Companions of Jesus: The Murder and Martyrdom of the Salvadorean Jesuits

by Jon Sabrino

A haunting, prophetic collection of writings by the six Jesuit priests of the Central American University massacred by Salvadoran soldiers in November, 1989. In a moving memoir Jon Sobrino recalls years of work with each of the priests and celebrates the ideals they embodied.

Genres: Theology, History, Biography

58 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Danny Lamastra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of the chapters at the end feel like fillers to make the book longer, but overall this book is very interesting and very informative

[Cappy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much good in this little book. A fair bit of it can probably be found elsewhere, but to have it all collected together - including brief biographies of the Salvadoran Martyrs - really amplifies the message.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when we think of martyrs, we picture individuals who are far removed from ordinary people, people who are sort of superhuman, making their sacrifices seem both natural and impossible to emulate. Sobrino does a great job of lovingly portraying his martyred brothers as men of faith and action who were also very human and imperfect.

Sometimes Sobrino's writing is a bit dry for me, even though I enjoy his message. The articles written by Ellacuria and Martin-Baro, as well as the interviews with the other priests, not only offer insight into the minds of the martyrs, but also provide a nice respite from Sobrino's denser style.

As a recent convert to Christianity, I still find that some theological discussions are somewhat foreign to me. Sobrino presents his arguments in a simple enough manner that I can follow his reasoning, yet he does not come across as simplistic or unnecessarily didactic.

[James Millikan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This portrait of the slain Jesuits of El Salvador and two women, seasoned with writings from their own hands, gives a stirring account of the faith that these men lived and died by. Whatever you theological persuasion, read this text with an open mind and heart and you will come away with a deeper felt interior knowledge of how and why the martyrs of the UCA gave their lives for the poor.