Too often we think of saints and martyrs as distant
figures, living in a time well before us; yet there are saints among us today,
and martyrs too. Today is the Memorial
of St. Cristobal Magallanes and companions, whose martyrdom began a hundred
years ago just to the south of us.
Mexico has had a long history of anti-clericalism in a
predominately Catholic country. When
Maximilian von Hapsburg was installed by the French Emperor Napoleon III as
Emperor of Mexico; the dubious venture had the backing of the church
hierarchy. When Maximilian was deposed
and executed by Mexican forces, the new government and constitution of Mexico
contained strong anti-clerical provisions which restricted the Church’s
freedom. In the revolutionary struggles
of the early twentieth century, the church hierarchy had supported President
Porfirio Diaz, who had been deposed by a revolution led by Francisco
Madero. When Madero himself was
overthrown and executed by Victoriano Huerto (who was supported by the church
hierarchy), the revolutionary generals Caranza, Villa and Zapata in turn overthrew
him. The succeeding Mexican governments
through the 1910s and 1920s became increasingly secular and repressive. In the 1920s, the Calles Laws were passed,
which (among other repressions) confiscated church property; closed convents,
schools and monasteries; and severely restricted and persecuted the clergy.
Members of the Cristeros Movement hung in Jalisco
In response to this repression, Catholic organizations
formed the Cristero Movement (from their slogan, "For Christ the King and the Virgin of Guadalupe!") to fight for religious freedom. Although originally conceived as a peaceful protest,
violence escalated as the government used fear, intimidation and physical
violence to put down the movement.
Priests often lost their lives for conducting their ministry or even
wearing clerical garb in public. Father
Cristobal Magallanes had established a clandestine seminary in Totatiche in the
state of Jalisco. For this, and for
secretly ministering the sacraments to the people, Magallanes and his
companions were arrested, tried and sentenced to death. As he was led from his cell, Fr. Magallanes
proclaimed, “I am innocent and I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart
those responsible for my death, and I ask God that the shedding of my blood
serve the peace of our divided Mexico".
Father Cristobal Magallanes
In 1992, Blessed Pope John Paul II beatified Father
Magallanes, his companions and a total of 24 clergy and 3 laymen who had been
martyred for their participation in the non-violent actions of the Cristero
Movement. Eight years later, he
canonized them, saying at the canonization mass, “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. 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.”
Even today, in the Middle East, Africa and China; Christians are still subject to persecution and martyrdom. We in the West live in affluence and security; seemingly apathetic to the slow and insidious encroachments on religious liberty advanced by increasingly secular governments, that wish not only to marginalize the expression of faith, but are outright hostile to it. Our brothers and sisters in the world are suffering and dying for the basic religious rights that we are so callously bartering away for a false sense of luxury and security. Let us pray that the shining witness of St. Cristobal Magallanes and his companions will stir us to fully claim the religious freedom granted, not by any government, but by God.
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