Next Saturday (November 16th) will mark the 35th anniversary of the martyrdom of Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J., Ignacio Martín-Baró, S.J., Segundo Montes, S.J., Juan Ramón Moreno, S.J., Joaquín López y López, S.J., Amando López, S.J., their housekeeper, Elba Ramos, and her 15-year-old daughter, Celina Ramos, who were murdered in 1989 at the University of Central America (UCA) in El Salvador.
These martyrs, who gave their lives for the dignity and rights of the Salvadoran people, inspire the Ignatian Solidarity Network to continue their legacy by confronting injustice and advocating for those marginalized in our own midst.
For 20 years, the Ignatian Solidarity Network’s mission has embodied the spirit of these martyrs by empowering people of all ages, but especially young people, to act on the values of Catholic Social Teaching—to embrace solidarity with the vulnerable, the oppressed, and those who suffer under structures of exclusion. Through initiatives focused on education, advocacy, and action, ISN invites people across the country to discern and respond to the urgent call for justice in our own context.
Next week, twenty-five Ignatian Solidarity Network pilgrims will be in El Salvador to participate in the 35th annual commemoration of the martyrs.
During our pilgrimage, we will:
Visit the site where the tortured bodies of Srs. Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and laywoman Jean Donovan were found, and celebrate the Eucharist at the site of Saint Óscar Romero’s muder;
Meet with communities touched by the lives of the UCA martyrs;
And take part in the somber procession and liturgy at the UCA on the evening of November 16.
At each of these locations, we will take time to pray and we would like to bring your intentions with us.
What modern injustice(s) do you lament? – Where is there pain in our world we need to pray about? For whom do you grieve? Where is God’s deliverance needed?
What witnesses to justice would you like to name and offer prayers of thanksgiving? – Who has contributed to the work of justice in your own life or lifetime, and for whom do you want to offer thanks to God?
As we remember this tragic anniversary, we are challenged anew to embrace a life of courageous compassion and faith-filled action. The lives of the martyrs remind us that justice often comes at a cost, yet their sacrifice continues to inspire ISN’s work as a beacon of hope for communities everywhere. In a recent message recognizing ISN on its 20th anniversary, Jesuit Superior General Father Arturo Sosa reminded the Ignatian family that martyrdom is not a thing of the past, as the recent killing of lay preacher Juan López in Honduras earlier this year illustrates.
Today and all days, let us renew our commitment to building a world that reflects the dignity and worth of every person and our planet, keeping alive the mission of those who gave everything for peace and justice. May we walk in solidarity with one another, drawing strength from their legacy as we work for a world worthy of God’s love.
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