Ana Grande's great uncle was Fr. Rutilio Grande, SJ, a Jesuit from El Salvador who was just beatified last month. (Beatification is the final step before canonized sainthood in the church, and we can call him Blessed Rutilio now.)

Blessed Rutilio was assassinated by El Salvador's security forces in 1977 for his ministry and community organizing with impoverished farmers. He was good friends with Archbishop Oscar Romero, and Rutilio’s death sparked Romero’s own conversion from a reserved leader who preferred to stay away from controversy into an outspoken prophet for peace and justice.

Ana spoke with host Mike Jordan Laskey just a few hours after she had returned to her home in Los Angeles from Fr. Rutilio’s beatification. She talked about was like to be there for the ceremony, plus what it's like to have someone in your own family so close to sainthood. Ana has so clearly been inspired by Blessed Rutilio’s work for justice herself, as she has dedicated her life to social justice causes like immigration reform. She’s also a longtime member of Blessed Sacrament Church, the Jesuit parish in Hollywood. It's a privilege to hear from Ana about her experience at the beatification and how she thinks her great uncle’s legacy can inspire all of us today.

Follow Ana Grande on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsAnaGrande

AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

Subscribe to AMDG wherever you get podcasts.