and secular authorities are not at odds with one another than they are in improving the lot of the people they serve. There is a reluctance to meddle in the affairs of state, and so much of the Church becomes complicitous in the murders, the land-grabs, and the acquisition of power that so engages the ruling class in El Salvador. In truth, the real constituency of the Church is the poor, and yet the Church, if only through inaction, serves the interests of the rich in this country.
Romero becomes a pawn in the struggle between the rich and the poor, and it is clear that the ruling leadership believes Romero, in his capacity as religious leader, should side with them and promote their form of order. At first, he attempts to run a middle course--when the hierarchy is about to release a statement condemning the murder of innocent civilians by the army at a celebration in the town square, Romero suggests toning down the rhetoric. He may not approve of
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