Blessed Miguel Pro
Today is the memorial of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, the Jesuit priest who died a martyr’s death in 1927, during the Masonic persecution of the Mexican Church. Falsely accused of a political crime, Fr. Pro was executed by firing squad. Go here for details on his life and photos of the saint in life and death.
It is interesting that leftists in Mexico once again seem to be threatening the Catholic Church, as well as the lives of Bishops and priests. Today the persecution seems to be rooted in leftist opposition to Church teaching against abortion, contraception, and same-sex marriage. Recently the Cathedral of Mexico City was closed because leftists had stormed the Cathedral during Sunday Mass, threatening the priests and the faithful.
The above photo is a studio shot, and the only image I have of a retablo/icon style painting I did of Blessed Miquel several years ago. Ann Ball had requested the photo for the website dedicated to Blessed Miguel. The painting had sold through a gallery in Santa Fe before I thought to have it professionally photographed. I represented the saint with five bullet wounds, holding a prayer card of the Virgin of Guadalupe, his jacket over his shoulders - to emulate the Jesuit cape. The background graffiti is inscribed with some of Fr. Pro’s last words and graffiti found in his prison cell. The painting is more Mexican retablo than iconographic.
