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Blessed Miguel Pro
This is the inspiring story of the famous Father Miguel Pro who was executed in Mexico in 1927 for the crime of being a Catholic priest. This young Jesuit spent most of his short life in the priesthood dodging the Mexican police as he ministered to the underground Church during the Mexican Revolution. Fr Pro's quick wit and keen sense of humor were put to good use as he pedaled around Mexico City on his bicycle in various disguises, en route to administering the Sacraments, giving spiritual talks or begging food and money for the poor. But behind the disguises beat the heart of a Saint - as the Mexican people testified by turning out in throngs to pay their last respects after his martyrdom. Fr Pro offered his life for the Catholic Faith and his last words on this earth were: "Viva Cristo Rey" - Long live Christ the King! Blessed Miguel Pro makes history come alive and highlights the dramatic conflict between the Church and her enemies that continues even to this day. Every member of the family will be delighted by this fast-paced true story of a modern Catholic hero who proclaimed both in life and death the reign of Christ the King.
118 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1996
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March 17, 2024
I read this as part of Father Mark Goring’s Saint Mark’s School of Reading. I picked up the eBook to follow along, as a part time student. It was wonderful reading this with Father Mark’s weekly videos. The description of this book states:
“This is the inspiring story of the famous Father Miguel Pro who was executed in Mexico in 1927 for the crime of being a Catholic priest. This young Jesuit spent most of his short life in the priesthood dodging the Mexican police as he ministered to the underground Church during the Mexican Revolution. Fr Pro's quick wit and keen sense of humor were put to good use as he pedaled around Mexico City on his bicycle in various disguises, en route to administering the Sacraments, giving spiritual talks or begging food and money for the poor. But behind the disguises beat the heart of a Saint - as the Mexican people testified by turning out in throngs to pay their last respects after his martyrdom. Fr Pro offered his life for the Catholic Faith and his last words on this earth were: "Viva Cristo Rey" - Long live Christ the King! Blessed Miguel Pro makes history come alive and highlights the dramatic conflict between the Church and her enemies that continues even to this day. Every member of the family will be delighted by this fast-paced true story of a modern Catholic hero who proclaimed both in life and death the reign of Christ the King.”
This volume however was not my introduction to Blessed Miguel, I had previously read Padre Pro Mexican Hero by Fanchon Royer from the Portraits in Faith and Freedom Series. It was wonderful to return to this amazing story in this verion of his life and deeds. The chapters in this volume are:
Author’s Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1: A Lively Childhood
2: Formative Years
3: Young Manhood
4: Mounting Political Tensions
5: Three Vocations
6: Flight from Mexico
7: A Priest at Last
8: Crosses of Body and Soul
9: Return to Mexico: The Church Goes Underground
10: The First Arrest
11: Works of Mercy
12: The Danger Increases
13: Capture!
14: Martyrdom
15: Favors From Heaven
Appendix 1: Writings of Bl. Miguel Pro
Appendix 2: Prayers
Appendix 3: A Celebration in Honor of Bl. Miguel Pro
Selected Bibliography
Father Mark covered this volume doing three chapters a week, spreading the teachings out over 5 weeks. I tried to read the chapters ahead, and then reread them after watching Father Mark’s teaching video. I highlighted a few sections while reading this volume, some of them are:
“My interest in the life of Bl. Miguel Pro, S.J., began over 25 years ago when I had barely begun to gather information for a book on modern saints. In my initial research on his life and martyrdom, I was captivated by his happy nature and spirit of joy combined with a deep seriousness of thought, his consuming zeal for souls, his passion for justice, his dedication to obedience and his strong devotion, as well as his sublime heroism.”
“A new medal was struck, and the chaplets were produced. I wrote an article about Fr. Pro, which was published in Our Sunday Visitor, a national Catholic paper. In the article, I gave the address of ProVision for those who wanted more information. The paper immediately received a flood of letters from all across the United States from people who seemed hungry to know more about this happy martyr.”
“Before his death Bl. Miguel told some of his friends that he believed that the offering of his life would be accepted and that martyrdom would be his key to Heaven. He then remarked jokingly that if he were allowed this favor, his friends should get their petitions ready, because from Heaven he would deal out favors as if they were a deck of cards.”
“It is my sincere prayer that this brief retelling of the story of the Mexican “Joker” will help him in some small way to continue his “game” of uniting hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of gaining souls for “mi Padre Dios”—“ God my Father”—which was Bl. Miguel’s favorite name for Divine Providence.”
“This is not a book on politics. Study as much as you like, the political situation of Mexico was, and is, complicated. In this brief work there is not space to include a definitive rendering of all the political motivations and actions in Mexico between 1890 and 1940.”
“There is more adventure, excitement and danger in the life of the Mexican priest Fr. Miguel Pro than in many modern spy thrillers.”
“Miguel was ordained in Belgium on August 31, 1925. His only sadness was that none of his family members could be there with him. He told one of his newly ordained classmates, “At last we are priests, and that is enough.” After the ceremony, the new priests went to the parlor to give the first blessing to their parents. Fr. Pro went to his room, laid out the photographs of his family on the table and blessed them from the bottom of his heart.”
“After this second operation the pain seemed even worse, and any food provoked an agony that felt like a blazing fire. Miguel bore this with serenity and cheerfulness; the nursing sisters who attended him testified later that they had never seen anything to compare with his patience. When his friends stopped in to cheer him up, they stayed to be cheered up by him instead. He joked about his health and told amusing stories. A remark to one of his co-religious gives a hint as to the source of his courage: “I pray almost all day and during most of the night. After this I find myself refreshed.””
“When he was able to resume some of his duties, Fr. Pro insisted on saying the first Mass in order to let the other priests sleep a bit later, saying it was no hardship to get up early, as he could not sleep anyway. Afterwards, he assisted the other priests with their Masses. When the sister complained that he was doing too much, Fr. Pro told her, “I only wish I were able to serve all the Masses that are celebrated.””
“Within 23 days of his arrival, an order suppressing all public worship was issued. Calles, determined to enforce vigorously the anti-religious provisions of the “Constitution of Queretaro,” promulgated a new law in July of 1926 which laicized education—removing it from ecclesiastical control—dissolved religious Orders, forbade priests to criticize the government or the laws of the country, and put all public worship under the supervision of the secular powers. By this decree the government restricted public worship to the interior of churches and declared all churches monasteries, convents and other religious buildings to be property of the state. The infamous 33 Articles of this law sufficed to suppress the freedom of every exercise of Catholic life in Mexico.”
“Because he was unknown as a priest, Fr. Pro was able to minister secretly and successfully to the Catholics of several parishes. He wrote to a friend: “I have what I call ‘Eucharistic stations’ where, fooling the vigilance of the police, I go each day to give Communion, some days to one place, others to another, with an average of 300 Communions daily.” On First Fridays the number would increase; once there were over 1,000 communicants.”
“The Holy See granted the clergy of Mexico unusual privileges during the persecution. Only the essential parts of the Mass had to be said and no vestments had to be worn during the Mass. (Fr. Pro carried with him a small stole which was cut up after his death and given as relics to the faithful.) Any type of bread could be used for the host, and even a common glass could serve as a chalice, provided that the priest broke it after the Holy Sacrifice so that, in respect for the Precious Blood, it would never again be used for ordinary purposes. These exceptions were allowed so that the faithful would not be denied the graces of the Mass and to make it easier to avert suspicion in case of a police raid.”
“Although the Pros may well have known some things about the Cristero organization and activities, there is no shred of evidence connecting any of the Pro brothers with the violent acts of the Cristeros or with the violent sector of the Religious Defense League. Humberto admitted his dedication to the propaganda work of the Religious Defense League but denied having ever participated in any acts or plans of armed resistance.”
“Prayer for the Canonization Of Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. OGOD our Father, Who granted to Your son Miguel Agustín, in his life and in his martyrdom, to seek with enthusiasm Your utmost glory and his own salvation, allow us to follow his example in Your service and to honor You by carrying out our daily duties with fidelity and joy in helping our fellow man. We ask that, if it be Your Will, we may soon honor Blessed Miguel as a new saint of the Church. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.”
I hope those quotes give you a feel for this excellent little volume. This is one of those little gems you could return to time and time again, for inspiration and encouragement. It is an amazing story of a man who lived his faith in a most dangerous time. And he is an example we need today.
While researching this volume I discovered the author has over 100 titles available, and most look to be on the faith. After reading this I will be digging into her works further. I can easily recommend it to all Catholics. It was another great selection for the Father Mark Goring for his Saint Mark’s School of Reading It was wonderful to work through this book and follow along with the weekly videos. I can easily recommend this book. It is an excellent read!
This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!
“This is the inspiring story of the famous Father Miguel Pro who was executed in Mexico in 1927 for the crime of being a Catholic priest. This young Jesuit spent most of his short life in the priesthood dodging the Mexican police as he ministered to the underground Church during the Mexican Revolution. Fr Pro's quick wit and keen sense of humor were put to good use as he pedaled around Mexico City on his bicycle in various disguises, en route to administering the Sacraments, giving spiritual talks or begging food and money for the poor. But behind the disguises beat the heart of a Saint - as the Mexican people testified by turning out in throngs to pay their last respects after his martyrdom. Fr Pro offered his life for the Catholic Faith and his last words on this earth were: "Viva Cristo Rey" - Long live Christ the King! Blessed Miguel Pro makes history come alive and highlights the dramatic conflict between the Church and her enemies that continues even to this day. Every member of the family will be delighted by this fast-paced true story of a modern Catholic hero who proclaimed both in life and death the reign of Christ the King.”
This volume however was not my introduction to Blessed Miguel, I had previously read Padre Pro Mexican Hero by Fanchon Royer from the Portraits in Faith and Freedom Series. It was wonderful to return to this amazing story in this verion of his life and deeds. The chapters in this volume are:
Author’s Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1: A Lively Childhood
2: Formative Years
3: Young Manhood
4: Mounting Political Tensions
5: Three Vocations
6: Flight from Mexico
7: A Priest at Last
8: Crosses of Body and Soul
9: Return to Mexico: The Church Goes Underground
10: The First Arrest
11: Works of Mercy
12: The Danger Increases
13: Capture!
14: Martyrdom
15: Favors From Heaven
Appendix 1: Writings of Bl. Miguel Pro
Appendix 2: Prayers
Appendix 3: A Celebration in Honor of Bl. Miguel Pro
Selected Bibliography
Father Mark covered this volume doing three chapters a week, spreading the teachings out over 5 weeks. I tried to read the chapters ahead, and then reread them after watching Father Mark’s teaching video. I highlighted a few sections while reading this volume, some of them are:
“My interest in the life of Bl. Miguel Pro, S.J., began over 25 years ago when I had barely begun to gather information for a book on modern saints. In my initial research on his life and martyrdom, I was captivated by his happy nature and spirit of joy combined with a deep seriousness of thought, his consuming zeal for souls, his passion for justice, his dedication to obedience and his strong devotion, as well as his sublime heroism.”
“A new medal was struck, and the chaplets were produced. I wrote an article about Fr. Pro, which was published in Our Sunday Visitor, a national Catholic paper. In the article, I gave the address of ProVision for those who wanted more information. The paper immediately received a flood of letters from all across the United States from people who seemed hungry to know more about this happy martyr.”
“Before his death Bl. Miguel told some of his friends that he believed that the offering of his life would be accepted and that martyrdom would be his key to Heaven. He then remarked jokingly that if he were allowed this favor, his friends should get their petitions ready, because from Heaven he would deal out favors as if they were a deck of cards.”
“It is my sincere prayer that this brief retelling of the story of the Mexican “Joker” will help him in some small way to continue his “game” of uniting hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of gaining souls for “mi Padre Dios”—“ God my Father”—which was Bl. Miguel’s favorite name for Divine Providence.”
“This is not a book on politics. Study as much as you like, the political situation of Mexico was, and is, complicated. In this brief work there is not space to include a definitive rendering of all the political motivations and actions in Mexico between 1890 and 1940.”
“There is more adventure, excitement and danger in the life of the Mexican priest Fr. Miguel Pro than in many modern spy thrillers.”
“Miguel was ordained in Belgium on August 31, 1925. His only sadness was that none of his family members could be there with him. He told one of his newly ordained classmates, “At last we are priests, and that is enough.” After the ceremony, the new priests went to the parlor to give the first blessing to their parents. Fr. Pro went to his room, laid out the photographs of his family on the table and blessed them from the bottom of his heart.”
“After this second operation the pain seemed even worse, and any food provoked an agony that felt like a blazing fire. Miguel bore this with serenity and cheerfulness; the nursing sisters who attended him testified later that they had never seen anything to compare with his patience. When his friends stopped in to cheer him up, they stayed to be cheered up by him instead. He joked about his health and told amusing stories. A remark to one of his co-religious gives a hint as to the source of his courage: “I pray almost all day and during most of the night. After this I find myself refreshed.””
“When he was able to resume some of his duties, Fr. Pro insisted on saying the first Mass in order to let the other priests sleep a bit later, saying it was no hardship to get up early, as he could not sleep anyway. Afterwards, he assisted the other priests with their Masses. When the sister complained that he was doing too much, Fr. Pro told her, “I only wish I were able to serve all the Masses that are celebrated.””
“Within 23 days of his arrival, an order suppressing all public worship was issued. Calles, determined to enforce vigorously the anti-religious provisions of the “Constitution of Queretaro,” promulgated a new law in July of 1926 which laicized education—removing it from ecclesiastical control—dissolved religious Orders, forbade priests to criticize the government or the laws of the country, and put all public worship under the supervision of the secular powers. By this decree the government restricted public worship to the interior of churches and declared all churches monasteries, convents and other religious buildings to be property of the state. The infamous 33 Articles of this law sufficed to suppress the freedom of every exercise of Catholic life in Mexico.”
“Because he was unknown as a priest, Fr. Pro was able to minister secretly and successfully to the Catholics of several parishes. He wrote to a friend: “I have what I call ‘Eucharistic stations’ where, fooling the vigilance of the police, I go each day to give Communion, some days to one place, others to another, with an average of 300 Communions daily.” On First Fridays the number would increase; once there were over 1,000 communicants.”
“The Holy See granted the clergy of Mexico unusual privileges during the persecution. Only the essential parts of the Mass had to be said and no vestments had to be worn during the Mass. (Fr. Pro carried with him a small stole which was cut up after his death and given as relics to the faithful.) Any type of bread could be used for the host, and even a common glass could serve as a chalice, provided that the priest broke it after the Holy Sacrifice so that, in respect for the Precious Blood, it would never again be used for ordinary purposes. These exceptions were allowed so that the faithful would not be denied the graces of the Mass and to make it easier to avert suspicion in case of a police raid.”
“Although the Pros may well have known some things about the Cristero organization and activities, there is no shred of evidence connecting any of the Pro brothers with the violent acts of the Cristeros or with the violent sector of the Religious Defense League. Humberto admitted his dedication to the propaganda work of the Religious Defense League but denied having ever participated in any acts or plans of armed resistance.”
“Prayer for the Canonization Of Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. OGOD our Father, Who granted to Your son Miguel Agustín, in his life and in his martyrdom, to seek with enthusiasm Your utmost glory and his own salvation, allow us to follow his example in Your service and to honor You by carrying out our daily duties with fidelity and joy in helping our fellow man. We ask that, if it be Your Will, we may soon honor Blessed Miguel as a new saint of the Church. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.”
I hope those quotes give you a feel for this excellent little volume. This is one of those little gems you could return to time and time again, for inspiration and encouragement. It is an amazing story of a man who lived his faith in a most dangerous time. And he is an example we need today.
While researching this volume I discovered the author has over 100 titles available, and most look to be on the faith. After reading this I will be digging into her works further. I can easily recommend it to all Catholics. It was another great selection for the Father Mark Goring for his Saint Mark’s School of Reading It was wonderful to work through this book and follow along with the weekly videos. I can easily recommend this book. It is an excellent read!
This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!
September 7, 2020
This was a well-written biography that caught the highlights of this bright star that gives a glorious light to the present day. The photographs were well chosen, the collection of prayers at the end quite beautiful, and the most important details of Pro's life and the historical circumstances of his death served to provide a most inspiring tale.
"When Halley's comet made its dramatic appearance in 1910, Miguel stayed up until three o'clock in the morning to see it. Indeed, the mischievous youth woke the neighbors with a serenade so that they too, could admire it. The beauty of the comet caused Miguel to exclaim, "¡Viva mi Padre Dios, the Worker of things so lovely! Just wait, little stars--or big--until you see how I shall outdo you by leaving my trail across the heavens."
"When Halley's comet made its dramatic appearance in 1910, Miguel stayed up until three o'clock in the morning to see it. Indeed, the mischievous youth woke the neighbors with a serenade so that they too, could admire it. The beauty of the comet caused Miguel to exclaim, "¡Viva mi Padre Dios, the Worker of things so lovely! Just wait, little stars--or big--until you see how I shall outdo you by leaving my trail across the heavens."
August 5, 2020
Amazing story. I just wish it had been longer and gone into better detail about his life. It felt very much like a quick summary
October 29, 2013
Blessed Miguel Pro's life was, tragically, very short, yet very devout. He lived in a time when Catholic Mexico endured violent persecution under the regime of President Plutarco Elias Calles, a dangerous time to publically acknowledge one's Catholic faith, much less enter the priesthood. Miguel, often called "God's Jester" by those familiar with his sense of humor, risked life and limb to complete his Jesuit training and spread the Word to his people. In 1927, Miguel was accused of involvement in an attempted political assassination and was executed, his brief life thereby leaving a dearth of information for biographers and promoters of the cause for Miguel's canonization.
What information exists, however, is shaped by Ann Ball into a well-rounded portrait the Mexican priest who, though not all of his actions may be considered "saintly", is one of the best-known figures in the history of Church persecution in Mexico. I find it interesting to note that due to limited information on Blessed Miguel's life, Ball's book is quite an important reference, having been quoted in the chapter on Mexican persecution in Robert Royal's Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: a Comprehensive World History.
At 119 pages, Ann Ball's book is short, yet very informative and entertaining -- it is difficult not to smile when reading the anecdotes of Blessed Miguel's deceptions of the police persuing him and other religious, yet a few pages later reading of his eventual martyrdom strikes a sad chord. This is recommended reading for anyone interested studying modern-day persecution of the Church and reading about one noble soul whose devotion to his Faith outweighed a country's fears.
What information exists, however, is shaped by Ann Ball into a well-rounded portrait the Mexican priest who, though not all of his actions may be considered "saintly", is one of the best-known figures in the history of Church persecution in Mexico. I find it interesting to note that due to limited information on Blessed Miguel's life, Ball's book is quite an important reference, having been quoted in the chapter on Mexican persecution in Robert Royal's Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: a Comprehensive World History.
At 119 pages, Ann Ball's book is short, yet very informative and entertaining -- it is difficult not to smile when reading the anecdotes of Blessed Miguel's deceptions of the police persuing him and other religious, yet a few pages later reading of his eventual martyrdom strikes a sad chord. This is recommended reading for anyone interested studying modern-day persecution of the Church and reading about one noble soul whose devotion to his Faith outweighed a country's fears.
December 22, 2021
I enjoyed reading about this time period. I had no idea Mexico experienced religious persecution.
March 7, 2022
A short, easy-to-read bio of an interesting and fun Blessed. I understand author Ann Ball worked to promote his sainthood cause during her life. I subtracted one star because the book could in my opinion have been a bit longer and more in-depth, and wasn't quite as interesting as another bio of Bl. Fr. Pro for younger readers, "God's Secret Agent" by the Daughters of St. Paul, which actually introduced me to him when I was about 13 and was a slightly more lively account of his life and works, with a great ending that I have always remembered. Nevertheless, if you are not familiar with Fr. Pro (or with religious persecution in Mexico, something many in today's USA are completely unaware ever happened), this is a good introduction.
Bl. Miguel Pro, pray for us. Viva Christo Rey!
Bl. Miguel Pro, pray for us. Viva Christo Rey!
November 28, 2024
A very succinct, engaging biography of Blessed Miguel. Given the popular understanding of him focuses exclusively on the legendary nature of his martyrdom, having a reflection on the man behind the martyr was quite refreshing. Blessed Miguel seems a lot more relatable when you read on his life, and it was very encouraging to read on his life and upbringing. I may have wished for some more in-depth information on the man's life, as I've found with other hagiographies. This was very engaging, but it may have benefitted from another chapter or two. On a broader level there were some formatting errors in the book's printing and one or two spelling or grammatical errors.
January 18, 2025
What. A. Story.
For a long time, Bl. Miguel Pro was little more to me than a man in a photograph standing with his arms outstretched, a rosary held tight in one hand and a cross in the other. I knew he was a Mexican priest, that he’d travelled undercover during the persecution, and that he’d died a martyr. But, my oh my, there is SO MUCH MORE to his story. It was a delight to meet this modern saint through the eyes of one of his biggest fans. Though her writing is more functional than beautiful, Ball’s passion for promoting Bl. Miguel Pro’s story and the effort she took to track down obscure references and photos to tell it fully, is admirable.
This is a short read, only about 100 pages. Catholic parents will likely find inspiration from Bl. Miguel’s childhood and the family culture that formed this future saint.
100% recommend.
For a long time, Bl. Miguel Pro was little more to me than a man in a photograph standing with his arms outstretched, a rosary held tight in one hand and a cross in the other. I knew he was a Mexican priest, that he’d travelled undercover during the persecution, and that he’d died a martyr. But, my oh my, there is SO MUCH MORE to his story. It was a delight to meet this modern saint through the eyes of one of his biggest fans. Though her writing is more functional than beautiful, Ball’s passion for promoting Bl. Miguel Pro’s story and the effort she took to track down obscure references and photos to tell it fully, is admirable.
This is a short read, only about 100 pages. Catholic parents will likely find inspiration from Bl. Miguel’s childhood and the family culture that formed this future saint.
100% recommend.
March 2, 2018
Blessed Miguel Pro was an incredible human being and is an incredible martyr of the Catholic Church.
I recommend this short biography for anyone - especially young men.
I recommend this short biography for anyone - especially young men.
August 1, 2019
Excellent introductory book on the life of Blessed Miguel Pro. This has basic facts and a lot of interesting detail while being a quick and easy read.
November 16, 2019
A quick read, but nevertheless leaves the reader wanting to imitate the virtues lived by this holy man.
It also makes me love the Church more.
It also makes me love the Church more.
December 3, 2022
Super easy read, well written, what a young man. Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us!
February 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this biography of Blessed Miguel, it gave me more compassion and empathy for those that lived in Mexico during this time period.
December 4, 2024
Definitely can see myself being friends with Miguel 😅
November 26, 2022
I knew literally nothing about this man- save that he was a martyr and that (unfortunately) JPII beatified him.
Since there are not many Pro bios (in English, at least), this is really the definitive one to read, despite its' modern-church overtones.
This book, good though it was, had one fault i think the author could not help: confusing segments without a really good description. There will be episodes about Pro locked in a closet or on a train with some socialists, and the story is not very well described, which leaves it confusing. Still, i think the lack of info available was the cause of this.
With Pro we can say that through persecutions, we can literally laugh to death.
Since there are not many Pro bios (in English, at least), this is really the definitive one to read, despite its' modern-church overtones.
This book, good though it was, had one fault i think the author could not help: confusing segments without a really good description. There will be episodes about Pro locked in a closet or on a train with some socialists, and the story is not very well described, which leaves it confusing. Still, i think the lack of info available was the cause of this.
With Pro we can say that through persecutions, we can literally laugh to death.
April 17, 2008
Fr. Miguel Pro was a Jesuit priest and a real man with great courage. He had talent, a sense of humor and true grit. He had stomach surgery three times, once without anesthetic. An inspiring true story and an interesting history lesson about Mexico.
April 22, 2008
This is an EXCELLENT story to read. I love this book and the story of Blessed Miguel. This story contains many details of his childhood, his priesthood, and his martyrdom. My favorite part of the book would have to be about his younger years--very comical!
October 23, 2009
Although I enjoyed learning more about this saint, the writing style was weak and disjointed. My husband works at the same mine as Blessed Miguel Pro's father did!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews