As a college, teachers and students alike are encouraged to express and explore their faith in both meaningful and unapologetic ways. This is done through the pastoral and academic journey that every student is invited to embark upon. This approach seeks to build characters who are socially conscious and morally responsible, able to contribute to our local and the international communities we belong in. Following this aim, as our sixth form continues to grow, including the opening of our new building, students voted to name the new study room and common room after Saint Oscar Romero. He was a man who led by example of what it means to be a Catholic, and the challenges that accompany it, as he did so in the everyday lives of the citizens in El Salvador. He continues to inspire Catholics today and helps bring attention to international issues. Yet many are still learning of the Oscar Romero story, one profoundly entrenched in both El Salvador’s and the Catholic church’s history. This path of advocacy blossomed since he was young.

Born on August 15, 1917, Oscar Romero grew up in poverty yet pursued his calling in Catholicism. He joined a junior seminary in 1930, age 14. Later studying in Rome during WWII,  he experienced a major loss of his brother and father. Romero was later ordained a priest in 1942. In El Salvador, he became famous for his sermons, participating in visiting prisons and organising catechism classes. He sought preferential action for the poor as it reflected his own childhood by giving church aid and his own wealth for the unfortunate.  He became both a Bishop (21/6/1970) and Archbishop of San Salvador (1977). Pre-conferring of his rank to Archbishop, 1974 was a key time of violent uprisings as militant arms began killing innocent people. He comforted the victim’s families and wrote to the President to protest about the murders. A memorial and protest service - the only mass in the diocese - was held for his friend, Fr Rutilio Grande along with two companions who were killed from these attacks. As the violence in El Salvador continued, Romero continued to speak out. Every Sunday his sermon was broadcast by radio and with the help of CAFOD. These acts of protest later led to his Martyrdom on 23 March 1980 where he had preached the day before “In the name of God, and in the name of this suffering people whose cries rise to heaven more loudly each day, I beg you, I implore you, I order you, in the name of God, stop the repression!” He was a prominent advocate in the civil war (even after his death) that continued till 1992. On 23rd May 2015 was his beatification where he was announced as a martyr and 2018 was his canonisation to become the Saint Oscar Romero.

Today, Saint Oscar Romero stands as a symbol of courage and compassion. His story reminds us that faith must be lived, not merely preached, and that true discipleship often comes at a cost. Majority of his life was spent standing in solidarity with the impoverished by giving the voiceless a voice and was a man of non-violence, much like Jesus. In many ways, he embodied the Gospel that has shaped our lives as Catholics. For three years (since 1977) he was in the spotlight in San Salvador – a parallel to Jesus's three-year public ministry. He preached the Gospels on Sundays to the whole country, truly spreading the message of needed peace and love. With this, students at our sixth form are inspired to do this through other outlets.

At St. Bede’s Catholic College, all members of our community use St. Oscar Romero’s path of faith as a model of what we aspire to achieve, as individuals and collectively as a sixth form. For individuals, his altruistic proverb is who we aspire to express both within the college and beyond that in wider society. We demonstrate this with our collective degree of care and concern no matter the differences we may have between us. Furthermore, we admire, appreciate and celebrate each other’s successes and see them as a way to uplift everyone as a whole. This is put into action through each and every member of the sixth form community being given the voice to express their goals and aspirations; whether it’s through themselves or larger student bodies. This is a reminder to them that they are a beloved member of the community whether the contribution is big or small just as Oscar Romero heard and voiced for all the people of his community. Giving a voice to the voiceless is a vivid reflection of Romero’s inspirational advocacy of human rights, followed by the hope and encouragement he provided for his people. He once proclaimed, ‘In the theology of human nature there is only one class; the children of God’. Again, this emphasises his firm belief in the significance of equality within society, and that in the eyes of God, we are all of indistinguishable worth despite our varying backgrounds. This is primarily how Romero brought about putting faith into action, devoting his life to God and his people. Across our sixth form, both students and teachers are highly admired for their myriad of skilfulness and craft, of which they are constantly kept motivated to showcase, demonstrating the magnitude of respect the society has for their peers.

Prime examples expressing our degree of compassion for the community are involved in the students and teachers day-to-day lives. Charities, fundraiser events and volunteering are intertwined with the schools action to faith; both in partnership with other schools and external organisations. Organisations include: CAFOD, Breast Cancer Awareness, World Wildlife Fund and many more local food banks. Further financial and spiritual aid is provided to countries suffering from current global conflicts. Students have the opportunity to preach and learn more of the bible through reading the gospel during masses and in key times of celebration such as Easter and Christmas. Their talents are honed to spread joy much like Oscar Romero. Some include the choir where students are able to pursue their musical passion and equally express their faith. The school choir provides our sixth form students an outlet to share their talent and faith with the wider community as such. Furthermore, external retreats and events in Clifton diocese where pupils with similar shared beliefs and interests in deepening their knowledge within their faith all the while being outside the school environment. For those students who do not have the opportunity to receive the Word of God inside a Church, St Bede’s prevents this from limiting their ability to deepen their relationship with God and understanding of the Catholic traditions and faith. Staff also provide an optimistic outlook on mental health awareness of students here, as did Oscar Romero during the civil war as he had pushed to comfort the victims. This helps provide a comfortable environment for our students to express their thoughts, faith related or not.

Inspired by the ethos of Oscar Romero, students and teachers contribute to our faith-filled life by engaging in weekly mass, visiting the chapel, joining a chaplaincy team, partaking in daily prayer and even attending theology classes. They’re also able to receive guidance through the school chaplain for their journeys.  Students are given the opportunity to explore the teachings of the catholic faith and take both the members of school and wider society into consideration when doing so. All are demonstrations of how pupils express unity and convey esteem.

The sense of spiritual solidarity built through shared beliefs and values which are practiced through similar ways to that of Oscar Romero portray the importance of Catholicism and unity at St Bede’s. Through behaviours such as looking out for one another in the hallway, to fundraising for charities helping those caught in warfare, the consistent kindness, compassion and selfless support shown from students and teachers follows the teachings, moral values and ethics that Oscar Romero had. We hope to continue being inspired by St. Romero for the years to come and to be guided by him in our faith journey.

Diya Asif Ali, Diana George, Sandi Tshuma - Yr 12 students