Friday 23 November 2012

Blessed Miguel Pro

Today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed Miguel Pro, a Mexican priest of the early twentieth century.

I heard the name a while back, but I didn't know very much about him until I read this excellent summary of his martyrdom on the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma blog. The similarities in the stories of the persecution of the Church in Mexico and the persecution carried out in England at the Reformation were quite striking. Nothing new under the Sun? Or does persecution of the Church always follow the same pattern? There's an extended blog post in there somewhere...

I was particularly amused by the tale of a young woman helping Fr. Pro to escape by linking arms with him and pretending to be his wife/girlfriend. There is a very similar account of one of the English martyrs (I forget which one) being saved from capture by the pursuivants when a maidservant pushed the priest into a water trough (or duck pond.) It was assumed that the woman, a known Catholic, would never do such a thing to a priest...

It is finding out about things like the persecution of the Church in Mexico that highlights the paucity of History teaching in the UK. The only thing British children get to hear about Mexico is that the Aztecs/Incas were there. The teaching is so vague that, even now, I don't know the difference between the Aztecs and the Incas...

Richard Collins also writes his own blog, Linen on the Hedgerow. It's well worth keeping an eye on his personal blog as well as the Guild one, because he doesn't always publish the same stories on both (I envy his industry... I have problems writing for just the one blog!!)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wasn't de Incas in Peru?

Mulier Fortis said...

Thank you, Eccles. As well as not knowing much history, my geography is pretty woeful too!

Deo volente said...

Mac,

There is a recent movie called "For Greater Glory" about the "Cristero" movement in Mexico with some big name Hollywood stars which is very well done. I'm not sure it is available in the U.K., but it does a great job describing the history of how this movement came to be, and as a fine narrative. Peter O'Toole as an aged Irish priest plays a small but memorable role who ends up as a martyr. At the end of this movie, all those who have been named "Blesseds" is explained.

D.v.

Cettis Warbler said...

Fear not Mac, in my history lessons recusant history is right in there. Oh what fun I have with A level...;)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...