The parish community of St. Anthony of Padua, Red Bank, gathered joyfully Oct. 16 to rejoice in Pope Francis’ canonization of the Church’s newest saint, St. José Sanchez del Río.
A 1:30 p.m. procession on the church grounds with images of the 14-year-old Mexican martyr marked the beginning of the celebration. Children wore white to symbolize the saint’s innocence, while the adults wore red to represent his martyrdom.
The procession was followed immediately by Mass in the church, which nearly 600 people attended. A festival luncheon was enjoyed afterwards in the parish hall.
“We have a large Hispanic population in our parish, many of whom are of Mexican descent,” said Father Albert Tamayo, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish. “The purpose of the celebration was to honor St. José, the young saint who gave his life [for his faith], and to pray for the people of Mexico, and all those who experience religious persecution around the world.”
St. José Sanchez del Río was born March 28, 1913, and lived in Sahuayo and Guadalajara. In 1926 in central Mexico, an uprising called the Cristeros War gained momentum: the struggle against anti-Catholic policies and oppression of the Mexican government. The war began when the government began to eliminate Church privilege and seize its property, following anti-clerical laws written into the Mexican Constitution. Catholic schools and convents were closed, and priests and other Catholics were exiled or executed. José Sanchez del Río’s brothers joined the rebel forces, but his mother prevented him from taking part. Ultimately he was captured by government soldiers and tortured to entice him to renounce his faith. St. José was killed by the troops on Feb. 10, 1928, refusing to renounce Christ.
“St. José is a reminder of how important it is to stay true to our faith no matter what,” said Father Tamayo, “and to fight for the right to practice our faith.”