Born in 1878, Rafael Guízar y Valencia was one of 11 children of very devout parents. Rafael went to religious grade school, hung out with priests, entered the seminary at 13, and was ordained at 23. When the Mexican government began persecuting Catholics in 1910, Fr. Rafael put on disguises of a musician or street vendor to administer the sacraments in secret. The authorities forced Fr. Rafael to flee, and he went to the United States, but not for long. He opened missions for the poor in Guatemala and Cuba, and then after being named bishop of Veracruz, Mexico, he returned home. Until his death from a heart attack in 1938, the bishop continued to fight the government for religious freedom.
CHALLENGE
When the Mexican governor declared that Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia was to be shot on sight, the future saint went straight to the governor’s palace and into his office. Now afraid of the civil unrest that might come with killing the bishop, the governor revoked the death sentence. Today, stand up to a government official whose policies violate your Catholic faith on the topic of abortion by calling or writing their office.
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