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orn in Sahuayo, Michoacan, 28 March 1913, son of Macario and Maria Sanchez del Rio, Jose Luis was murdered on 10 February 1928, during Mexico's religious persecution known as The Cristero War.The Cristeros were a large group Mexican Catholics leveled against the oppression of the regime of Plutarco Elías Calles. A year before his martyrdom, José Luis had joined the forces' Cristero »General Prudencio Mendoza, nestled in the town of Cotija, Michoacan. The martyrdom was witnessed by two children, one of seven years and the other nine, who later became founders of religious congregations. One of them is the Rev....

"For Greater Glory" Thoughts Part 1 I saw the movie "For Greater Glory" yesterday. I recommend seeing it. It was quite good, although it didn't go far enough in driving home the brutality of the Cristero War. It was more than people being hung and shot. It was rape and unspeakable torture - and please never forget that rape is a near-universal phenomenon in war, particularly amongst non-Christians and anti-Christians. The rape is probably the thing I dread the most about the upcoming war here in the U.S. This is going to be different. It isn't going to be armies...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: I have to tell you about a movie that opens today. I saw some of it last night. I got started late and I had to go to bed. Yes, yes, as powerful, influential member of the media, I have a screener. And they captioned it for me but they captioned it in Spanish. So... (laughing) It's this Andy Garcia movie. They're sponsoring it here on the program. It is excellent. It's For Greater Glory. It's about religious freedom in Mexico, set 1917. And it's an attack on the Catholic Church. Catholics are mowed down, gunned down...

Words can't describe the awe this film inspired, and as we left the private screening of For Greater Glory in Madrid, it was very clear to us why Hollywood did not want this film to be made.

In the early 20th Century, the Mexican people banded together and fought a war against their overzealous government which was infringing on their religious rights. And although the Cristero War was an important event in that nation’s history, many Mexicans don’t learn about it in public school because it embarrasses the government, according to actor Eduardo Verástegui.” But Verástegui’s newest film For Greater Glory attempts to tell the story of that important war. I recently talked to the young actor about the true story behind the film, the cause of religious freedom and why he enjoys playing heroes. Glory focuses...

When I first heard "For Greater Glory" (originally titled "Cristiada," which I prefer) was being shot, I was stunned -- and skeptical. It never could be produced by Hollywood. In fact, it wouldn't be a theatrical release, maybe a short documentary, certainly with a small budget. On the former, I was correct; it was made in Mexico. On the latter, I was wrong; it's a full-fledged major motion picture with grade-A talent. And it's wonderful. The cast includes Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Peter O'Toole (in a cameo role as a murdered priest, the octogenarian is splendid), Ruben Blades and...

Starring Andy Garcia and Peter O'Toole, "For Greater Glory" is a compelling war film based on the true story of the Cristero War -- a conflict caused by the brutal government crackdown on the Mexican Catholic Church in the 1920s. Released at a time when religious freedom, especially for Catholics, is being attacked in the United States and elsewhere, the picture is also particularly timely. Beautifully shot across the plains of northern and central Mexico and accompanied by a stirring soundtrack by Hollywood composer James Horner, the movie takes the audience through the harrowing violence and suppression of the Church...