Scottish Catholic Observer

The formal adoption occurred on August 15 at a special Mass in the SCIAF offices, where the charity’s president, Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell (above), revealed a new painting of the martyred former archbishop of San Salvador.

Oscar Romero will be honoured alongside St Margaret of Scotland, the charity’s first patron. He was chosen due to having inspired SCIAF’s work across the world with his dedication to standing with and defending the rights of those suffering under oppression and poverty.

As archbishop of San Salvador from 1977-1980, Oscar Romero condemned violence on numerous occasions and spoke up for the victims of the civil war, which saw 70,000 people killed. He became more outspoken against the violation of human rights, particularly after his close friend, Fr Rutilio Grande was murdered in March 1977.

His defence of the most vulnerable and his outspokenness ultimately saw him assassinated on March 24, 1980, as he celebrated Mass in the Divine Providence cancer hospital’s chapel, where he lived

He was made Blessed by Pope Francis on May 23, 2015, with the Holy Father declaring him as a man who ‘constructed peace with the force of love.’ SCIAF spoke of the inspiration they draw from his actions, and his words: “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

SCIAF chief executive Alistair Dutton said: “Our new patron, Blessed Oscar Romero, is a shining example of someone driven to fight poverty and injustice in this world, to the point of sacrificing his own life. He has been a huge inspiration to SCIAF and many throughout the global Caritas family for many years.

“He is part of our history, and inspires us to continue to walk with, hear, and care for the poor, and fight for justice. He is a wonderful example to us all.”

Many people have long championed the cause for Blessed Oscar Romero’s sainthood, and while no date is scheduled for the canonisation, documentations regarding a supposed miracle attributed to him are currently being studied at the Vatican, noted Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador in March this year.

The miracle is reported to be of a pregnant woman at risk of death, whose family prayed to Blessed Oscar Romero and saw the baby born shortly afterwards with the mother keeping well.

The miracle must be looked at from both a ‘medical and theological perspective,’ said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and the official promoter of Oscar Romero’s cause for sainthood.