WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
20 May 2015 | News

WOLA’s Joy Olson Commemorates Oscar Romero in Letter to Archbishop of San Salvador

Dear Mon. Jose Luis Escobar Alas,

It is a profound honor to write to you on behalf of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) to commemorate the beatification of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero.

Monsignor Romero’s life and work has been an inspiration to the human rights movement in Latin America, in the United States and throughout the world. In the era when El Salvador was torn by repression and violence, Romero’s commitment to the poor, to peace and to social justice was a source of hope and strength.  His courage and his faith continue to guide us.

At WOLA, we are proud to have worked with many who knew Monsignor Romero and many more who followed in his footsteps.  One of our most valued documents is a letter he wrote expressing gratitude for the support our organization provided to “curbing both the rising repression against the Salvadoran people and the persecution of the Archdiocese.”

Although Monsignor Romero’s life was cut short by an assassin’s bullet while saying mass on March 24, 1980, his voice was not silenced.  The generations who carry on the cause of human rights and social justice draw strength from his spirit.

As we celebrate the beatification of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, let us dedicate our lives and our work to his legacy.

Sincerely,

 

Joy Olson

Executive Director
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)