AJCU Institutions Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador

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November 13, 2009

Over the next few weeks, Jesuit colleges and universities across the country are hosting events on their campuses to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the murders of six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador on November 16, 1989.

The Jesuits, Rev. Ignacio Ellacuria, SJ, Rev. Ignacio Martin-Baro, SJ, Rev. Segundo Montes, SJ, Rev. Amando Lopez, SJ, Rev. Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, SJ, and Rev. Juan Ramon Moreno, SJ, and the two women, Julia Elba Ramos and Cecilia Ramos, were killed by members of the Salvadoran military at the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) during a period of political and civil unrest. The Jesuits were considered “dangerous” by the Salvadoran government because they spoke out against the country’s oppressive policies that negatively impacted the poor and marginalized.

The Martyrs for peace mural at Loyola University Chicago
Artist: Mirtes Zwierzynski. Photo courtesy of Mark Beane, Loyola University Chicago

On November 3, 2009, Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes announced that the country would be recognizing the Jesuits with its highest honor, the National Order of Jose Matias Delgado award. The award is considered a “public act of atonement” for the wrongdoings by past governments.

Several representatives from Jesuit higher education will be present for the anniversary events in El Salvador. Among them will be AJCU president Rev. Charles L. Currie, SJ, and Secretary for Jesuit Higher Education, Rev. Paul L. Locatelli, SJ. Also joining Fr. Currie and Fr. Locatelli will be U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), who was part of a delegation, led by Congressman Joe Moakley (D-MA), that investigated the murders.

Across the United States, AJCU institutions are commemorating the 20th anniversary in various ways. Highlights include:

Boston College Chancellor J. Donald Monan, SJ will moderate a discussion with historian Noam Chomsky and University of Central America co-founder Jon Sobrino, SJ, titled "Memory and Its Strength: The Martyrs of El Salvador." (Nov. 30th)

Student volunteers at Canisius College will dress in black and wear white face paint to honor the memory of the martyrs and distribute information about the anniversary across campus. (Nov. 16th)

Rev. Paul Locatelli, SJ, assistant to the Jesuit Superior General for International Higher Education spoke at the College of the Holy Cross on “Jesuit Education in Response to the murder of the Six Jesuits and their colleagues.” (Nov. 10)

Creighton University will host a Martyrs Memorial on the steps of St. John’s Church, with a simulation of the eight martyrs: six priests, their housekeeper and her daughter. (Nov. 16th)

Rev. Mark Ravizza, SJ gave a talk on the murders at Fordham University’s University Church, which can be viewed here. (Oct. 29th)

Le Moyne College will hold a vigil and ceremony in honor of the martyrs for the public to attend. Former Le Moyne president, Rev. Charles J. Beirne, SJ, was among the first Jesuits to voluntarily go to El Salvador and work at the University of Central America, where the murdered Jesuits had also served. (Nov. 16th)

Loyola University Chicago will host a Day of Remembrance with several events, including Salvadoran folk musician Candy Garcia; and Fr. Daniel Hartnett, SJ, poet Renny Golden, and Loyola student Andrea Ortez who will participate in the panel “Ideas Matter: Reflections on the UCA Martyrs and How Their Story Impacts Loyola's Story.” (Nov. 19)

Loyola University Maryland will host a memorial mass and a tribute entitled “Remembering our Martyrs from El Salvador,” which will feature a video about the martyrs’ time in El Salvador. During the tribute, six members of the Loyola Jesuit community will represent the Jesuits, two Maryknoll sisters and two staff members from Loyola’s Center for Community Service and Justice (including director Sister Catherine “Missy” Gugerty, SSND) will represent the churchwomen, and Campus Ministry office manager Anne McSweeney and her daughter will represent the housekeeper and her daughter. (Nov. 16th)

Loyola University New Orleans will host Martyr’s Week with a series of events including a talk from torture-survivor Carlos Maurico and past participants in the School of Americas Peace Vigil. (Nov. 15th - 20th)

Marquette University’s Office of Campus Ministry and student organization JUSTICE hosted a commemorative ceremony at the University’s Jesuit Residence with a narrative of the killings. (Nov. 5th)

Regis University hosted peace activist Sister Peggy O’Neill, SC for a talk, “Choosing Peace: Embracing A New Journey.” (Nov. 5th)

Fr. Tim McMahon, SJ, former provincial of the Jesuit Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus reflected on his time living with the martyrs in a talk at Rockhurst University on Oct. 22nd. To read local coverage on Rockhurst’s tribute to the martyrs, please click here. (Oct. 22nd)

Throughout the fall semester, Saint Joseph's University hosted lectures to commemmorate the anniversaries: “Why We Migrate: Stories of Mexico’s Displaced," with Paola Gutierrez Galindo, a community organizer from southern Mexico (Oct. 15th), “Civic Discernment: Leading With Your Heart,” with Theresa Cusimano, SJU alum and prisoner of conscience (Oct. 27th), “The Message of the UCA Martyrs in Today’s Reality,” with Fr. Rodolfo Cardenal Chamorro, SJ (Oct. 29th) and “The Catholic University as Social Force: Dangerous Memories of the UCA Martyrs,” with Michael E. Lee, PhD, Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University (Nov. 10th).

Saint Peter’s College’s office of campus ministry will commission its delegation of students, staff and faculty attending the Ignatian Family Teach-in and School of the Americas. (Nov. 18th)

At Santa Clara University, Rev. Jon Sobrino, SJ spoke about his experience teaching at the University of Central America in the 1980’s in his lecture, “The Challenge of the Salvadoran Martyrs.” Prior to his lecture was a performance of Santa Clara student Sally Lynn Mitchell’s musical composition, Plegaria de Liberación (Prayer of Liberation), commissioned in honor of the 20th anniversary of the martyrs’ deaths. (Nov. 5th)

Seattle University President Stephen Sundborg, SJ, Professor Emeritus of Theology & Religious Studies Gary Chamberlain, Alumna Devin Seman, undergraduate student Yessina Medrano-Vossler, and St. Joseph parishioner Daniel Stoner will reflect on the martyrs in a campus-wide panel. (Nov. 16th)

Spring Hill College rector Rev. Ted Arroyo, SJ gave a talk, “Reflections on the Martyrs of El Salvador,” at a luncheon on Nov. 11. From Feb. 13-20, 2010, a group of 11 students and three staff members will travel to El Salvador to work with faith-based organization CRISPAZ (Christians for Peace in El Salvador). During their time in El Salvador, they will also visit the University of Central America and the home and chapel of Archbishop Oscar Romero. (Nov. 11th)

The University of San Francisco’s office of university ministry will host a day-long event called Stand 4 with events including: a keynote speech by Rev. Kevin Burke, SJ of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University; an afternoon series of workshops on lobbying and advocacy, civil rights and litigation; and an evening candlelight vigil. (Nov. 16th)

Rev. Rodolfo Cardenal, SJ, former vice rector of the University of Central America, spoke about the martyrs’ legacy at the University of Scranton. In January, 2010, University President Rev. Scott Pilarz, SJ will lead a group of university administrators on a pilgrimage to El Salvador. More information on Scranton’s tribute can be found here. (Oct. 28th)

Xavier University will broadcast a live feed from a memorial vigil in El Salvador across campus; on Nov. 16th, a human display of martyred Jesuits will be held in the Academic Mall. (Nov. 14th)

Contact: Deanna Howes, AJCU Manager of Information Services
202-862-9893 dhowes@ajcunet.edu