Romero Rap

This poem commemorates the martyrdom of Oscar Romero.

Archbishop Oscar Romero commemorated

 at the West End of Westminster Abbey

Romero Rap

In the corridors of power of the Church in Salvador,

Some were wanting an Archbishop with a bias to the poor;

But the forces of reaction wanted someone they’d be sure

Would not challenge them to think about the ways they held their power:

And they got him –

Safe hands:

No radical –

This man.

Three weeks from his enthronement, a seminary friend

Was vilely executed as the only way to end

His empowerment of people who had nothing to their name:

Then Romero recognised, Jesus’ life had been the same:

Realisation –

Transformation:

An Archbishop –

Born again.

He urged his priestly colleagues as a body to refuse

To join any state occasion to protest at such abuse;

He confused administrators by his turning back-to-face

The procedures in his office so the peasants took first place – he said

Bishops drive –

Priests have fares:

But the poor walk miles –

To come here.

His preaching which was broadcast fed the hate of the regime,

But by those who had no voices, he was held in high esteem:

So the powerful sent their men to the feast of wine and bread:

Gunshot rang out in the silence – 
and the Archbishop lay dead.

Lay dead.

Lay dead.

(Original introductory remarks in 2013 readers follows. They are at least as appropriate today as they were then - perhaps even more so)
Written during a week in which the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury have both set out in their new ministries by declaring a bias to the poor, this poem  can mark the anniversaries of the day that Archbishop Oscar Romero was killed in his home country for taking a similar line. It is a bias that threatens all sorts of vested interests, so feels dangerous to those in power: but it is at the heart of the Christian message, so it is good to hear this coming from our new leaders.