In light of the social foment that began in the archdiocese in the 1970s, Rivera supported the controversial pastoral work undertaken by Father Rutilio Grande in the rural outskirts of San Salvador. According to Jesuit academic Rodolfo Cardenal, Rivera "supported the pastoral and theological innovations" being carried out by the Jesuits.
Rivera's support for Father Rutilio Grande's pastoral work in the 1970s, amidst social unrest within the archdiocese, reflects a commitment to the Jesuit academic Rodolfo Cardenal's observation that Rivera supported "pastoral and theological innovations" being implemented by the Jesuits.