10 (Blessed) Miguel Pro Things that Caught My Eye Today

1.

Learn how #KofC was a part of Bl. Miguel Pro's fight against the mistreatment of #Catholics https://t.co/Y7MEJtLPTu https://t.co/JxU8On0EeU

— Knights of Columbus (@KofC) November 23, 2015

2. From a homily from Fr. Roger Landry:

88 years ago today, November 23, 1927, Fr. Miguel Pro was arrested and sentenced to death by the Mexican dictator, Plutarco Calles, without a trial. Calles wanted to use Fr. Pro as an example, to teach other clandestine Catholic priests and the Catholic faithful who sought their pastoral care what would happen to those who continued to try to practice the Catholic faith in defiance of the government’s dictates. So Calles sent out his henchmen to assemble a crowd and photograph the event. They crowd gathered and Fr. Miguel Pro was brought before the firing squad. He was asked if he had any dying wishes. He requested two minutes to pray. After he was done, he stood up and said to those who were about to end his life, “May God have mercy on you. May God bless you.” Then he turned to the one who would give him his life back and said, “You know, O Lord, that I am innocent. With all my heart I forgive my enemies.” As the firing squad raised their rifles and took aim, in a firm, clear voice, Fr. Miguel Pro said his last words, “Viva Cristo Rey!” — “Long live Christ the King!” “Viva Cristo Rey!” Those words began to echo throughout Mexico.

3.

Loving God renews His image in us. True love is shown not merely in word but in deed & in truth #StColumban

— Msgr Stanley Deptula (@Msgr_Deptula) November 23, 2015

4. “My great-grandmother died during the Cristero war because of the stress brought on by my great-grandfather hiding Catholic priests from the government. It was a scary time.”

5.

Bl. Miguel Pro, pray for us pray for the Church. Every Catholic needs to read his life and to fight for religious liberty as he did.

— Bishop David Kagan (@VescovoDDK) November 23, 2015

6.

Our supreme comfort in this life is to die to the world that we may live with Jesus crucified. (Blessed Miguel Pro)

— Cardinal Napier (@CardinalNapier) November 21, 2015

7. For children.

8. Humor and humanity.

9.From Bishop Olmsted in Phoenix:

what he accomplished in life is nothing compared to what he has accomplished in death. Before his martyrdom, of which he had a premonition, he had told a friend, “If I am ever caught, be prepared to ask me for things when I am in Heaven.” To another friend, he had joked that, if asked to give his life for the faith, he would deal out favors from heaven as if they were a deck of cards. Indeed, many favors and miracles occurred, within weeks of his martyrdom, from healing of incurable illnesses to dramatic conversions of hardened sinners. While persecution against the Church continued for years, and hundreds of other priests and tens of thousands of other Catholics lost their lives, their resolve to remain faithful witnesses to the end was strengthened by the courageous example of their compatriot Padre Pro.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II beatified Miguel Pro, bringing great honor to the priesthood and immense joy to the faithful in Mexico and far beyond. In his beatification homily, the Holy Father said of Blessed Miguel Pro, “Neither suffering nor serious illness, neither the exhausting ministerial activity, frequently carried out in difficult and dangerous circumstances, could stifle the radiating and contagious joy which he brought to his life for Christ and which nothing could take away. Indeed, the deepest root of self-sacrificing surrender for the lowly was his passionate love for Jesus Christ and his ardent desire to be conformed to Him, even unto death.”

10.

Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, intercede for all persecuted Christians that their steadfast witness to the Gospel may inspire the world.

— Bishop Barres (@BishopBarres) November 23, 2015

PLUS: A Chaplet of Blessed Miguel Pro, SJ