Conference commemorates centennial of Mexico's Cristero War, in which 200,000 lost their lives in fight for religious freedom
DETROIT — On the occasion of the centennial of the Cristero War, approximately 280 Hispanic Catholics gathered July 17 for the "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" conference, an initiative that allowed many to discover a chapter of Church history of which they were previously unaware.
Held at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, the event was organized by the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Detroit in collaboration with Regnum Christi. The day included the celebration of Mass, a procession of banners from various ministries, a fair dedicated to the Cristero martyrs, the veneration of relics, music by Karen Solís, and a talk by Fr. Javier Olivera Ravasi, a priest, historian, and one of the leading experts on the Cristiada.
The community’s response exceeded the organizers' expectations.
"It was truly beautiful to see people's desire to learn about a topic that many of us knew little to nothing about," explained Angelina Cortés, a member of the organizing committee, in an interview with Detroit Catholic en Español. "I believe that the people present that night were exactly who our Lord wanted to gather."
One of the key highlights of the day was the celebration of Mass by Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton, followed by talks by Fr. Ravasi, who walked through the history of Catholicism in Mexico and explained the context that gave rise to the Cristero War — a conflict that pitted the Mexican government against thousands of Catholics between 1926 and 1929, after various laws severely restricted religious freedom.
"When Father began to speak, an impressive silence fell over the room," Cortés said. "People listened with great respect throughout the entire talk. He touched on some topics that could have been sensitive for some, yet no one got up to leave, and in the end, many told us the experience surpassed their expectations," she noted.
At the end of the talks, dozens of attendees lined up to greet the Argentine priest, who spoke with attendees, signed copies of his books, and posed for pictures.
An unknown story for many
Although the Cristero War is part of Mexico's history, many attendees acknowledged knowing little about this chapter. Such was the case for Norma Soriano, a Detroit-area resident originally from Mexico City.
"I’ve always liked history and reading, but I had never come across anything about the Cristero War," she explained. "The first time I listened to Fr. Olivera on YouTube, I was deeply moved. I thought, 'How is it possible that we don't know about this?'"
When she learned he would be giving a conference in Detroit, she decided to attend. During the talks, she felt deeply touched by the brave priests who remained alongside the people even when they knew it could cost them their lives.
"It gave me so much courage to defend my own faith," she said. "The final part of the conference even made me cry. It was an experience that stirred something very deep within me."
The goal of the day was for history not to remain solely in the talks, but for attendees to connect deeply with the testimony of those who gave their lives for Christ. With that purpose in mind, the "Martyrs' Fair" was set up, where various ministries from the Archdiocese of Detroit presented information about their apostolates and adopted the biography of a Cristero martyr to share their story.
Brenda Hascall, director of the Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Detroit, coordinated the event and ministry fair, which featured images of the martyrs and other elements related to the Cristiada.
First-class relics of St. José Sánchez del Río, Fr. Miguel Agustín Pro, and St. Rafael Guízar y Valencia were also displayed for veneration throughout the day.
"We were deeply moved to see the devotion of the people," Cortés said. "Many approached to pray before the relics and then walked through the tables to learn about the martyrs' stories. Even after the conference ended, several people returned to identify those Father had spoken about during his presentation."
A call to strengthen faith
The main purpose of the gathering was to bring the Hispanic community closer to the testimony of the Cristero martyrs and to show how their example remains relevant today.
"I would like us to know these martyrs better, to entrust ourselves to them, and to take them as intercessors," Cortés said. "Their stories show how far a person can go out of love for Christ and to defend their faith."
Soriano believes this message remains vital for Catholics today.
"I have always admired the early Christians for the courage with which they faced persecution. Discovering that in my own country, just a few generations ago, there were men and women who loved Christ with that same self-giving love was deeply moving. It made me cherish the gift of our faith even more," Soriano said.
The event helped strengthen communion among the different groups within the Hispanic community, she added.
"Sometimes we get so focused on the charism of our own group or ministry that we forget what truly unites us," Soriano said. "That night, we all gathered for the same purpose: Christ. I believe the conference planted a deep sense of unity in Him among us, reminding us that we are one Church."
This article was first published in Detroit Catholic en Espanol, the Spanish-language sister publication of Detroit Catholic.
