Delegate Reflection: Remembering Romero’s Legacy

This reflection was written by Kathy Werly, a member of the recently returned delegation from Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, Kansas, after they visited the Divina Providencia.

Reading and hearing about Archbishop Oscar Romero is one thing.  Standing where he stood and imagining his last minutes is quite another.  The Good Shepherd delegation’s visit to Divina Providencia gave us an opportunity to do just that, and it had a powerful impact on us all.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Sister Marceline.  She guided us into the chapel and spoke to us as we sat in the pews.  She asked us to individually think of a word that we would use to describe Archbishop Romero.  After sharing our words, she described the day of his death and extended an invitation to each of us to stand at the altar.  She reminded us that we would be seeing what Archbishop Romero saw seconds before he was shot.  She also suggested that the words we had shared earlier are a part of him that lives on in us.  The full realization of what happened becomes even more evident as you stand there.  You are definitely standing on holy ground.

After our chapel visit, we went to Archbishop Romero’s living quarters.  Things remain the same as they were on the day he died.  As seems fitting for a humble man, this area is simple, certainly not the luxurious surroundings you might expect an archbishop to have.  The grotto that has been constructed since his death is also simple but beautiful.  As our visit concluded and we boarded the bus, we knew we had walked where a martyr had walked.  It was a powerful, spiritual experience.