Archbishop Weisenburger celebrates Mass with descendants of Cristero War refugees who proclaim saint's cry: ‘Viva Cristo Rey’
DETROIT — The bravery and faith shown by St. José Sánchez del Río during his hour of martyrdom was commemorated Feb. 10 at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in southwest Detroit during a special Mass on his feast day.
Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity community and Holy Redeemer parishioners in shouting Sánchez del Río's defiant cry, “Viva, Cristo Rey,” (“Hail Christ, the King”) before celebrating Mass in Spanish.
St. José Sánchez del Río (1913-1928) was born in Sahuayo, Michoacán, in Mexico and volunteered for the Cristeros during the Cristero War (1926-29), when Mexican Catholics fought against a brutal crackdown on the rights of the Catholic Church and Catholics from the dictates of the country’s authoritarian president, Plutarco Elias Calles.
Sánchez del Río accompanied his brothers in joining the rebel Cristero forces and was allowed to be a flagbearer for his troop, with the Cristeros nicknaming him “Tarcisius,” after the early Christian saint who was martyred while protecting the Eucharist from desecration.
Sánchez del Río was cut off from his troop during fighting and was captured by government forces. Under torture and being forced to watch other Cristero rebels executed, Sánchez del Río was asked to renounce his faith.
He refused to apostatize, so the soldier elected to cut the bottom of his feet and force him to walk around town to the cemetery. The soldiers asked him to proclaim “Death to Christ the King,” in order to spare his life.
Sánchez del Río responded, “Viva, Cristo Rey,” a popular cry among the Cristero cause.
The soldiers executed Sánchez del Río on Feb. 10, 1928, and word of his martyrdom began to spread from Michoacán and throughout the region.
As Mexican immigrants from Michoacán moved north into Michigan, pursuing jobs at the Ford Motor Company factory in southwest Detroit and settling in the area around Most Holy Redeemer, a cult of devotion began for José Sánchez del Río, explained Fr. Tony Blount, SOLT, parochial vicar at Most Holy Redeemer and vicar general for the SOLT community in Detroit.
“Devotion to St. José Sánchez del Río is prominent here at Holy Redeemer because many parishioners, at least the older ones, grew up only an hour from where he was martyred,” Fr. Blount told Detroit Catholic. “He was martyred in Michoacán, in Sahuayo, and a lot of parishioners are from San Luis Potosi and Jalisco, so they’re very close.”
Two years ago, Bishop Javier Navarro Rodríguez, then the bishop of the Diocese of Zamora (which includes Michoacán) gifted Most Holy Redeemer with a relic of St. José Sánchez del Río, in recognition of the number of immigrants from the area who settled at the parish during the 1930s and 1940s.
“Devotion to José Sánchez del Río never died down here, even before he was declared a saint (in 2016),” Fr. Blount said. “The story behind it all was that the Mexican government was so anti-Catholic, and because of this incredible battle for the faith that was fought 100 years ago in Mexico with the Cristeros, the people here are descendants of those Cristeros. Today, it’s their grandkids and great-grandkids who keep the faith.
“Having this celebration today, sharing that spirit of loving the faith with all your heart, even when you give your life for it, lives greatly to this day in the descendants of the Cristeros, who shout, 'Viva, Cristo Rey,” Fr. Blount added.
Fr. John Robinson, SOLT, pastor of Most Holy Redeemer, delivered the homily, preaching that St. José Sánchez del Río’s life shows holiness has no age limit, given he was only 14 years old when he was martyred.
“This kid was 14 years old when he bravely sacrificed his life for Christ,” Fr. Blount said. “He didn’t have to; he was told to choose between his life and his faith, and he chose Christ. That’s a powerful lesson for anyone, anywhere.”
Archbishop Weisenburger held up the relic of St. José Sánchez del Río at the end of the Mass, and the faithful had the opportunity to venerate the young saint, recalling his witness and the call to fidelity each Catholic hears today.
“St. José Sánchez del Río’s life teaches us that the faith should be a great priority for us,” Fr. Blount said. “His life teaches us that faith is not just part of our life; it’s the very center of our life. This young man showed us the courage it takes to be a Catholic. Whether it was in his time or in our time, it takes courage to live a life for God.”
