LOOK: Faithful remember Fr. Rudy Romano 30 years after abduction

Residents of Cebu City on Saturday gathered to mark the 30th anniversary of the abduction of Fr. Rudy Romano, who a Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines official described as a champion of the poor.

A photo posted by GMA Cebu's Chona Carreon showed residents attending a ceremony commemorating Romano's "disappearance" in 1985.

Candles were lighted and prayers offered during the ceremony.


^{Chona Carreon}

Earlier, Cebu archbishop and former CBCP president Jose Palma reminded priests to go beyond band-aid solutions in helping the poor, in a message timed for the anniversary of Romano's disappearance.

The CBCP said Saturday's memorial service was scheduled at Katipunan corner Cabarrubias Streets in Cebu City - the site where Romano was abducted 30 years ago.

A concelebrated Mass is scheduled at the Redemptorist Church, followed by a candle-lighting ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

Palma also called on the religious to remember the example of Blessed Oscar Romero of El Salvador in fighting for the poor.

“I call upon the whole archdiocese to remember these two modern martyrs. Above all, I pray that we would be as brave as Jesus, Blessed Oscar, and Fr. Rudy. May we also go beyond palliative approaches in helping the poor,” he said.

Palma compared Romano to Blessed Romero, who he said is a martyr and an outspoken champion of the poor.

Romero had opposed the tyrannical repression in El Salvador, at risk to his life. Palma said Romero was killed while celebrating Mass because of his advocacies, did not just help the poor with “palliatives” but also experienced the “unjust structures used by the oppressors to exploit the poor.”

On the other hand, he said Romano similarly went beyond short-term responses to the plight of the poor.

He said Romano was vocal and active with exploited workers, slum dwellers, landless peasants, and other sectors of society “oppressed by unjust structures.”

“Together with them, may we also confront the structures that keep the poor exploited and oppressed,” Palma said. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News