The Scottish Parliament is to mark the centenary of Blessed Oscar Romero with a visit by the US Catholic Church’s top social justice official.
Dr Jonathan Reyes will deliver Holyrood’s Time for Reflection address and an evening lecture on “Oscar Romero: A Saintly Path to Social Justice” on 7 November as part of a year of celebrations marking the birth of the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador, who was assassinated on March 24 1980, while celebrating Mass.
Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews and Edinburgh, who is patron of the Archbishop Romero Trust, expressed his delight at Dr Reyes’ forthcoming visit to Scotland, describing Blessed Oscar Romero as “the great saint of social justice”.
The archbishop said that he hoped Dr Reyes’ visit would introduce members of the Scottish Parliament to some of the key ideas of Catholic Social Teaching, given that Blessed Oscar Romero’s life “heroically embodied these principles as a saintly riposte to both unbridled capitalism and state socialism, both of which undermine the dignity of the human person”.
Anthony Horan, director of the Scottish Catholic Parliamentary Office, said that Dr Reyes’ address would mark a “memorable day” at the Scottish Parliament. Dr Reyes was previously director of social ministry and president and chief executive of catholic charities in the Archdiocese of Denver where he oversaw an organisation serving 45,000 people annually, and which includes five homeless shelters and 22 “affordable” housing projects.
His visit to the Scottish Parliament has cross-party backing and is sponsored by a number of Holyrood parliamentarians.
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