Oscar Romero: A Man for Our Times

by Julio O. Torres

A unique perspective on one of the greatest religious figures of recent history. An in-depth portrait of Oscar Romero, the Fourth Archbishop of San Salvador, based on research of his diaries and sermons and on interviews with most of his surviving relatives, friends, and co-workers. This biography provides a unique insider/outsider perspective on both Romero and the plight and struggle of Central American immigrants and other migrant and impoverished populations. Torres takes readers into Romero’s early life, his seminary formation, and his active ministry, including conflicts with the ruling elites and hierarchy that led to his ultimate martyrdom. The book concludes with his canonization and the pursuit of justice against his murderers.

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 18, 2021

Reviews

[John Thorndike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oscar Romero’s path is altogether fascinating. He began to study for the priesthood as a young teenager, spent time in Rome, returned to his home country of El Salvador, preached for two decades in the city of San Miguel, and was eventually appointed the Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city. Once quite conservative, he soon adopted many of the principles of Liberation Theology, and became a devoted advocate for the poor and suppressed. This pivotal change forms the backbone of the book.

Romero went so far as to advocate violent resistance to a starkly oppressive government. As Julio Torres writes, “The left and the poor canonized him, while he was still alive, as the greatest defender of their rights.” The author continues: “The truth of the matter lies somewhere in between the extremes of defensive aggression and impeccable sainthood.”

This is a nuanced portrait of a devout, troubled, passionate man, who was shot down in a chapel as he celebrated Mass. It’s a book rich in small, vivid details, in psychological evaluation, and in explanations of the broad currents that run through the Catholic Church. From start to finish, I read it with absolute attention.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a true biography. Instead, it was the author's attempt to psychoanalyze Oscar Romero posthumously. I wanted to learn about Oscar Romero's life, not about an author's theory about the abstract cognitive matters that might have motivated Romero.

[batsumu miya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit uneven and general in places, but there were a few really fascinating insights and points made about Romero’s legacy and image.