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Posted on 05/12/2006 5:22:49 PM PDT by AlaninSA
DENVER (CNS) -- A journey that began last year in Mexico and will end in Orlando, Fla., in August made Denver its latest stop May 5-7.
A silver cross containing relics of six of the 25 Mexican martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 has been traveling under the auspices of the Knights of Columbus.
Each of the six -- Sts. Pedro de Jesus Maldonado, Luis Batis Sainz, Jose Maria Robles Hurtado, Mateo Correa Megallanes, Miguel del la Mora de la Mora and Rodrigo Aguilar Aleman -- was a priest and a member of the Knights of Columbus. All 25 were martyred during the persecution of the church in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s.
The tour aims to build awareness of all those who sacrificed their lives for the Catholic faith during the Mexican persecution. During that time of oppression the church was forbidden to own property, Catholic seminaries and schools were closed, and priests and laity were told to publicly denounce their faith -- or risk death.
"People were killed simply because they were Catholic, simply because they were priests," said Andrew Walther, director of media relations for the New Haven, Conn.-based Knights, in an interview with the Denver Catholic Register, archdiocesan newspaper.
"This isn't ancient history," he said. "These are saints who are so recent that you have people here who had contact with them."
Walther said he met people in El Paso, Texas, who had received their first Communion from Father Maldonado, who was ordained in the El Paso cathedral in 1918. In addition, two nieces of Father Hurtado live in an El Paso convent.
The connections shouldn't be surprising, Walther said, since many Mexican Catholics immigrated to the United States seeking religious freedom during the Mexican persecution.
"More than a dozen people in Texas told me their family had come over during this time," Walther said. "(These) were ordinary priests who died martyrs' deaths because they took their faith seriously, and that's a powerful witness."
"Colorado is one of just eight states to which the relics of these six Mexican priests, all Knights, are traveling," said Jay Nothstine, Knights state deputy. "The final destination will be at the August 2006 (Knights) convention in Orlando, Fla."
After the visit to Denver, the relics' scheduled stops were:
-- May 13-14, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington.
-- May 20, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, N.M.
-- May 21, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Albuquerque, N.M.
-- June 3, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Philadelphia.
-- June 6-11, Knights of Columbus Museum, New Haven.
-- June 17-18, San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio.
-- July 13-18, exact location to be announced, Arizona.
-- July 23, Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago.
-- Aug. 1-3, Knights convention, Orlando.
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Oscar and Norma Maldonado pray with their children, Noemi, 5, and Nohely, 11, in front of the relics of six Mexican priests who were martyred for the faith during the religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920s. Oscar Maldonado is a relative of one of the martyrs, Father Pedro de Jesus Maldonado. The relics, photographed May 7 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, will visit several cities throughout the country in a tour promoted by the Knights of Columbus. (CNS photo/James Baca, D enver Catholic Register)
Well, I'll be heading to Orlando in August. I hope our Florida bishops (or at least the Knights chapters) publicize this. Few people in the US realize how hostile Mexico was to the Church. In fact, clergy ahd nuns only got to wear clericals and habits on the street a few years ago.
I'm wired.
I'd not realized this was coming to my town (San Antonio). I'll turn out for this - full regalia.
Nothing near us ... oh well. We have a coloring book about the Cristeros; my girls like me to read the Spanish text to them!
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