"Come,
you who are blessed by my Father;
take
your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the
creation of the world. - Matthew 25:
34
...Let us ask our Lord then to make us
souls devoted
to the Blessed
Eucharist, so that our relationship
with Him brings forth joy and serenity and a desire
for justice. In this way we will
make it easier for
others to
recognize Christ; we will
put Christ
at the centre of all
human activities."
St Josemaria
Escriva
Quote
to honor today's Feast ...
Fr Magallanes wrote and preached against armed rebellion,
but was falsely accused of promoting the Cristero Rebellion in the area. He established a clandestine seminary at
Totatiche, Jalisco. Magallanes and the other priests were forced to minister
secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-1928). Arrested on May 21, 1927, while en route to
celebrate Mass at a farm, he gave away his few remaining possessions to his
executioners, gave them absolution, and without a trial, he was martyred four
days later.
Mateo Correa was shot when he refused to break the
seal of the confessional. Jose Maria Robles was arrested when he was overheard agreeing
to officiate a wedding. Julio
Alvares Mendoza was captured
on his way to say Mass. Before he was shot, Mendoza told his executioners, "My
crime is to be a minister of God. I pardon you."
St. Christopher
Magallanes and Companions*
Mexico
~ 1915-1937
*22
priests/3 layman
Memorialized in movie, For Greater
Glory
When imprisoned by the
government authorities, St Christopher
was heard to shout from his cell: "I am
innocent and I die innocent.
I forgive the authors of my death
from my heart, and I ask God
that my blood would serve to bring
peace to divided Mexicans".
St Christopher and Companions,
pray for us!
pray for us!
During
his homily at the canonization Mass on May 21, 2000, Saint John Paul II
addressed the Mexican men, women and children present in Rome and
said: “After the harsh trials that
the Church endured in Mexico during those turbulent years, today Mexican
Christians, encouraged by the witness of these witnesses to the faith, can live
in peace and harmony, contributing the wealth of gospel values to society.
The Church grows and advances, since
she is the crucible in which many priestly and religious vocations are born,
where families are formed according to God's plan, and where young people, a
substantial part of the Mexican population, can grow with the hope of a better
future. May the shining example of Cristóbal Magallanes and his companion
martyrs help you to make a renewed commitment of fidelity to God, which can
continue to transform Mexican society so that justice, fraternity and harmony
will prevail among all.”
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