Watch Bishop-elect Jorge Rodriguez's ordination live on Nov. 4 at archden.org/livestream
VOLUME XCII - NO. 20 | 116 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE GOSPEL | OCTOBER 22-NOVEMBER 11, 2016
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Saint Jose Luis
Sanchez del Rio
The boy who
died for love of
Christ the King
J
ose Luis Sanchez del Rio went to
visit the tomb of a Cristero martyr
in 1927, and asked God to let him
also die in defense of the Catholic faith.
Not even a year would go by before his
wish was fulfi lled. In February of 1928,
he was assassinated for the cause of
Christ. At his death, Joselito, as his
family aƒ ectionally called him, was just
over a month shy of his 15th birthday.†
Pope Francis canonized the 14-year-
old martyr on Oct. 16 in Rome, along-
side six others.
STRIKING CONTRASTS
The history of St. Jose Sanchez del
Rio has some sad coincidences. For one,
the church of St. James the Apostle in
Sahuayo, where Jose was baptized,
became his prison.
Another sad parallel: His godfather
for his First Communion (in Mexico,
it is tradition to choose a godfather
or sponsor for First Communion),
Rafael Picazo Sanchez, was the one who
ordered his assassination.
Witnesses in the cause for Jose's
canonization testifi ed that he was a
"normal, healthy kid with a joyful char-
acter," as the postulator, Comboni Mis-
sionary Father Fidel González, told El
Pueblo Católico.
"He went to his Catechism classes
and was notable for his commitment to
diœ cult parish activities… Though it put
his life at risk since public worship was
prohibited, he received the sacraments
when he could. He prayed the holy
rosary each day with his family. Despite
being very young, Jose understood very
well what Mexico was going
through with the persecu-
tion," Father González said.
BY CARMEN ELENA VILLA
carmen.villa@archden.org
@EPCatolico
»
Saint Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio
depicted in a painting by Rene
Martinez Valdez.
Special section » B1-B20
Meet Denver's new auxiliary
bishop, Jorge Rodriguez
