Oscar Romero to his enemies…

And so, brothers and sisters,

I repeat again what I have said here so often,

addressing by radio those who perhaps have caused

so many injustices and acts of violence,

those who have brought tears to so many homes,

those who have stained themselves

with the blood of so many murders,

those who have hands soiled with tortures,

who are unmoved

to see under their boots a person abased,

suffering,

perhaps ready to die.

To all of them I say:

No matter your crimes.

They are ugly and horrible,

and you have abased the highest dignity

of a human person,

but God calls you

and forgives you.

And here perhaps arises the aversion of those

who feel they are laborers from the first hour.

How can I be in heaven with those criminals?

Brothers and sisters, in heaven

there are no criminals.

The greatest criminal, once repented of his sins,

is now a child of God.

- Oscar Romero. September 24, 1978 from The Violence of Love.