Homily: Feast of Miguel Augustin Pro

Feast of Miguel Augustin Pro (Lk. 21:12-19) “Long Live Christ the King”

Miguel Augustin Pro was shot to death by a firing squad on November 23, 1927. Fr. Pro was a fun-loving Jesuit priest. We might wonder how a priest could have been a threat to the Mexican Government.

Fr. Pro was born I Guadalupe, Mexico. He was one of eleven children. He decided to study for the priesthood. A revolutionary war was being fought in Mexico when Pro was young. The church was being persecuted because it was thought that it sided with the revolution, so Miguel Pro went to Belgium where he studied Theology and was ordained. By the time he returned, public worship had been outlawed in Mexico. The government wanted to limit the influence of the church.

Religion was very important in people’s lives. Priests were not supposed to be seen on the street in their religious garb. If they were, they were arrested. Fr. Pro went about his daily duties in disguise. He visited the sick, helped the poor and carried out clandestine religious services.

Unfortunately for Miguel Pro an attempt was made on the president of Mexico’s life. A bomb was thrown from a car that a brother of Fr. Pro had owned at one point in time. Fr. Pro and two of his brothers were arrested and sentenced to death.

When Fr. Pro was being led out to be shot several of his executioners asked him to forgive them. Fr. Pro’s response was, “You have not only my forgiveness, but my thanks. Right before the shots were fired, he opened his arms as if he were on a cross and shouted, “Long live Christ our King.” All of this was photographed, the pictures were published and the Mexican people were even more adamant about holding onto their Catholic Faith.

Perhaps this is part of the reason that Mexican people are very devout today. In persecuting the faithful those who were enemies of the church promoted the faith. We believe that martyrs are automatically canonized. Miguel Augustine Pro is considered a saint today.

Reflection Questions:

1.    What does it mean to be a martyr for the faith? Does Miguel Pro qualify?

2.    We have people in our society who voluntarily deny their faith? What is the difference between how we live in the church and how the Mexican people were living out their faith in 1927?

 Dear Parishioners,

           I hope that everyone will have a happy Thanksgiving. I will be traveling to my sisters on Thursday into Friday. I always enjoy Thanksgiving more than Christmas. It seems like a much more leisurely celebration. There is also not the pressure of buying and opening gifts.

          We have much to be thankful for in our parish community. I remind everyone that Masses on Thursday and Friday are at 8 a.m. There is no 6:30 a.m. Masses on those days.

          May Our Lady Pray for our Country during this holiday.

          Fr. Mark