Service Marks Anniversary of Six Jesuits Murdered

Members of the Boston College community gathered in the quad Monday night to honor and remember several martyrs of the 1989 El Salvador conflict. The event marked the 20th anniversary of the brutal murder of six Jesuits, their housekeeper, and her daughter at the University of Central America (UCA) by members of a Salvadoran death squad. The murders were in response to the Jesuits’ concern for the impoverished citizens of El Salvador, who were being abused by the nation’s militaristic government.  

The vigil started with a moment of silence and introduction by Rev. Don MacMillan, S.J., who organized the event along with Sam Hay, A&S ’10, and Edward Shore, A&S ’10. With Gasson Tower looming overhead, the participants lied down in front of white crosses marking the known and unknown martyrs of El Salvador. The students read aloud the names and accomplishments of the victims and those lying on the ground rose up to the word presente, symbolizing that even in death the spirit of the martyrs endures.
The image of bodies, motionless and silent on the ground, was a grave reminder of the crimes suffered in honor of justice. Those sufferings have left a deep wound that, for many, has yet to heal.

“These men and women were not just individuals; they were part of a community and that community is still suffering,” MacMillan said.

To the BC community members who participated, the anniversary was not simply a remembrance but a call to action.

“The memory of these marginalized people is present with us,” Shore said. “We refuse to let their suffering be ignored.”

MacMillan echoed this sentiment and said that he and the martyrs were “brothers” even though he didn’t know them.

The event was well-attended, as passersby stopped to contemplate and reflect. Those present felt compelled to remember these martyrs and carry on their legacy. Somewhat troubling for organizers, however, was the relative lack of involvement by the school’s administration. Other Jesuit universities like Xavier University dedicated the entire week to remembering and honoring the martyrs of El Salvador.  The organizers all said that BC could have been more vocal on the subject.

Nick Aigner A&S ’12, a participant in the service, said he expected more out of the administration in terms of commitment and appreciation. “At the heart of the Jesuit order is a commitment to social justice and service to others, and if Boston College truly wants to embody these Jesuits ideals, there should have been greater awareness for those martyrs who upheld these principles,” he said. “With that said, the ceremony was very moving and I’m proud of the work put in by the students of Boston College.”
Shore pointed to the “latent passion” of students on campus, adding that a campus- wide gathering on the anniversary similar to the Mass of the Holy Spirit would be “fitting and appropriate.”

Hay agreed and said it was important for people on campus to “stop and think” about the tragedies that occur everyday in foreign lands.

The organizers, however,  noted that the struggle for justice is not unique to Latin America.

Hay pointed to the injustices going on right here in Chestnut Hill, stating, “It’s difficult to focus on Latin America when the workers of Boston College are having to worry about their contracts every day.”

“In our lifetime, this is the movement that has sparked renewed interest in the ideals of social justice,” Hay said.

An important message the organizers hoped to portray was the Jesuit ideal of sacrifice for the greater good. Shore urged attendees to “embrace the responsibility of social justice [because] change will not come without sacrifice.”

Hay, Shore and other BC students will continue their efforts to promote social justice this weekend in Fort Benning, Ga., where they will protest the School of the Americas, a combat training school for Latin American soldiers where several of the 1989 killers were trained.