March For Religious Freedom November 22 Part II

Saint Relics of Knights of Columbus:

St. Luis Bátis Sáinz

Kevin Russell, Vice President of the Greater Austin Area Knights of Columbus and lead organizer, stated that, “It will be one of the greatest days in the history of the Knights of Columbus in the Austin area,” referring to the relics of the six Knights of Columbus saints that will be at the March for Religious Freedom on the Solemnity of Christ the King.

St José María Robles Hurtado

The relics of St. Luis Bátis Sáinz, St José María Robles Hurtado, St. Mateo Correa Magallanes, St. Miguel de la Mora de la Mora, St. Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán, and St. Pedro de Jesús Maldonado Lucero will be flown in from Guadalajara, Mexico for a special gathering of Knights from around the world in San Antonio, Texas. The relics will then make their way to Austin, Texas for a couple of hours.

Martyrs-KnightsofColumbus

Kevin Russell invites everyone from around the country, “We are called to act, and now is a good opportunity for good men and women to stand up and do something. If not it may be like when Rev. Charles Aked stated, ‘It has been said that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing.’”

U.S. Bishops Call to Prayer:

St. Mateo Correa Magallanes

The U.S. Bishops at USCCB.org have dedicated Sunday, November 22, 2015, the Solemnity of Christ the King as a day to defend religious freedom in our country, and they strongly encourage us that it should be, “A time to pray for the protection of religious freedom.”

St. Miguel de la Mora de la Mora

Our U.S. Bishops realize that standing up for religious freedom can be unpopular in our day and time especially when the culture and the media are aggressively pulling in the opposite direction, but they encourage us and remind us that, “Bearing witness to the truth in this age can be difficult. But Christ has shown us that ‘kingship’ must always be at the service of the good of mankind.” This is what our six Mexican martyrs mentioned above did so well for the Catholic Church when they gave public witness with their very lives so that others in the near future would be free.

St. Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán

May the relics of these six Knights of Columbus saints intercede for us to receive a special grace of fortitude so that we will have the courage to preserve religious freedom even when it puts us out of favor with others close to us. Knowing what we are facing the U.S. Bishops write for this special day, “Therefore, with His grace and in hope of His gift of salvation, let us bear witness to the truth, even when it is unpopular or costly to do so.”

The Kingdom of God on earth and in heaven:

St. Pedro de Jesús Maldonado Lucero

To prepare for the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, we must learn from these six patron saints of religious freedom who really took to heart the words of Jesus, “ Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose it, shall preserve it.” (Lk.17:33) This outlook and disposition are what being a true servant of the people of God is all about when the right to worship or express our faith is at risk or threatened.

Our U.S. Bishops further remind us about public witness, “In this way, we become faithful servants of Christ, preparing the way for His Kingdom, both on earth and in heaven.” These six saints certainly made ready the Kingdom of God on earth and in heaven for others when they poured their blood on the ground as the seed of faith and freedom because they truly understood that “Freedom is the highest sign in man that his being is made in the divine image.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church) Viva Cristo Rey! Viva La Virgen De Guadalupe!

(Realizing the importance of this Solemnity, the US Bishops have created a printable bilingual flyer)