May 13th ~ COAR Honored Anthony Pilla
Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Cleveland
We have also lost so many wonderful people who walked with us like Monseñor Romero and many priests. Back in those days, in the time of conflict, just surviving was the goal every day. So you can’t imagine how much energy it gave us, how much optimism, how much hope it gave us knowing that there were people here and around the world that were thinking of us and supporting us. . .
And so, I want to take this time to thank Bishop Pilla, not just for his support here in Cleveland, but for being present with us in El Salvador over the years. I want to take this opportunity to thank him for this dedication. . . Faith is universal whether you are among the rich or the poor, no matter where you live. Faith creates solidarity and brings us all together. Thank you.
José, pictured with Bishop Pilla at COAR in 1981, is circled in yellow. He was able to join us at the Benefit. These are excerpts of his remarks.
I’ve been thinking, how many different evenings like this and meetings have there been over the past nearly 40 years? I’m here tonight to speak on behalf of every single one of the COAR beneficiaries, those whom you have helped at COAR over these years. More than anything else, I am here to thank Bishop Pilla for giving of himself, for having the strength and fortitude during those horrible dark and violent days, to support COAR.
Back in those days we were happy to just to be alive another day. Every day was a victory. When there was a new day of life, of peace, that was a victory. And especially to have a visitor from the United States to come see us, that was something very special.
