Novena to Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro: Patron of Mexican Catholics, Persecuted Priests and Clergy, the Poor and Marginalized

Novena to Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro: Patron of Mexican Catholics, Persecuted Priests and Clergy, the Poor and Marginalized

The Mexican Revolution, spanning from 1910 to 1920, was a pivotal movement that sought to dismantle the hierarchical structures of Mexican society. Rooted in ideals of social justice and land reform, the revolution ultimately targeted the Catholic Church, which was seen as a bastion of old societal order. Revolutionary forces regarded the Church’s influence over the masses and its vast landholdings as threats to the new secular vision. Laws were passed to restrict religious institutions, confiscate Church property, and dissolve religious orders. These actions set the stage for the persecution that would engulf the Church in Mexico for years to come. This secularization was not simply a political maneuver; it was an attempt to transform Mexican culture at its roots, severing the people’s ties to Catholicism and replacing them with loyalty to a nationalist ideology. It is within this hostile climate that Miguel discerned his call, recognizing the Church’s increasing need for priests willing to serve even under threat of death. As anti-clerical policies escalated, so did resistance among the faithful. The Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929) became a national conflict that would test the resilience of Mexican Catholics. The Cristeros, a movement of lay Catholics, rose in defiance of government laws that criminalized public worship and religious education. Shouting their battle cry, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”), these men and women fought to defend their right to practice their faith freely. Though many of them were peasants and laborers with limited means, their commitment to Christ and the Church knew no bounds......... .......By 1927, the Mexican government’s anti-Catholic stance had reached a fever pitch. President Plutarco Elías Calles, determined to secularize Mexican society, enacted severe laws that stripped the Church of its rights and subjected clergy and faithful alike to intense scrutiny. The government viewed the Catholic Church as a political enemy, a force that resisted the secular vision of the state. Under Calles’ leadership, laws known as the “Calles Laws” were enforced, making religious gatherings, public Masses, and religious education illegal. Any priest who dared to minister openly was marked as a criminal. Father Pro, with his extensive underground ministry, had become an inevitable target. His ministry was known to the faithful but also to the authorities, who saw in him a dangerous symbol of resistance. The government needed a pretext to silence him, and circumstances soon provided them with an opportunity. Miguel’s life had always been lived in the shadow of danger, but now he faced the full might of a government determined to make an example of him. The events that led to Miguel’s arrest were both tragic and politically calculated. On November 13, 1927, an assassination attempt was made on Álvaro Obregón, a prominent government official. Although Miguel was in no way connected to the attack, the authorities saw an opportunity to frame him, along with his brothers Humberto and Roberto, as conspirators. On November 18, Miguel was arrested, along with several family members, under suspicion of involvement in the plot. The charges were baseless, but they served the government’s purpose of portraying the Church as a subversive force.