him. We talked, I tried to encourage him and give him the comfort that the
Church usually gives; I saw him quite serene, although I know that the
problems in the Government are very difficult.
MONDAY, January 21, 1980
This morning, I had a meeting with the Presbyteral Senate to continue and
update our analysis of the situation in the country and, above all, to see the
attitude that, as a Church, we must take in the Archdiocese. It was explained
how there is a psychosis in the environment, as if everyone expected a civil
war to come. The demonstration that popular political organizations have
announced for tomorrow has caused a lot of impression and the expectation
is almost equivalent to waiting for civil war. We have analyzed the situation
and it is, certainly, serious, but our duty as a Church is to maintain hope and
be superior to all false news and try to live in reality and, above all, in

intimate conscience with our God. Instilling this in our communities is the
primary duty of this hour.
Regarding my trip to Belgium, we agreed that we will meet in two days, after
the demonstration, to see how things are and see what should be done. The
pastoral meeting that had been scheduled for tomorrow was also suspended,
in response to this nervousness as well.
Among the visits that came, that of Deacon Pedro García, who has caused me
much disappointment. After having formed him in La Ceja, in Colombia, he
insists on leaving the Diocese because he believes that, in conscience, he
cannot follow the pastoral lines of our Archdiocese.
I tried to convince him of his error and to also warn him that in our
Archdiocese there is a healthy pluralism, where all tendencies fit as long as
they are legitimately pastoral. However, he is willing to leave. I set two
conditions: first, that he tell me which diocese he was going to so that I could
give a conscientious report and thus discharge my responsibility as well; and
second, to recover from the Archdiocese the financial expenses that have
been incurred in it.
There was also contact with the kidnappers of the former South African
Ambassador, who asked for information about the doctor who they
announced could go to see him. I took the opportunity to send them other
information that they should know, always in favor of the release of this poor
kidnapped person.
On the radio, regarding the comments, I have tried to put a little pressure so
that we do not allow ourselves to be carried away by cowardice; true
prudence yes; Censorship is also rational, but let us not leave the comment
programs, since they are very useful to guide our audience in this very
confusing moment.
The most consoling event of this day was the celebration we had at noon in
Apulo, at the Santa Teresita home, where the Late Vocations Seminar was
inaugurated. A group of young people who already thought that it was
impossible for them to study the Seminary, have found, together with Father
Fabián, Episcopal Vicar of Chalatenango, an experience to update their
studies and be able to continue in ecclesiastical studies. It was beautiful to
hear them, the joy of their reborn hope. Along with this experience, we were
surprised by the promise of three young people, who for several months have
been maturing the idea of ​forming a community, with promises of religious
vows for a year, and to live incarnated in the community of Ilopango. Another
experience that we also lived is that of five Carmelites who have left the
congregation, but who will continue united without abandoning their
religious spirit and service to the communities of the Archdiocese.
They will reside in Guazapa and upon my return from Belgium we will go to
celebrate the ceremony of their incorporation into that community. It was
also on this occasion that the Holy Spirit has shown so many gifts, where I
gave confirmation to a Jesuit novice student who has to go to continue his
preparation in Panama and who received, in the midst of that very
charismatic environment, this precious gift of the Holy Spirit.
TUESDAY, January 22, 1980
This day was marked by tragedy. Popular political organizations organized a
joint demonstration, said to be the greatest in the entire history of our
nation. Indeed, from the monument of the Divine Savior it started towards
the center of San Salvador for blocks and blocks; But at the height of the
National Palace, a shootout began that broke up this beautiful
demonstration, which was a people's festival. They took refuge in the
churches, in the warehouses and all the adjacent places, but there were
several dead people in the street and also many wounded, who were taken to
the care centers, while the dead were collected after being recognized by the
judges. In the Cathedral alone there were eleven corpses at night. It has been
a mystery because they immediately told me about the Presidential House,
alarmed by what had happened and assuring that the security forces...
This day is marked by tragedy. In 1932, on this day, the great massacre of
General Martínez against a so-called Communist Insurrection began in the
West. Commemorating that anniversary, a demonstration of popular political
organizations and other leftist organizations was organized in San Salvador.
It is said to be the greatest demonstration in national history. Indeed, from
the monument of the Divine Savior this demonstration started towards the
center of San Salvador, filling blocks and blocks. Near the National Palace,
bursts of shrapnel began against the demonstration, which dispersed dazedly
everywhere, leaving several dead and many injured in the streets.
Many took refuge in the Cathedral, others in the Rosario Church and in other
places where they could go. I received communication from the Presidential
97
House of engineer Héctor Dada, a member of the Revolutionary Government
Junta, informing me that the shooting was not from the security forces,
because everyone was quartered and that some had been noticed disguised
as military agents who had participated in this demonstration, and that the
complaint that had been made from the Rosario Church, by Marianela García,
member of the Human Rights Committee of El Salvador, was false, who had
said that there were police around the Church who asked that to withdraw,
because there were no such police, according to the Government report, that
the shots that had been found did not belong to weapons of the security
forces, etc. But, on the other hand, reporters who were present at the events
and many witnesses, pointed out that the guards who were on the balcony of
the National Palace had shot at the crowd; Some claim that there was a
previous provocation to the attitude of the guards. The fact is very confusing,
and on the part of our Church, we have initiated a calm investigation to
inform our judgment from the Church.
We have tried to collaborate in this tragedy, helping to evacuate the people
who were in the Cathedral, about three hundred refugees, who were taken to
the Archbishopric, where they were provided with food and slept. The nuns
and other Catholic institutions that have agreed to collaborate with this help
from the Church have been very generous here. But a large part of the town
took refuge in the University, where there are an estimated forty thousand
souls. The night has been tragic. There have been bombs in various sectors of
the city; one of them was undoubtedly placed by those on the extreme right
on the antenna of our Catholic radio station,Radio YSAX, which has suffered
some damage, although not seriously. Domus Mariae, where the antenna is,
has also suffered in its buildings.
In another intervention at the Presidential House, I asked Sigfrido Munés, in
charge of the Information Secretariat, not to link the private stations to the
large National Radio network because this would take away the spontaneity
and pluralism of the information; but Mr. Munés answered me that it was a
tactic to avoid misrepresentations and that all services would be unified
through National Radio. I insisted that this not be done permanently,
however, the national network has continued thus removing all initiative and
all participation from the various stations that had been providing such good
social and informative service. There have been other communications with
the Government and with the various sectors of the people, through
mediation provided by the Church voluntarily.
As for the work of the Curia, almost all of it has been absorbed today by this
psychosis of our people and there have been many visits to the
Archbishopric, also under the nervousness of this situation of violence.
CHAPTER 24 Year 1980
DIARY from January 23 to February 4, 1980
WEDNESDAY, January 23, 1980
From the first hours, we were asked to intervene to remove the military fence
that has been erected around the National University, where there are more
than forty thousand people who feel trapped and who ask for the removal of
the military fence, to be able to withdraw and go home. On behalf of the
Presidential House, where we went with this demand, we were told that the
intention of this siege was not to imprison those who are in the University,
but to defend them from the attacks of the right, which have been the ones
that originated the tragedy since yesterday, and that they could be continuing
their attacks on the organized groups when they left the University and, for
this reason, these checkpoints had been set up, to prevent them from
disturbing the people. We have insisted that this way of interpreting, perhaps
the people cannot understand it. We were asked that a commission from the
Archbishopric, together with the Red Cross and the Human Rights
Commission, go to intervene at the University, where the crowd was already
rioting against the guard, so that we could try to convince that the siege and
that they were cautious and calm when leaving, and that they did not
misinterpret the military siege.
It was Father Cortés, Vicar General, Father Jesús Delgado, Father Rafael
Moreno and Mr. Roberto Cuéllar, who played their role of intervention at the
National University. The military siege was removed and the crowds
peacefully left.
In the afternoon, there was a rally in the park, next to the Cathedral, and in
the Cathedral, where I celebrated, surrounded by several priests, the mass for
the dead and addressed a message to that crowd that surrounded the boxes

of the dead. The funeral did not take place this afternoon, but until tomorrow
morning, which surprised me, since I had been invited to the mass on the
occasion of the funeral, but that is how these organizations are that distort or
disorient things for their purposes. In any case, the Cathedral is providing this
service to the poor.
In the morning, this day, I had two important meetings: one with the
Presbyteral Senate to analyze what happened in yesterday's demonstration
and, most of all, to take action measures now, one of the conclusions of
which was the Commission that he went to mediate at the University; We
agreed that tomorrow we will continue our analysis, above all, to determine
what the function of the Church is at this moment. The other meeting took
place in the convent of the Parish of La Asunción, in Flor Blanca, with the
property administration commission of the Archbishopric. An analysis was
made of the work that this commission is doing with so much sacrifice and
with such good will and, at the same time, the deficiencies of the function as
well as of some people in the work of the Archbishopric were pointed out. I
have tried to give more authority to this commission and to reorganize the
functioning of the financial aspect of our Archbishopric, which will be fully
entrusted to the property administration commission.
In the afternoon, I had three important visits that I received with the advice
of Monsignor Urioste and Father Estrada. The first was from the United States
Ambassador together with the undersecretary of the United States
Secretariat of State, which deals with the affairs of Central America and the
Caribbean. It was a one-hour visit, in which we carefully analyzed the
situation and the United States showed support for the Government. Very
confidentially, they told us various aspects of their projects and their good
will for El Salvador and, on our part, with great frankness, we also set our
criteria. The second visit was from members of the Supreme Court of Justice,
which, concerned about yesterday's events, is trying to carry out an
investigation and that is why they visited the Church, which they praised for
its work of information and precision in its complaints and in its operation in
favor of those who have been run over in our country. We talked at length
and we realized the good will of these lawyers to give the Supreme Court of
Justice all the prestige that in a democratic system the judicial power has,
which, according to them, has organizations that are very dead due to the
traditions of our people. , but they must be reactivated to defend the justice
of the people.
There was very cordial conversation and, above all, very patriotic ideals. The
third visit was from the Ambassador of Spain, together with the person in
charge of affairs for Latin America. We talked at length about issues about
Spain and America, and we also analyzed a little the situation in El Salvador,
which was what most interested this representative of the Spanish
Government. He stated that my name is well known in Spain and he brought
me congratulations and greetings for the pastoral work that we are
developing here.
Even later that night, engineer Rosa, brother of Father Gregorio Rosa, arrived
to talk to me about his experiences and his testimony of yesterday's
demonstration, since he was on the terrace of the Cathedral and was able to
observe well the actions of the National Palace; above all, from the group of
national guards who, according to him, evidently fired on the crowd.
This day also and in the Council of the Presbyteral Senate we agreed that my
trip was not so opportune at a time when the people are suffering. However,
the remaining days will decide and, in any case, I entrusted Father Gregorio
Rosa to organize a trip for me that would take up as little time as possible and
that, if possible, they would accept a representative there. Father Goyo spoke
with Father Juan Deplanck Lencho in Belgium, but told him that it was
preferable to cut the activities that he had scheduled for ten days in Belgium,
but that he should not stop going, even if it was only to receive the honorary
doctorate that he The University of Leuven has offered me. In any case, an
extremely short trip has been organized for me, but I will decide in the next
few days whether I do it or not.
THURSDAY, January 24, 1980
A phone call from Father Juan Deplanck Lencho from Belgium makes me
decide to travel to that country, since the Father explains to me that several
preparations have been made, and, although he can greatly reduce the
program, he nevertheless believes that it is essential that I arrive. even to the
act of receiving the honorary doctorate from Leuven. He also agrees that the
situation in our country is very serious and that is why he will do everything
possible to shorten this trip as much as possible. According to him, and I
agree, it is a service to the Diocese. Give support to our pastoral work and, in
98
this sense, I believe that I must make the sacrifice of going. I will, therefore,
arrange a way to be able to leave on Monday of next week to be there on
SATURDAY, after having passed through Rome, where I have some business,
and on MONDAY, if Father Juan still asks me, on Tuesday of the week. Next I
will be able to begin the return trip.
We had a meeting of the Presbyteral Senate, which has been meeting more
frequently to analyze the difficult situation in the country and fulfill the
mission of the Church as best as possible. There was a very frank analysis and
the elements were given to write an informative bulletin with the criteria of
the Church, about the disturbances that ended the demonstration two days
ago.
In the Seminary there are many refugees from towns where they are
persecuted, but they are already leaving. The Senate was informed of the
activity that the representatives of the Church carried out in the eviction of
the refugees at the University, after the military siege was removed. It is
difficult to understand what the true motive for these military activities is,
since according to the civilians of the Junta it is to protect the refugees
themselves; while the organizations and, in general, the people's suspicion is
that it is about repressing demonstrations by popular organizations.
I spoke extensively with my brother about the organization of the economic
administration and the administrative combination of assets of the
Archdiocese. With good will, he and the Fathers of the Commission are
willing to give me good advice.
The general superior of the congregation of Passionist Sisters also came to
visit the Archbishopric, who are in charge of the town of San José Villanueva
and who, in order to renew their vows, will have to leave this commission.
We have insisted on the convenience of not abandoning this field and, even if
it is from the community of the Colegio de la Divina Providencia, they can
continue to attend to it. The Mother promised to study the case and resolve
it before leaving for Mexico.
At night, at the Hospital, I had a visit from the manager of Cáritas, informing
me about the activity with refugees but that can be misinterpreted, since
there are preventions against popular political organizations. I told him that
in these cases what prevails is man's need and Christian charity.
Also, at night, a representation of the FAPU came. Father Rafael Moreno
accompanied me on the visit and we talked for about two hours about the
analysis that the FAPU makes of the situation and gives a peaceful solution;
that offers, from the point of view of a union, an alliance between popular
organizations, military youth, and the healthy part of the Government, all in
favor of the people. Father Moreno pointed out that this proposal coincides
quite closely with what I said last Sunday in the homily. And on my part I
offered all the collaboration of the Church in order to join forces to save the
country.
FRIDAY, January 25, 1980
This morning the provincial of the Spanish missionary Carmelites came to
visit me, a congregation that has been in charge of the care of the Salvadoran
Polyclinic, and two ecclesial communities of the Archdiocese, Plan del Pino
and La Laguna, in Chalatenango. We talked extensively about the work they
carry out and the situation in the country, and he showed his satisfaction in
working in this Church; which I thanked him for.
A commission from the PUCA, the Central American Union Party, also came in
the morning to ask me to enforce the word of the Church, in favor of the
unity of Central America, which for them would be the best solution to the
crisis in each Central American country. They ask, specifically, that they help
obtain Legal Status and that the offices and functions of the ODECA be
handed over to this party, which is the one that can best be interested in
Central American affairs.
At noon, Monsignor Bambarén, bishop of a diocese in Peru, president of the
Social Commission of CELAM, came. He said that he came expressly to visit
me and also to invite a representative to the next meeting of this CELAM
commission, which will take place in Panama. When I told him that the
president of this commission in the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador was
Monsignor Aparicio, he told me that he did not like that it was because of the
experiences that were felt in Puebla, when this bishop gave occasions of
great discomfort and that it was better to invite to another, even if it were as
a guest; which we did by speaking on the phone to Monsignor Rivera, who
gladly accepted the invitation. With Monsignor Bambarén we talked
extensively about our situation; I feel very understanding, he is very much in
agreement with the pastoral line of our Archdiocese, since he, too, in Peru,
follows a similar line and has been the object of contradictions, as we are

here. Here he stayed in my room and here he lived the life of this community.
While he went out for a walk, I had a meeting with the Vicars General and the
chancellors to talk about the absence, during my trip to Belgium. Monsignor
Urioste is of the opinion that I should not go, given the seriousness of the
circumstances of the moment, but thinking about it carefully, as Father Juan
Deplanck Lencho, from Belgium, told me, I would do a service to the Church,
and it would reinforce our personal line with the honor that the University of
Louvain is preparing for me there, which is why I think I should go and leave
here, for as short a period as possible, a period of about five or seven days, to
those in charge of the Curia with sufficient authority.
SATURDAY, January 26, 1980
This morning I went to drop off Monsignor Bambarén at the airport, who
seemed very cordial and very happy.
He asked me to give him a collection of the homilies. I promised to send them
to him, since I don't have them on hand, because he says that he read the
one from last Sunday in Orientation and he thought it was very good, and he
would like to have other copies, other homilies, I will gladly send him, which
helped me a lot of encouragement.
I had the meeting to prepare the homily; Coincidentally, Father Ellacuría and
Father Estrada came first, with whom we discussed situations in El Salvador in
the United States, where Father Ellacuría has just passed. It seems that they
were alarmed by my last homily where I talked about a popular project and
where I was not so supportive. to Christian Democracy, because for the
United States the solution is Christian Democracy, which they promise to
help. We said that it was not about pleasing the United States or pleasing
anyone, but about finding the solution that best suits our country. And the
advisors who agreed with what I said in the homily. We continued talking
about a statement that, after hearing the opinion of the Senate, Father
Moreno wrote about the demonstration that was broken up by gunfire. It
seems very good to me, enrichments were also made with the opinions of
others and many bloody cases that have occurred this week will be reported.
Always highlighting the pastoral and evangelical aspect of the Church.
At night, as Father Moreno announced to me, he came with another young
man from the clandestine groups to talk about their political projects and
when I had the opportunity to express the feelings of the Church about the
violent solutions, which are those sponsored by these organizations and that
have done so much harm in recent times. They already have their ideology
and their way of thinking and it is difficult to make them change. I believe
that prayer for all these people is the best way to collaborate with them and
to give the country a solution that is not based on blood and hatred or
violence.
SUNDAY, January 27, 1980
Again the mass had to be in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, because the
Cathedral continued to be occupied. The attendance was very large, the
theme "Christ the prophet, prologue and beginning of the ministry" in the
gospel of Saint Luke, gave me the opportunity to explain the meaning of the
homily, since when Christ says: "This has been fulfilled today," He says a true
homily, a living update of the Word of God. I also referred to the great event
of the week, which was the demonstration that ended in tragedy and I
analyzed, after having consulted with several priests, the responsibility of a
moment, in which everyone has to abandon attitudes of polarization and
surrender to the conjugation of the diverse ways of thinking, to seek the
common good of the country. After the mass, I had a press meeting. There
were people from television from England, journalists from Switzerland and
the United States and Mexico, and we always talked about the topic of the
situation in the country and the role of the Church. At noon, Colonel Majano
of the Revolutionary Government Junta came, as had been announced, very
simple in his manner when he is in private. We talked at length about the
situation and his projects. They view the moment with concern, but they
have confidence in gain the will of a people they are trying to serve. I made
my observations to them, just as I had done in the homily, that what was
interesting was to sincerely associate with the people, take into account their
organizations and remove the aspect of repression from these organizations,
since this repression gives the impression that they do not control the
National Guard and the other security forces and that, with these attitudes of
revenge and violence of these security forces, they take away prestige and
credibility from the good will that the Government may have. We had lunch
99
together with the nuns of the Hospital, Colonel Majano was very cordial and
even offered several services to the nuns of this hospital.
I spent the afternoon packing my suitcase for tomorrow's trip to Europe. I
had, however, several desk activities and attending to some visitors, such as
Father Alliet, who brought me the addresses of Belgian priests and nuns who
work among us and whom I hope to visit there. Also, a meeting that we were
going to have with the National Coordinator of Organizations had to be
suspended because only those from the Popular Leagues came and the
others excused themselves because they had other activities, among them,
the burial of dead members of the UDN. And I went to see the Nuncio who
had wanted to give me something, it was a letter in which they made the
observation that I had given solidarity to an ecumenical meeting in Brazil and
that they had the issue that they would discuss as criticizing to Puebla and
the division of the Episcopate, and that they recommend that I assume
personal responsibility if I am going to go to this meeting. I explained to the
Nuncio that I was surprised because I had not expressed such solidarity and
that I was grateful, yes, for the invitation and made excuses, since I will not
be able to leave in such a short time after having returned from Europe. The
Nuncio said that this is how he was going to report and I think he was
satisfied.
Still on the way back, I spoke on the phone with Mr. Dunn's son, who is
kidnapped, and to whom I tried to give him some hope and to have
confidence in God.
MONDAY, January 28, 1980
This day I began the journey to Belgium to receive an honorary doctorate
from the University of Leuven. The route they organized for me was on Pan
American to Guatemala, Miami, Madrid, to Rome, where I will do two days of
work, and then Leuven, Belgium. At eight in the morning the plane left, after
having shared a farewell with my Sister, with family and nuns and some
priests. The route has been very picturesque and I have felt a great rest,
although I am worried about what may happen in my country. But as I left,
Mother Luz, superior of the Hospital of Divine Providence, reminded me that
we had prayed in the psalms that morning, "the Lord feeds his people," and
that it was calm, that we were all going to pray so that the Lord I will
shepherd this flock that I have to leave, even without wanting to; but for
going to fulfill another duty also in the service of the Church, because I
believe that receiving this honor is not simply a tribute to me, but is a support
for the pastoral care of our Archdiocese and is a general support for all those
who work in this line that the Second Vatican Council has initiated for the
Church.
Around noon we were in Miami, where we waited several hours, since at five
in the afternoon the plane left for Madrid. After a very short night, we woke
up in Madrid, while our clocks showed eleven at night.
Winter makes the morning very dark, it seemed like it was a night and not
already seven in the morning when the workers began to go to their jobs.
Around nine in the morning, after a wait at the Madrid airport, we made the
last journey to Rome, with the same excitement as always. For me, Rome
means returning to the cradle, to the home, to the source, to the heart, to
the brain of our Church. I have asked the Lord to preserve this faith and this
adherence to the Rome that Christ has chosen to be the seat of the universal
shepherd, the Pope. We arrived at the Pensionato Romano, taken by Father
Juan Bosco himself, who so kindly picked us up at the airport and our first
visit, after lunch, was to St. Peter's Basilica. The tour that I have always liked
to take, the visit to the Blessed Sacrament, the visit to the tomb of the
apostle Saint Peter, the tomb of Saint Pius Paul VI, of whom I was
remembering so many things from his dialogues with me, in the visits that I
had the honor and joy of being admitted to his private presence.
Afterwards we went to look for Cardinal Pironio, but he is very busy at the
Synod of Bishops of Holland and will appoint me a time when he can receive
me. We made other tours of the streets adjacent to St. Peter's Square; All this
reminds me of my years of seminary at the Pío Latino and revives faith and
priestly enthusiasm in me. We were invited to dinner by the Dominican nuns,
who very kindly came to receive us; but we did not agree and we arrived
before they arrived, and they did not find us. They had also prepared a room
for us in their house in Monte Mario and to compensate a little for this
generosity, I had the pleasure of going to dinner with them and talking about
the things that happen in our country.
WEDNESDAY, January 30, 1980

This day has been very dense with the grace of God and very intimate
satisfactions. It began with a phone call, at seven in the morning, which,
given the time change, seemed to me to be... very early in the morning.
It was Father Juan Deplanck Lencho who called from Belgium to greet me and
to beg me to extend my stay in Belgium until next Monday so that I could go
to France, and that there was great expectation of my arrival and my
conversation with these people. I told him that, with great pleasure, he would
just help me arrange my trip for TUESDAY, that is, the next day. Afterwards,
attending the appointment with Monsignor Pironio, I went to the Secretariat
of State, we first arranged our attendance at the general audience of the Holy
Father; I also visited Monsignor Enríquez, in charge of Central American
affairs at the Secretariat of State, to tell him that I wanted to talk to him, but
he told me that it was more convenient for me to speak with the Secretary of
State himself, Cardenal Cassaroli, that he would arrange for me. the audience.
Then I spoke with Cardinal Pironio, which was a brief but very encouraging
interview for me. He told me that he himself wanted to see me to tell me
with joy that Cardinal Lorscheider's visit had been very positive and that the
Pope himself had a very good report about me. Cardinal Lorscheider had told
Cardinal Pironio that I was right in El Salvador, that things were very difficult
and that I was the one who saw clearly the circumstances and the role of the
Church and that I had to be helped. I suppose this is a summary of what
Cardinal Lorscheider talked about his trip to El Salvador. I thanked Cardinal
Pironio very much and also encouraged him, because he also told me that he
suffered a lot, precisely, for this effort in favor of the people of Latin America,
and that he understood me perfectly. He reminded me of a phrase from the
Gospel that he gives a special application: "Do not be afraid of those who kill
the body, but can do nothing with the spirit." He interprets it as saying that if
those who kill the body are terrible, those who kill the spirit are more
terrible, slandering, defaming, destroying a person, and he believed that this
was precisely my martyrdom, even within the Church itself and that it had
cheer up. The summary was a very powerful encouragement that later
prepared me to go more cheerful to the interview with the Holy Father in the
general audience. At 10 in the morning we were entering the general
audience along with a huge torrent of people arriving at the Paul VI room, an
immense room, but full of faithful, who were singing, applauding, praying.
The Holy Father, at eleven o'clock, entered from the entrance to the stage
where he has his headquarters, a long time, as he greets from one side to the
other, he walks and this takes him almost an hour. The Pope's speech... His
Holiness's speech at the general audience this Wednesday, January 30, was
an extension of his meditations that he is leading in this general audience, on
Genesis, specifically, he spoke of the dignity of man under his two human
aspects of the body: virility and femininity, and how happiness was found in
innocence and that shame in the human body was a sign of its sin in the
origin.
A meditation that seemed very beautiful to me, but also very profound,
because I think many people find it difficult to understand him. Someone told
me that the Pope was extremely interesting to the people in his initial
relations and his personal greetings, but that during the speech one feels a
distance, a lack of understanding. It is something that is sad, because it is a
time when people are very attentive and any idea, no matter how simple it
may be, that is understood, can do a lot of good to the audience. When his
audience was over he called the bishops to bless the people together with
him. I had the good fortune to be directly to his right and later, when we
greeted the Pope and the bishops, he told me that after the audience he
wanted to speak especially with me. But I still had to wait a long time
because after the bishops' greeting, a circus that had arrived to honor the
Holy Father and ask for his blessing began its performance.
He performed artistic, fun, very funny numbers that filled the entire audience
and, of course, the Holy Father with joy. He also carefully greeted a choir that
had come from Poland, his homeland, and with whom he entertained very
cordially, as well as the sick and all those who had a privileged position in the
crowd. When he finished this long farewell greeting, in a small room where
he had other special audiences, he received me with great affection, he told
me "that he understood perfectly how difficult the political situation in my
country was and that he was concerned about the role of the Church, which
"We would take into account not only the defense of social justice and love
for the poor, but also what could be the result of a popular protest effort on
the left, which could also result in harm to the Church." I told him: «Holy
Father, precisely, that is the balance that I try to keep, because, on the one
hand, I defend social justice, Human Rights, love for the poor, and on the
other, I am always very concerned about the role of the Church and that by
100
defending these human rights we are not going to fall into ideologies that
destroy human feelings and values. That I very much agreed with his
speeches and that those speeches gave me a lot of strength and arguments
for my actions and my preaching. I especially mentioned his speeches from
Mexico, the one from Oaxaca, and that this was precisely my doctrine, what I
preach and what I try to do. The Pope felt that he very much agreed with
everything I told him and, when he finished, he gave me a very fraternal hug
and told me "that he prayed every day for El Salvador." I have felt here the
confirmation and strength of God for my poor ministry. It was almost three in
the afternoon, and I went to the General Curia of the Jesuits where,
unfortunately, I could not accept Father Arrupe's invitation to have lunch with
him, because I arrived too late. However, I also had an extremely interesting
conversation with him. He was happy with what I had told him in my
conversations with Cardinal Pironio and the Holy Father, and he reiterated his
solidarity and the support that the Jesuits gave me. In all frankness he also
told me the fears that there may be in the Society of Jesus, but how much
good there is there, and that the Pope's speech to the Jesuits, which caused
such a stir as a reprobation, was quite the opposite; that the Pope loves the
Company very much and wants to prevent it from possible errors. He does
not deny that, as humans, they have their defects and mistakes, but that, in
general, there is a spirit of great service to the Church.
From the General Curia itself, I managed a telephone interview with theRadio
YSAX, From El Salvador. I was able to continue the Wednesday interview over
the phone and I did it with Monsignor Urioste, who told me the news from
the country, painful, by the way, because he informed me about massacres,
crimes, but at the same time about work in the Church. . For my part, I
informed him about my trip and what I have already mentioned about the
audiences I had this morning and how I would soon have other interviews
that were of interest to the Archdiocese.
In the evening, I was visited by the Passionist Sisters who live in Piazza San
Giovanni e Paolo and who invited us to dinner; We went there with Father
Jesús Delgado and with the two Jesuit Fathers who have been so good in
accompanying us here in Rome. It was a very cordial, very fraternal dinner,
which again was also for me an encouragement from the brotherhood of the
Church. These nuns assured me that they continually pray with me and that
they fully agree with the pastoral line of the Archbishopric.
Upon returning to the Roman Pensionate, they told me about the interviews
tomorrow, with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Cassaroli, and with the
Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Baggio, and we will
also try to obtain the interview with the Congregation of Education for faith,
to deal with issues of the Seminary. It is already night, but I am very satisfied
with a day that has been filled with blessings for the Archdiocese and its
pastor.
THURSDAY, January 31, 1980
It is another day full of great satisfaction and many pastoral achievements.
The first thing I received today was the visit of the South African Ambassador
to the Holy See, who came to thank me for my concern in the kidnapping of
Mr. Dunn, the South African Ambassador to El Salvador, who has been
kidnapped and for whom I am mediating. He wanted to have other
information that I was able to give him and that gave him great satisfaction,
because he says that he is a great friend of Mr. Ambassador Dunn.
Two nuns from Betania, Salvadorans, who work here, also came to see me
and I greeted them, telling them that they were offered something and that's
why they brought a letter for the Superior General who lives in Santa Tecla.
Then I went to the Secretariat of State, where I had an appointment with
Cardinal Cassaroli, who received me very cordially and asked me about the
situation in the country and the function of the Church. He revealed to me
that the United States Ambassador had come to see him with some concern
that I was on a popular revolutionary line, while the United States supports
the Christian Democratic Government. I clarified to Mr. Cardinal that it was
not a political option, but simply seeking justice in the solution of the
problems of my people. He told me that he did not insist on this, because the
Ambassador's visit had no official character and that, in any case, the Church
has to proceed not to please the powers of the earth, but in accordance with
its faith and its conscience in the gospel. The Cardinal was also concerned
that the defense of human rights, the demands of the people, are not going
to suppose a mortgage of the Church and of Christian feelings in the face of
ideologies, which I told him, as yesterday to the Holy Father, which was Also
my concern to preach social justice, the defense of human rights, but at the
same time warn the popular forces demanding the danger of falling into

strange ideologies. I also explained to him that we could not talk about
anti-communism without the danger that they would want to make us
complicit in the injustices of the rich, who speak of anti-communism, but not
to defend Christian principles, but to defend their materialist interests. I
noticed that Mr. Cardinal was satisfied with our conversation and assured me
that he also prayed a lot for El Salvador.
Another aspect that needs to be noted is how the Cardinal saw that my
perspective was fair, that we had to try to save what was healthy in the
current Government and unite it with what was healthy that could exist in
popular efforts and support. He told me that he believed that this was the
true way out of our crises. Which confirmed a lot for me to continue
defending the healthy part of the Government and force it to find a dialogue
with the popular bases, who must also be warned of their danger of losing
Christian feelings due to a temporary liberation.
Afterwards I went to the Congregation for Bishops, but Cardinal Baggio was
not there because the Pope had invited him to the closing mass of the Dutch
Synod, and neither was the undersecretary, Monsignor Moreira, a Brazilian,
whom I saw at the exit and he told me that I'll be back in a while. It gave me
the opportunity to go speak to the Congregation for Education and discuss
the issue of the Seminar. There I met the Undersecretary and it was a fortune,
because he has a mentality that is open to progress that often scandalizes the
traditionalism of our Church and he expressed to me, in a very confidential
manner, how much he feared the lack of openness of the Church. . He was
happy to find similar criteria in me and we talked at length about the
situation at the Seminary and he promised to do everything possible to get as
much as he could and that he would let me know. He urged me to be very
courageous and to keep in mind that whoever follows this progressive line of
a Church authentically faithful to the postulates of the Second Vatican, has to
suffer a lot from being held in suspicious perspectives, but that the
conscience and satisfaction of serving God and the Church were worth above
all persecutions. I then went to the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Baggio
was not there, but I was attended by Monsignor Moreira, very understanding,
to whom I was able to leave the letter that I wrote to Cardinal Lorscheider, a
summary of our conversations in San Salvador, and I have expressed my
gratitude to him. especially to resolve the issue of the Auxiliary Bishop and
take into account the suggestion of revitalizing the Episcopal Conference with
new elements, open to the new mentalities of the Church. He listened very
attentively to all the problems that I was able to explain to him and I also left
him documents from the Episcopal Conference, which he promised to study
and talk to Monsignor Baggio and do, on his part, everything within his
power. Finishing this I went to pack my bags at the Pensionato Romano, have
lunch and then the Dominican sisters were there who took us to the airport,
heading to Belgium on Alitalia.
It was four in the afternoon and our flight was happy. We arrived in Brussels,
where Father Juan Deplanck Lencho and other Salvadoran and Belgian friends
were waiting for us, who gave us a warm welcome. Father Juan said that he
had a meeting scheduled for tonight in Bruges, and there we went, without
worrying about dinner, other than having a small sandwich on the way, and
indeed, after an hour, a little more, of On the way, we were in this
picturesque city that I could only see at night, in whose parish hall a large
number of faithful were gathered, who are members of basic ecclesial
communities, initiated here by Father Pedro with the express wish of the
bishop. , Monsignor Desmet, who was in the center of the meeting. Father
Rogelio, who is on vacation, was leading the meeting and introduced me. I
was received with warm and endless applause. I greeted the crowd as a
feeling of communion. The joy of feeling at home, greeting Monsignor
Desmet, thanking him for all his collaboration for our Church and all Belgians,
who had given us such valuable help from people, financial aid and all kinds
of help for our pastoral care.
Afterwards there were some other contributions of greetings and solidarity
and I was invited to develop a topic, which I chose with the theme of my
honorary doctorate, "Faith and politics": what faith can give to political
realities, Taking from my pastoral letter, the services that the Church provides
in this time of crisis, first of all, based on its identity as Church... And in the
second point, what the faith receives in exchange for this service to the
world, which is maturation in your belief in God, a deeper sense of sin and a
deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ, his incarnation and his redemption; that
there is a reciprocity between the good that the Church does by illuminating
politics, by deepening the faith of Christians in their own reality. After several
greetings and receiving gifts from the families of the priests, especially from
Father Pedro's mother, I went to the Episcopate, at the invitation of
Monsignor Desmet, where we talked at length about the situation of the
101
Belgian priests in El Salvador; worrying mainly about the situation of Rogelio,
whom the Bishop himself appreciates and has reservations just as much as
those I have, so that we share our concern well, and we proposed not to
make him a victim, but on the contrary, to help him fraternally with dialogue
so that it is a good instrument of the pastoral care of our Diocese. We also
talked about the problem of Father Esteban Alliet and I was very happy to be
able to give him good news about the other priests and nuns of his Diocese.
Monsignor Desmet told me that what else could he do, that he had no
reservations about helping us, that Divine Providence would help him, even if
they were priests who wanted to go there, he would gladly authorize them. I
was amazed by this generous sense of a bishop who truly loves the universal
Church and does not only see the interests of his Diocese. It was already
midnight. It was curious to leave Bruges at midnight and we returned to
Leuven, where we were able to find a little sleep in the Formation House of
Latin America, which the Belgian Fathers run to prepare pastoral agents from
Europe and mainly from Belgium, for the Latin American dioceses.
A beautiful room awaited me and thus ended, as the new day began, the long
day that I have tried to describe in this diary.
FRIDAY, February 1, 1980
Just four and a half hours of sleep and Father Juan Deplanck Lencho was
already calling me so that we could go celebrate Holy Mass, have breakfast
and then go out to fulfill various commitments that he had in his program.
The first was to the Government House, in Brussels, where the Prime
Minister, who is the supreme practical authority in the country, received us,
very cordial, very attentive. He asked us about the situation in the country,
the role of Christian Democracy, since he belongs to that party and I was able
to explain to him with complete frankness the realities of our political and
ecclesiastical situation in that beloved country. Then we went to the press
meeting that was prepared at the University of Louvain, there were about
twenty-five or more journalists, from press, television and radio with whom
we shared almost two hours of dialogue, very interesting, very intelligent,
also asking about the situation of the country, the situation of the Church in
Latin America; the problems that they see within the Church, within politics,
and I tried to stay within my pastoral aspect, but responding to everyone.
Father Jesús Delgado helped me a lot, with very valuable contributions to this
dialogue, as did Father Juan Deplanck Lencho, above all, for his translation
into Flemish and French. After the meeting, we went to lunch at a nice
restaurant in Leuven. It was a short break and then, in the afternoon, we
went back to Brussels to visit the headquarters of the Christian Democratic
Party, whose president received us with great attention and expressed great
concern about our situation and about the help that Belgium can provide to
the situation. politics of our country. The second visit was to the
headquarters of the Workers' Central, a world authority of unions, where we
deeply experienced the human warmth of a meeting that cares about the
situation of our workers and what could be done in this terrible crisis in the
world. worker, peasant and poor of our country. It was a very positive
conversation, very Christian, in which we agreed on many points of view with
the ideology of this organization and the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit the Ministry of
Development, where aid is given to third world countries; The
Undersecretary welcomed us and explained to us that he could provide a lot
of help to our programs, as long as we presented them through organizations
with Legal Status and that they would approve everything that was for the
good of our development.
The Undersecretary, who seems to be from a Latin American town, stated
that he knew Father Ramón Vega very well and this circumstance led me to
offer him that we would take advantage of the offer of help he gave us, since
Father Vega has a lot of experience and is a friend of his, to present aid
programs to the needs of our country.
It was eight o'clock at night when we returned to the Seminary, where the
Rector was waiting for us, who cordially had dinner with us and took us to his
room to have a drink with cookies and to talk deeply, as brother priests,
about certain problems of the Belgian priests in El Salvador, promising us his
cordial and priestly help. How much can be done when you dialogue with a
sense of brotherhood and this is how this other providential day on our trip
through Europe ended.
SATURDAY, February 2, 1980

It has been a day of the Virgin of Candelaria with many emotions and many
very useful communications and contacts. I celebrated Holy Mass in the
chapel of the Latin American College, with Father Juan Deplanck Lencho and
after breakfast I dressed in my cassock, as a bishop, to attend the ceremony
at the University of Leuven for the imposition of my honorary doctorate
degree. . A parade with all the professors wearing their togas heads towards
the University Church, where a Gregorian mass is sung, the Holy Mass is
celebrated very solemnly, a homily in which considerable importance is given
to the life of our Church in the Archdiocese, in Flamenco, I did not
understand, but the very dear names of Aguilares, Jesús Jiménez, and Father
Rutilio Grande were heard, where I noticed and later they explained to me
that it had been a very great compliment to the pastoral care of our Diocese.
There were four honorary doctorates, but the praise was especially addressed
to me. Upon returning to the University we prepared to enter the Aula
Magna full of personalities. There was the Prime Minister, there was the
Bishop of Bruges, Monsignor Desmet; There were all the professors, the four
doctoral candidates and a very select audience and up there, a very large
group of students. The Rector presented the event and gave me the floor,
since it was my turn to speak on the main topic about the dimension of
politics, of faith. Upon taking the stand, the crowd greeted me with warm,
almost endless applause, which I was naturally grateful for. I said some words
that had been prepared for me in Flamenco, to say that I was very sorry not
to be able to speak in their language, but I would speak in the language of my
poor people whom I came to represent. This gesture of effort to speak their
language was greeted with another warm applause. And I began my
dissertation in Spanish, on the political dimension of faith, starting from the
poor. In short, it is what faith can do in the field of politics, the work of our
Archdiocese in the commitment of the country, and secondly, as our faith
grows, the mysteries become deeper, from those realities of politics, when
the preferential option for the poor is taken into account. For forty minutes I
noticed that there was extraordinary attention, since, although I spoke in
Spanish, Father Juan had prepared a translation in Flemish that everyone was
following and, at the end, that applause was very extraordinary. I was truly
overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and welcome, above all, from the university
youth of Leuven, which encouraged the entire audience to continue
applauding. The doctors' robes were handed out next, with each one reading
their own eulogy. A lady from South Africa, a writer; a doctor, an engineer,
and me. I was also greeted in a special way by the public, when my promoter,
a Monsignor whose name I do not remember today, but very kind, gave a
presentation about me, about my life, which was promptly translated into
Spanish and which was a very high compliment. big. And at the end of this
praise, as they had done with the previous ones, the Rector imposed on me
the insignia of the doctorate, a symbol of the toga, which was also
applauded.
Finally, the doctor expressed gratitude on behalf of the four. And a very
cordial, very lively reception continued from all that attendance; where I was
able to greet many relatives of the priests and nuns who work in our Diocese,
and many acquaintances from Latin America. A true festival of spirit and
culture. Afterwards we went to a typical room of the University, where a
shared lunch was served with all these personalities who participated as
members or guests of the University.
The greetings, in particular, from all these people filled me with a lot of
encouragement. Everyone told me that it had been a very timely message
and that it had made many think about the situation in our country and the
Christian and theological perspectives of our pastoral care. Some theologian,
who had reservations against liberation theology, stated that he had
understood many points that he did not understand and that he felt that, in
truth, Latin America had its own theology, without ceasing to be the theology
of the Church. Many testimonies, above all, from young people who felt an
impulse to a faith more committed to the realities of the earth, etc., to thank
God and the Virgin for this impulse and moral support that I have felt in this
event.
It was already five in the afternoon, when some Salvadorans were waiting for
me in Father Juan's room who wanted to share their concerns for our country
and then we went to Brussels for a prepared interview with Latin Americans,
who in Belgium number around five thousand, many of them exiles, other
students, and there was a very cordial atmosphere of questions and answers
about the problem of Latin America, about the Church, and especially, about
El Salvador. We were all very satisfied with this very cordial dialogue and,
finally, we went to dinner at the house of a Uruguayan, a very good friend of
Father Juan, who lives with his wife and family in one of the University
homes. Those who accompanied us were another couple and another friend
102
with whom we shared a very interesting dialogue. And so this very dense day
ends around midnight. It's almost Sunday, February 3rd.
SUNDAY, February 3, 1980
After the mass celebrated with Father Juan and Father Chus, I went to the
chapel of the College of Latin America and after attending some visits from a
lady from Germany who has come, precisely, to talk to me about the things in
which a German solidarity group can serve. El Salvador, and an elderly couple,
a priest, an elderly woman, who asked me to bring a donation to Father Rosa
and the others who studied in Belgium so that they could help whatever
interests they wanted; We left with Father Juan and Father Chus to the house
of Father Juan Deplanck Lencho, in a town that I do not remember the name,
and there we had lunch and greeted this family, so united, so large, and then
we headed towards the General House of the Sisters of Saint Nicholas in
another town far south of Belgium, where all the families of priests and nuns
who work in our Archdiocese were gathered. The affectionate welcome they
gave me and the coexistence we shared was exciting; First, in the chapel,
where we read a text from the Gospel about the mission of those sent by
God to preach his Gospel and a homily, in which I tried to comment on the
feelings that united us there and the memory of the loved ones, who are far
away, and that are the product of these families that are so united, so
welcoming, so Christian. We then shared a tasty snack, in which I had another
opportunity to greet each other one by one and to photograph ourselves in
family groups. In short, it was an unforgettable afternoon, with a lot of heart
and a lot of Christian sense. I will bring memories of this afternoon to all the
dear Belgian collaborators in our Archdiocese. Already late at night, we head
to Paris, where we will have an intense day tomorrow. The road was very
picturesque, even though it was raining, but for me it was all new and
arriving in Paris is also the first time that I know this beautiful city, even if
briefly, but I already have an idea of ​having seen it with my friends. own eyes.
MONDAY, February 4, 1980
We stayed, in Paris, in the house of a community of Dominican Fathers,
whose superior has organized this dense day on Monday in Paris. We
celebrated Holy Mass with the community, had breakfast and then the work
began. First we went to see the offices of INODEC, an information and
solidarity service for the Latin American people. There we had a brief
interview in which they were informed about the situation in El Salvador and
the relationship of the Church with this situation. I appreciated what I know
about this organization in favor of our Salvadoran people. Then, accompanied
by Father Jardines, a nice young priest who speaks French and Spanish very
well, we went to visit the General Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of
France. The Father Secretary attended me very exquisitely and I was also able
to talk with him in a broad way, to inform them of the situation of the
country, of the situation of our Church and with fraternal trust, I spoke to him
about the division of our Episcopate, and I asked the Conference of France to
do something fraternally with our episcopal problems in El Salvador. The
Father collected data in writing and presented it to the president, who is
Cardinal Echegaray, bishop of Marseille. He contacted me with the Cardinal
President by telephone and I had the joy and honor of speaking with the
Cardinal who speaks Spanish and who, very cordially, regretted not having
been able to see me personally, but offered me all his collaboration and was
truly happy. , of this presence of mine in the office of the Episcopate of
France.
Then we went to the interview with Cardinal Marty, who was extremely
pleasant and very interesting and effective. He gained my confidence with his
fraternal welcome and I spoke to him deeply about the problems of the
Episcopate, the Nunciature, my relations with the Holy See and he promised
to help me in everything, since he is a very good friend of Cardinal
Lorscheider and the Cardinal Pironio, whom I told him he could consult to
form a more impartial idea of ​what I could tell him. He expressed his strong
agreement with the progressive ideas of our Archdiocese and with the
problems of those who do not want to progress in this conciliar sense, and he
told me that it was a problem for the entire Church, since we are all
interested in ensuring that progress is not blocked. of the Second Vatican
Council, that there were many fundamentalist groups in the Church that try
to manipulate the Pope's actions in favor of a setback, which is false, since
the Pope has always had a very great love for the Council and its advances. . I
felt very in tune with the Cardinal's thoughts and very hopeful about his

promises to do something for our Salvadoran Church in its relations with the
Holy See.
We then went to lunch with a group from Justice and Peace and other
organizations of solidarity with our Republic. It was a shared lunch with about
fifteen people, who were very interested in asking questions, in learning
about our Salvadoran situation, and what they can do in a sense of solidarity
with us. I felt this interview was very useful because it leaves a lot of hope for
our people.
We then went to a meeting of Amnesty International, a small office, where all
this collaboration with the countries is worked on, in solidarity, and we were
analyzing the situation of the missing and what can be done to continue
insisting on such a delicate and in other forms of repression against our
people.
Then we went to the address of a Catholic house, where we had a very
interesting press meeting, there were about forty journalists from the main
newspapers in France, to whom I presented my greeting and made a sketch
of the current situation of the country and the role that the Church is carrying
out, and a very interesting dialogue was established in which they asked
questions about the country and the Church and in which I had the
opportunity to clarify my thoughts and thank them for the fact that they, with
their wonderful means of dissemination, extended this thought to the world.
. Father Jesús Delgado collaborated very well, translating and adding various
concepts.
After this interview, we went to the Church of Saint Merlie, where we
celebrated an ecumenical ceremony with a Protestant pastor, who had
expressly come from Marseille, where I was also expected, if I had had time,
but he came very chivalrously and participated with me in the ecumenical
celebration, he and I leading a homily, to give the meaning of an evangelical
message to this tribute... We were narrating the afternoon in Paris. It was
already the event of the night in the Church of San Merlie, an ecumenical
event, presided over by a Protestant pastor and by this servant. It was
especially dedicated to the pastor and the Archdiocese of San Salvador, very
beautiful songs, appropriate reading of the Gospel, the pastor's first
comment in which he praised the person of the archbishop of San Salvador
and a message from me in Spanish that a young lady was translating,
although very poorly translated, and I felt like I lost a lot of what I wanted to
say. It was a summary of my speech at the University of Louvain, of what the
Christian faith can give in service to the world and how the Christian faith is
enriched, receiving from the world the reflections of what it itself cultivates
in the world. Those who understood Spanish, and they were almost all of
them, thanked me at the end for the message, which seems to have been
accepted with pleasure. The names of Aguilares, del Paisnal and all these
people and places in our Archdiocese who have written pages of love for our
Church were mentioned. I had the pleasure of greeting here several nuns
from La Asunción in El Salvador, several exiles from Latin America, many
friends from El Salvador, with whom, after the ecumenical act, we shared a
dinner in the community of the Dominican Fathers. And well into the night,
we returned to Leuven, where we arrived at two in the morning.
CHAPTER 25 Year 1980
DIARY from February 5 to March 9, 1980
TUESDAY, February 5, 1980
I have dedicated this day especially to arranging various letters, messages and
other writings, which, due to the hustle and bustle of the previous days, had
them all confused; Especially, together with Father Jesús Delgado, we
organize the various financial contributions that have been given to us here
for the needs of our Church. I also wrote letters of gratitude and excuse to all
those groups that had prepared a meeting and that, due to lack of time, we
could not carry it out, since I had to shorten my trip and the program that
Father had initially prepared could not be carried out. Juan.
Around three in the afternoon, together with Father Jesus and Father Juan,
we contacted the radio by telephone, where Monsignor Urioste, in El
Salvador, interviewed us and we told him what had happened, my last
moments in Rome, the doctorate in the University of Leuven and the various
meetings with groups in Belgium and France. For my part, I also highlighted
the meeting with Cardinals, bishops and other figures, who are of great hope
for our Archdiocese.
103
There were also some visits or phone calls that I attended with the greatest
attention. And around six in the afternoon, we were at the Brussels airport to
begin our return. Father Rogelio was there with his family and Jaime
Meléndez was also there, who works in diplomacy in this country, and is a
Salvadoran who is highly esteemed by several families. I left Father Jesús
Delgado, Father Juan and, together with Father Rogelio, we flew to Madrid.
At nine at night in Madrid, we arrange our contact with the Iberia trip, which
leaves at one in the morning.
WEDNESDAY, February 6, 1980
This day, then, begins very early at one in the morning, boarding the Iberia
plane, which will transport us through a very long night, as we go west, to our
America. The plane trip, in this endless night, becomes pleasant, good seats,
a movie showing and through headphones also listening to classical music or
reading or sleeping. And so we woke up, still very early, in Santo Domingo,
where we made a short stop and then left for Panama, where we arrived at
seven in the morning in America, which is equivalent to seven hours later
than we go in Europe.
In Panama I was able to greet by telephone Monsignor McGrath, the
archbishopric of that metropolis, who invited me to go and greet the other
bishops who are at a meeting of the CELAM department of social action and
it is a meeting of several bishops from Central America, Mexico and the
Caribbean. There I had the opportunity, therefore, to greet, in addition to
Monsignor McGrath, Monsignor Rivera, Monsignor Flores, another
Guatemalan bishop, another Mexican bishop, Monsignor Vega from
Nicaragua, and several priests who carry out social action work in various
countries. . The president of this commission, on behalf of CELAM, is
Monsignor Bambarén, whom I could not greet because he was absent and I
would have enjoyed it very much, since he personally came to El Salvador to
invite Monsignor Rivera to this meeting. I also learned about the pastoral
work of Father Pedro Le Clair in Panama and that he will soon come to El
Salvador.
From Panama, after a short wait, we flew to Costa Rica, towards Managua,
where Father Plácido, Piquín and Paco boarded the plane. There was a
problem that made us wait longer than expected, two hours late and we
arrived in El Salvador at four in the afternoon, instead of two, which was
announced; I felt sorry for the people who were waiting for us and who
welcomed us with so much affection.
It is impressive to return to the country after a season in which, given the
density of our history, there are many events and changes, which Father
Urrutia began to talk about, who went to meet me and other friends, while
we were heading back to the airport, for forty-five minutes, to the Hospital of
Divine Providence. Here I have found a lot of correspondence. The joy of the
nuns who welcomed me, the small first comments. How nice it is to return
home after a few days of absence! However, concerns have begun. There
were already some letters in relation to my mediation in the kidnapping of
Mr. Dunn, as well as I already received telephone calls from the Spanish
Embassy, ​which is occupied by the 28 de Febrero Popular Leagues, and other
telephone calls indicating the need to remain here. , in his position, as long as
there is no real need to leave.
THURSDAY, February 7, 1980
I have spent almost the entire morning meeting with the Vicars General and
the chancellors, in order to learn about the activities of the Curia. At the
same time, it has also served us to make an evaluation of the political
environment in which our Church finds itself. I am satisfied with the fidelity
and diligence with which these most intimate collaborators have been
carrying out the authority of the Diocese during my absence.
I received a phone call from the Ambassador of Spain, who is hostage in the
embassy itself, occupied by the February 28 Popular Leagues. I tried to cheer
him up and promised to go visit him. At the same time, the person in charge
of the occupation, Mr. Argueta, spoke to me, who told me that he was also
interested in speaking to me personally to clarify some things that, in the
Ambassador's call, could have confused me about the internal situation of
that embassy. I also promised to go visit him.
I also contacted the Presidential House by telephone to greet Colonel
Majano, who expressed his very cordial congratulations on the honor of my
doctorate in Leuven and who also commented on the misrepresentation that
the media has made of that news and of my interviews by radio. And he told

me that he had already realized, during the time of his government, the
misuse that our social media makes of the news, to direct it in favor of the
oligarchy that manages those media.
He told me that he would come to visit me soon and I told him that I already
knew the time we liked the most, and it was to be able to have lunch
together.
The Ambassadors of Italy and the Special Ambassador of Spain came twice
this day to process the matter of the occupation of the Spanish Embassy.
They told me about their mediation work with the Popular Leagues and
before the Government, things become difficult, since there is little
information about what the national guards do in their military operations or
because the Ministry of Defense does not lend itself to these clarifications.
For my part, I offered to always intervene in everything I could, both at the
Embassy and with popular organizations, although not everything is at my
disposal. However, I notice a respect that can be attended to and used for the
good of the lives that are suffering in the hostages, as hostages, in the
Spanish Embassy.
There were desires for journalistic interviews from foreign journalists who are
in the country. Those from Argentina by telephone and Spain also by
telephone, but not being well informed of the reality during my days of
absence, I have thought it more prudent to omit them and transfer them all
to next Sunday, after the mass in which we will have, as usual, Press
conference.
FRIDAY, February 8, 1980
At breakfast I met with the Provincial Father of the Jesuits, Father Jerez, and
the two Jesuits Ellacuría y Estrada and Father Fabián Amaya, Father Cristóbal
Cortés, Father Rafael Urrutia and the lawyer Roberto Cuéllar, in charge of
Legal Aid, with in order to analyze the political reality of the country and the
most appropriate attitude for our Church. It was a very frank, very enriching
meeting, in which an analysis was made of the role played at this moment by
the Government, the Christian Democrats, the popular political organizations
and, above all, the very closed reaction of the extreme right and its groups.
armed men who are doing a lot of evil, a lot of violence. I made a note so
that, in the next homily, he may thus guide the situation of our Church, which
must always be a proclamation of the Kingdom of God, of favoring everything
positive that can be found in this confusion of political and military activities,
of denouncing also the violation of human rights and seeking solutions that
are not through the paths of violence, but rather by denouncing the various
types of violence and evaluating them in their proper measure, to also be
able to give a judgment from the Kingdom of God, which is not of a political
nature or supporting any specific political project, but rather it is the
illumination of faith for justice based on our faith and our Christian feelings.
Once again I had a visit from the Ambassadors of Spain and Italy, who are a
little depressed because their interviews with the Supreme Government are
blocked due to the lack of information from the security forces. And it is
believed that the demands of the February 28 Popular Leagues, regarding
captures and missing persons, cannot be clarified and will cause this Embassy
site to be maintained until clearer information is given. They asked me to try
to influence the Popular Leagues, in order to leave the Embassy, ​and that
they also promise to continue working and realize the need for these
abnormal resources in a situation where human rights are given so little
importance. , rightly claimed by these organizations, but eight lives are at
stake in the Ministry, although they are not in danger from violence, but from
discomfort and the deprivation of their freedom.
I have spent the afternoon organizing a large amount of correspondence
during my absence and I am going to collect the notes that will be used for
the next homily.
SATURDAY, February 9, 1980
The special thing about this day was the meeting-dinner to gather data for
my homily. Father Fabián gave me a good summary of the scheme of the
three political projects that are at stake in El Salvador: the Government's
project, that of the groups popular politicians and those on the right. Around
these three we have placed the various acts of violence, which have been
many this week, and the possibilities of a solution without the need to resort
to an armed insurrectionary struggle, which will be terrible if it breaks out in
El Salvador. I spent until late at night arranging these notes and I also got up
very early to prepare the best way to present this situation in the country and
104
the role of the Church, inspired by the readings of this Sunday that speak to
us, precisely, of the God of history who He calls men to collaborate with him
in the construction of the history of each people.
SUNDAY, February 10, 1980
At the mass, which was in the Basilica, because the Cathedral is still occupied,
I was given a warm welcome after my trip; I felt that there was a special
affection in that Church, which was quite crowded and which became more
dense as the mass passed. The homily lasted almost two hours and this gives
me the impression that I am abusing my time, but I feel, on the other hand,
the need to guide these people who listen to me avidly, since, precisely, I
prolong because I do not notice tiredness in the auditorium, which I notice is
always attentive, and so they tell me that they are also paying attention on
the radio.
After the mass I had a press meeting with journalists from abroad mainly,
from Latin America and Europe. There was not much to ask, since they
themselves said that everything was already explained in the homily.
However, it was a very cordial moment in which I felt very friendly with the
journalists and there were also many people who surrounded this meeting
gladly savoring the dialogue, in which they, also people from the town,
intervened with interesting observations. The homily was transmitted on
delay because it was the recordings that were taken to the device, since in
the Basilica it is more difficult to make direct transmission.
I went to have lunch and spend the afternoon with the nuns from the
Hospital who went to the house of the Oblates to Divine Love, nuns from the
College of La Sagrada Familia, who also attended and we experienced a very
pleasant family atmosphere, which strengthens our effort to a Church that, in
its hard struggle, must also feel the tenderness of the love that God wanted
to give us as the tone of our work for the Kingdom.
MONDAY, February 11, 1980
I went to celebrate the patron saint's day of the canton of Lourdes, in the
Parish of Colón. The Church was packed and there was a warm welcome to
the Pastor.
I preached about the Virgin of Lourdes, presenting her as a figure of the
Church, and how what had happened in Lourdes, between the Virgin and
Bernadette, was precisely the function of the Church with humanity: to bring
men closer to God to pray, to make them see its mission, to give a
commitment that God indicates to each man and to live it. The Virgin tells
Bernadette what her mission is and to carry out the work of the Church, in
communion with the shepherds. The Virgin tells Bernadette to tell the priests
what she wants a temple there. Based on these three ideas, I exhorted
people to be docile to the Church and to build, in communion with their
pastors, the Church that our Diocese wants to create, so that it may be the
true Church of Jesus Christ. Father Nicolás Menjívar, parish priest, was very
timely and generous in reading to the people the reasons why I was given the
honorary doctorate of Leuven and asking for a sense of solidarity with the
Bishop, which was expressed in warm applause; The same at the end of the
mass, when I asked the people for testimonies of their feeling about the
Church. I felt very encouraged by the expression of solidarity and communion
that these Catholics experience.
In the afternoon, I had a visit from the Ambassador of Nicaragua, who, in
addition to greeting me, invited me to go to his homeland to learn about the
interesting experience of that country. I expressed my desire to go and greet
the archbishop, Monsignor Obando, and also to take advantage of the
knowledge that he is offering me.
Dr. Jiménez, a former politician from Venezuela, also came, who was at my
Sunday mass and expressed his satisfaction with the Ministry that, while
remaining spiritual, is also guiding the country's politics so that it is carried
out according to God's plan. He was very frank and expressed to me some
points in which he would like the Church to support Christian Democracy a
little more in its effort to save the country. I told him that I agreed, but above
all I want to be faithful to my people and demand from Democracy what the
people demand and for which they have a possibility today, above all, to
make the Army stop its repression, that They are so violent against our poor
people.
An engineer was also there to tell me that his office had been occupied by
the Popular Leagues, and he asked me for mediation. Which I did through

Legal Aid, since Mr. Cuéllar will go to negotiate and offer the Archbishopric
for this negotiation.
The seminarian Miguel Rodríguez also came, whose family has been a victim
of this repression, there in the department of La Unión; His mother has given
an example of Christian strength, but the torment of his family is very great,
and I have offered him all the help of the Legal Aid and I have asked him for a
description of this outrage to denounce it as is my duty.
At night, I went to visit the Chacón family and also experience these human
feelings of family, which are so necessary in these hours of so much tension.
TUESDAY, February 12, 1980
The morning begins with a visit to the Hospital by engineer Villacorta,
Undersecretary of Agriculture, who respectfully gave me the agrarian
transformation project that he has prepared, together with the Ministry's
collaborators. He explained some more difficult points to me and brought it
to me with the desire to hear the opinion of the Church, above all, on matters
of Christian social doctrine. I told him that I was going to study it, together
with the advisors, and we discussed at length how difficult this step is, but
how decisive it will be for the Christian Democracy to determine whether the
Armed Forces want or do not want the necessary transformation of the
country.
Later, at the Archbishopric, Don Ernesto Rivas Gallont was waiting for me,
along with the son of the former South African Ambassador, Mr. Dunn, to talk
about the proposal that had to be presented to the Liberation Forces
regarding the kidnapping of Mr. Dunn, who is in negotiations. I was told that a
great effort was being made, on the part of private persons, in South Africa,
to raise good quality to deliver to the kidnappers and that they could not
offer more.
Mr. Rivas Gallont and Mr. Dunn's son authorized me to tell Mr. Dunn's
kidnappers that an intense campaign is being carried out in South Africa to
raise funds to rescue Mr. Dunn, but that they could not offer more than what
was collected, since the family is personally poor and they do not have
support from the Government. Mr. Dunn's kidnappers will come looking for
me this week, in my capacity as mediator in this painful matter of kidnapping.
There was a lot of activity in the Archbishopric with visits from priests and
laymen; while, in the meeting room, there was a dialogue between
employers and workers of one of the factories that are having conflicts and a
strike.
The Archbishopric is hosting many negotiations, which is honored by its
reputation for impartiality and justice.
The most important interview today was the one we had with Father Octavio
Cruz, in his capacity as head of the Pastoral Commission. I have been very
satisfied with the information she has given me about the work that this
Pastoral promoter is doing intensely.
The main event was the course on basic ecclesial communities in Domus
Mariae and the preparation to participate in another course on these
communities in Brazil. Also the activity regarding the various Seminary groups
and other aspects of Pastoral Care. I was very interested in what Father
Octavio tells me about the spiritual and cultural promotion of priests, who
perhaps feel very poor humanly for having neglected their effort to update.
Also interesting was the interview with Dr. Mario Levy, who told me various
aspects of the pastoral line of my pastoral letter and some illogicalities that
he finds when it comes to left-wing political groups. Your letter is very
interesting and I began to comment on it on the radio program, which we
recorded this afternoon for tomorrow's interview. We will deal specifically
with the organization that is necessary in the people, but not, precisely, about
belonging to this or that organization, especially if it does not please the
people, but rather about awakening the critical sense of the people, so that
they stop being a mass. and can be a people that organizes itself for the
common good.
Rubén Zamora and another member of the Christian Democratic Party also
came to visit me, on an emergency basis, to inform me of the most serious
event of this day. A demonstration of students, celebrating the victory
obtained in the Ministry of Education, held a demonstration, which was
violently broken up by elements of the right, in collaboration with the Army,
which continued the rout until entering the Christian Democracy building.
occupied by the February 28 Popular Leagues and where a shootout broke
out, which left several dead and many injured. The Christian Democracy
Commission came to ask me, at the Seminary, for asylum for two ladies
belonging to the Leagues who occupied the Democracy premises and who
left under the protection of hostages who were going to freedom. One of
105
these ladies saw her own husband fall dead under bullets and is extremely
nervous. We got hospitality at the La Sagrada Familia School, since, because
we were women, it was very difficult to accommodate them in the Seminary
that is already active.
In the evening, I had a visit from a journalist who asked for an interview for
an Argentine magazine and we talked at length about the situation in the
country, the role of the Church and some of my personal information.
WEDNESDAY, February 13, 1980
I spoke, during breakfast, with Father Ramón Vega, invited by me to talk
about matters of the Social Secretariat. He explained a series of problems to
me and I see that he is already moving forward for the good of our Diocese. It
is managing to bring together intellectuals who belonged to the university
association, many of whom today are professionals, and collaboration from a
Christian conscience is expected of them. I told him that I would visit those
meetings sometime and that I would always have the advice that I need so
much, to know how to give a Church response to these climactic moments in
our history.
Immediately, Dr. Rubén Zamora arrived to tell me about the bloody events of
yesterday and what the eviction of the Popular League occupants was like,
who were holding several people hostage at the Christian Democracy
premises, and how this military operation, which caused so many victims, it
was done against the will of the Government Board, which had expressly
ordered the Ministry of Defense not to act militarily in this eviction. He told
me horrible things about what the security forces did and that they were
analyzing, since last night, at the game, what they should do. Of course, ask
for the dismissal of the current Minister of Defense and also put more
pressure, as a party, on the Army and some are even talking about
withdrawing from the Government. The thing is very delicate, but it is time to
take measures that truly demonstrate that we are seeking an end to the
repression that is so cruel in the country.
In the Archbishopric several audiences were granted, but in addition to those
that were indicated, several extraordinary visits, to which I was able to pay
attention as much as possible. The Vicars, the chancellors, helped a lot to
serve many people who come when there are these critical circumstances in
the country's politics.
After lunch, I spent the afternoon studying and, in the evening, an interesting
meeting with the Major Seminary, in which they confidently explained their
doubts and concerns to me and in a frank dialogue, I think I tried to solve
them and they were satisfied, to continue working on the formation of
priests, just as the Church needs them at this time. It has been a satisfaction
to find myself surrounded by these twenty-one young theologians and
philosophers, who are true hope for our Church.
THURSDAY, February 14, 1980
Brief interview, after breakfast, with the Vicars General, Monsignor Urioste,
who returns from a short vacation, and Father Cortés who informs me of
some activities in the Curia in my absence. We tried to evaluate our work and
found a bit of a lack of communication, which is why some provisions are
repeated or contradicted. Monsignor Urioste tells me with fraternal frankness
that, many times, my attitude is like destroying some provision of the Vicars
General and that this hinders the march of authority. I recognize, but I insist
again, that we need more communication, which is why we have agreed that,
every day, at eight, we would meet to see what needs to be done together in
the Diocese. I found this brief and unexpected meeting very useful.
I immediately went to Domus Mariae, in Sister Maria's house I met, as I had
promised before my trip, with those priests who are most noted as advanced
on the left side. I already had a very fruitful conversation with them and this
meeting today has also been a great rapprochement, in which, many times, it
seems as if we are more separated and there are more dangers, when, in
truth, there are sincerely pastoral and priestly efforts. At the same time, I
have taken the opportunity to express my fears and demand that, in the
midst of the ups and downs of politics and our fondness for popular political
organizations, we be truly signs of the Kingdom of God, because that is why
we are in the Church, to give presence of transcendence, in the midst of the
works of the earth. They have commented, according to the Gospel, on this
thought. I will continue to ask God to be, as the Bishop of Bruges in Belgium
told me, not enemies, not victims, but true collaborators.

In the afternoon, an interesting meeting with representatives of popular
organizations, one from the UDN political party and another from the
February 28 Popular Leagues; The other two, FAPU, and Popular
Revolutionary Block, could not come due to last minute delays. Possibly,
because at this same time the burial of the victims of the repression of the
previous day was taking place, but this conversation, which on behalf of the
Church, I had with Father Moreno, Monsignor Urioste, and the two political
representatives, has been very fruitful and I had the opportunity to raise my
objections and to point out the powers of the Church and defend the
Christian feelings of the people and seek, together, as true Salvadorans, the
most peaceful and honorable solution to this crisis in the country. We agree
to continue our meetings and to provide the Church with its services, without
losing its Church identity. We asked, above all, that they speed up a
Government project that comes from the people and that is presented to the
people to unite the people in these organizations, and that, in this project,
the Church can provide a double service, in those technical fields that do not
It is their responsibility to illuminate them from the Gospel and judge the
humanistic aspects according to evangelical criteria. And at the other level, of
the religious and human aspects, for example, how religion would be
considered, the fair aspects in this new project, the Church will be able to
contribute all the richness of its doctrine, but at the same time, there is
evidence that We will not participate as a political force, but as a Church, with
the light of the Gospel. This relationship seemed very good and there is a
new aspect to our relationships with these organizations.
In the evening, a brief interview that had already been announced with a
representative of a clandestine organization, with which I am mediating the
release of a kidnapped person and, at the same time, taking the opportunity
to illuminate with the Gospel the activities that often do not agree with the
Christian feeling. I have felt that there is a welcome and that my message,
through this representative, also reaches the entire organization from its
leadership.
FRIDAY, February 15, 1980
As I promised, at eight in the morning, I was at the meeting of those of us
who have responsibility for the Diocesan Curia, in order to have more
communication and lead a more community-based Government and this was
the topic of our meeting today: to see which These are the deficiencies that
we are suffering from and how we can correct them. Several specific issues
have also emerged that, when treated together, are much more intelligently
resolved and bearable. After an intensity of visits, some already announced,
and others that arrived improvised.
A group of young people from Sonsonate came to ask me to come and bless a
clinic and celebrate Mass for them, but I told them that it was another
diocese and that I thanked them for their kindness. I promised to visit them
privately on another occasion; They insisted that I go to the inauguration that
they wanted and I told them that for that they would ask the Diocese for
permission and they agreed to contact me. This indicates the wisdom of the
Church in dividing its territory and also the sympathy of the people that I
cannot despise, but rather channel. In the afternoon, there were several visits
despite not being announced, but given the immensity of problems,
occupations, hostages and other similar cases, they must be attended to
without delay.
SATURDAY, February 16, 1980
This day, although I wanted to dedicate it entirely to the preparation of my
preaching on SUNDAY, I had to go to the Cathedral in the morning to fulfill a
commitment to bless the image of San Rafael that they are going to take to
the canton of that name in the Parish of Candelaria de Cuscatlán, Father
Interiano will receive her there, but I did not want to refuse this request from
the humble peasants, since in them I always feel the presence and call of
God.
Precisely, I had the opportunity to speak with those who lead the occupation
of the Cathedral, they are two young people belonging to a sector of the
Popular Revolutionary Bloc, Christians, but who feel obliged to carry out
these actions, since they do not find security outside the Church. and it is
about housing a number of peasants there, many of them are women and
children, who have been fleeing from cantons in the jurisdiction of Las
Vueltas, in Chalatenango, where the National Guard and ORDEN are fiercely
pursuing them, and others have had to flee to the mountains and they have
106
been able to take refuge in the Cathedral. I told them that I understood all
this and that the Church was always ready for this kind of hospitality and that
the occupation in the way they are doing it was not necessary. And I told him
to contact the leadership of the Block to talk about the occupation of
temples, since Lent begins soon and the people have the right to these places
of prayer; and by dialogue with the Church they can find other ways to
achieve the purposes for which they have occupied the Churches.
At night, I still had a visit from a labor case in which, precisely, two
organizations have been in conflict: the BPR and the PAPU; hinder each other,
instead of helping each other for the benefit of a factory that is closed, but
that is in the process of reopening and an occupation by the other
organization has come to hinder this process, I will denounce it and call to
order tomorrow in my homily, yes God wants.
In the afternoon, I went to Guazapa. A very original event celebrated in the
same parish convent, where the Carmelite nuns who today have changed
their attitude, always within the same religious purposes, have their
residence. They have separated from their congregation, the congregation of
Carmelites of San José, and five of them have inaugurated a house to serve
the people there in a pastoral manner and always carry out their religious
commitments, but without relationship with their former congregation.
Everything has been done in an orderly manner and, although the
congregation may not fully understand this step, I felt that the people have
understood very well and that they, if they are faithful to their current
purposes, can do a lot of good, even under the aspect of religious life,
bringing it closer and making it very friendly in the middle of the people. In
fact, they told me that there are already several young women who want to
join this group, but that they want to proceed with all prudence, demanding
all the things that the Gospel demands of religious life. So we had this very
intimate Mass, together with relatives of these new nuns, and together with
the community that collaborates in the Pastoral Care. It was a very
understanding environment with a lot of prayer, a lot of reflection; It was also
an enrichment of the Spirit of the Lord for me.
I returned to prepare my homily, listening to the advice of those who meet
with me this day: Father Moreno, Miss Doris Osegueda, Mr. Cuéllar, Father
Cortés and Father Urrutia. They give me very valuable elements to better
understand the reality of the week and know how to illuminate it
evangelically from the Sunday homily. I have arrived until the early hours of
the morning, it is already Sunday, February 17.
SUNDAY, February 17, 1980
The homily lasted one hour and forty-five minutes. I spoke about poverty
with the outline of the Medellín document, presenting it as a denunciation
against the injustice of the world, as a spirit that is lived, relying on God, and
as a commitment, that of Jesus Christ who commits himself to the poor, and
from There, the Church also fulfills Christ's mission to call everyone to
salvation. And with this light of the Beatitudes, which were read today in the
Gospel, I illuminated the reality of the country to condemn the selfishness of
wealth, which insists on maintaining its privileges and to also give guidelines
from the demands of the poor to the politics of the country. It has been quite
well commented on because tonight I was with the Jesuits of the UCA, to
carry out correspondence, and I found a very warm welcome, along with
other secular visitors who had also listened.
In the afternoon, at seven at night, or rather, I went to Santa Lucía, the Parish
of jurisdiction of Ilopango, where the new parish priest, Father Luis Recinos,
who has come from Nicaragua to continue his studies here, was installed, and
we He will provide this pastoral service, attending the Parish of Santa Lucía,
since his previous parish priest, Father Astor Ruiz, could not enter the country
and had to go to make commitments, precisely, to Nicaragua. This is how an
exchange of priests results, someone who goes from Santa Lucía to Nicaragua
and someone who comes from there to Santa Lucía. It was also a very
pastoral moment, talking with the various commissions, encouraging them to
continue, congratulating them because after a year of absence of a priest
they have known how to behave as a true Christian community.
Upon returning from this mass, I delivered the secret letter that the family of
the kidnapped Mr. Dunn delivers to his kidnappers along this secret path.
Monday, February 18, 1980.
In the meeting that we usually have in the first hour of work, we analyze
some points regarding priests and their positions in parishes. And we

concluded that it was a study that had to be carried out in more depth, in
agreement with the Presbyteral Senate and the Pastoral Commission, but
since it is a fairly secret matter, one or two elements from each of these
sectors will be chosen to study. , conscientiously, the situation of our clergy,
in order to place them in the most appropriate place for the qualities of each
one.
Afterwards, we had a meeting with the Presbyteral Senate, which was very
interesting because it dealt with current issues such as the occupation of the
temples and the problem of violence in the country. Regarding the taking of
the temples, there was a lot of discussion about the convenience of a
document about what the Church thinks and so that we all think the same,
but it was believed that direct action with those who caused the occupations
was more appropriate and thus, I commissioned those priests who have more
contact with the organizations to ensure that the leadership of said groups
engages in dialogue with me, in order to discuss how these occupations can
no longer be carried out or, in case of extreme need, they can be carried out.
always in agreement with the person in charge of the temples.
In the afternoon, another very important meeting at the Catholic University
Center with the Administration Commission and with the Vicars General and
with the administrator of the Curia, engineer Galván, and the person in
charge of the center, Father Ramón Vega, in order to study, in that same
place, where Monsignor Chávez planned the construction of the
Archbishopric and the Archbishop's residence, whether that work will
continue or whether it will be preferred, as has been thought lately, to do it
next to the San José de la Montaña Seminary.
This opinion prevailed, after extensive reasoning and regarding the premises
that had previously been designated for this, it was agreed to make the
Cáritas warehouse there and also the construction of the Church, which is a
condition for this donation. Father Ramón Vega will be in charge of
requesting a subsidy from the corresponding organization to help us with
both constructions; and regarding the construction of the Archbishopric on
the land of the Seminary, it was greatly reduced to a simpler construction and
there is hope of having subsidies from foreign institutions, combining the
money that was already had, as a product of the sale of land of the Seminary
, in the times of Monsignor Chávez, and which was destined for this work,
from the residence of the Archbishop and the Archbishopric.
At night, Father Estrada and Father Ellacuría came to look for me to inform
me that the homily of the last Sunday had caused a stir in Rome and that the
Father General of the Jesuits communicated to the provincial of Central
America the comment made in the same Secretary of State. This same night,
they will speak with Father Jerez who is in Panama, so that if necessary he
can go to Rome to explain the situation and see that the words of the homily
correspond to the very difficult situations in El Salvador. Specifically, the letter
that is announced for the president of the United States and that was read in
the homily, and which is, it seems, the main cause of this comment, is
inspired by the immediate danger posed by military aid to El Salvador and
Above all, the new concept of private war, which consists of murderously
eliminating all the efforts of popular organizations, under the pretext of
communism or terrorism. This war wants to end not only with the men
directly responsible, but with their entire family who, according to this
concept, are all poisoned by these terrorist concepts and must be eliminated.
The danger, then, is serious and the letter is aimed at asking the president of
the United States not to provide a military subsidy, which would cause great
harm to our people because it would try to eliminate and kill many lives.
TUESDAY, February 19, 1980
They wake me up with an urgent call from Sister Maria, from Domus Mariae,
to tell me that a bomb has exploded on the floor of theRadio YSAX and that
has been completely ruined. I asked if there had been any personal injuries
and was glad that they were only material in nature, which can be repaired.
This same night and at the same time, around eleven at night, another bomb
also exploded in the UCA library, obviously, since these are maneuvers by the
extreme right against the voice of the Church and against the demands of
social justice.
In the Archbishopric, many priests and lay people came to express their
solidarity with the attack on our station and to offer, from the beginning, help
to remake it soon. Monsignor Rivera also expressed his solidarity, since, at
half past eleven, we had a meeting of bishops at the Nunciature. None of my
brother bishops mentioned the issue of the radio station, nor did anyone
refer to my honorary doctorate, or to any circumstance of our Archdiocese,
other than to criticize, always as if it were diverted from its pastoral path. The
107
meeting was provoked by the Nuncio at the direction of the Sacred
Congregation for Bishops, which, in the name of His Holiness, declares invalid
the elections for president of the Episcopal Conference and calls us to make a
new election, but after having made reflection and prayer. The Nuncio
comments on other aspects and arranges for us to meet next March to make
a spiritual retreat in the morning and make the elections in the afternoon.
The atmosphere of this meeting always seems very cold and very strange to
me, I chose not to say a word, since everything that is said is misinterpreted
due to the ill will that exists, without a doubt, in some brother bishops. Lunch
was at the Nunciature.
In the afternoon, I was waiting for seminarians, since every Tuesday I have
offered to dedicate myself to this interesting dialogue with future priests. And
I finished the day at the Godoy ladies' house, where they offered me a dinner
with the affection with which this family knows how to do it.
I also had a visit from the Ambassador of Spain, already freed from his
kidnapping in the Embassy, ​along with the Secretary of Inter-American Affairs,
who came from Spain for this problem, and the Ambassador of Italy.
With everyone, the three of us spoke kindly and with a great sense of
solidarity for our Diocese, and gratitude for the collaboration in the problem
of the occupation of the Embassy.
WEDNESDAY, February 20, 1980
It has been a day extremely full of activities, the Archbishopric becomes
increasingly dense with people who visit, who consult, who meet. There is a
lot of vitality and I thank God. We had our Curia meeting with the Vicars and
Chancellors, we examined some aspects with complete frankness and I
believe that this meeting is becoming more and more useful, although I
demanded that we be more punctual and efficient and I commissioned
Father Rafael to take care of making the agenda, and that the meeting was
always held, even if some element was missing.
Between the visits I had a press meeting around eleven thirty, in which there
were journalists from the United States, Switzerland, Germany, France, an
improvised thing, but very rich in questions and guidance from our
Archdiocese. Miss Marta Benavides also arrived, who is so active, an
ecumenical member, to offer all her collaboration and I invited her to lend us
this collaboration in the field of social communication, which she took with
great pleasure and has begun to do with great interest. .
In the afternoon, I went to share with the seminarians of Santa Tecla, who are
doing the preparatory year.
After expressing to them the objective of this year and the hope that we have
in them, we spoke widely and with complete frankness, inviting them to feel
like a friend more than an authority. And there was a very cordial
atmosphere, confidence to express their hopes, the joy of finding themselves
in this new experience of the Seminar, as well as their fears for the future. But
I have promised them that what has been started in openness cannot be
closed, but that, taking into account suggestions and constructive criticism,
we will improve, with them, the formation of the future priest. After having
dinner with them, I went to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, where in a
well-attended solemnity I celebrated the inauguration of Lent and the
imposition of ashes, having invited the people, as representatives of the
entire Archdiocese, to walk together with the pastor in this pilgrimage of
sanctification, of austerity that takes us until Easter, to offer the country a
renewed Church in its Lent, with new men who can be the true, authentic
liberators of the country. After the mass there were still journalists who were
interested in talking and it was also very interesting.
Nine at night and when I arrive at the Hospital I have two serious
commitments, one from Father Estrada, Father Ellacuría with a man who is a
specialist in banks who wants to present me a project about Agrarian
Transformation and the problem of banks. I listened to him carefully, but I
told him, these are technical aspects and I only invite him to continue
perfecting his ideals, so that later we will have the opportunity to confront
them with other projects, mainly from the people, which is what is needed
today, specific projects and, for that reason, I gave him my congratulations
and my congratulations and the wish that he would always work with
enthusiasm on this type of collaboration with our people.
The other meeting was improvised, of the National Coordination of Popular
Organizations that were going to meet today with young military elements,
but who could not attend. However, the contact with the leaders of the
organizations was very fruitful, although we did not delve into any specific
aspect, but we agreed to meet tomorrow with elements of the Church, to

discuss various aspects of the relations between the Church and popular
political organizations.
THURSDAY, February 21, 1980
Today the day began, after mass, with a breakfast with Father Ramón Vega, to
discuss matters of the Secretariat of Social Action and problems of Cáritas.
After Pastoral meeting, in the Archbishopric. For me it is the most important
commission of the Diocese, since it helps me coordinate the various activities
of the vicariate of the Archdiocese and guides our pastoral care with new
suggestions. Father Octavio Cruz, as general secretary, is giving a lot of
impetus to this Secretariat, as is the layman, Francisco Cuéllar. I was not able
to attend the entire meeting because at ten thirty in the morning I had an
interview with the representative of the United States, who, in the absence of
the new Ambassador, is handling American affairs in El Salvador. The main
point of the conversation was the comment on my letter, addressed last
Sunday to President Carter of the United States. He told me, first of all, that
the President had not received this letter, which has already been widely
disseminated throughout the world, and he tried to explain to me the main
purpose of the letter, which was military aid to El Salvador, explaining to me
that it was not about putting weapons in the security forces, but about
perfecting some elements that are missing in the Army, and so on other
explanations, which I then tried to answer by telling him that my letter was
based on information and, conditionally on that information, I made my
comment to him and that he maintained my fears that military aid, even with
the distinctions that he explained to me, would always result in greater
repression of the people, since it is the same Minister of Defense who leads
both sectors of the military institution and that, no matter how much it was
said that it was not for the Armed Forces, it could determine this aid of five
million, no less, to arm itself more and repress the people more. And,
regarding the influence of North America in the country's politics, I told him
that aid to the Government, which does not have popular support, would
appear to the people as an imposition and that what we would most
appreciate was promoting the process that the people are carrying out. move
forward and not hinder it, imposing another way that is not the one in which
the people construct themselves as the author of their own destiny. There
were other issues and the most important thing was that the Ambassador
made the suggestion that this military aid, hopefully, would be conditional on
the reforms, which are so widely announced, beginning to be carried out and
that the repressive line, which evidently prevails in the current Government.
Another visit of great importance was that of Catholic Relief to offer me help
with the emergency needs that may arise in El Salvador and to tell me about
other aspects of the collaboration between this North American institution
and our archdiocesan Caritas.
In the afternoon, I went with Father Alliet to visit the nuns of Quezaltepeque
and Father Roberto, all of them Belgian, to bring them greetings from
Belgium on the occasion of my recent trip. I am very happy that these priests
and nuns are doing a lot of good in a town in such need. Unfortunately, there
is a schism there with Father Quinteros, who lives scandalously and continues
to usurp the convent and the Church.
But Father Roberto has managed to focus the attention of parish life on the
chapel of the College of the Dominican Sisters.
We also visited, on our return, Sister María, in charge of Domus Mariae,
where I was able to personally see the tremendous damage of the bomb that
destroyed our station's plant.Radio YSAX, the Pan American Voice.
I returned from this trip, around four thirty, at the Seminar, where a meeting
was already prepared with the National Coordinator of Popular Political
Organizations, and among the agenda items, we chose to discuss the
occupations of the temples first: First, the organizations explained the
reasons why they occupy the temples; Immediately, the priests, mainly the
parish priest of the Rosario Church and the El Calvario Church, expressed the
inconveniences of these occupations for the life of the Parish and then they
discussed how to enter into an arrangement so that these occupations They
would not cause the harm that is done and they would have all the
effectiveness that the organizations claim to put into these tactics of
pressure, defense, and denunciation.
Another meeting, late at night, was with an element of the FPL, a clandestine
force, which is very feared among us, the cause of several kidnappings, but
with whom I have been able to enter into dialogue in order to express the
feelings and thoughts. of the Church and to make it understood that respect
for these Christian feelings of the majority of the people will be a condition
108
for them to enjoy the popularity that they lack when they violate these
feelings.
FRIDAY, February 22, 1980
On this day of the Chair of Saint Peter, the third anniversary of my taking
possession of the Archdiocese is celebrated. The priests remembered this
date and suggested that they wanted to celebrate it. I expressed my
willingness to do so in a Eucharistic manner. , celebrating mass with them this
noon. And so this commemoration was organized that evokes, above all, a lot
of responsibility and a great sense of prayer. But before the Holy Mass, we
spent a morning of reflection with a political analysis team about the
situation in the country. He was a professor at the UCA, along with the rector
of the same University, Father Estrada as well, and also the priests Urioste,
Fabián Amaya, Cortés, Urrutia, Father Moreno, the bachelor Cuéllar, who
shared breakfast and discussed the indicated topic. The meeting was held in
the dining room of the Hospital de la Divina Providencia, despite the fact that
it had been planned in the house of Santa Eugenia, in Planes de Renderos.
The change was due to the desire of Mr. Héctor Dada, member of the
Governing Board, who wanted to be with us because he had a request from
the same Governing Board. The topic was developed by the expert and
commented on by everyone. It is a pre-revolutionary situation that exists in El
Salvador, but it is quickly moving towards a revolutionary phase. Mr. Héctor
Dada's message was, on behalf of the Government Board, to beg the Church
to interpose its valuable word in order to request a truce from the left, a
truce that would give the Government the opportunity to carry out its
transformation projects. The Government's request was analyzed saying that
it was not the Church, but the people who should negotiate this truce with
the Government and that the Government should seek popular support and
not impose reforms, especially if the people have realized which is with the
support of a foreign power such as the United States. On our part, our best
will is to collaborate with the transformations that benefit the people, but we
cannot ignore that the people and leftist organizations cannot collaborate
with a project where, at the same time, there are realities of repression and
we asked that the sound of the Government, such as the good will of the
Christian Democracy, represented by Mr. Dada and Dr. Morales Erlich, should
favor the credibility of the people, removing all those repressive aspects. On
the other hand, it was said that the truce should not only be requested from
the left, but that the main source of violence these days is the right, which
can be controlled by the Government and prevent it from provoking violence
on the left. In short, a very important topic was discussed with complete
frankness, which took us, in this frankness of expression from everyone, all
morning.
At noon, we headed to the Basilica for the concelebration of the third
anniversary of my Archbishopric.
The ceremony was very fervent, intimate, there were not many people, but
there were representations from the various communities of the Diocese.
A good number of priests and nuns, who celebrated with true fervor and
affection. The homily was given by Father Cristóbal Cortés, who was very
generous in his praise, above all, highlighting the teaching of the pastoral
letters, which he analyzed as the thoughts of the Archbishop and the Pastoral
Care of the Archdiocese. Then very affectionate greetings at the exit of the
temple. The seminarians from the various priestly formation groups were a
note of joy and hope in this celebration.
In the afternoon, I went to visit the Belgian congregations of Cojutepeque
and Santa Cruz Michapa. In the evening, I received the general secretary of
an anti-torture organization, which is based in Milan, Italy, and he brought a
greeting and the announcement that this year the organization will especially
dedicate its activities to El Salvador.
The Provincial Father of the Passionists also visited me, together with Father
Juan Macho, with whom we shared thoughts on the pastoral life of our
Archdiocese, which, without a doubt, are very flattering. In a special way we
refer to the seminarians and vocations, since they have among us a group of
Passionist students and they want the best, because they are the hope of the
congregation. For this purpose, we commented on whether the philosophical
and theological training that its students are receiving at the UCA was
sufficient. I clearly expressed my thoughts saying that they should submit it to
Father Juan's judgment, which seems very safe to me, to complete whatever
may be deficient. However, it gave me an idea for our seminarians to also
seek a more autonomous formation and more in accordance with our
Archdiocese, since there are many complaints from them and the priests
about the current formation in the Interdiocesan Seminary. We do not want

to lose interdiocesanity, but we also want collaborators for the Pastoral Care
of our Archdiocese.
SATURDAY, February 23, 1980
This morning I went to the Botonsillal canton, in the Parish of Colón, where
we are going to celebrate a marriage ceremony prepared by catechists from
that place. I am accompanied by a team from English television, who wants
to have information about our pastoral life in the rural sector. They were very
impressed and took quite a few photographs for their report. The event was
very cordial and, at the end of the mass, several young people and other local
people expressed their feelings of solidarity with the Archdiocese.
In the afternoon, I went to fulfill an invitation that the young people of
Sonzacate, a town neighboring Sonsonate, had made me, although it is not
from my Diocese, but from Santa Ana, they had obtained the permission of
the Bishop, which I confirmed when I saw to Monsignor Barrera at the
Nunciature and he told me that there was no problem. There were several
reasons for not going, to avoid this conflict and also because we are under a
death threat. The Nuncio of Costa Rica has warned me that the danger of
threat exists again against me and warns me to be careful. However, I felt a
special commitment to this youth and I went and, frankly, it was a very
affectionate welcome: my absence would have caused great disappointment
and I tried to fulfill their aspirations, later blessing them with a care clinic that
they, on their own initiative, have carried out. I believe that, although outside
my territory, it is the Church and it is encouragement to the efforts of
Humanity.
Upon returning, we had the advisory meeting that Father Moreno and Mr.
Cuéllar usually give me on behalf of the Ministry of Social Communication.
It is also a quite conflictive week, a lot of violence and there is a lot to
denounce; Just as there is also much to encourage in our afflicted people.
SUNDAY, February 24, 1980
Mass has always been held in the Basilica, even though the Cathedral is now
unoccupied, but it has become very dirty and smelly and it will take a long
time to adapt it to worship, after a month of occupation. The inconvenience
of the occupations is serious, but we understand that our people need these
refuges of the Church, in the face of the horrific situations of oppression that
we are experiencing.
The attendance at the mass was extraordinary and is due, in large part, to the
fact that our station is not working after MONDAY, when they planted a
bomb. When I referred, at the beginning of my homily, to this attack and
commented on the many solidarity and signs of pain and help that are
arriving, the public applauded with great enthusiasm and all this is a hope to
remake our station very soon. A representative of Radio Noticias del
Continente, from Costa Rica, offered the services of his short wave station, 31
meters, to transmit in full the homily that he is going to send recorded today
and, if next Sunday it is necessary, he offered to do it for us. I would do it
directly by phone. This gesture was also widely applauded. I also announced,
to the great joy of the people, that the UCA technicians and other experts in
this matter have offered their collaboration to build a more powerful station
than the one they just bombed. People's rejection of this act is evident and
support for our station has also become more evident. After mass there was
a press conference, very eloquent, because they were from various parts of
the world and they were very interested in knowing the Church's thoughts on
the current situation in the country and also very interested in the threat that
I reported to myself in the mass Also, on behalf of the people, who
surrounded this press conference, several expressed themselves asking the
journalists for support for our Diocese, for our radio, for the Archbishop.
At noon, I went to finish the coexistence of senior seminarians, which has
been taking place in San José de la Montaña, with the seminarians of our
Archdiocese, since last Friday. Before mass, we dialogue with great
confidence and the youthful restlessness of these future priests is admirable,
whose enthusiasm we want not to mutilate in any way, but rather to guide
them towards a pastoral ministry in accordance with the concerns also of this
Archdiocese that feels young and enthusiastic. .
In the afternoon, I had to decide my trip to Guatemala or its suppression,
since the Fathers of the Curia had a private meeting in which they saw the
danger of me going to celebrate my spiritual exercises in Guatemala, where
there are more dangers than in the same country, and because my presence
here is also very convenient in these hours of conflict. Finally, I have decided
109
not to go, and we have managed to do my exercises at the house of the
Passionist Sisters, in Planes de Renderos.
MONDAY, February 25, 1980
At breakfast time, the Fathers from Chalatenango arrived, who were going to
go with me to Guatemala to do our spiritual exercises there in the house of
the Carmelites, Carmel Juyú. We were all excited about this coexistence in
such a picturesque place, but the reasons of the curials, which were also
discussed by phone at this time, convinced the group to give up the trip, and
do it here, together with me, in the Sisters' house. Passionists, who very
generously, despite the improvisation, have welcomed us. Around nine in the
morning, we were already at the "Lourdes" farm house, on the way to Planes
de Renderos, a very picturesque place, beginning our exercises, which Father
Fabián will coordinate and we will all participate in a very cordial and very
deep dialogue. This day has been very rich in reflections, since we have
proposed to do a single motivation in the morning and another in the
afternoon, and leave as much space as possible for personal reflection, which
we will then comment on at noon and at the end of the afternoon. .
In the evening, we also had another very rich dialogue, more of a pastoral
nature, which we oriented tonight to the pastoral visit, as they have devised
in the vicariate of Chalatenango, in three areas in which there will be a
pro-Vicar, to help to the Episcopal Vicar and in each area we will have two
days of work with the pastoral agents and, from there, parish programs will
be drawn up that in the following quarter I will go to visit and so I believe we
will have a pastoral visit of evaluation, programming and more technical
towards a collective pastoral care. The Pastoral Commission will be entrusted
with perfecting this project to carry it out now, in the next week of Pentecost.
TUESDAY, February 26, 1980
From today, until Friday, February 29 at noon, I have found myself in spiritual
exercises, at the Lourdes farm, of the Passionist Sisters, on the way to Planes
de Renderos, they have been days of deep reflection and very fraternal and
intimate coexistence with the diocesan priests who work in the Chalatenango
vicariate. Father Fabián Amaya, Episcopal Vicar of this vicariate, guided us
with two daily meditations, which we then reflected in individual prayer and
which we collected in fraternal dialogues at the end of the morning and at
the end of the afternoon, during the Eucharist and, at night, we had a
dialogue of a pastoral nature in which many initiatives arose for the good of
that vicariate and the Diocese in general.
During these days there was also, in the archiepiscopal Curia, a private
meeting of popular political organizations with other political organizations,
in order to analyze the platform that the organizations promise as a
Revolutionary Democratic Government; The Church has offered its services,
from its competence of humanism and Christianity. Also, during these days,
work has begun on the antennaRadio YSAX, the transmitting plant that was
almost totally destroyed by the bomb, which has left us without Catholic
radio. Father Pick, an American Jesuit, who is working in stations in Honduras
and Panama, was brought in and is directing, together with Father Pedraz,
this work. The technicians from the Catholic University and the technicians
from ANTEL have also offered, with so much help and a lot of popular
support we hope that very soon our station will be on the air.
On Friday afternoon, after leaving exercises, I visited the work of the
transmission plantRadio YSAX and I found Father Pick working like any day
laborer clearing the bomb ruins. The same as other bricklayers led by
engineers from the UCA, trying to rebuild the shed, where the new
transmitter will be installed, provisionally because the final location will be
outside the city and we already have the appropriate land.
SATURDAY, March 1, 1980
The highlight of this day was the priestly ordination of Jaime Paredes, a young
deacon, descendant of a distinguished family from San Salvador, he trained in
Mexico and has completed his diaconate, largely already in El Salvador, and is
a priest of much hope. Currently, he is directing the group of seminarians
doing the introductory or preparatory year and will also work in other
pastoral sectors.
The ceremony was very impressive in its simplicity, especially at the moment
when hands were laid on him, since there were many priests participating in
this consecration; So did his parents and friends present, who looked and

greeted him with deep affection. The presence of the seminarians was
moving. Our five seminaries attended and it seemed like a celebration of
vocational youth that, without a doubt, found much encouragement in
Jaime's ordination. After the mass, there was a simple, but very cordial
reception in which not only the distinguished guests took part, but also
farmers from the communities of Chalatenango.
Also after the ceremony, I had a press interview with an American journalist,
always interested in learning about this crisis that our country is experiencing
and the role of the Church within it.
In the afternoon, I celebrated the traditional Holy Hour at the first of the
month, at the Hospital of Divina Providencia, with a lot of attendance. I spoke
about the Gospel of the following Sunday, which is that of the transfiguration
of the Lord, calling to participate in the life of Christ and the Church, at a time
when Christians have a great mission to fulfill in our homeland. Also this day I
had an interview with agrarian reform specialists that the United States
supports here in El Salvador, but who promote the Government's project that
has little popularity and that does have the support of the United States, but
in a situation like this Many reservations must be kept regarding this aid,
which wants to condition the authentic desire of the people to an imposed
project. I was grateful, I was very interested in knowing the details, they are
true technicians, but I hinted at these reservations so that the project, with
all its financial aid, would always be based on the sentiment and desire of the
people, and not only supporting a Government that, for Its repressive aspect
is losing more popularity every day.
In the evening, we had the consultation meeting to prepare the homily for
the next day.
SUNDAY, March 2, 1980
Second Sunday of Lent. Due to the lack of the station, many came in person
to the Basilica and it was more full than usual, but the services of Radio
Noticias del Continente, from Costa Rica, carried, on short wave, the voice of
the mass, especially the homily that, later, I have had references that was
very heard and quite clearly, not only in the country, but as a short wave that
is in Central America, throughout the Isthmus and also on the Continent. I
also learned that radio stations from Venezuela and Colombia had
collaborated; which impressed me a lot, when, for the first time, the voice of
a homily from the archbishop of San Salvador transcends the borders and is
heard throughout the Continent. I took advantage of this circumstance to
keep in mind the audience, not only of my Diocese, but of Latin America, for
which this Church works, in accordance with very clear norms, which were
given in Medellín and Puebla. After mass there was an interesting press
conference in which about ten journalists participated and, in addition, many
people from the mass, who are now becoming accustomed to also
participating in this dialogue of clarifications, which often refer to points of
the homily. or to other interests of the newspapers that visit us. They were all
foreign journalists.
At night, I went to the Lourdes Neighborhood Parish, where Father Mateo
Quijada had prepared a group of confirmations. The Church was overflowing
with faithful. The welcome was very affectionate and I had to announce to
them that there was a change in that Parish and that the Parish Priest,
although they loved him very much, as I also estimated him, would have to go
somewhere else; while there, next Sunday we would give possession to a
community of Pauline Fathers who will help us work in that poor sector of
our Diocese. While the current parish priest, Father Mateo, will go to the
canton of El Carmen, of the Parish of Christ the Redeemer, where he will be
registered as Vicar-cooperator.
MONDAY, March 3, 1980
After a week of absence, today I returned to the Archbishopric, where I began
my work with the usual meeting, with the Vicars and chancellors; but
Monsignor Urioste did not attend because he was somewhat ill with his
illness that makes him suffer so much, circulation problems and vein
problems in his feet. We commented, precisely, that, due to deficiencies in
my character, I can sometimes cause resentment or divisions, but that I
would not doubt the fidelity of these collaborators. I agreed with them and
told them that it had been one of the points of my exam in the spiritual
exercise last week and that it had the purpose that, with their help, we would
try to work more united, in more communication, and that mutually We
would correct those things that can hinder this very interesting community
110
work. That we are going to have, as I proposed there in the exercises, this
meeting at the beginning of the day, in the domestic chapel, so that it is also
a moment of prayer and evangelical orientation for the work of directing this
Archdiocese. Immediately, we participated in the Senate meeting, which had
been agreed for this morning, but which some forgot and that is why it was
poorly attended. However, very interesting points were discussed, such as
preparing for tomorrow's clergy meeting, in which the new Presbyteral
Senate will be elected. Other points of the Church's mission were also
touched on in this highly politicized environment, in which base ecclesial
communities run the risk of losing their identity and making themselves feel a
little more political than evangelical. I tried to clarify, within my scope, the
significance that a Church, at this moment, cannot do without the great
political problem, the process of our people because we must not run the risk
of staying on the sidelines in such a historic hour, but that it will be our
presence with a profound ecclesial identity. Other points were discussed in a
very family and confidential atmosphere.
I went to lunch with the Belgian Fathers, since Father Pedro Le Clair from
Panama has come and thus I fulfilled this first day of work with one of my
main purposes, to share more of my life, even in a private way, with the dear
priests of the Diocese. It was a very fraternal conversation in which I was also
able to express my fears about the criticism that is made of the work of the
Belgians, but that treating them closely is a very Christian work, but one that
deserves a lot of care from the pastor of the Diocese.
They also told me that they had been threatened by phone and that they
preferred not to sleep in the same place where they live. I got them that, in a
school, with some reservations, they could go and spend as many nights as
they wanted.
In the afternoon, with Father Moreno, we studied a document that it was
decided to present by the Church and the two universities about the situation
in the country, and that would serve as a call to the people to take part in the
decision of their own. destiny and not expect everything from political
groups, but rather take advantage of these efforts of unity and openness of
popular organizations so that the people also criticize the current situation
and try to find the most convenient paths, and so that the people themselves
turn out to be the one who is working his own configuration. I made some
reservations about the document and also asked for more time to study it
with a group of priests at the clergy meeting that will be tomorrow.
This night explosions were heard for almost an hour. Assault by the People's
Revolutionary Army on the National Guard barracks...
TUESDAY, March 4, 1980
As the first Tuesday of the month, the clergy meeting was held today. No
nuns attended because it was mainly about electing the new Presbyteral
Senate for another two years. There was first a motivation for Lent, presented
by Father Juan Macho Merino, and then the election was motivated to elect
representatives of the various sectors of the clergy in the Presbyteral Senate.
A young man, four priests working in the rural sector, two diocesans from the
urban sector and two religious. The election was very well carried out and, in
the end, we have a well representative selection of these various sectors of
the Clergy. For my part, I will elect another five and thus we will complete the
Senate, which will meet soon for its first session.
I also noticed in Domus Mariae the progress of the work, both in the booth
where the new radio transmitter will be installedRadio YSAX, as well as the
technical work of the transmission that Father Pick is carrying out, with the
collaboration of technicians, ANTEL and UCA.
In the afternoon, an interview with the North Americans who are advising on
the Agrarian Reform project, Father Juan Ramón Vega accompanied me; We
made observations on the project. They are determined to support him in
everything and it is said that this law will be issued by the Government Board
tomorrow. Our main difficulty is whether the Governing Board will have
authority between the two extremes, right and left, that are fighting it so
hard. However, for my part, I supported all that was fair in this reform and
promised him the moral support of my prayers and the desire that it be
carried out for the benefit of our people.
I was not able to attend the invitation they made to me from the Parish of
San Antonio, in Colonia América, where today in the chapel of the Andes they
had the delivery of the Bibles to the followers of the catechumenal
movement, which is doing quite well among us.
For my part, I also insisted to the priests that this institution of the
consultative body, which is the Senate, did not want to exhaust my intentions
of dialogue with each of the priests, asking them for an excuse for not having

been able to assist them due to so many problems that exist, but always
promising you my sincere good will and asking for your collaboration to open
channels regarding these personal dialogues.
WEDNESDAY, March 5, 1980
After breakfast, the Ecumenical Humanitarian Aid Commission was surprised
because they had been told that they were going to have a meeting with me
at eight, of which I had not had news, but I briefly expressed my concerns
about this disintegration of energies with various commissions of charitable
nature and that he invited them for four in the afternoon, that he would
convene the other sectors of Cáritas and the Archbishop's Emergency
Commission, to unify our efforts, which I later consulted in the meeting with
the curials, who also participate in this concern, but the meeting cannot be
held this afternoon because several elements cannot attend. We will leave it
for next time. It seems that there are disintegrating elements or those who
want to take advantage of this activity, such as instrumentalizing the
Archbishopric for political purposes. I will be very attentive and we will try to
do true charity in the style of the Church.
The meeting with the Vicars and Chancellors is always very useful, many
aspects of the life of the Curia and the Diocese are examined and I believe
that it is essential to do it daily.
During the morning, many private audiences had been announced and at
noon an interview by North American and European journalists, translated by
Miss Marta Benavides, who is working in the Archbishopric, ecumenically,
since she is Protestant, but she is giving a good service to our Archdiocese.
Quite late, the information secretary of the Presidency, Mr. Sigfrido Munés,
came to visit me at the Hospital of Divina Providencia to present me with an
invitation to the Presidential House for tomorrow, at eleven, but he could not
tell me the reason. , which I told him was a bit absurd, that he couldn't go if
he didn't know where he was going, but that from their conversation, I had
deduced that it was about the promulgation of the Agrarian Reform Law and
that the Agrarian Reform Law had also been invited. other bishops and the
entire Cabinet and Government, and other people who may be interested in
supporting the Government in this effort of agrarian transformation. I
expressed my ambiguities, of course, that it had not been a visit with
knowledge of its objective and, then also, that I had my objections to these
social, economic and political reforms when at the same time the people are
being massacred; Although I know that there is very good will in a sector of
the Government, but what prevails and offends the people so much is that
repressive character; As long as it exists, the Church will not be able to feel
complete confidence with the Government. In any case, I appreciated the
invitation and wanted to maintain my personal friendship with him and with
other members of the Government, but on a purely personal level; That as a
pastor of the Church he would understand my reservations and the
responsibility of my presence. However, I promised to analyze and reflect on
it and I would decide, according to my conscience. He told me that he agreed
and that whether I went or not, he would always feel calm and felt that his
friendship with me had lost nothing.
In the evening, I went to a meeting of the movement of Catholic intellectuals,
that is renewing Father Ramón Vega. There were professionals, a number of
about twelve, and we addressed the issue of the need for professionals to
fully introduce themselves with all their capacity into the people's process
and to bring a Christian conscience to this life of the nation. There were
doubts about whether this organization should continue or it was not worth
it, but I encouraged them and told them that this work of the Church in the
professional sector was indispensable. And that, for the pastors themselves,
mainly, for the Archbishop, it was a very strong support to have this group of
intellectuals to count on in cases of doubts and dialogues.
Lately I went to the house of the Jesuit Fathers, UCA, to consult with them
about my decision about whether or not I will go to the meeting at the
Presidential House. The criteria that I had already expressed prevailed and it
was thought more convenient to send a representative, but not to go
personally and that, in the homily the next Sunday, I would give my judgment
approving and supporting the good, as well as expressing my objections,
always in favor from town.
THURSDAY, March 6, 1980
At breakfast I consulted Monsignor Urioste about the convenience of
attending to the invitation of the Presidential House, today at eleven, to
111
promulgate the Agrarian Reform Law. He saw more carefully the positive
aspect of supporting a cause that benefits the people, but He also saw the
negative aspect of a Government in which a line of serious repression is
embedded. And we concluded, just like last night, that I would not go
personally, but that I would send Father Cortés as a representative.
At half past eleven, on a radio and television network, from the Presidential
House, the Agrarian Reform Law was solemnly promulgated by Colonel
Majano. A state of siege law was immediately enacted to avoid the disruption
that this provision could bring.
In the afternoon, I spoke with members of the 28 de Febrero Popular Leagues
and also with some members of the FPL, and both disqualified the
government measure as a reform that does not go to the bottom of the
transformation that the country needs, but rather is a new way to fix our
situation of injustice and to look good internationally and to admit an
intervention by the United States. In these quite profound analyses, there are
many things that we questioned with Monsignor Urioste, who was present at
the first meeting, and to the questions, these political workers and peasants
responded with great conviction, which there is no doubt going very deeply
into the true situation of our country. . We ask God that this violence that we
see coming will not accelerate, since the left and popular political groups see
no other way out for the true transformation of the country than...
FRIDAY, March 7, 1980
I spent the morning in the “Aldeíta”, in the house of Father Gabriel Rodríguez,
where we have the four fourth-year seminarians of Theology, doing their year
of diakonia. We had a very interesting meeting in which they presented their
project of spiritual, pastoral and academic experiences to me. It will be a year
in which these young people, who interrupt their normal studies, will enrich
themselves with a great experience and will not give up their study habit,
much less their spiritual formation. I saw them very happy and the Father
also very optimistic. After the meeting, we went to celebrate a Eucharist in
the Church of Aldeíta with a community that filled the small Church with
great affection, a faith that seemed very alive. It is known that Father Gabriel
and now the four seminarians work intensely on this community of faith.
Upon returning, I had a meeting with the Ecumenical Commission for
Humanitarian Aid to clarify relations with Cáritas and the Emergency
Committee of the Archbishopric. We do not want to multiply or complicate
the work for charity, but rather coordinate all the efforts, the initiatives that
are born for the service of others. I believe that all this activity will give a
sense of true education in love to this community of the Archdiocese. We will
try to make the Cáritas warehouse, together with its office, in the premises
where the University Center is located and we will also try to ensure that the
Archdiocesan Board of Cáritas fully incorporates into this coordinated work of
charity and beneficence.
In the evening, the Reverend Monsignor from Sweden came with the 1980
Peace Prize, which was awarded to me and will be awarded next Sunday. We
had a long conversation in which he explained to me what religious life was
like in his country, the Lutheran Church is the official one in the country, while
all the others, including the Catholic Church, are called free Churches, and
have organized an Ecumenical Secretariat, that is This is the one who has
chosen me together with the Church of the Archdiocese to award me the
1980 Peace Prize.
He told me that, when requesting the consent of the Ministry of Worship, he
seemed very pleased, and that he said that, "for Monsignor Romero and for
the diocese of San Salvador, everything they wanted from Sweden." Thus, he
also expressed that the Ambassador to El Salvador and Guatemala would be
present at this tribute from his homeland.
He also told me that the Catholic Church, which is a very small proportion of
Sweden, with a German bishop, where there are also many Latin American
immigrants, felt very pleased with this election and took up a collection to
help the needy of this Diocese and that He brought that contribution, which
means a lot of sacrifice and a lot of affection from the Catholics of his
country. For next Sunday we have a ceremony so that, during the mass, this
award will be presented, which will also mean an encouragement for the
entire community.
I also had a conversation with an English journalist, with whom we talked
about the situation in the country and the mission of the Church in this very
difficult moment in which social and economic reforms seem to do great
good for the people and, however, It can be a screen to hide the true
repressive intention that is still very cruel in our town. I believe that for the
Church it is a very difficult moment of discernment, but I count on the light of

the Holy Spirit, which I hope will not fail me to guide my ecclesial community.
The translator of the reverend from Sweden also wanted to have an interview
with me, he is Lutheran and works at the Swedish Embassy in Guatemala, and
will take part in the ceremony next Sunday.
Finally, a brief interview with Mr. Ernesto Rivas Gallont, about the kidnapping
of Mr. Dunn, which seems to be getting complicated; Of course, the collection
in South Africa was a failure and no considerable amount can be offered for
Mr. Dunn's release. He has been called to Washington to speak with the
South African Ambassador there and see how this serious problem arises
again. I promised, as a mediator, to do what I can, but I find this situation
quite difficult. May the Lord help us save this life and may the Church assert
its service in the name of Jesus Christ to save Mr. Dunn's freedom.
SATURDAY, March 8, 1980
At ten thirty, I went to bless the Church of the canton "El Salitre" of the Parish
of Tejutla. A little more than an hour on the road and people were waiting for
me at the detour, to accompany me, despite the dust, on foot to the
hermitage where Father Valerio and Father Gabriel Rodríguez, along with
other seminarians, presided over a good group of people who were also
waiting. I preached about what a Church means, a center of unity for the
Christian family, an encounter with the Lord and a sense of the
transcendence of life. After the mass, a very trusting dialogue was
established, in which the parishioners asked several questions of a religious
and practical nature, and also gave some suggestions. They applauded greatly
when I told them that our station would possibly come out tomorrow, but
that, if not, it was because there were very serious difficulties that they were
trying to overcome, but that it was not certain that they would be overcome
this very day; but that, if they wanted to listen, possibly the Costa Rican
station, Radio Noticias del Continente, would also transmit on shortwave.
I went to visit the elderly father of Felipe de Jesús Chacón, who died violently,
a catechist, who is considered a martyr of our faith there. These people are
also very nice, they welcome you with great affection and go out of their way
to give, to share in the little they have.
At night, with Father Ellacuría and Father Estrada, Monsignor Urioste, the girl
Doris Osegueda, the bachelor Cuéllar and Father Rafael Urrutia I consulted
for the news and information for tomorrow's homily.
The family of the young Castellanos couple, murdered yesterday, after about
eight days of kidnapping, visited me to beg that their bodies be at the eight
o'clock mass in the Basilica, because they were especially interested in me
celebrating the mass for their eternal rest. . In this gesture of kindness, I saw
that it was necessary to grant this request, even noticing the festive
atmosphere that is created in our masses, but that, seen with a spirit of hope
and prayer, that atmosphere did not disdain the sadness of this home.
At the last minute they tell me that it has not been possible to operate the
new plant.Radio YSAX and that is why it will not be able to broadcast
tomorrow's mass, although I insisted that they look for Radio Noticias del
Continente, from Costa Rica, which offered itself for this service, while our
company was not there.Radio YSAX.
This day the Cathedral was again taken over by FENASTRAS to lay vigil for nine
corpses, who were victims of this repressive wave that we are experiencing.
There are other dead people who will have their funerals elsewhere. They
asked me if I celebrated the official mass in the Cathedral, I told them that I
was not going because I had already arranged the Basilica for the Sunday
mass, in view of this uncertainty of the occupations. And I begged them for
the leadership to analyze and evaluate these shots, taking into account the
inconveniences that we already pointed out in a previous dialogue. He told
me that he had not warned of the occupation because it had to be a quick
strategy, since those of the Popular Revolutionary Bloc were going to take it
for denunciation purposes and they had an urgent need to take it to have
their bodies there for vigil tonight.
SUNDAY, March 9, 1980
I consider it to be an extraordinary Sunday and I thank God for the immense
satisfaction he has given me today. The Sunday Mass was extraordinary in the
sense of two events that do not usually occur on other Sundays: first, it was
announcing the presentation of the 1980 Peace Prize, which was awarded to
me by the Ecumenical Action of Sweden. Not being able to go there, they
were kind enough to send the Secretary General, along with another member
of the Lutheran Church, to make this solemn delivery to me in the Cathedral.
112
The Ambassador of Sweden was also present. The Monsignor who gave me
the prize, a parchment with a check for ten thousand dollars and another
additional check from a collection among the Catholics of Sweden for two
thousand five hundred dollars, expressed himself before presenting the prize
with very laudatory phrases, which expressed the feeling of those Christian
Churches. The award was given to me by the Ambassador himself, who
officially expressed his country's solidarity with this gesture of the Ecumenical
Action of his country. The other fact was the presence of two corpses that
were massacred these days, after having been kidnapped. They were found
murdered, horrendously tortured, this is the marriage of Roberto Castellanos
with his wife, a young Danish woman, whose mother could not come, but
Roberto's mother expressly asked to be at this mass, despite the atmosphere
that I warned her about. that could, perhaps, offend his feelings of pain. She
told me that she had always admired this mass and that her son very much
agreed with everything...
He explained that this Sunday's mass was extraordinary for two facts: for
having given me, after the Gospel, the Peace Prize, awarded by the
Ecumenical Action of Sweden, and second, because two corpses murdered by
the forces of the right were present. and whose mother of the husband, since
it is a marriage, wanted, precisely, that they be watched at this eight o'clock
mass in the Basilica. She told me that her son, Roberto, married to his wife, a
young Danish woman, murdered along with him, had worked hard to improve
the situation in the country and greatly admired the attitude of our Church,
and that she also felt attracted to this mass and begged that his last prayers
be said here to take him to the cemetery. For these two reasons, the
attendance at the Basilica was very large, the immense Basilica was not
capable of containing the crowd that, for the most part, remained in the
street.
My homily was motivated by these two circumstances to link with the
message of the Word of God about personal conversion, as an indispensable
condition for salvation. I also referred, in the application part, to the two
profiles that have stood out this week in the country: the growth of the
Government's repression for the people, above all, for the organizations, and,
on the other hand, the two laws of Agrarian Reform and nationalization of
banks. My thought was that they were good laws, but that they ran the risk of
being ineffective, as long as repression was not avoided and there was no
attempt to put them in dialogue with the people's projects. That wanting to
defend the Government's projects with such intransigence as to feel that the
right and the left were equal enemies was unfair, since these transformations
affected the right, but their attacks that tried to destroy the organization of
the people and were not repressed. the left was not an opposition to projects
that are for the good of the people; since the left, so called popular
organizations, do not present enemy projects, but can be very convergent for
the benefit of the people and that the Government had to listen to these
voices of the people, if it wanted to find roots and effectiveness in its
projects. The departure of the mass was very moving. At the head of the exit
parade were the two coffins, the mourning family, the priests who
concelebrated with me on behalf of the UCA, since the deceased was a
student at the UCA, and the representatives of Sweden and all the people in
general, who At the exit he expressed his condolences to the family and his
congratulations to this servant. Afterwards we went to the Basilica convent,
where the Swedish mission had prepared a popular reception, with soft
drinks and cookies for the people and, at the same time, a very interesting
press conference was held, since there were, at this mass, many journalists
from television, radio and La Prensa from other countries and Father
Ellacuría, rector of the UCA, participated in it. He was also very intelligent in
his answers. We begged them to take abroad the true image of our situation,
which is very difficult to understand, because while reforms that benefit the
people are offered, there is also repression that terribly offends the dignity of
our people.
At noon I went to close the gathering of young people at the San José de la
Montaña Seminary. About forty young people were advised by the Youth
Pastoral Commission of the same seminary and the mass turned out to be
very youthful, with many promises for our Church. I loved the moment of
communion, when almost all the young people were able to approach the
Eucharist. I told them that a life in grace, always available for communion,
was a guarantee of God's blessings and pastoral successes, and I invited them
to work with the youth of the entire Diocese.
At five in the afternoon, I went to the Basilica again to celebrate a funeral for
Dr. Mario Zamora, who was also murdered last week. I gave my condolences
to the family, his father, his wife and other brothers and relatives. And taking
the theme of the first reading, where God manifests to Moses his will to free

the people and offer them "a land flowing with milk and honey"; I said that
the merits of those who work in politics and in the liberation of the people
are immortal when they have worked with Christian hope in their hearts. This
"land flowing with milk and honey" is not found in this world, but as a utopia
that marks paths beyond history and this was the merit of Mario Zamora,
since as a Christian he had worked for a more just world. and more fraternal
in El Salvador.
Finally, at seven at night, I went to give possession of the Lourdes
Neighborhood Parish to Father Juan Martínez, Paulino; His provincial, Father
Chacón, together with me and Father Juan presided over the Eucharist.
Father Juan will settle there along with a group of Pauline theologians, who
study at the Seminary and who will share the pastoral experiences of that
poor neighborhood. The people were very welcoming, mainly the nuns of La
Asunción, who already work there and are very eager to collaborate with the
new parish priest. The same was true for the Sisters of Charity, who, because
Paulino was the Parish Priest, were there and also offered their collaboration.
There is every hope of improving a pastoral care that Father Mateo Quijada,
parish priest, who moved to another place in Colonia Escalón, the canton of
El Carmen, could not develop in all his sincerity of the line of the
Archbishopric due to having certain prejudices against the liberation of our
people and always try to conserve certain privileges, with which we cannot
live at this moment, in which we the Gospel its logical radicality. Father
Mateo was not at this event, but last Sunday, as I already said, he was at the
confirmation ceremony that he had prepared as a farewell to his Parish.
There were also some against the Church at the time of the ceremony,
undoubtedly people dissatisfied with a pastoral ministry that wants to be
more faithful to the demands of the Gospel.
CHAPTER 26 Year 1980
DIARY from March 10 to March 20, 1980
MONDAY, March 10, 1980
I began the work with a press interview with a journalist from Chile, who
came especially from the Vicariate of Solidarity, who was interested in getting
to know me and asking a questionnaire about my criteria about the Church at
this time in the country. Another interview with French television, which was
also taking views yesterday during the Basilica mass. Also a brief
questionnaire about the current situation in the country.
Afterwards I went to celebrate the body mass of nine corpses killed by
military repression and that have been in the Cathedral since the day before
yesterday. Other priests also attended there, with whom we concelebrated
this Eucharist. I took the opportunity to say the message of the homily that
those corpses were a teaching of the high destiny of man; the eternity; a
denunciation of the sin that prevails on earth to the point of killing in this way
and a word of encouragement for all those who continue to fight for the
liberation of their people...
Next, I went to take part in the meeting of a group of priests, who meet at
Domus Mariae every month. They are the priests that we could call
progressive and with whom it is interesting to have these dialogues of mutual
knowledge.
In the afternoon, Father Ramiro came to tell me that a high-potential bomb
had been found in the Basilica and that it had exploded yesterday, possibly,
while he was celebrating the five o'clock mass in favor of Dr. Mario Zamora
and that there was a lot of people. people. The bomb was placed next to the
altar of Santa Marta and was deactivated by expert police, who said that the
potential would have destroyed the entire Basilica and those who would have
been found there. I have thanked God that he has freed us from this new
danger and has also saved this old temple that the capital's residents love so
much.
I also went with Father Ramiro to the Rosario Church to greet the Dominican
Fathers and to learn, in more detail, about the shooting that occurred the
previous night. According to the Fathers, the group that had taken refuge in
the temple was attacked by two volleys of machine gun fire. The first, which
possibly came from neighboring buildings and could have been from
right-wing forces. And the second when the police showed up and fired shots
at the Church from the La Libertad monument. I realized the terrible nature
of these bullets that passed through iron, peeling walls and walls, but, thank
God, no personal misfortune was lamented, but a lot of damage was suffered
113
in the Church, possibly, the Fathers said, about a hundred bullets had broken
stained glass windows, metal arches, walls and other aspects of the temple.
In the evening, visit from Mr. Arene, to talk to me in depth about the crisis in
the Christian Democratic Party and his resignation, along with other former
democrats, very intelligent, but who, analyzing the situation, believe that the
Christian Democracy should not participate more in power because it is
serving as protection from the terrible repression that the Government is
carrying out against our people. Mr. Arene has received death threats and is
leaving for the United States, not only to avoid danger, but, above all,
because there is an urgent need for international work that objectively
reports on this situation, in which the presence of Christian Democracy
protects a situation which really is repression for the people.
Finally, I went to dinner, at the invitation of Monsignor Urioste, with Dr.
Delgado, Monsignor's cousin, and with Dr. Granillo, president of the Supreme
Court of Justice. The conversion was about my homilies and they criticized
me for not having more decisively supported the Agrarian Reform project and
the nationalization of the banks. I told them that I had approved what was
good, but that I pointed out, at the same time, the great risks that make the
ineffectiveness of these laws possible, while the terrible repression of the
people is not eliminated, that the people cannot believe or collaborate with a
Government that It offers reforms, but at the same time, it offers repression.
The discussion on other aspects, mainly, of my homilies lasted all night until
we finished dinner. But we ended by saying that the frankness that had
reigned in this environment revealed the need for greater communication to
also obtain information from other sectors that do not usually approach us.
Already in my room and at eleven at night, I received a call from a Nicaraguan
radio station to have an interview about the current situation in the country
and about my views on other aspects that also concern Nicaragua. Above all,
I defended Christian sentiments in every revolutionary movement, so that it
was truly a service to the people, who are deeply religious.
TUESDAY, March 11, 1980
The first news this morning is the bomb that was placed in the Priestly
Cooperative. I went to see it at noon and, thank God, it only ruined the door
and the merchandise that was near the door and despite having been open
by the bomb from one in the morning until five, when the managers arrived,
it did not There was another loss. But yes, it was an attack whose explanation
we cannot venture, but there are some political overtones, since it coincides
with the appointment of engineer Duarte as a member of the Governing
Board; since the Engineer's brother is the former priest Alejandro Duarte and
this political figure is considered one thing. There could be other causes,
some say, because it is priestly, but the first explanation is more possible.
We had, after several months of not having one, the meeting of the Executive
Council of the Archbishopric. Monsignor Urioste, Father Cortés, Father Brito,
the engineer Galván and the lawyer Mauricio Silva and this servant were
present. It is a meeting that we want to have every Tuesday from eight to
nine, to evaluate the functioning of our archiepiscopal Curia. Several aspects
were studied as they will appear in the minutes that are drawn up each time.
I was very pleased with the concern to achieve better communication
between the various collaborators of the Curia and better attention and order
in the goal.
In the afternoon, I attended the audience with the Nuncio of Costa Rica, who
has come at the request of the Holy Father, to work for the unity of the
Episcopate in El Salvador. He gave me a letter from the Cardinal Secretary of
State in which he asks for my collaboration to better achieve this goal. We
discussed various aspects of this disunity, I explained my position in the
Church. He made several observations and I tried to convince him of my
convictions, in conscience, but I noticed in him a certain caution against my
actions and despite explaining to him the difficult environment in which we
operate and the acceptance that the people have of this line, he maintains
certain fears that popular organizations are communist and this aspect and
fear of communism is what invades some of their judgments. I told him that I
was very careful to avoid these infiltrations and that it was one of my
concerns, and that he should not be careful that my support for the popular
organization meant sympathy for the left, much less ignorance of the danger
of infiltration, which I frankly recognize, but I also see that anti-communism,
among us, is often the weapon that economic and political powers use for
their social and political injustices. I believe that the idea of ​my position has
been made clear and I accept, of course, that in all those accidental things in
which one can give in, I am willing to give in for the sake of peace, but never

my convictions of fidelity to the Gospel and to the lines news from the Church
and to my beloved people.
Late at night, there was a phone call from a Mexican newspaper to interview
me about the situation in the country and the criteria of the Church.
WEDNESDAY, March 12, 1980
Today is the anniversary of the death of Father Grande and a meeting of
bishops will also be held in Ayagualo, convened by the Holy Father himself, as
a suggestion to pray and seek our unity.
It coincided with the arrival of the Nuncio of Costa Rica, who arrived precisely
with this task. The meeting took place in Ayagualo, at the Salesians' retreat
house; and it began with the celebration of the Holy Mass, by the Nuncio and
all the bishops. Afterwards, the Nuncio made an exhortation during the
homily, which, after mass, he wanted to specify by requesting a dialogue in
which the two differing sectors of the Episcopal Conference would speak. For
my part, I expressed that it was my desire to be faithful to the Gospel and to
the doctrine of the Church, which always results in conflict when approved,
not only in theory, but when it comes to living, and I also pointed out that
these divisions were already in the time of Monsignor Chávez and that were
always like a criticism against the Archdiocese, which tries to be faithful to
these lines of the post-conciliar Church. I also said that there was a lot of
criticism of the Archdiocese and no living examples were offered from the
other dioceses to imitate, and that what I asked was respect for the
Archdiocese and that each of us also respect our own jurisdiction. Monsignor
Rivera was also very intelligent in explaining this situation, since he was able
to go back, with more precise historical and doctrinal data, to the actions of
our Archdiocese since the Second Vatican Council. The other interventions of
the other bishops, naturally, went against the line of the Archbishopric and
many superficial arguments were raised, although I recognize those things in
which there may be an error on my part and I am willing to correct them.
After lunch this interesting meeting continued until four in the afternoon,
when the vote was taken to elect the president and vice president again. My
call to unite to elect Monsignor Álvarez and thus ratify our election was
answered, but I was surprised that the same was not done with the vice
president; Instead, Monsignor Rivera was removed from his position and
Monsignor Aparicio was appointed vice president. I have been left with great
concern due to this incoherence of our purposes of unity. Among other
things, it was agreed that a joint statement will be made on the situation in
the country and mainly a Lent appeal, which is a sign of our union in the
teaching and discipline of the Church. Also, when making statements that
affect the entire Episcopate, it should be taken into account when consulting
other bishops. I understood that it was my case personally, but I also said that
I accepted these conditions, since they also took into account the statements
that are often made in other dioceses with great imprudence and that also
compromise the Church. Everything was very fruitful, although I fear, given
the aggressiveness with which Monsignor Aparicio and Monsignor Álvarez
attacked me, that not much was gained in deep feelings of unity. The Lord will
say and on my part I want to offer him all these sacrifices and hardships so
that the Gospel prevails and we all convert to the truth and to the service of
God and our people.
I had a visit from Dada Hirezi's lady, Mrs. Gloria, who came to console me and
thank me for my moral support to the Engineer after his resignation as a
member of the Government Council. She clarified several things to me, about
the disloyalties that have been committed with her husband on behalf of the
Christian Democratic Party and the Government Board. And I told him that he
could rest assured, since he had been obedient to his conscience and had
given a testimony of fidelity to his conscience.
THURSDAY, March 13, 1980
At the meeting of the Curia we outlined the staff of the Senate and the
vicariates, the Vicars of the various vicariates of the Diocese, and we agreed
to make some observations, a document, in which we express again our hope
for a renewal, just as they have been renewed people.
This morning there were quite a few visits, but the main one was from the
Movement of Independent Professionals, an organization that already has
one hundred and fifty members, including professionals and technicians, who
believe they have found their place in the people's process, and that, without
being politically partisan, In one sense, they want to be like a center of
illumination and promotion of all the country's politics. We talked quite
114
widely and I saw that there were many coincidences between the thinking of
the Church and their thinking. Hence, we ended up offering our mutual
services, both those of the Church in a pastoral sense, and theirs in a
professional and technical sense.
The Nuncio of Costa Rica came at noon to see, in the same place, the
situation of our Archbishopric and the San José de La Montaña Seminary. We
tried to show him that there was no such interference as the bishops accuse,
but we always notice a predisposition in the Nuncio that, without a doubt,
has been the assignment that has been given to him. Hence his insistence
that we try, as soon as possible, to make our archiepiscopal office and leave
the entire building for the Seminary, which has been my mentality for a long
time, except that, financially, we lack the means; But, with the help of God,
and I told the Nuncio, precisely, at that moment the engineer Galván
appeared, who is a witness of our efforts in this regard. He went to lunch
with me at the Hospital, where after lunch with the nuns, we shared with him
more intimately his latest recommendations, always in the sense that I am
quite guilty of the disunity of the bishops, despite my suggestions to remind
him of the meeting. yesterday, and that he had to admit that there was a lot
of passion, especially in Monsignor Álvarez and Monsignor Aparicio.
However, recognizing this passion and this personal aspect against me, he
insists that I must give in as far as possible, which is also my thought, but not
in substance when it comes to being faithful to the Gospel, to the doctrine of
Church and, above all, to this people who have suffered so much that it is
difficult for them to understand it.
After the nap, I went out with Father Alliet to visit the Belgian community of
nuns that is in Santiago Texacuangos. We spent some very cordial and happy
moments with that community because they are working intensely, especially
in the field of health, and they are experts in nursing and have almost a
hospital, we would say, very competent health care in what was the convent
and today, we can say, it is a healthcare center, very well stocked.
Upon returning, we spoke with journalists from Italy, Venezuela and North
America. A fairly in-depth interview about the thinking of the Church,
especially regarding violence and the country's reforms.
Doña Inge de Gavidia also came on behalf of Cáritas and we had dinner
together to talk about this problem that is of great interest to me, since it is
about organizing charity in the Archdiocese.
At seven thirty at night we had the meeting with the Minor Seminary, which
was very nice, after expressing to them that our relationships as bishop and
seminarians have to be based on faith and in a very supernatural sense of
obedience and understanding. Many questions arose, an interesting dialogue
about the vocation, in which we went so far as to tell the origins of our
vocation. I began by telling mine and they also felt very confident in telling
where the Lord had called them. I asked them to write a personal story, since
no two vocations were the same and that it would serve as mutual
edification.
Around nine thirty at night I went out to visit the Jesuits, Father Ellacuría and
Father Jerez, who has just returned from Rome, and Father Jon Sobrino who
has also returned from the Congress of Third World Theologians in Brazil. All
of them told me very positive aspects of their relationships on their trip,
about the security with which my pastoral work is supported. It is admirable
how in other countries this work of so much sacrifice is understood with
great affection, while internally, my brother bishops seem so
incomprehensible of this work that, sincerely, wants to be a service to God
and the Gospel. I ask the Holy Spirit to make me walk in the paths of truth
and to never let myself be carried away by flattery or fear of offending
anyone but Our Lord!
FRIDAY, March 14, 1980
I started this day with a working breakfast with the Fathers of the Curia. We
finished examining the nominations of the Vicars, since next Monday there
will be a Pastoral meeting and the new Vicars and pro-Vicars will have to
attend. An exhortation is being prepared that this renewal of personnel also
means a renewal of spirit and a desire to work towards building our
Archdiocese well.
A document was also studied that they want the Archdiocese to sign,
together with the universities and other institutions independent of politics,
in order to sanction the tremendous repression and to give a judgment in
favor of the people, about the agrarian reform that is being developed. and
the other reforms. Father Cortés, Father Fabián and the others who were also
attending were commissioned to finish this work, since Monsignor Urioste
and I went to attend, at nine in the morning, the newly appointed

Ambassador of the United States, who wanted to ask for a audience; Father
Estrada was also there and we had a very interesting conversation.
He shows himself to be a man who is more than a diplomat, a man with great
respect for human rights, and who has also been experienced in politics; He
wants to be a faithful collaborator in the process of our people, and
recognizes the mistakes made by his country in these Latin American
countries and is willing to work to achieve another face for North America.
We had enough confidence to point out our fears, the deficiencies we noticed
and, above all, our desire to defend the poor from so much repression and
injustice. He also gave me the response letter to which I sent the president of
the United States, asking him not to send military aid, while that aid would
serve to further repress our people, and to be very careful about political
intervention, although we do need their help as a country more developed
than ours. The letter is also written by the United States Secretary of State
and came with a Spanish translation, which we analyzed.
After this meeting I went to see the grounds of the University Center, where
Monsignor Chávez planned to build the Archbishopric and his episcopal
residence, but which, given the current shortage, seems impossible to
develop. Together with the architect Morales, the architect Jovel and Father
Vega we saw the possibility of building there, rather, a promotion house for
the clergy. In other words, a priestly residence, where renewal courses could
be held for our priests and where there would also be rooms for priests and
bishops, who pass through San Salvador and sometimes do not have an
ecclesiastical place to stay. But, more than all, for priestly renovation work,
along with a chapel, which is a condition for giving that property, and which
will serve for university pastoral care, the original destination of the house
that already exists, the Catholic University Center.
I have thanked the Lord for this project, which has also been taken up with
great enthusiasm by those who have shared this deliberation and will now be
in charge of making the plans to also ask for help from abroad.
At four in the afternoon, an important meeting of the federation of Catholic
Education Centers, at the Liceo Salvadoreño. It is about delivering a Schools
project in pastoral. I congratulated this effort to give the College that pastoral
aspect, that in coordination with the pastor and the pastoral care of the
Diocese, they are true centers of formation of pastoral agents, of Christians
who live in solidarity with their Church, who are formed to be Church in
service of the transformations of our people, and that is why it was necessary
to leave all this action outside the pastoral care and fully incorporate as
forces of the Church into the pastoral care and evangelization of the
Archdiocese. There was a very interesting dialogue and the conclusion was
drawn that the federation would join, through representation, the Pastoral
Commission of the Archdiocese and that each Catholic center would try to
form its true community of Catholic education, a community that is true
Church, open to the Archdiocese and the universal Church, with students,
teachers, parents, other agents of the administration, alumni, etc., which
means around each school, a great human and ecclesial community.
In the evening, interview with the Ambassador of Italy, who commented on
the situation of the Christian Democracy with quite a lot of criticism and
promised me to promote an interview with representatives of the Christian
Democracy, so that, as a pastor, I can tell them the thoughts of the Church
and its responsibility in politics.
Finally, we had dinner with Colonel Majano and Dr. Morales Erlich, members
of the Government Council; of the Revolutionary Government Junta,
Monsignor Urioste and Father Estrada. In which we comment, mainly, on the
Agrarian Reform procedure in the various sectors of the country. They have a
lot of hope, they feel true joy at having taken such a bold step that, for my
part, I also congratulated, but that I took the opportunity to point out the
risks, dangers and doubts that also inspire my criticism and that, in a very
cordial manner, we develop all the attendees at this dinner, which was very
cordial and I believe very constructive for the good of the country. I mainly
pointed out, as deficiencies and dangers, the fact that the Agrarian Reform
was linked to this visible wave of violent repression by the security forces,
which took away a lot of credibility from the Agrarian Reform and the lack of
support from the people. Second, why not ensure more popular support,
seeking a dialogue with the popular forces and not all of them being
considered as forces of the left or communism, but with the desire to
discover there the true interests of the people and the demands for justice.
That the extreme right was not the same, which does not work for these
demands, but rather to maintain its privileges. And the third aspect that he
criticized was that they appeared very subject to the will of the United States,
that they received aid, but that they tried to greatly promote the autonomy
of our country. They accepted all these points of view and stated that they
115
were part of their great concerns and that they asked me to help them find
that dialogue with the people. And I also spoke to them, in this sense, about
the collaboration that the movement of professionals and technicians that
has just been formed can provide, and that they did not know about and that
they saw with very good hope. I have thanked God for having lived a day so
dense in relationships that can benefit our Church and our people.
SATURDAY, March 15, 1980
I had breakfast with Father Jesús Delgado, who usually comes on Saturdays,
and I took the opportunity to talk with him about the priestly renewal
project; inviting him to talk with Father Vega and together they make a
project for the construction on the property where the Archbishopric was
going to be built, which will not be possible there due to the shortage, which
our archdiocesan economy cannot cope with today. On the other hand, a
house for studies and residence, and lodging for priests, would have a lot of
purpose there. Father Jesús Delgado also added a kind of small hospital for
sick priests, since it is precisely in the hospital area. It seems to me that the
hand of God is pointing this path, which I have desired so much. A house to
better serve our dear priests in their updating, in their attention to their
health, their rest, their friendship.
With Father Jesus we also went to Domus Mariae, to see the work of the
station. There we met Father Pick and the engineer who is carrying out, in
collaboration with the Father, this work.
"It can now be put into the air," they told me, "but it would be good to secure
the part of the building so that this transmitter, which costs a lot, is a little
more preserved." However, they will see the opportunity to make it work for
tomorrow's homily. I am not in a hurry, but I let God also show us his signs.
Certainly, it will be a very good service, since the new plant says that it has
greater power and that the radio will be heard better, although in this
provisional form, since the new plant and the new antenna will be on the
new land that is already being built. preparing.
In the evening, Father Astor Ruiz came to visit me, who is currently working in
Nicaragua and is clarifying his situation, whether it is better to return now or
stay there while the storm passes here and he prepares better to be able to
serve better. I did not have time to attend to such an in-depth deliberation
and I told him that we would talk better in the coming days, since during
dinner I was busy with Father Ellacuría, Father Estrada, Father Rafael and the
girl Doris Osegueda and the bachelor Cuéllar, preparing the reports for my
homily.
SUNDAY, March 16, 1980
It had been a day of much pastoral work and great satisfaction. The mass in
the Basilica lasted until a quarter past ten. I understand that I was excessive
in preaching, but the themes, the approaches to such a dense reality and the
attention of the people encourage me not to stop taking advantage of this
attention that people give me to make the Lent catechesis more and more
known. , the thought of the mystery of Christ that we prepare for Holy Week
and also give the Christian criteria to focus on the very complex realities of
our country. Today I highlighted the repression, which does not stop, but is
increasing and which is causing a lot of pain and which the Church cannot
stop denouncing. I also referred to the Agrarian Reform process, which is
being developed and which the Church approves, but I would like it not to
have that edge of repression, which makes the process not very credible in
the face of a people who feel very beaten by the same Government. I also
referred to the state of siege, to the strike that is being prepared for
tomorrow, a general strike, and of which I said that its objective, which was to
draw attention to the repression, is legitimate, but that they should be very
careful that it would not degenerate into a new tragedy of the same
repression that they are trying to denounce. Other aspects of the Church, a
very dense life this week and of civil life.
We then went to Aguilares, where at half past eleven, we celebrated mass in
memory of Father Grande, on his third anniversary of death. The provincial of
the Jesuits was there and very numerous Jesuits, perhaps almost all of us,
along with other priests from other congregations and others from the
diocesan clergy, made up an impressive number for this concelebration; On
the other hand, I noticed a lot of absence from the town of Aguilares, since
the Church was half full and it was noticeable that the majority were
communities that had arrived from other parts. This indicates that the
objectives of military repression in that hard-hit area are being achieved, to

terrorize the people and to distance themselves from those who can promote
it in their conscience and in their organization.
I took the opportunity to preach precisely about this, taking advantage of the
biblical reading that tells us about "Christ, reconciliation of the world through
his death and his blood", that the mystery of our Church asks for sacrifice as
it asked the Great Father and that we strive for a comprehensive liberation of
our people without fear of the situations. It is difficult to live in this region.
The Father and the sisters told me that many people have also left the town
and the cantons.
We then went to Tejutla to the Los Martínez canton, where they celebrated
the patron saint's day in honor of San Salvador de Horta, it is a Franciscan,
since the Parish is taken care of by the Franciscan Fathers. I took the
opportunity to preach to them how the saint has to be the man of the day
and that imitation should not be literal, but in the spirit to be people of our
time, in these very difficult commitments that we have to live. After the
mass, I gave the opportunity to dialogue and I noticed that in the town there
are complaints that Father Valerio, a Franciscan, is very zealous, very
hard-working, but he wants to impose a line that the people no longer accept
with complete confidence and that he would like the line of the Archdiocese,
which speaks of the base ecclesial communities. The Father shows that he is
afraid of these communities and I tried to open that trust and understand the
complaints of the people, but always uniting the hierarchical sense of the
Church, luckily, two of the seminarians who are doing the year of diakonia
were with me. in that region and whom I noticed were quite mature in this
matter and they helped me clarify the situation and I instructed them to
continue working in accordance with the guidelines of the Archdiocese,
which requests these communities in all parishes. I understand that the
Father, because he is a foreigner and because he does not understand the
situation and our pastoral care, has these reservations; It must be
understood, but it must also be encouraged not to extinguish the spirit that is
felt so vigorous in the people.
At night, the Dominican Fathers were waiting for me at the Hospital, one of
them Vicar in an area of ​Madrid, he is very interested in knowing the line of
our pastoral care and in helping us spread our thoughts, since it finds wide
reception in this sector of Spain, and from there he wants to spread the
information throughout the countries of Europe, Latin America and Africa.
It is, therefore, a good information service, to which we will pay full attention.
Father Luis Burguet, who is also a Dominican and was present, will be in
charge of putting the Spanish initiative into practice.
MONDAY, March 17, 1980
They inform me that last night there was a lot of shooting towards the
management of the National University. I slept soundly and didn't feel
anything. However, as the day progresses, news arrives that the security
forces are surrounding the University and that there is, naturally, a much
greater exchange of bullets from the security forces. Pleas for intervention
begin to arrive, both from within the University and from the civilians
surrounding that sector. Even the Rector and other members of the
University came to the Archbishopric to request this intervention. They were
assisted by Father Cortés, who went to the Presidential House to speak with
Colonel Majano and ask him to order the end of this repression, which was
causing a lot of terror in that sector. The Colonel promised, after giving some
explanations of this situation, to order the withdrawal of the troops, as it
turned out later, was something that was beyond the control of the Junta
itself.
In any case, in the afternoon this situation still continued and around four in
the afternoon I spoke personally with Colonel Majano, who also promised to
order this withdrawal. A few minutes later, another member of the
Government Board, Dr. Morales Erlich, told me that this military operation
was already being withdrawn. I spent the entire day in a meeting with the
Pastoral Commission in the “María Eugenia” house, of the nuns of La
Asunción, in Planes de Renderos, with the new Vicars, who could not all
arrive due to the violent situation that is prevailing this day; since today a
general strike had been ordered by the National Mass Coordinator, and this
has caused disturbances in various parts of the country.
News comes from Colonia Santa Lucía, from the San Jacinto neighborhood,
from other sectors of the capital. Our course runs smoothly. I had the
opportunity to say what I expect from the Pastoral Commission: coordination
that achieves harmony between the two sectors that our pastoral agents
serve.
116
Some who do not want to commit themselves to the Pastoral Care of the
Archdiocese and others who go, perhaps, to the very advanced extreme, thus
causing distrust in others. There are serious reflections on this fact. Father
Octavio Cruz, who is coordinating the meeting, gives us a beautiful analysis of
what the pastoral project of the Archdiocese is, taking it from the documents
that have promoted this project, such as the pastoral week, the pastoral
letters and the document from Puebla. It is a concrete line, well defined, and
is highly supported by the will of the Church, which makes the excuses of
those who do not want to accommodate this thought unacceptable and it will
be the work of the Pastoral Commission, to give our own appearance.
Archdiocese. The meeting ended with the Eucharist at six in the afternoon,
very intimate and well attended.
Meanwhile, news arrives of other acts of violence, such as that of Hacienda
Colima, where there are reports of twenty-three deaths, and other places
where there have also been demonstrations of violence.
The day ended with the visit of the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of
Planning and two other men from the Government who spoke to me about
how the Agrarian Reform process is going, how they are excited to provide a
solution to the country's problem here and how they regret be the object of
contradiction on the part of the right, which does not want changes, and on
the part of the left, which rushes and provokes; as well as, and this is the
most important thing, in the sectors of the Government itself and those who
should collaborate with the changes, among whom ambitions and personal
interests are already noticeable, which are spoiling the illusion of the reform
and ask me, in my quality of pastor, who denounces this corruption, these
selfishness and also asks, as far as possible, for a truce to peacefully carry out
these reforms that will benefit the people. We discussed the situation at
length, I noticed a lot of frankness and a desire to succeed, not for personal
glories, but for the good of the people.
After this visit, Father Astor Ruiz was waiting for me, who has worked in
Nicaragua and has come to see if he will stay in El Salvador again, but his
conclusion was that it is not advisable to stay, since in this atmosphere of
repression and mistrust mutuals, his adjective of coming from Nicaragua, can
cause him problems and, at the same time, he wants to continue pastoral
work, mainly, with the workers in the diocese of Estelí, in Nicaragua. I was
greatly edified by his attitude of consultation and his humility with which he
knelt at the end to ask my blessing, may God bless him, and may he always
give us that sense of our priesthood, which identifies us with the virtues of
Jesus Christ.
TUESDAY, March 18, 1980
For the first time, the Franciscan Father, from the Parish of La Reina, has
invited me to visit his Parish and, precisely, in the subsidiary town of Agua
Caliente, where he has prepared a large group of young people and children
to receive confirmation. The place is quite remote, in the department of
Chalatenango, but the wide new road that is being worked on makes access
easier. The welcome was very affectionate; They are very fervent people, but
you can see a spiritual formation of a charismatic type, where intense piety is
lived, but you do not notice a greater commitment to the current moment.
However, I have hope that the new archdiocesan Pastoral Commission will
promote the pastoral project of the Archdiocese to all parishes. However, it
was, I repeat, a morning very intensely lived as a community of faith and
prayer.
In the evening, I had a brief confidential meeting with a representative of the
group that is holding Mr. Dunn captive, to whom I insisted that everything
possible be done to release him promptly. He promised to do what I had
suggested, but that depended on the senior management of this group. I pray
to God that Mr. Dunn, who has been kidnapped for several months, returns
home soon. On the other hand, these days Mr. Jaime Hill, who was also
kidnapped for several months, has been released.
At the Hospital of Divine Providence the raffle was held to benefit the same
work and which always brings financial support to this work of true
providence of God.
The meeting of the Executive Council was held in the Archbishopric in the
morning, where it was especially about the radio and the Secretariat of Social
Communication. A note also arrived from the Presidential House,
transmitting a complaint from a commander of Cojutepeque, against Father
Ricardo Ayala, who is accused of being indoctrinating a group of peasants
with Marxism and who announced to them that he would soon go to
Nicaragua and Cuba to bringing weapons, for subversion, which is extremely
ridiculous, since Father Cayo Ayala is a very focused man and the accusation

rather made him laugh. Likewise to our Vicar General, with whom he had his
interview. The answer will therefore be how ridiculous these accusations are
and that a Government that relies on such information cannot be fair.
In Planes de Renderos, in the “María Eugenia” house, the meeting of the
Pastoral Council concluded today with the new Vicars and with new projects
for the work of the year. I could not attend this day because I had gone to the
town indicated above.
In general, there is an atmosphere of tension and violence, the military's
encirclement of the Presidential House has caused very bad impressions and
this provokes more violence from the left and as long as this spirit of
repression of the Armed Forces against the people is not suppressed , it will
continue to cause a lot of harm. On the other hand, agrarian and banking
reforms are moving forward, but the people cannot accept them, as long as
there is this horrible repression that is felt everywhere. In the little town
where I went and where I was also on SUNDAY, there are many complaints,
but since there is a lot of terror, they cannot freely refer to everything that is
happening.
At night, I also received news that an ecumenical commission from the
United States will come to El Salvador.
Monsignor Arzube with a pastor from the National Council of Churches and
another representative of Human Rights and Amnesty, to find out live what is
happening in our country. I told them that I was happy to receive them and
that I hope the coming Bishop would participate in the concelebration next
Sunday.
WEDNESDAY, March 19, 1980
This Saint Joseph's Day, I celebrated the first mass at the Cristóbal Colón
School, of the Josephine Fathers. I told them that Saint Joseph was the model
of the man that our country needs today, with a commitment to the sense of
justice, to the sense of collaboration and to the sense of faith. Professor
Moreno addressed a few words on behalf of the entire College to praise his
bishop. The teachers also presented a donation to theRadio YSAX. The
collection from that very large meeting was also for our station; gesture for
which I cordially appreciated.
I visited the repair works of theRadio YSAX in Domus Mariae. I met Father
Pick, who was coming to the health center, because he was a little unwell.
The silent work of this Jesuit is admirable, who is helping us to repair, in a
very technical way, ourRadio YSAX.
I spent a while in the Curia and there were quite a few visits, the main one
was that of Fathers Torruella and Mejía to present to me some reflections
from a group of priests, concerned about the politicization of some priests, in
which they invited me to reflect to achieve a dialogue of the various sectors
of the clergy and, if possible, a survey in order to neutralize everything that
could divide us as priests. I thanked them for this valuable suggestion and
asked for their collaboration.
With my brother, Arnoldo, who helps me in the organization of the treasury
and other aspects of the administration of the Curia, we commented on the
deficiencies that are currently noted, mainly on the part of the administrator,
and in the Secretariat of Social Communication, regarding everything, in the
printing press and in the secretariat itself.
I told him to help me solve these serious problems and tomorrow we will
have a meeting with this objective.
At four in the afternoon, we had a meeting with the Humanitarian Aid
Council or Committee. It is an Ecumenical Committee, in which Cáritas is
involved, and it was about airing a problem that arises in places of refuge and
that is that the agents of popular political organizations take advantage of
these people for their political activities, and we have tried to clarify that a
refuge It should not mean an operations headquarters.
There were quite a few discussions and I always get the impression of very
exaggerated politicization in the statements of Father Rogelio and Father Tilo
Sánchez, as well as others who participated in the meeting. But I was also
very happy with the very focused position of some priests and some
members of the Protestant confessions who collaborate in this Ecumenical
Committee. The manager of Cáritas, Miss Carmen, was also very correct in
this orientation.
I then went to celebrate my second mass of Saint Joseph at the Somascos
seminary, where there is also a group of refugees from Cojutepeque and
Chalatenango. The homily was in the same direction as that of the Cristóbal
Colón School and, after mass, we had dinner with the seminarians and the
Fathers and a very interesting dialogue was started about the problems of the
117
situation in El Salvador, the role of the Church. And some information that
the seminarians, with great intelligence, tried to obtain.
Finally, tonight the president of Cor Unum, the pontifical office that
coordinates the various advocacy, charity and social action organizations,
came. I expressed with complete frankness the inefficiency of our National
Caritas and our desire to make the diocesan Caritas more active in the
formation of Christian love. He promised that he would help the programs of
the Archdiocese, but that we would present these programs to him, which we
will do tomorrow with Cáritas and the Ecumenical Commission for
Humanitarian Aid.
THURSDAY, March 20, 1980
At eight in the morning, I had a brief meeting with the Administrative Council,
which my brother Arnoldo also attended, with a report on the accounting and
economy of the Curia. The situation is quite worrying, since we have only
spent the subsidies and there is no hope of finding self-financing of our
expenses. I said that I was willing to comply with the suggestions that they
could give me, especially in the change of personnel, in the elimination of
some positions, and I left them studying, since I had to leave for the Senate
meeting, in Planes de Renderos, in the “María Eugenia” house, belonging to
the nuns of La Asunción. It is the first meeting of the new Senate. I urged
them above all to seek the unity of the clergy, since all the clergy with their
diverse currents and ways of thinking of our priests were represented in the
Senate. I also told them that we had to put in our meeting a human basis of
trust, friendship, and sincerity, since the sense of faith and supernaturalism
with which we must consider ourselves in the environment of our priestly
vocation is not enough, but that human basis of Friendship is what will give a
pleasant, practical and effective meaning to our teamwork, mainly based on
all our priests whom we represent.
After remembering the statutes and duties of the Senate, the election was
made, Father Cristóbal Cortés having emerged as president, Father Juan
Macho as vice president, and Father José Luis Burguet as secretary. There was
a very cordial atmosphere and in that atmosphere the first points were
discussed, above all, how to make the Senate service more agile. And it was
concluded that the board be designated as a permanent Council, so that it
would be aware of the institutions of the Diocese and the Prelate, and guide
the life of the Senate promptly, in service of this dialogue with the Bishop and
in accordance with the circumstances. , no matter how unexpected they may
seem. Then also, seeking in the service of the clergy and in view of reality,
three commissions were organized: one that will be dedicated mainly to
cultivating the unity of the Clergy, another that will guide the relations of
clergy and society, all these socio-political aspects that many Sometimes they
divide us or do not make us work together, and a third commission, what we
call infrastructure, which will be in charge of the various practical aspects of
the clergy, such as culture, spirituality, health, social benefits and subsistence.
, etc. Then we extensively deal with practical problems of the differences in
political meaning that divide us, since we live in such a politicized, polarized
environment in the country. At one o'clock we finished with lunch, in an
always friendly atmosphere and with a lot of optimism.
In the afternoon, a conversation with representatives of the February 28
Popular Leagues, who, having not been able to attend to them personally,
were attended on my behalf by Father Rafael Urrutia and Mr. Roberto Cuéllar.
I had, at the same time, an interview with Father Pedraz, a Jesuit, with a lot of
administrative capacity, to ask him, in accordance with the conversion of the
Administration Commission, to help us reorganize our archdiocesan
Administration, having the authority to review the various aspects that were
touched on at the Administration meeting and that the Administration
Commission will work in accordance with it. He told me that he was always
willing to serve and that I should only allow him a few days to think about his
decision; possibly next Sunday or Monday, and I hope that it will be
affirmative, to soon guide this situation that worries me about the economy
and administration of our Archdiocese.
I also had a meeting with the manager of Cáritas and a representative of the
Ecumenical Council for Humanitarian Aid to present the projects and work of
Cáritas and the Ecumenical Commission, which they develop for the benefit
of our people in need, to be able to present the representative of Cor Unum,
of Rome, which is among us. And we went to visit him at the Nunciature,
having shown himself to be very welcoming, understanding of the difficulties
and projects of the archdiocesan Caritas activity, the current emergencies.
END

NOTE: Monsignor Romero did not record the last four days of his life in his
diary.
ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN
THE JOURNAL.
ADVENIAT: International Organization Formed by the Bishops of Germany.
AGEUS: General Association of University Students.
ANDES: National Association of Salvadoran Educators.
ANEP: National Association of Private Enterprise.
ANTEL: National Telecommunications Administration.
BPR: Popular Revolutionary Bloc.
CÁRITAS: Ecclesial Aid Institution.
CEDES: Episcopal Conference of El Salvador.
CELAM: Episcopal Council of El Salvador.
CLAR: Latin American Confederation of Religious.
CONFRES: Confederation of Religious of El Salvador.
CRS: Catholic Relief Service.
CUTS: Unitary Central of Salvadoran Workers.
ERP: People's Revolutionary Army.
FAPU: Unified Popular Action Front.
FARN: Armed Forces of National Resistance.
FECCAS: Christian Federation of Salvadoran Peasants.
FENASTRAS: National Federation of Workers' Unions.
FMLN: Farabundo Martí́ Front for National Liberation.
FPL: Popular Liberation Forces.
MNR: National Revolutionary Movement.
NATIONAL GUARD: Government Security Corps.
NATIONAL POLICE: Government Security Corps.
TREASURY POLICE: Government Security Corps.
ORDER: Nationalist Democratic Organization.
SEDAC: Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama.
UDN: Nationalist Democratic Union.
UGB: White Warrior Union.
ONE: National Opposition Union.
UTC: Union of Field Workers.
MINIMUM HOUSING: Government Office.
PRESBYTERAL SENATE: Consulting Body of the Bishop Made up of Elected
Priests.
Epilogue
Wars are fought daily, for millennia men have not been able to coexist and
arm themselves to fight, without ever resolving disputes. Wars are the denial
of rhetoric, of the word. They are the result of dialogue, sharing,
confrontation, above all, with oneself. War is the censorship of ignorance,
that is why human beings cannot renounce war and violence: because they
cannot renounce ignorance and fear.
Monsignor Romero overcame ignorance, he overcame fear, his words in his
homilies clearly proved this, earning him the candidacy for the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1978, and through his unwavering faith in God he was able to live
with the threat of death without ever losing confidence and courage, without
ever ending in verbal violence, always exhorting peace, dialogue, the Gospel.
Monsignor Romero died for this, for his word, without weapons, without fear,
and even today his sacrifice teaches us the possible path to a world free of
war and violence.
Conclusion
That man, that shepherd of God became a symbol of freedom, of hope
(strong and effective even today), becoming a predestined target, a sacrificial
victim and the only voice of a disbanded country. He went to the service of
the Church, of the poor, of the weak, hoping to stop that civil war in its
beginnings. A war that tormented him, hearing merciless and bestial killings
every day.
118
His message was always the simple and incessant exhortation for peace, for
respect for human rights, for dialogue in a country devastated by civil war, a
country where the Church was devastated and attacked head-on.
Appendix
● Hyperlinks to podcast found in the document
Attachments
Bibliography
The undersigned Chancellor of the Archbishopric of San Salvador, STATES THAT: (a)
he has compared the hearing of the 30 original cassettes that contain the diary of
Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero recorded by himself, with the reading of the
writing taken from the diary, prepared for its publication, (b) that both documents
fully agree with each other.
In witness whereof he signs and seals this document.
Given in San Salvador, on the tenth day of the month of October of the year one
thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine.
Fr. Rafael Urrutia
Chancellor.
- UCA.
- Cervantes Virtual Bookstore.
Glossary
Association:an organization formed by a group of people with the objective
of achieving something specific. These alliances can also be called voluntary
organizations, voluntary associations and civil associations without legal
personality. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are associations that
constitute the basis of what is called “civil society”.
Audience:This is a process in which interested parties, and all other people
who may be affected by the outcome, have the opportunity to make a
presentation, ask questions or raise objections about a matter. For example, a
hearing may be held by a local or national government, an international
organization, or a special commission created.
Autocracy:the rule of a single person or a small group having unlimited
power or authority or the power or authority of that person or group.
African Charter on Human and People's Rights:sometimes also referred to as
the African Charter); a regional human rights treaty on the African continent
approved by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1981. Arab Charter on
Human Rights, adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States on May
22, 2004, affirms the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and the Cairo
Declaration on Human Rights in Islam.
United Nations Charter:founding treaty of the United Nations. It was
approved unanimously on June 25, 1945 and establishes the rights and
obligations of the Member States, as well as the United Nations bodies and
procedures.
Charter of Fundamental Rights: a treaty containing political, economic and
social rights of citizens of the European Union. It binds EU Member States,
when EU laws are being applied.
International Bill of Human Rights:an informal name given collectively to the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and their optional protocols.
Paper:It is a document that establishes the granting of rights or privileges.
Citizenship:a) a legal relationship between a person and a state, which gives
rise to mutual rights and obligations or b) which is used to describe the
general relationship between individuals and the state to which they are
“attached”, the forms of behavior and attitudes.
Encoding, encode:the process of formalizing a law or rights into written
instruments.

Human rights commission:UN body currently replaced by the Human Rights
Council.
Commissioner for Human Rights:an independent institution within the
Council of Europe responsible for promoting awareness and respect for
human rights in the Member States of the Council of Europe. See also High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
Human Rights Committee:a United Nations body made up of 18 experts that
meets three times a year to review the five annual reports submitted by the
162 UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights.
Competence:ability to perform a job or task. As regards the defense of
human rights, the knowledge and understanding necessary for young people
to have a better understanding of human rights issues and the skills, attitudes
and values ​necessary to defend them.
Human Rights Council:an intergovernmental body within the United Nations
system composed of 47 states responsible for strengthening the promotion
and protection of human rights around the world. The Council was created by
the United Nations General Assembly in March 2006 to replace the
Commission on Human Rights, and with the main objective of addressing
situations of human rights violations and formulating recommendations on
them. .
Peacebuilding:(including post-conflict peace) actions taken in the medium
and long term to address the root causes of violent conflict.
Constitution:a set of laws by which a country or organization is governed. In
most countries the Constitution is written and accepted as supreme law; It
establishes the foundation of the state and its political system. About four
countries do not have a written Constitution; In those cases the law is
developed through judicial rulings and precedents. American Convention on
Human Rights (American Convention); a human rights treaty adopted by the
Organization of American States (OAS) in 1969. It includes North, Central and
South America.
Geneva Convention:It includes four treaties adopted in 1949 at the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. It
establishes the rules that apply in armed conflict, particularly in relation to
the treatment of sick and wounded soldiers, sailors and airmen, prisoners of
war and civilians on the enemy side.
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms (ECHR):(European Convention on Human Rights), regional human
rights treaty adopted in 1950 by the Council of Europe. All member states of
the Council of Europe are parties to the European Convention on Human
Rights, and new member states are expected to ratify the convention as soon
as possible.
Convention:a binding agreement between states; It is used synonymously in
the treaty and pact. A convention is stronger than a declaration because it is
legally binding on states that have ratified it.
Framework convention:a convention that sets out the principles and rules
within which international action will be carried out, and establishes a
procedure for negotiating the more detailed issues necessary to address the
issue.
International Court of Justice (ICJ):(World Court); It is the main judicial organ
of the United Nations. Headquartered in The Hague (Netherlands), its main
functions are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and issue
advisory opinions on legal issues presented to it by duly authorized
international bodies, others. agencies and the General Assembly of the
United Nations. (The Court should not be confused with the International
Criminal Court.)
International Criminal Court (ICC):a permanent court created in 2002 and
located in The Hague (Netherlands) to prosecute individuals for genocide,
crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. (The
International Criminal Court should not be confused with the International
Court of Justice.)
War crimes:crimes committed during conflict, internal or international, that
involve serious violations of humanitarian law or other laws relating to armed
conflict. The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 along with the Geneva
Convention of 1949 are among the first official international laws on war, war
crimes, and the humanitarian treatment of war victims.
Crimes against humanity:widespread or systematic acts of violence against
the civilian population. For example, murder, extermination, slavery, torture,
rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy; persecution of a group for reasons
such as race, ethnicity, gender, among others; forced disappearance of
people; the crime of apartheid and other inhuman acts of a similar nature
119
that intentionally cause great suffering or seriously harm physical integrity or
mental or physical health.
Culture:a broad set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices, often
based on historical traditions shared by an institution, organization or group.
Bill of Rights:a statement in a constitution of human or civil rights that lists
protections against government interference. See also International Charter
of Human Rights.
Declaration of the rights of the child:Adopted by the UN General Assembly in
1959, this non-binding instrument establishes ten general principles that later
formed the basis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which
was adopted in 1989.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR):(Universal Declaration),
adopted by the General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The main
document of the United Nations that establishes human rights standards and
the standards of all Member States that have undertaken to respect the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights. Although the
declaration was not intended to be binding, over time its various provisions
have become so widely recognized that they can now be said to be part of
customary international law.
Declaration:a document that contains an agreement on principles and
standards, but is not legally binding. An example is the United Nations
Conferences, as well as the 1993 United Nations Conference on Human
Rights in Vienna and the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing. They
generally produce two types of statements: one written by government
representatives and another by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The
United Nations General Assembly often produces influential but legally
non-binding declarations.
Ombudsman:an independent official, usually appointed by the Government
or Parliament, who is responsible for investigating complaints made by
citizens. The word “Ombudsman” comes from Old Norwegian and means
“representative.”
Democracy:a form of government where the authority to govern is derived
from the people, either directly or through representatives elected by the
people who have the right to vote.
Right to development:the right of groups to grow in their cultural, political
and economic human rights and that fundamental freedoms can grow fully or
progressively. UN Declaration on the Right to Development of 1986.
International human right:the legal body, mainly on the basis of the Geneva
Convention, which protects people, in times of armed conflict, helps victims
and limits the methods and means of combat in order to minimize
destruction, loss of lives and unnecessary human suffering.
Civil rights:(sometimes known as civil liberties); the category of rights and
freedoms that protect people from unjustified government action and ensure
their ability to participate in the civil life of the state without discrimination
or repression.
Collective rights:the rights of groups that protect their interests and
identities; They are sometimes known as “third generation rights.” These
exist in addition to individual rights.
Cultural Rights:the right to preserve identity and cultural development.
Solidarity rights:see collective rights.
Third generation rights:rights that emerged in the second half of the 20th
century, which are not civil and political rights, but economic and social
rights. These include the right to a healthy environment, peace, development
and natural resources. See also collective rights.
Economic rights:the rights that refer to the production, development and
management of material goods for the needs of life. These are proclaimed in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guaranteed by the Covenant
and the European Social Charter.
Human rights:the rights that all human beings universally have. These are
indivisible, inalienable and universal and respect the equality and dignity of
each person.
Legal rights:the rights established by law and that can be defended and
brought before the courts of law. It is also used to describe procedural rights,
for example the right to a fair trial.
Moral rights:rights derived from general ethical principles, such as equity and
justice.
Natural rights:the rights that people have simply because they are human
beings. They are also called inalienable rights, which are considered evident
and universal and do not depend on the laws, customs or beliefs of each
particular culture or each government.
Political rights:the right of people to participate in the political life of their
community and society, and to vote to elect their government.

Social rights:the rights necessary for full participation in the life of society.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the European Social
Charter guarantee social rights.
Disappearance:the expression used when people disappear because they
have been murdered or secretly imprisoned by the Government or other
organizations. They disappear due to their political opinions or defiant
activities against an unjust regime or against the doctrine of their
organizations.
Development:a broad economic, social, cultural and political process, which
tends to constantly improve the well-being of the entire population and all
individuals on the basis of their active, free and significant participation in
development and the equitable distribution of the resulting benefits from the
same. See also right to development.
Discrimination:any distinction, exclusion or restriction of your preference,
based on areas such as race, culture, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual
orientation, religion, physical disability, or other characteristics not relevant
to the issue in question .
Economic:related to factors relating to production, development, or
management of material wealth.
Formal education:It is the structured system of education and training that
extends from preschool, primary school, secondary school and university. As
a rule, it takes place in general education or vocational training centers and
leads to certification.
Informal education:the lifelong process by which each individual acquires
attitudes, values, skills and knowledge drawn from everyday experience,
educational influences and resources in his or her own environment (family,
peers, neighbors, markets, library, media, work, play etc.).
Informal education:any education program outside the formal education
system that is designed to improve a range of skills and competencies, for
example youth work. Non-formal education is also known as non-formal
learning.
Entry into force:the process by which a treaty becomes fully binding for the
states that have ratified it, which occurs when the minimum number of
ratifications required by the treaty has been achieved.
Slavery:practice based on a relationship of power and submission, in which
one person owns another and can extract, exploit the work or obtain other
services from that person. Modern forms of slavery: the sale of children, child
prostitution, exploitation of child labor, use of children in armed conflict, debt
bondage, trafficking in human beings, exploitation in prostitution and forced
labor .
Member states:countries that are members of an intergovernmental
organization (e.g., the United Nations, the Council of Europe).
Stereotype:a simplified, generalized and often unconscious preconceived
idea about people or ideas that can lead to prejudice and discrimination. A
generalization in which characteristics possessed by part of a group are
extended to the entire group.
Assessment:a structured conversation between facilitators and participants
so that the latter can analyze and evaluate what they have learned in a
participatory and experiential activity. In the process, participants reflect on
how this learning relates to what they already know and how they can use it
in the future.
Evolution of capacity:a principle used in the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (CRC) which recommends greater exercise of a child's rights in relation
to his or her increasing cognitive and emotional maturity.
Exception:a treaty declaration by a member state that allows the state to
suspend or restrict certain rights, for example, in times of war. Some rights
can never be suspended, for example, the right not to be subjected to
torture.
Facilitator:a person who prepares, presents and coordinates Compass
activities. It is someone who “does something”, who “helps”, encourages
others to learn and develop their own potential. The role of the facilitator is
to create a safe environment in which participants learn through
experimentation, exploration, give and take. It is not about a leader who is an
“expert” transmitting knowledge to others. Everyone must grow through the
exchange of experiences, both participants and facilitators.
Fascism:a system of government based on an ideology of racial or national
supremacy and the importance of control over all aspects of political,
economic, and cultural life. It can be characterized by violent oppression of
opposition and criticism, control of the media, state control of industry,
commerce, etc., and by aggressive nationalism and often racism.
120
Business:Signing a treaty is the first step to becoming a party to the treaty,
which invariably means the step towards ratification. By signing a treaty, the
state expresses the intention, in the future, to accept all obligations arising
from the treaty, and in the meantime to refrain from doing anything
incompatible with these obligations.
Training:the process of learning the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are
needed to do a particular job or develop an activity, for example, so that
human rights can be defended.
Former:person who prepares programs of learning activities, for example,
discussions, study visits, watching films, or conducting Compass activities
with a group of participants. When carrying out Compass activities, the
trainer or teacher interacts democratically with the group of young people
and has the role of facilitator.
Gender:social construction on the functions, attitudes, values ​and
relationships between women and men. While sex is determined by the
biological differences between men and women, gender is determined by
society; It almost always works to subordinate women to men.
Genocide:systematic murder with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
group of people due to their nationality, race, ethnicity or religion. Also,
causing serious physical or mental injuries and forcibly transferring children
from the group in question to another group.
Conflict management:actions undertaken with the main objective of
preventing the vertical (intensification of violence) or horizontal (territorial
distribution) intensification of violent conflicts.
Skills:ability to perform an activity or job well, especially because it has been
practiced. Human rights advocacy capacity includes, for example,
communication and problem-solving skills, creative thinking, negotiation and
teamwork.
Rule of law:No person, whether a government official, a king, or a president,
is above the law. The same law binds the rulers and the governed.
Unalienable:It refers to the rights that belong to each person and of which
they cannot be deprived under any circumstances.
Indivisible:refers to the importance of all human rights as part of an
indivisible and inseparable whole. A person cannot be denied a particular
human right on the grounds that it is “less important” than another, or
“non-essential.”
Shadow report:informal report prepared by institutes or people representing
current civil society before a commission to monitor human rights treaties.
These reports often contradict or add to official documents on treaty
compliance and implementation submitted by a government as part of its
treaty obligations.
Instruments:any official document written by one or more states that
establishes rights as non-binding principles (declaration) or codifies rights
that are legally binding on the states that ratify them (a covenant, treaty or
convention). They can be national or international.
Intercultural:refers to the interdependence and interaction between different
ethnic and linguistic groups. An intercultural perspective forces us to
recognize that reality is plural, complex and dynamic, and that interaction is
an integral part of all life and culture.
Interdependent:refers to the idea that the enjoyment of a particular human
right depends on the enjoyment of all others. For example, a person's ability
to participate in their government is directly affected by their right to
expression, health, freedom of movement, and freedom from discrimination.
Role playing game:a short drama performed by the participants. People use
their own life experiences to stage a situation. They are mostly improvised.
The purpose of these is to allow participants to experience situations and
explore solutions to problems in a safe environment.
Jurisprudence: a legal term that refers to the collection of case studies and
the principles established in these cases by a particular court, for example,
the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.
Freedom of expression:the freedom to express your opinions in the press
and other media, and to receive and communicate ideas. The term “freedom
of expression” is often used broadly to refer to one or both articles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, specifically Articles 18 and 19.
Human rights framework:the changing and interrelated framework of
international and regional instruments that define human rights and establish
mechanisms to promote and protect those rights and freedoms.
Mediation:a process by which a third person helps disputing parties resolve
their disagreements regarding a given issue and find common ground on
which both can agree.

Irregular migration:a term used by most migration researchers, instead of
“illegal”, “undocumented” or “unauthorized” migrants to emphasize that no
person is illegal as such.
Intergovernmental Organizations (IGO):organizations sponsored by various
governments that try to coordinate their efforts. The United Nations is an
international intergovernmental organization. Some regional
intergovernmental organizations are for example the Council of Europe, the
Organization of African Unity; some of them are alliances such as the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and some are dedicated to a specific
purpose such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs):organizations that are independent
of government, usually with an influencing, charitable or activist role. Some
are large and international such as the Red Cross, Amnesty International, the
World Organization of the Scout Movement, Human Rights Watch, the
European Youth Forum. Others may be small and local, for example, a
disability advocacy organization in a particular city; a coalition to promote
women's rights in a refugee camp. You can search for non-governmental
organizations in your country at the Council of Europe: http://ngocoe. base
org
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP):persons or groups of persons who have
been forced to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular
as a result of, or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflicts, situations of
generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural disasters caused
by man, and that have not crossed an international border.
Indigenous villages:They are defined both by their relationships with the land
and by the intrinsic characteristics they may possess. They have suffered
colonization, and have always been marginalized by their states and are often
tribal. Many indigenous peoples seek recognition of their rights as distinct
peoples, including the right to self-determination and the right to control the
development of their societies. See the United Nations declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007.
Minorities:any ethnic, linguistic or religious group within a state, in a
non-dominant position, consisting of people who have a sense of belonging
to that group and determined to preserve and develop their identity.
Multicultural:people from different cultures who live together in a
community, and interact to different degrees, but at the same time, retain
their distinctive characteristics. United Nations, international
intergovernmental organization (IGO), founded in 1945 after World War II
with the aim of maintaining international peace and security, fostering
friendly relations between nations and promoting social progress, better
standards of living and human rights.
Negotiation:the process by which, in a dispute with each other, people talk in
order to reach a solution to their problem.
Oligarchy:rule by a small group of powerful people.
International Labor Organization (ILO):Created in 1919, it is a tripartite
agency of the United Nations that brings together governments, employers
and workers of its Member States to promote decent work around the world.
World Health Organization (WHO):an intergovernmental organization under
the auspices of the United Nations that works to promote health around the
world. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Covenant:a binding agreement between states; It is used synonymously with
convention and treaty. The main international human rights covenants,
approved in 1966, are the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (ICESCR).
European Parliament:It is the elected parliamentary institution of the
European Union. The Parliament has two meeting places, Strasbourg and
Brussels and is made up of 736 members.
Youth participation:see participation.
Stake:involvement in the public life of a community or society. The European
Charter on Youth Participation at Local and Regional Level, adopted by the
Congress of the Council of Europe in 2003, is an international policy
document to promote youth participation at local level.
Death penalty:the state sanction of taking life as a punishment for a crime.
The European Convention on Human Rights initially allowed the death
penalty in some cases, but it is now prohibited within its territory (protocol 6)
even in times of war (protocol 13). Most countries in the world have
abolished the death penalty.
Plutocracy:a system in which the richest people rule or have power in a
country.
Vital posture:a framework of ideas that helps us understand the world and
find meaning and value in life; a common label that encompasses both
121
religions and alternatives to religion, without any discrimination in favor of
either.
Conflict prevention:actions that are undertaken in the short term to reduce
overt tensions and/or to prevent the outbreak or recurrence of violent
conflict.
First generation of rights:rights that were generally accepted as human rights
in the 17th or 18th centuries. It includes all civil and political rights, such as
the right to vote, the right to life and liberty, and freedom of expression,
religion, and the set of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR) that mainly codifies these rights. . Because the term suggests a
hierarchy of rights (first-generation civil and political rights and
second-generation economic and social rights), it is used less and less.
Promotion:to publicly support or suggest an idea, development or way of
doing something.
Optional protocol:a treaty that modifies another, for example by adding
other procedures or provisions. It is called “optional” because a government
that has ratified the original treaty can choose whether or not to ratify the
changes made to the protocol.
Racism:the belief that people's qualities are influenced by their ethnicity or
tribe and that members of other tribes and groups (“races”) are not as good
as members of their own group, or the resulting unfair treatment of
members of other “races”.
Ratification:the process by which the legislative body of a state confirms the
government's action in signing a treaty; That is, the formal procedure by
which the state commits itself to a treaty after its acceptance. After
ratification a state is a party to the treaty.
Reflection and final evaluation:a structured conversation between
facilitators and participants to review the experiential and participatory
activity; to talk about what happened and how the collaborators felt. The
goal is to help them clarify their thoughts and feelings in a safe environment.
Refugees:someone who, due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for
reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group
or political opinions, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable or
unwilling, due to such fears, take refuge in it or in the protection of their
country. The term is also used broadly to describe anyone in a refugee-like
situation, for example asylum seekers.
Special rapporteur:person chosen by a human rights body, such as the UN
Human Rights Council, to report on a particular issue, for example on the
right to adequate housing, child prostitution and child pornography, violence
against women or on the human rights situation in a given country.
Accountability:a process that requires governments to show, explain and
justify how they have fulfilled their obligations to citizens.
Reservation:the exceptions that states make, for example, with respect to a
treaty, the provisions that they do not agree to follow. Reservations, however,
cannot detract from the fundamental meaning of the treaty.
Conflict resolution:the actions taken in the short term to end violent
conflicts.
Separation of powers:the separation of the powers of government into
different branches, so that none is capable of exercising absolute control. The
normal division is between the legislative branch, which makes the laws, the
executive branch carries out the laws, and an independent judicial branch
that oversees compliance with the laws.
Sex:the biological differences between men and women, which are universal
and do not change. It is in contrast to gender, which refers to attributes that
are learned or acquired during the socialization of members of a given
community.
Simulation:a broad and structured role-playing game that puts participants in
unknown situations and roles.
Syndicate:association of workers in a specific company or sector that
addresses the common interests of workers, for example, better working
conditions. The right to form and join unions, as well as the right to collective
bargaining over wages, are widely recognized in human rights.
Civil society:refers collectively to voluntary civic organizations and social
organisations, associations and institutions, for example registered charities,
non-governmental organisations, community groups, women's organisations,
religious organisations, professional associations, trade unions, self-help
groups and support groups that form the basis of a functioning democratic
society. Civil society is seen as something distinct from the state and
commercial market organizations.
Asylum seeker:a person who has sought international protection and whose
claim for formal refugee status has not yet been resolved.
 122

Tolerance:the willingness to accept behaviors and beliefs that are different In witness whereof he signs and seals this document.
from one's own, even if one does not agree with them. Declaration of
principles on tolerance (UNESCO 1995). Given in San Salvador, on the tenth day of the month of October of the year
Conflict transformation:the process by which conflicts, such as wars and one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine.
interethnic and religious violence, are changed or transformed into peaceful
outcomes. It is a long-term process, which addresses the causes of the Priest Rafael Urrutia
conflict, as well as the behavior and attitudes of the parties involved. Chancellor
Treated:(used as a synonym for convention and pact); a formal agreement
between nation-states that defines and modifies their reciprocal duties and
obligations. When a state ratifies a treaty that has been approved, the articles
of that treaty will become obligations of its legal system.
Universality:the principle by which all human rights are in the hands of all
people in all states and societies around the world.

Biographies
Gian Luca Bianco (Milan, 1967) Director, artist, author. He has directed films and
documentaries, theater productions and has published two books. Creates and
curates art exhibitions in Italy and abroad. In particular, since 2016 he has recently
focused on the idea of ​the fragment from which a cycle of works called Imbilico
emerged, a deep reflection on the theme of destruction and loss of both.
affections and materials. Imbilico has been presented over the years on several
public occasions and in various Italian and foreign cities such as Milan, Monza,
Gubbio, Macerata, Perugia, Gemonio, Innsbruck, Barcelona, ​New York, Dusseldorf,
receiving praise from the public and the criticism. . Artistic advisor to a major
Italian banking group for whom he deals with art, as well as other clients dealing
with art and culture. A transversal and versatile artist, he lived for many years in
New York, immersing himself in the urban dimension of the Big Apple and
developing projects that were sometimes far from each other, but united by the
desire to know and always question everything. Passionate about stories, attracted
by human events and the relationship with nature, which is the axis of all his
projects. For some years he has lived in Umbria, in Assisi.

Jose Baires. We are still sailing the vast ocean of knowledge, just as Sir Isaac
Newton wisely said once in his life. Since he died in 1727, 296 years have
passed, and the clock is still working.
I share a famous phrase with you.
“What we know is a drop, What we don't know is an ocean.” -Newton
On this occasion, I let myself be guided by the hand of Saint Oscar since I am
sure that He is the correct course in which I should navigate.

German León combines his passion for photography by making it available to

the Creator, capturing the wonderful daily life of this planet while discovering
new destinations when mountain biking.
His faith, religiosity and Catholicism blessed him by closely knowing figures
who were part of the daily life of San Oscar Arnulfo, one of them was
Monsignor Urioste who advised and guided German greatly in the formation
of his spiritual life.

Colophon
Original idea by Gian Luca Bianco, Assisi, Italy in 2010
Digital edition made in April 2024
by José Baires, Roatán Honduras, 2024
Invaluable collaboration carried out by Doctor Guillermo Padilla Cárcamo and
German Ernesto León Serrano

title
SAINT ÓSCAR - IN THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

ORIGINAL TITLE
Monsignor Óscar A. Romero. Your diary
From Friday, March 31, 1978 to Thursday, March 20, 1980
Oscar A Romero

The undersigned Chancellor of the Archbishopric of San Salvador, STATES

THAT: (a) he has compared the hearing of the 30 original cassettes that
contain the diary of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero recorded by himself,
with the reading of the writing taken from the diary, prepared for its
publication, (b) that both documents fully agree with each other.
 123

THURSDAY, June 8, 1978 11

Index FRIDAY, June 9, 1978 11
SATURDAY, June 10, 1978 11
MONDAY, June 12, 1978 11
MONSEÑOR ÓSCAR A. ROMERO - HIS DIARY - FROM FRIDAY, MARCH 31, TUESDAY, June 13, 1978 11
1978 UNTIL THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1980 - ÓSCAR A. ROMERO 1 WEDNESDAY, June 14, 1978 11
THURSDAY, June 15, 1978 12
Front page 128 SATURDAY, June 17, 1978 12
SUNDAY, June 18, 1978 12
Back cover 128 MONDAY, June 19, 1978 12
TUESDAY, June 20, 1978 12
Legal Page 1 WEDNESDAY, June 21, 1978 13
CHAPTER 4 Year 1978 13
DIARY from June 22 to July 3, 1978 13
Dedication 1
THURSDAY, June 22, 1978 13
FRIDAY, June 23, 1978 14
He 1 SATURDAY, June 24, 1978 14
SUNDAY, June 25, 1978 14
Preliminary Note 1 MONDAY, June 26, 1978 14
TUESDAY, June 27, 1978 14
Introduction 1 WEDNESDAY, June 28, 1978 14
THURSDAY, June 29, 1978 15
THURSDAY, June 30, 1978 15
Year 1978 1
FRIDAY, July 1, 1978 15
CHAPTER 1 Year 1978 1
SUNDAY, July 2, 1978 15
DIARY from March 31 to April 12, 1978 1
MONDAY, July 3, 1978 15
FRIDAY, March 31, 1978 1
CHAPTER 5 Year 1978 15
SATURDAY, April 1, 1978 2
DIARY from October 1 to December 5, 1978 15
SUNDAY, April 2, 1978 2
SUNDAY, October 1, 1978 15
MONDAY, April 3, 1978 2
MONDAY, October 2, 1978 16
TUESDAY, April 4, 1978 3
WEDNESDAY, October 4, 1978 16
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1978 3
THURSDAY, October 5, 1978 16
THURSDAY, April 6, 1978 4
FRIDAY, October 6, 1978 16
FRIDAY, April 7, 1978 4
SATURDAY, October 7, 1978 17
SATURDAY, April 8, 1978 4
SUNDAY, October 8, 1978 17
SUNDAY, April 9, 1978 4
MONDAY, October 9, 1978 17
MONDAY, April 10, 1978 4
TUESDAY, October 10, 1978 17
TUESDAY, April 11, 1978 5
WEDNESDAY, October 11, 1978 17
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 1978 5
THURSDAY, October 12, 1978 17
CHAPTER 2 Year 1978 5
FRIDAY, October 13, 1978 18
DIARY from April 13 to April 28, 1978 5
SATURDAY, October 14, 1978 18
THURSDAY, April 13, 1978 5
SUNDAY, October 15, 1978 18
FRIDAY, April 14, 1978 6
MONDAY, October 16, 1978 18
SATURDAY, April 15, 1978 7
TUESDAY, October 17, 1978 18
SUNDAY, April 16, 1978 7
WEDNESDAY, October 18, 1978 18
MONDAY, April 17, 1978 7
THURSDAY, October 19, 1978 18
TUESDAY, April 18, 1978 7
FRIDAY, October 20, 1978 18
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 1978 8
SUNDAY, October 22, 1978 18
THURSDAY, April 20, 1978 8
MONDAY, October 23, 1978 18
FRIDAY, April 21, 1978 8
TUESDAY, October 24, 1978 19
SATURDAY, April 22, 1978 8
WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1978 19
SUNDAY, April 23, 1978 8
THURSDAY, October 26, 1978 19
MONDAY, April 24, 1978 9
FRIDAY, October 27, 1978 19
TUESDAY, April 25, 1978 9
SATURDAY, October 28, 1978 19
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 1978 9
TUESDAY, October 31, 1978 19
THURSDAY, April 27, 1978 9
FRIDAY, November 3, 1978 19
FRIDAY, April 28, 1978 9
SATURDAY, November 4, 1978 19
CHAPTER 3 Year 1978 9
SUNDAY, November 5, 1978 19
DIARY from May 21 to June 21, 1978 9
MONDAY, November 6, 1978 19
SUNDAY, May 21, 1978 9
TUESDAY, November 7, 1978 19
MONDAY, May 22, 1978 10
SUNDAY, November 12, 1978 19
TUESDAY, May 23, 1978 10
MONDAY, November 13, 1978 19
WEDNESDAY, May 24, 1978 10
TUESDAY, November 14, 1978 19
THURSDAY, May 25, 1978 10
WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1978 20
FRIDAY, May 26, 1978 10
THURSDAY, November 16, 1978 20
SATURDAY, May 27, 1978 10
SATURDAY, October 18, 1978 20
SUNDAY, May 28, 1978 10
SUNDAY, November 19, 1978 20
MONDAY, May 29, 1978 10
MONDAY, November 20, 1978 20
THURSDAY, June 1, 1978 11
TUESDAY, November 21, 1978 20
FRIDAY, June 2, 1978 11
WEDNESDAY, November 22, 1978 20
SATURDAY, June 3, 1978 11
THURSDAY, November 23, 1978 20
SUNDAY, June 4, 1978 11
FRIDAY, November 24, 1978 20
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 1978 11
 124

SATURDAY, November 25, 1978 21 HOLY MONDAY, April 9, 1979 31

SUNDAY, November 26, 1978 21 HOLY TUESDAY, April 10, 1979 31
TUESDAY, November 28, 1978 21 CHAPTER 11 Year 1979 32
WEDNESDAY, November 29, 1978 21 DIARY from April 11 to April 27, 1979 32
SATURDAY, December 2, 1978 21 HOLY WEDNESDAY, April 11, 1979 32
SUNDAY, December 3, 1978 21 HOLY THURSDAY, April 12, 1979 32
MONDAY, December 4, 1978 21 GOOD FRIDAY, April 13, 1979 32
TUESDAY, December 5, 1978 21 HOLY SATURDAY, April 14, 1979 32
CHAPTER 6 Year 1978 21 EASTER SUNDAY, April 15, 1979 32
DIARY from December 6, 1978 to January 8, 1979 21 TUESDAY, April 17, 1979 33
WEDNESDAY, December 6, 1978 21 WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1979 33
THURSDAY, December 7, 1978 22 THURSDAY, April 19, 1979 33
FRIDAY, December 8, 1978 22 FRIDAY, April 20, 1979 34
SATURDAY, April 21, 1979 34
Year 1979 22 SUNDAY, April 22, 1979 34
CHAPTER 7 Year 1979 22 MONDAY, April 23, 1979 34
DIARY from January 9 to January 28, 1979 22 TUESDAY, April 24, 1979 35
TUESDAY, January 9, 1979 22 WEDNESDAY, April 25, 1979 35
SATURDAY, January 13, 1979 22 THURSDAY, April 26, 1979 35
SUNDAY, January 14, 1979 22 FRIDAY, April 27, 1979 35
THURSDAY, January 18, 1979 22 CHAPTER 12 Year 1979 35
FRIDAY, January 19, 1979 22 DIARY from April 28 to May 9, 1979 35
SATURDAY, January 20, 1979 22 SATURDAY, April 28, 1979 35
SUNDAY, January 21, 1979 23 SUNDAY, April 29, 1979 35
MONDAY, January 22, 1979 23 MONDAY, April 30, 1979 36
TUESDAY, January 23, 1979 23 TUESDAY, May 1, 1979 36
WEDNESDAY, January 24, 1979 23 WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1979 36
THURSDAY, January 25, 1979 24 THURSDAY, May 3, 1979 37
FRIDAY, January 26, 1979 24 FRIDAY, May 4, 1979 37
SATURDAY, January 27, 1979 24 SATURDAY, May 5, 1979 37
SUNDAY, January 28, 1979 24 SUNDAY, May 6, 1979 38
CHAPTER 8 Year 1979 25 MONDAY, May 7, 1979 38
DIARY from January 29 to February 16, 1979 25 TUESDAY, May 8, 1979 38
MONDAY, January 29, 1979 25 WEDNESDAY, May 9, 1979 39
TUESDAY, January 30, 1979 25 CHAPTER 13 Year 1979 39
WEDNESDAY, January 31, 1979 26 DIARY from May 10 to May 28, 1979 39
THURSDAY, February 1, 1979 26 THURSDAY, May 10, 1979 39
FRIDAY, February 2, 1979 26 FRIDAY, May 11, 1979 40
SATURDAY, February 3, 1979 26 SATURDAY, May 12, 1979 40
SUNDAY, February 4, 1979 26 SUNDAY, May 13, 1979 40
MONDAY, February 5, 1979 26 MONDAY, May 14, 1979 41
CHAPTER 9 Year 1979 27 TUESDAY, May 15, 1979 41
DIARY from February 17 to March 14, 1979 27 WEDNESDAY, May 16, 1979 41
MONDAY, March 5, 1979 27 FRIDAY, May 18, 1979 42
FRIDAY, March 9, 1979 27 FRIDAY, May 18, 1979 42
SUNDAY, March 11, 1979 27 SATURDAY, May 19, 1979 42
MONDAY, March 12, 1979 27 SUNDAY, May 20, 1979 42
TUESDAY, March 13, 1979 27 MONDAY, May 21, 1979 43
WEDNESDAY, March 14, 1979 28 TUESDAY, May 22, 1979 43
CHAPTER 10 Year 1979 28 WEDNESDAY, May 23, 1979 43
DIARY from March 15 to April 10, 1979 28 THURSDAY, May 24, 1979 43
THURSDAY, March 15, 1979 28 FRIDAY, May 25, 1979 44
FRIDAY, March 16, 1979 28 SATURDAY, May 26, 1979 44
SATURDAY, March 17, 1979 28 SUNDAY, May 27, 1979 44
SUNDAY, March 18, 1979 28 MONDAY, May 28, 1979 44
From MONDAY, March 19 to FRIDAY, March 23, 1979 28 CHAPTER 14 Year 1979 45
SATURDAY, March 24, 1979 29 DIARY from May 29 to June 19, 1979 45
SUNDAY, March 25, 1979 29 TUESDAY, May 29, 1979 45
MONDAY, March 26, 1979 29 WEDNESDAY, May 30, 1979 45
TUESDAY, March 27, 1979 29 THURSDAY, May 31, 1979 45
WEDNESDAY, March 28, 1979 29 FRIDAY, June 1, 1979 46
THURSDAY, March 29, 1979 29 SATURDAY, June 2, 1979 46
FRIDAY, March 30, 1979 30 SUNDAY, June 3, 1979 46
SATURDAY, March 31, 1979 30 MONDAY, June 4, 1979 46
SUNDAY, April 1, 1979 30 TUESDAY, June 5, 1979 47
MONDAY, April 2, 1979 30 WEDNESDAY, June 6, 1979 47
TUESDAY, April 3, 1979 30 THURSDAY, June 7, 1979 47
WEDNESDAY, April 4, 1979 30 FRIDAY, June 8, 1979 48
THURSDAY, April 5, 1979 30 SATURDAY, June 9, 1979 48
FRIDAY, April 6, 1979 30 SUNDAY, June 10, 1979 48
SATURDAY, April 7, 1979 31 MONDAY, June 11, 1979 48
SUNDAY, April 8, 1979 31 TUESDAY, June 12, 1979 48
 125

WEDNESDAY, June 13, 1979 49 SATURDAY, August 18, 1979 61

THURSDAY, June 14, 1979 49 SUNDAY, 19 August 1979 61
FRIDAY, June 15, 1979 49 MONDAY, August 20, 1979 62
SATURDAY, June 16, 1979 49 TUESDAY, August 21, 1979 62
SUNDAY, June 17, 1979 50 WEDNESDAY, August 22, 1979 62
MONDAY, June 18, 1979 50 THURSDAY, August 23, 1979 62
TUESDAY, June 19, 1979 50 FRIDAY, August 24, 1979 62
CHAPTER 15 Year 1979 50 SATURDAY, August 25, 1979 62
DIARY from June 20 to July 8, 1979 50 SUNDAY, August 26, 1979 62
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 1979 51 CHAPTER 18 Year 1979 63
THURSDAY, June 21, 1979 51 DIARY from August 27 to September 16, 1979 63
FRIDAY, June 22, 1979 51 MONDAY, August 27, 1979 63
SATURDAY, June 23, 1979 51 TUESDAY, August 28, 1979 63
SUNDAY, June 24, 1979 52 WEDNESDAY, August 29, 1979 63
MONDAY, June 25, 1979 52 THURSDAY, August 30, 1979 63
TUESDAY, June 26, 1979 52 FRIDAY, August 31, 1979 63
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1979 52 SATURDAY, September 1, 1979 63
THURSDAY, June 28, 1979 52 SUNDAY, September 2, 1979 63
FRIDAY, June 29, 1979 53 MONDAY, September 3, 1979 63
SATURDAY, June 30, 1979 53 TUESDAY, September 4, 1979 64
SUNDAY, July 1, 1979 53 WEDNESDAY, September 5, 1979 64
MONDAY, July 2, 1979 53 THURSDAY, September 6, 1979 64
TUESDAY, July 3, 1979 53 FRIDAY, September 7, 1979 64
WEDNESDAY, July 4, 1979 54 SATURDAY, September 8, 1979 64
THURSDAY, July 5, 1979 54 SUNDAY, September 9, 1979 65
FRIDAY, July 6, 1979 54 MONDAY, September 10, 1979 65
SATURDAY, July 7, 1979 54 TUESDAY, September 11, 1979 65
SUNDAY, July 8, 1979 54 WEDNESDAY, September 12, 1979 65
CHAPTER 16 Year 1979 54 THURSDAY, September 13, 1979 66
DIARY from July 9 to July 27, 1979 54 FRIDAY, September 14, 1979 66
MONDAY, July 9, 1979 54 SATURDAY, September 15, 1979 66
TUESDAY, July 10, 1979 55 SUNDAY, September 16, 1979 66
WEDNESDAY, July 11, 1979 55 CHAPTER 19 Year 1979 67
THURSDAY, July 12, 1979 55 DIARY from September 17 to October 19, 1979 67
FRIDAY, July 13, 1979 55 MONDAY, September 17, 1979 67
SATURDAY, July 14, 1979 55 TUESDAY, September 18, 1979 67
SUNDAY, July 15, 1979 55 WEDNESDAY, September 19, 1979 67
MONDAY, July 16, 1979 56 THURSDAY, September 20, 1979 68
TUESDAY, July 17, 1979 56 FRIDAY, September 21, 1979 68
WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1979 56 SATURDAY, September 22, 1979 68
THURSDAY, July 19, 1979 56 SUNDAY, September 23, 1979 68
FRIDAY, July 20, 1979 56 MONDAY, September 24, 1979 69
SATURDAY, July 21, 1979 57 TUESDAY, September 25, 1979 69
SUNDAY, July 22, 1979 57 WEDNESDAY, September 26, 1979 69
MONDAY, July 23, 1979 57 THURSDAY, September 27, 1979 69
TUESDAY, July 24, 1979 57 Friday 28 and Saturday 29 September 1979 70
WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1979 58 SUNDAY, September 30, 1979 70
THURSDAY, July 26, 1979 58 First week of October 1979 70
FRIDAY, July 27, 1979 58 SUNDAY, October 7, 1979 70
CHAPTER 17 Year 1979 58 TUESDAY, October 9, 1979 70
DIARY from July 28 to August 26, 1979 58 WEDNESDAY, October 10, 1979 70
SATURDAY, July 28, 1979 58 THURSDAY, October 11, 1979 70
SUNDAY, July 29, 1979 59 FRIDAY, October 12, 1979 70
MONDAY, July 30, 1979 59 SATURDAY, October 13, 1979 71
TUESDAY, July 31, 1979 59 SUNDAY, October 14, 1979 71
WEDNESDAY, August 1, 1979 59 MONDAY, October 15, 1979 71
THURSDAY, August 2, 1979 59 TUESDAY, October 16, 1979 71
FRIDAY, August 3, 1979 59 WEDNESDAY, October 17, 1979 72
SATURDAY, August 4, 1979 60 THURSDAY, October 18, 1979 72
SUNDAY, August 5, 1979 60 FRIDAY, October 19, 1979 72
MONDAY, August 6, 1979 60 CHAPTER 20 Year 1979 73
TUESDAY, August 7, 1979 60 DIARY from October 20 to November 17, 1979 73
WEDNESDAY, August 8, 1979 60 SATURDAY, October 20, 1979 73
THURSDAY, August 9, 1979 60 SUNDAY, October 21, 1979 73
FRIDAY, August 10, 1979 60 MONDAY, October 22, 1979 73
SATURDAY, August 11, 1979 60 TUESDAY, October 23, 1979 73
SUNDAY, August 12, 1979 60 WEDNESDAY, October 24, 1979 74
MONDAY, August 13, 1979 61 THURSDAY, October 25, 1979 74
TUESDAY, August 14, 1979 61 FRIDAY, October 26, 1979 74
WEDNESDAY, August 15, 1979 61 SATURDAY, October 27, 1979 74
THURSDAY, August 16, 1979 61 SUNDAY, October 28, 1979 75
FRIDAY, August 17, 1979 61 MONDAY, October 29, 1979 75
 126

TUESDAY, October 30, 1979 75 FRIDAY, January 4, 1980 91

WEDNESDAY, October 31, 1979 75 SATURDAY, January 5, 1980 91
THURSDAY, November 1, 1979 76 SUNDAY, January 6, 1980 91
FRIDAY, November 2, 1979 76 MONDAY, January 7, 1980 92
SATURDAY, November 3, 1979 76 TUESDAY, January 8, 1980 92
SUNDAY, November 4, 1979 77 WEDNESDAY, January 9, 1980 92
MONDAY, November 5, 1979 77 THURSDAY, January 10, 1980 93
TUESDAY, November 6, 1979 77 FRIDAY, January 11, 1980 93
WEDNESDAY, November 7, 1979 78 SATURDAY, January 12, 1980 94
THURSDAY, November 8, 1979 78 SUNDAY, January 13, 1980 94
FRIDAY, November 9, 1979 78 MONDAY, January 14, 1980 94
SATURDAY, November 10, 1979 79 TUESDAY, January 15, 1980 94
SUNDAY, November 11, 1979 79 CHAPTER 23 Year 1980 95
MONDAY, November 12, 1979 79 DIARY from January 16 to January 22, 1980 95
TUESDAY, November 13, 1979 79 WEDNESDAY, January 16, 1980 95
WEDNESDAY, November 14, 1979 79 THURSDAY, January 17, 1980 95
THURSDAY, November 15, 1979 80 SATURDAY, January 19, 1980 95
FRIDAY, November 16, 1979 80 SUNDAY, January 20, 1980 96
SATURDAY, November 17, 1979 80 MONDAY, January 21, 1980 96
CHAPTER 21 Year 1979 80 TUESDAY, January 22, 1980 96
DIARY from November 18 to December 23, 1979 81 CHAPTER 24 Year 1980 97
SUNDAY, November 18, 1979 81 DIARY from January 23 to February 4, 1980 97
MONDAY, November 19, 1979 81 WEDNESDAY, January 23, 1980 97
TUESDAY, November 20, 1979 81 THURSDAY, January 24, 1980 97
WEDNESDAY, November 21, 1979 81 FRIDAY, January 25, 1980 98
THURSDAY, November 22, 1979 81 SATURDAY, January 26, 1980 98
FRIDAY, November 23, 1979 82 SUNDAY, January 27, 1980 98
SATURDAY, November 24, 1979 82 MONDAY, January 28, 1980 99
SUNDAY, November 25, 1979 82 WEDNESDAY, January 30, 1980 99
MONDAY, November 26, 1979 82 THURSDAY, January 31, 1980 100
TUESDAY, November 27, 1979 82 FRIDAY, February 1, 1980 101
WEDNESDAY, November 28, 1979 83 SATURDAY, February 2, 1980 101
THURSDAY, November 29, 1979 83 SUNDAY, February 3, 1980 101
FRIDAY, November 30, 1979 83 MONDAY, February 4, 1980 102
SATURDAY, December 1, 1979 84 CHAPTER 25 Year 1980 102
SUNDAY, December 2, 1979 84 DIARY from February 5 to March 9, 1980 102
MONDAY, December 3, 1979 84 TUESDAY, February 5, 1980 102
TUESDAY, December 4, 1979 85 WEDNESDAY, February 6, 1980 102
WEDNESDAY, December 5, 1979 85 THURSDAY, February 7, 1980 103
THURSDAY, 6, FRIDAY, 7 and SATURDAY, December 8, 1979 85 FRIDAY, February 8, 1980 103
SUNDAY, December 9, 1979 85 SATURDAY, February 9, 1980 103
MONDAY, December 10, 1979 85 SUNDAY, February 10, 1980 103
TUESDAY, December 11, 1979 86 MONDAY, February 11, 1980 104
WEDNESDAY, December 12, 1979 86 TUESDAY, February 12, 1980 104
THURSDAY, December 13, 1979 86 WEDNESDAY, February 13, 1980 104
FRIDAY, December 14, 1979 86 THURSDAY, February 14, 1980 105
SATURDAY, December 15, 1979 87 FRIDAY, February 15, 1980 105
SUNDAY, December 16, 1979 87 SATURDAY, February 16, 1980 105
MONDAY, December 17, 1979 87 SUNDAY, February 17, 1980 106
TUESDAY, December 18, 1979 87 Monday, February 18, 1980. 106
WEDNESDAY, December 19, 1979 87 TUESDAY, February 19, 1980 106
THURSDAY, December 20, 1979 88 WEDNESDAY, February 20, 1980 106
FRIDAY, December 21, 1979 88 THURSDAY, February 21, 1980 107
SATURDAY, December 22, 1979 88 FRIDAY, February 22, 1980 107
SUNDAY, December 23, 1979 89 SATURDAY, February 23, 1980 108
CHAPTER 22 Year 1979 89 SUNDAY, February 24, 1980 108
DIARY from December 24, 1979 to January 15, 1980 89 MONDAY, February 25, 1980 108
MONDAY, December 24, 1979 89 TUESDAY, February 26, 1980 109
TUESDAY, December 25, 1979 89 SATURDAY, March 1, 1980 109
WEDNESDAY, December 26, 1979 89 SUNDAY, March 2, 1980 109
THURSDAY, December 27, 1979 89 MONDAY, March 3, 1980 109
FRIDAY, December 28, 1979 89 TUESDAY, March 4, 1980 110
SATURDAY, December 29, 1979 90 WEDNESDAY, March 5, 1980 110
SUNDAY, December 30, 1979 90 THURSDAY, March 6, 1980 110
MONDAY, December 31, 1979 90 FRIDAY, March 7, 1980 110
SATURDAY, March 8, 1980 111
Year 1980 90 SUNDAY, March 9, 1980 111
CHAPTER 22 Year 1980 90 CHAPTER 26 Year 1980 112
DIARY from December 24, 1979 to January 15, 1980 90 DIARY from March 10 to March 20, 1980 112
TUESDAY, January 1, 1980 90 MONDAY, March 10, 1980 112
WEDNESDAY, January 2, 1980 90 TUESDAY, March 11, 1980 113
THURSDAY, January 3, 1980 91 WEDNESDAY, March 12, 1980 113
 127

THURSDAY, March 13, 1980 113

FRIDAY, March 14, 1980 114
SATURDAY, March 15, 1980 114
SUNDAY, March 16, 1980 115
MONDAY, March 17, 1980 115
TUESDAY, March 18, 1980 116
WEDNESDAY, March 19, 1980 116
THURSDAY, March 20, 1980 116
ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN THE JOURNAL.
117

Epilogue 117

Conclusion 117

Appendix 117

Attachments 117

Bibliography 117

Glossary 118

Biographies 121

Colophon 121

Index 123
 128

Cover and back cover