What price would you pay for freedom?

The 1917 Mexican Constitution created laws that attacked the Catholic Church: seizing church property, outlawing religious orders, taking control of church matters—and went even further. The Constitution also prohibited priests from voting, the Church from even commenting on any public policy, and would not allow priests to wear their clericals or vestments outside their churches. President Calles, who was virulently anti-Catholic (and a Freemason), enforced these restrictions vigorously after his election in 1924. He also required state licensing of priests; thus the state could limit the number of priests by not licensing them. When priests continued to serve the Catholics of Mexico without being licensed, they were forced underground.

The results of this persecution were war and martyrdom. The forthcoming movie For Greater Glory depicts both aspects by telling the story of the army formed by Catholics in opposition to the Calles’ government, the execution of priests, and the martyrdom of José Luis Sánchez del Río, a young boy. The Cristeros, who took their name from the great cry, “Viva Cristo Rey!” were making progress against government troops when the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Dwight Morrow (Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s father) intervened to negotiate a truce, which unfortunately allowed the government to continue the persecution.

Pope Pius XI wrote three encyclicals denouncing this persecution. The persecution finally ended when a Catholic president, Manuel Avila Camacho, was elected in 1940. When Blessed John Paul II visited Mexico in 1979 it was still illegal for him to celebrate Mass in public. In 1992, a new Constitution amended the anti-Catholic provisions of the 1917 version.

The most famous martyr is Blessed Miguel Pro, the Jesuit priest executed on November 23, 1927. Father Pro entered Mexico illegally and had to wear disguises and hide to celebrate the Sacraments. When captured, he was accused of plotting against the government and condemned without trial. President Calle ordered his execution photographed in great detail, hoping to incite fear in the Cristeros army. But the photographs had the opposite effect and Catholics began to show great devotion to the martyr—soon the government forbade the distribution of the very photos it had publicized!

Pope John Paul II beatified Miguel Pro in 1998; he also canonized 25 Martyrs of this period on May 21, 2000. Thirteen more martyrs, including young José Luis Sánchez del Río were beatified in 2005 in Mexico.

Here is the trailer for the movie, coming in June, which tells the story of an impassioned group of men and women who each make the decision to risk it all for family, faith and the very future of their country, as the fim¹s adventure unfolds against the long-hidden, true story of the 1920s Cristero War ­the daring people¹s revolt that rocked 20th Century North America.