Crosses on the Quad explained at Salvadoran martyrs commemoration
Maria Pia Negro
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: News
Then the candle ceremony took place. After this moving moment, attendees sung the refrain of the song - "No mas, no more" - to denounce the injustices that led to the deaths of these martyrs and other 75,000 people in El Salvador and to commit as a community to seek justice. The song is part of the annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice and School of the Americas Vigil at Ft. Benning, Georgia. A delegation of 24 Loyola students went there last weekend.
The ceremony ended with a closing prayer, followed by a reception in Cohn Hall where people could visit the Just Art Gallery exhibit about these martyrs, Archbishop Romero and thousands of innocent Salvadorans who have died.
A lot of people were moved by this ceremony after they learned about the martyrs and joined as a community to honor those who died being faithful to the Jesuit values that members of the Loyola community also uphold.
Greg Torres, '12, made going to the commemoration a priority after seeing the crosses, explanation and follow-up this year. He said he was shocked by the graphic documentary. "These were priests, they were holy men killed. They didn't do anything wrong", said Torres. He also said that this made him want to learn more about the civil war in El Salvador.
"It was powerful just to have the candles," said Kara Griffin, '10, who is part of the Encounter El Salvador group. Griffin came to the ceremony to learn more about the martyrs and she thinks this symbol and the crosses on the Quad "honor [the] men and women, Jesuit and lay, who were brutally murdered for doing what they thought was right."
Lauren Jannielo, '12, thought the lighting of the candles was a beautiful way to honor these martyrs. "They [the martyrs] were saying these profound things before they died because they live everyday to the fullest serving others," Jannielo said.
Margarita Dubocq, CCSJ's assistant director of poverty concerns and faith connections, said that they still receive e-mails from people talking about experiences during the commemoration.
The ceremony ended with a closing prayer, followed by a reception in Cohn Hall where people could visit the Just Art Gallery exhibit about these martyrs, Archbishop Romero and thousands of innocent Salvadorans who have died.
A lot of people were moved by this ceremony after they learned about the martyrs and joined as a community to honor those who died being faithful to the Jesuit values that members of the Loyola community also uphold.
Greg Torres, '12, made going to the commemoration a priority after seeing the crosses, explanation and follow-up this year. He said he was shocked by the graphic documentary. "These were priests, they were holy men killed. They didn't do anything wrong", said Torres. He also said that this made him want to learn more about the civil war in El Salvador.
"It was powerful just to have the candles," said Kara Griffin, '10, who is part of the Encounter El Salvador group. Griffin came to the ceremony to learn more about the martyrs and she thinks this symbol and the crosses on the Quad "honor [the] men and women, Jesuit and lay, who were brutally murdered for doing what they thought was right."
Lauren Jannielo, '12, thought the lighting of the candles was a beautiful way to honor these martyrs. "They [the martyrs] were saying these profound things before they died because they live everyday to the fullest serving others," Jannielo said.
Margarita Dubocq, CCSJ's assistant director of poverty concerns and faith connections, said that they still receive e-mails from people talking about experiences during the commemoration.
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posted 12/04/09 @ 3:09 PM EST
Quote:
"The commemoration started by explaining the white crosses placed on the Quad, followed by a 17-minute clip of the documentary "Enemies of War," which showed how these priests and educators died as witness to their faith and commitment to the people of El Salvador and the role of the United States during the civil war. (Continued…)
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