Hajja Salesjana January February 2017

10 In legitimate self defense, countless Catholics took up arms to defend their Faith. Whenever they charged into battle, the Cristeros, as they were called, shouted: "Viva Cristo Rey!" "Long live Christ the King!" Many Catholics shed their blood in this conflict. Many were martyred. Saint Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio was among them. From a young age he had a great love and enthusiasm for the Blessed Sacrament, and encouraged his friends to have Jose, the valiant Cristero of Mexico In 1927, Catholic Mexico was immersed in a violent storm of religious persecution. The President of Mexico at that time was a despot named Plutarco Calles. His hatred for the Church had no limits. He killed priests and burned churches.