Bl. Miguel Agustín Pro

Their story

Miguel Pro was born in 1891 in Guadalupe, Mexico, into a devout family. He was lively, funny and a natural entertainer who loved practical jokes. In 1911 he entered the Society of Jesus. Soon after, a revolutionary government began persecuting the Church, and the Jesuit novices had to flee Mexico. Miguel studied in the United States, Nicaragua, Spain and Belgium, where he was ordained a priest in 1925. He suffered from severe stomach problems for much of his life. In 1926 he returned to Mexico, where public worship had been outlawed and priests were in hiding. Father Pro ministered in secret, often in clever disguises, sometimes as a mechanic, a beggar or a well-dressed businessman. He celebrated Mass in homes, heard confessions, brought Communion to hundreds of people and cared for the poor. In 1927 he was falsely accused of involvement in a bombing attempt against a former president. Without a trial, he was executed by firing squad on November 23. He forgave his executioners, refused a blindfold, stretched out his arms in the form of a cross, and cried, “Viva Cristo Rey!” Long live Christ the King! He was beatified in 1988.