Blessed Rutilio Grande, SJ, and 2 companions were killed on March 12, 1977, near El Paisnal in rural El Salvador while traveling to a novena for the feast of St. Joseph. Pope Francis has recognized them as martyrs.
Fr. Grande was committed to the poor, embracing their dignity and rights as children of God. Some called him a “radical priest,” an enemy of the status quo in which the rich and the military ruled El Salvador with violence. At his parish in Aguilares, he established a vigorous pastoral ministry, training lay catechists to share the Word of God in the Christian Base Communities. His homilies promoted social justice, placing his life in danger, resulting in his death.
His life and death are often considered the catalyst to St. Oscar Romero’s passion for the poor and oppressed, his becoming the “voice of the voiceless.”
Prayer: Jesus, Proclaimer of Peace, with Rutilio Grande and all the martyrs of El Salvador, inspire us to stand on the side of justice and truth. Amen.
RESOURCES ON BLESSED RUTILIO GRANDE
Short Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okbNWmQAy6o
Book: “When the Gospel Grows Feet” by Thomas Kelly
