St. Rafael Guízar y Valencia
1878–1937
"Even if a single person came, I would give a mission. It is worth the trouble to gain even a single soul for God."
The life of St. Rafael Guízar y Valencia offers an inspiring testimony of bringing hope and courage to others through sharing the Gospel message. MissionYouth seeks to imitate his example of missionary spirit through providing for the spiritual and physical needs of those less fortunate. Just as St. Rafael, we want to recognize each person we encounter as the face of Christ. As our patron, we ask for St. Rafael's continued intercession for our work.
His Life
Saint Rafael was, by all accounts, a remarkable man with humble roots who became a bishop in Mexico during one of the most turbulent and anti-Catholic eras of that nation's history.
Monsignor Rafael Guízar y Valencia was born the 26 of April of 1878 in Cotija, Michoacan. His parents, Prudencio and Natividad were devout Christians who gave their 11 children solid religious training. Rafael entered the seminary of the diocese of Zamora in 1894. He was ordained in 1901, on the feast of Pentecost, when he was 23 years old.
He was named Spiritual Director of the seminary of Zamora. With this position he began to develop a great love for missionary work, which became his main apostolate for the next 37 years. Because the Catholic Church was under great persecution at the time, his missions sometimes drew only a handful of participants — which didn’t discourage him in the least.
"Even if a single person came, I would give a mission. It is worth the trouble to gain even a single soul for God," he said.
In 1910, during the Mexican revolution, he helped the wounded and the dying. Disguised as a salesman, he was able to travel in areas torn by conflict. In the middle of the battle he approached the wounded and offered them the sacrament of reconciliation and often distributed Holy Communion.
He was named bishop of Veracruz in 1919, a position he held until his death in 1938 following a heart attack and series of illnesses. Nine of his years as bishop of Veracruz were spent in exile or literally fleeing for his life. At one point he offered to give himself up to his persecutors in exchange for the faithful being allowed freedom of worship. Unable to openly educate his clergy, he operated a secret seminary for 15 years in Mexico City.
His reputation for sanctity is widespread in Mexico, as well as other countries where he held missions: Guatemala, Cuba, Colombia and the south of the United States. He wished the same for all persons: "May God overwhelm you with his blessings, and fill you with his holy love." Rafael Guízar y Valencia was canonized October 15, 2007 by the Holy Father at Mass in St. Peter's Square.
Reflections
1. Pope Benedict XVI, from his canonization homily
The Gospel that we have heard helps us to understand the figure of Saint Rafael Guízar y Valencia, Bishop of Vera Cruz in the beloved Mexican Nation, as an example of one who has left all to "follow Jesus." This Saint was faithful to the divine Word, "living and active," that penetrates the depth of the spirit (cf. Hebrews 4:12). Imitating the poor Christ, he renounced his goods and never accepted the gifts of the powerful, or rather, he gave them back immediately. This is why he received "a hundred fold" and could thus help the poor, even amid endless "persecutions" (cf. Mark 10:30). His charity, lived to a heroic degree, earned him the name, "Bishop of the poor." In his priestly and later Episcopal ministry, he was an untiring preacher of popular missions, the most appropriate way at the time to evangelize people, using his own "Catechism of Christian Doctrine." Since the formation of priests was one of his priorities, he reopened the seminary, which he considered "the apple of his eye," and therefore he would often say: "A Bishop can do without the miter, the crosier and even without the cathedral, but he cannot do without the seminary, since the future of his Diocese depends on it." With this profound sense of priestly paternity he faced new persecutions and exiles, but he always guaranteed the formation of the students. The example of St Rafael Guízar y Valencia is a call to his brother Bishops and priests to consider as fundamental in pastoral programs, beyond the spirit of poverty and evangelization, the promotion of priestly and religious vocations, and their formation according to the heart of Jesus!
2. Fr. Marcial Maciel, LC, from "Christ is My Life"
Fr. Maciel is the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi movement.
Rafael Guízar was my uncle. He too was born in Cotija. He was an exemplary priest and bishop... What he liked most was to go on missions, to preach Christ. I remember him inviting me once to go to the Promenade in Mexico City with him. He brought an accordion with him- he played it very well — but I had no idea what it was for. When we got to the place it was crowded; he pulled out the accordion and began to play popular tunes. The people gather in a circle around him. When there were enough of them he put the accordion down and began to preach Christ. I don't know if he did it to teach me. I think it just came straight from his soul, you could see that he really enjoyed when he had the chance to talk about Christ to others.
3. Fr. Álvaro Corcuera, LC
Fr. Corcuera is the General Director of Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi Movement.
St. Rafael Guízar's life shows us that to empty ourselves of ourselves to put Christ and his love at the center of our lives gives us a happiness that the world does not know and that only the one who experiences it can be thankful for it. Read the full article.