Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
March 24
Saint of the day:
Saint Óscar Romero
Patron Saint of Christian communicators, El Salvador, The Americas, Archdiocese of San Salvador,
Persecuted Christians, Caritas International (co-patron), Cainta, Rizal, Philippines
Saint Óscar Romero’s Story
Saint Oscar Romero’s Story
The night before he was murdered while celebrating Mass, Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador said on the radio: “I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the police, and the garrisons. Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given by a man, the law of God that says ‘Do not kill!’ should prevail.
“No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God. No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is the time now that you recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the command of sin. . . . Therefore, in the name of God, and in the name of this long-suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven every day more tumultuous, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you! In the name of God: ‘Cease the repression!’”
Simultaneously, Romero had eloquently upheld the gospel and effectively signed his own death warrant.
When he was appointed archbishop of San Salvador in 1977, Bishop Romero was considered a very “safe” choice. He had served as auxiliary bishop there for four years before his three years as bishop of Santiago de Maria.
Oscar’s father wanted him to be a carpenter—a trade for which he demonstrated some talent. Seminary classes in El Salvador preceded his studies at Rome’s Gregorian University and his ordination in 1942. After earning a doctorate in ascetical theology, he returned home and became a parish priest and later rector of an interdiocesan seminary.
Three weeks after his appointment as archbishop, Romero was shaken by the murder of his good friend Jesuit Father Rutilio Grande, a vigorous defender of the rights of the poor. Five more priests were assassinated in the Archdiocese of San Salvador during Romero’s years as its shepherd.
When a military junta seized control of the national government in 1979, Archbishop Romero publicly criticized the US government for backing the junta. His weekly radio sermons, broadcast throughout the country, were regarded by many as the most trustworthy source of news available.
Romero’s funeral was celebrated in the plaza outside the cathedral and drew an estimated 250,000 mourners.
His tomb in the cathedral crypt soon drew thousands of visitors each year. On February 3, 2015, Pope Francis authorized a decree recognizing Oscar Romero as a martyr for the faith. His beatification took place in San Salvador on May 23, 2015. He was canonized on October 14, 2018.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Romero
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-oscar-arnulfo-romero
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Prayer:
Visit:
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Savior San Salvador,
Municipio de San Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
Recipe:
El Salvadoran Pupusas
Ingredients
for 18 pupusas
Curtido (Slaw)
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1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
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1/4 head red cabbage, shredded
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1 small red onion, sliced thin
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1/2 green pepper, sliced thin
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2 medium carrots, grated
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4 cups boiling water
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1 cup distilled white vinegar
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1 tablespoon dried oregano
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1 teaspoon sugar
Chicharron (Meat Mix)
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1 teaspoon vegetable oil
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1 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2-cm) cubes
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ medium tomato, diced
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½ green bell pepper, diced
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½ small white onion, diced
Pupusa Dough
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4 cups masa harina
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2 teaspoons salt
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3 cups warm water
Filling
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1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
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1 cup refried bean, cooked
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
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Make the curtido: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. Pour the boiling water over the vegetables and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain.
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In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the vinegar, oregano, sugar and salt. Pour over the slaw and toss to coat. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer the curtido and any leftover liquid in the bowl to an airtight jar or container.
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Chill for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator, or chill overnight for best results.
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Make the chicharrón: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork shoulder and salt. Cook for 15 minutes without disturbing. If the pork is browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Turn the pork over and let cook on the other side for 10 minutes more, or until crispy and golden brown. If you don't want to fry the pork boil it instead. Use the saved pork water to make the pupusa dough. This will add so much flavor.
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Transfer the pork to a food processor and add the tomato, green bell pepper, and onion. Pulse until a thick paste forms. The mixture should not be watery. Set aside. (Vegetables in this step is optional.)
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Make the pupusa dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina and salt, then add the water. Use your hands to mix until the dough comes together with a soft clay-like texture. Too little water the dough will be thick and will crack.
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Fill a small bowl with water and a bit of oil and set near your work station. You’ll wet your fingers with the mixture as you work to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
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Take a golf ball-sized portion of dough and roll into a ball, then flatten into an even round.
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Fill the dough round with ½ tablespoon chicharrón paste, 1 teaspoon refried beans, and 1 teaspoon mozzarella cheese. Fold the dough over the filling until it’s completely sealed. Then, pat out the ball between your oiled hands until flat. If the pupusa cracks, patch it with a bit of dough and a little oil. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. (*if you have a picky eater, try making just cheese pupusas, add a few tablespoons of diced green bell peppers to the cheese mixture.) (**if you don't like beans, don't add them. Make this recipe work for you.)
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Heat a large pan or griddle over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil, then place 2-3 pupusas on the pan and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-4 minutes more, until golden brown and warmed through. Repeat with the remaining pupusas.
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Serve the pupusas with curtido and a tall glass of salvadoran horchata!
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Enjoy!
Salvadoran Salsa Roja
Ingredients
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5 medium ripe tomatoes, whole
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1 medium green onion
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1 medium carrot, quartered
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½ serrano chiles
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5 garlic clove
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5 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
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1 teaspoon sugar
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
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Bring the vegetables to a boil and cook until the skin on the tomatoes start to peel.
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Purée all the vegetables, sugar, and bouillon powder in a blender until smooth.
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Carefully pour tomato mixture into pan;
it will spit and bubble, so stand back! Cook salsa, stirring occasionally, until thick
and darker in color, 20–30 minutes. Let cool.
(*if you want a darker, richer flavor, intensely brown a yellow onion and add to the salsa at step #2.)
