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A man whose feast day falls appropriately close to the Solemnity of Christ the King is Blessed Miguel Pro of Mexico. His feast day is November 23. He was martyred on that date in 1927 in the midst of the Cristeros War in Mexico. Beginning in 1924, Mexico was ruled by a very anti-Catholic president, who enacted fierce persecution of Catholics. This resulted in resistance from Catholics, especially those known as the Cristero rebels. As a Jesuit priest, Father Miguel continued his ministry to Mexican Catholics in secret. After being falsely accused of an assassination attempt on the Mexican president, Father Miguel was sentenced to death.
“Both literally and figuratively, Father Miguel’s life and death take the form of the cross. With arms outstretched in cruciform, rosary in one hand and a crucifix in the other, facing the firing squad with fierce and fearless serenity, Miguel Pro defied every worldly power. It is said that he cried out in a clear and steady voice, ‘¡Viva Cristo Rey!’ just as the bullets riddled his body,” writes Sr. Theresa Marie Nguyen, O.P., in a reflection for USCCB.org. After the first shots from the firing squad failed to kill him, a soldier shot him point blank in the head.
Teach Venture / Aventura students about Blessed Miguel Pro by downloading this seasonal resource: Blessed Miguel Pro / Beato Miguel Pro
Learn more about Blessed Miguel Pro and the Cristeros War by viewing these videos:
• ¡Viva, Cristo Rey! Blessed Miguel Pro—One-Minute Saints
• The Modern Day Saint Who Confronted Mexico’s Persecution
• For Greater Glory: The True Story of the Cristiada (2012 full-length movie streaming options)
Image credit: Grentidez (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons
