Fr. José María Tojeira, S.J. (1947-2025)
Sad news from El Salvador with the sudden death yesterday of Jesuit Father Jose Maria ("Chema") Tojeira. He died while on a trip in Guatemala City. Born in Spain, as a young Jesuit Tojeira came to Central America in 1969, first in Honduras, before coming to El Salvador during the civil war. He was a fellow Jesuit of those massacred at the UCA in 1989, and continued in El Salvador until the time of his death as an outspoken voice for social justice and human rights. Among other positions he served as rector of the UCA and later headed the University's human rights office. “Fr. Chema witnessed to the courageous love illuminated through the Gospel—standing with the vulnerable, searching tirelessly for truth after the murders of the UCA martyrs, and cultivating communities rooted in the love of Christ and the inherent dignity of all,” said Christopher Kerr, executive director of the Ignatian Solidarity Network . Here is a 2015 video profile of his ...