Saturday, May 2, 2009

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

This year, the SJVTS seminarians (with the help of a few others, notably our own Fiona!) staged a production of ¡Viva Cristo Rey! written by Cathal Gallagher and Fred Martinez. According to the Quo Vadis Theater Company,

This play takes place in Mexico during the mid-1920's. It was the administration (1924-1928) of Plutarco Elias Calles, a ruthless anti-clerical and anti-religious individual who decided to put teeth into the anti-clerical laws that had been passed over a decade before. The era marked one of the most horrific chapters in Mexico's history. It was into this hellish environment that the fun-loving jokester and troubadour Fr. Miguel Augustin Pro was thrust. Fr. Miguel was the "secret agent" of Christ. While wearing different disguises (see right, as an auto mechanic when delivering a conference to a group of chauffeurs) he managed to bring the Sacraments, hope and Christ's loving mercy to many in Mexico City and other parts of Mexico.

Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) denounced Plutarco Calles and others in his 1926 encyclical, Iniquis Afflictisque (On the Persecution of the Church in Mexico) On September 25, 1988, Fr. Pro was elevated by Pope John Paul II to blessed.

Now because we're representing the library, there's a great bibliography of Fr. Pro on Fr. Raymond Bucko's website. You could also use the search terms "miguel" and "pro" in the Cardinal Stafford Library's catalog, to determine what we have locally, in addition to the links in this posting.


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