Traditional † Catholicism: Cristeros

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

The 20th century was the bloodiest century in history, the "century of massacres," "hell's century," the century of martyrs-just like all the others? Never had there been so many martyrs in the space of 100 years, not even in the space of 1,000 years. Today I would like to recall for you the Mexican Catholics who rose up against Freemasonry for the social reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. They were called the Cristeros.

From the time its independence was declared in 1821, Mexico had a troubled history: civil wars, dictatorships, coup d’états, revolutions (1876-1911), property despoiled, priests imprisoned, assassinations plotted, bishops expelled. ... Why so many misfortunes? A proverb provides the answer: "Poor Mexico! So far from God and so close to the United States..."

In 1914, President Carranza, put in place by the US, inaugurated a period of open persecution: priests were massacred (160 were killed in Mexico in February 1915).

Imprisoned women for being suspected of helping the Cristeros.

John Lind, one of Woodrow Wilson's advisors, rejoiced over the news: "Great news! The more priests they kill in Mexico, the happier I shall be!" An American pastor, indignant about the outraging of the nuns in Vera Cruz, received this reply from Wilson's personal representative: "After prostitution, the worst thing in Mexico is the Catholic Church. Both must disappear!"(John Lind was publicly known as having strong anti-Catholic bias).

Cristeros attending Holy Mass.

A banner used by the Cristeros.

In 1924, Plutarco Elias Calles (descendant of Spanish Jews) became President (he was also a 33rd degree freemason). For him, "the Church is the unique cause of all Mexico's misfortunes." With the complicity of a Masonic priest, Fr. Perez, proclaimed by the government "Patriarch of the Mexican Catholic Church," Calles founded a schismatic "patriotic Church." The government financed the opening of 200 Protestant schools and Calles smoothed the way for heretical sects (already well financed by the US), but the Mexican people remained stubbornly attached to Rome!

In 1926, the Catholic schools were shut down, the congregations expelled, Christian trade unions forbidden, numerous churches confiscated and profaned (turned into stables or halls) or destroyed. Public school attendance became mandatory, atheism was officially taught, and religious insignia (medals, crucifixes, statues, and pictures) were forbidden, even at home. God was even chased from the language! The use of such expressions as Adios, "If God wills," or "God forbid," was subject to a fine. Lastly, the priests were "registered": some states (Mexico is a federal republic) required them to swear not to proselytize, others tried to command them to marry if they wished to continue in their function!

On July 12, the following communiqué appeared in the press: "International Masonry accepts responsibility for everything that is happening in Mexico, and is preparing to mobilize all its forces for the methodic, integral application of the agreed upon program for this country."

A Cristero leader.

The bishops decided to suspend public worship throughout the land starting July 31, 1926: all the places of public worship would be closed, there would be no Masses offered nor sacraments administered throughout the country except in private chapels. This was an unheard of, inexplicable decision, unless by it they intended to push the Mexicans to revolt, for the one thing they could not bear was to be deprived of the sacraments. During the final days of July, people thronged the churches day and night, going to confession, receiving baptism, marrying.

Christians have prayer, and the country was crisscrossed by gigantic penitential processions: 10,000, 15,000 faithful, barefooted, crowned with thorns, implored God for their country. The powers that be could not tolerate that; their heavy machine guns dispersed the processions, and the first martyrs fell, singing.

From the first days of August, the Mexican people, deprived of their priests (only 200 remained with their faithful) and of their bishops (only 1 remained out of 38) used force to resist the inventorying of the closed churches and the accompanying sacrileges. Their rallying cry was: "Long live Christ the King!" To keep from hearing it, the soldiers had only one solution: cut out the tongue of those whom they were going to kill, of those whom, because of these cries, they named the Cristeros. One of them wrote before dying: "We are going to perish. We will not see the victory, but Mexico needs all this blood for its purification .... Christ will receive the homage which is due Him."

Blood flowed .... Ireland broke its diplomatic relations with Mexico. ... No other state followed suit.

In January 1927, Catholic Mexico rose: 20,000 combatants (30,000 by the end of the year, and 50,000 in 1929); few arms (a few rifles and carbines, but mostly hatchets, machetes, and sometimes simply sticks); few horses; but all the people supporting them, offering them their money, and necessaries. A Cristero peasant recounted how they set out with songs and prayers on their lips:

“We were 1,000, then 5,000, then more! Everyone set out as if to go to the harvest. ... We firmly intended to die, angry or not, but to die for Christ.”

The old men and children, unarmed, followed behind the troops, in the hope of martyrdom. The parents of Nemesio and Isidro Lopez did not want to see them depart for the war for fear that their flesh would go to feed coyotes and eagles; but they replied, "The coyotes may indeed eat our flesh, but our souls will ascend straight to heaven."

José Sanchez was 13. In February 1928 he was surrounded by the Federales. He gave up his horse to the group leader who was wounded and covered his retreat. Running out of ammunition, he was captured. "Know it well," he said, "I am not surrendering, I have merely run out of ammo." He was slaughtered. A note was found in his pocket: "My dearest Mom: Here I am a captive, and they are going to kill me. I am happy. The only thing that troubles me is that you are going to cry. Don't cry. We shall meet again. Signed, José, killed for Christ the King.”

Martyrdom of Father Miguel Pro: he was shot on November 23, 1927, along with his brother who was also a Cristero, while crying out: "Long live Christ the King!"

President Calles is reported to have looked down upon a throng of 40,000 which lined Fr. Pro's funeral procession and another 20,000 waited at the cemetery where he was buried without a priest present, his father saying the final words.

(Above and below) martyred priests.

The Cristeros became more animated and fought with renewed enthusiasm, many of them carrying the newspaper photo of Father Pro before the firing squad.