Our Lady of Guadalupe will change the world through her love, and the Knights of Columbus is helping to send her timeless message to all countries, said a K of C leader from Mexico.
State Deputy Fredy J. Montero-Rodriguez of Mexico South said that everyone in the Mexican delegation is pleased and excited to see so many people gathered for the Marian Congress and “showing their love for Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
“This shows,” he added, “the opportunity we have that all the Catholics of the world can have one culture in Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the unity of all our cultures.”
By promoting Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said, “the Knights of Columbus is engaging in the new evangelization. We are very proud of the Knights of Columbus for what they are doing and their commitment to the new evangelization. We know that this message of Our Lady of Guadalupe is for all people and for all times. We are so happy as Mexican Knights to be a part of this.”
The Knights of Columbus has four districts in Mexico, under four state deputies. The other three state deputies are: Antonio Pérez-Ramίrez of Mexico Central, Filadelfo Medellin Ayala of Mexico Northeast and Julio César Domίnguez-Soto of Mexico Northwest.
Javier G. Nájera Cabrales, of Ceyala, Mexico, is a member of the Order’s Board of Directors.
A Proud History in Mexico
The Order began operations in Mexico more than a century ago and suffered with other Mexican Catholics through the persecution of the Church in that country in the early decades of the 20th century. Six priests who were members of the Knights of Columbus were killed during the persecution and they were canonized as saints in 2000. They are: St. Luis Batiz Sainz, St. Mateo Correa Magallanes, St. Rodrigo Alemán, St. José Marίa Robles Hurtado, St. Pedro de Jesús Maldonado Lucero and St. Miguel de la Mora de la Mora.
St. Rafael Guίzar Valencia, a bishop in Mexico in the 1930s, was also a Knight of Columbus.
Relics of the seven saints were carried in procession at the Memorial Mass on Thursday during the 127th Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention.