Biography

Rogelio Ponseele (1939 – "025) was a Belgian Catholic priest who became widely known in El Salvador for his long pastoral service and his role as a chaplain during the country’s civil war. Originally part of a Belgian mission of priests working with Catholic communities in San Salvador in the early 1970s, Ponseele remained in the country through decades of political violence and social upheaval. Faced with increasing repression of clergy and religious workers, he chose not to go into exile and instead moved to Morazán, where he became known as the “chaplain of the guerrilla,” offering spiritual support both to civilians and to combatants and preaching in areas under rebel influence during the 1980s. He continued his pastoral work in Morazán long after the peace accords, serving communities and ministries in the region for more than fifty years. Ponseele died on 24 March 2025 from complications following a car accident near Perquín, Morazán, coinciding with the anniversary of Archbishop Óscar Romero’s martyrdom. His ministry was widely commemorated by parishioners and religious communities in El Salvador.