Today, February 10, is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint José Sánchez del Río. On this date in 1928, this 14 year old boy was killed by Mexican troops for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith during the Cristero War. The story of this period of Catholic persecution led by Mexican President Calles was told in the movie “For Greater Glory.” The young martyr was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on November 20, 2005, and later canonized by Pope Francis on October 16, 2016.

The Saint’s story is one with which few American Catholics are familiar. That is a tragedy in its own right. Though they might not know the Saint’s story, many Americans are no doubt familiar with his face. The picture, shown below, of the young boy with Cristeros fighters is one that is often seen hanging in Mexican restaurants, among other old photos. Probably not too many diners know that a Saint and fighter for religious freedom is looking down at them while they eat.

After José was captured by government forces fighting the Cristero, he was forced to witness the torture and execution of fellow Catholic countrymen, yet he never wavered in his faithful resolve. He was himself was tortured and urged to shout “Death to Christ the King” with the promise his suffering would be over. On the day of his torturous execution, the soldiers cut the soles of his feet and he was made to walk barefooted to the grave they had dug for him. He was repeatedly stabbed with bayonets as he made his way to the place of his martyrdom.

Even after he had been shot he continued to cry out “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”) The commander of the soldiers was so furious that he was able to resist the government barbarism, he finally shot the boy in the head. As he died he is said to have drawn a cross on the ground with his own blood as a final act of defiance.

During the Cristeros War many Catholics were killed by the Mexican government for their faith. This tragic part of recent history is pointedly ignored by the history books in both the United States and Mexico. It is a story that needs to be told and learned by all free people.

Saint José Sánchez del Río is truly a Saint for our times. His faithfulness in the face of torture and death should be a model for all of us. I pray we can be as strong when our own persecution comes.

Don’t try this at home. Or anywhere else.Have a responsible winter weekend.
[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

During my hospital stay, I was reading Cigar Lounge Wisdom: Ruminations Inspired in a Cigar Bar, by Frank Borelli. The Kindle book’s description says, “…an anthology of essays written based on discussions held in a cigar bar.” While the cigar lo…

I started my cardio rehab this past week. It’s the first step of many towards getting my life back and being able to resume normal activities. I was actually a little anxious about starting the exercise program, especially after signing the papers ackn…

Today is the Feast Day of St. Brigid of Ireland, one of our family’s favorite Saints. In a quotetraditionally attributed to St. Brigid, she prays…”I’d Like A Great Lake Of Beer For The King Of Kings. I Would Like To Be Watching Heaven’s Family D…

Besides the chip rule, there were a few other things I quickly learned in order to manipulate more satisfactory meals. I was allowed only decaffeinated coffee, but could have all the caffeinated tea, hot or cold, I desired. So it was iced tea for every meal. Surprisingly those teas came with copious packs of sugar, which I didn’t use. However, I did desire pepper for my food. I found our early that pepper was a separate menu item — if you didn’t specifically order it, you didn’t get it.

I realized the other day, the last red meat I’ve eaten was with the hamburger meals I was served, twice, in the hospital. I’m overdue for some quality cow.

I could have used binoculars to get a better view of that game…

It’s taken a while but I am finally ready to share the life-changing experience I had earlier this month. On Friday evening, January 4, I was woken from sleep by intensely sharp pain in my chest. My immediate thought was, “This isn’t right.” I dialed 911 and within a few minutes, though it seemed an eternity, EMS arrived and I was loaded into the ambulance.

I recall telling the EMT that the pain had slightly decreased. The next thing I knew I was waking up, confused and agitated. In an instant I remembered where I was, and had the thought, “Wow, I actually fell asleep.” Then one of the faces leaning over me said, “You’re okay. Your heart stopped, but we got it going again.” (In retrospect, the part after “but” was obvious, although I am still glad he specified.)

The cardiologist met us at the hospital and I was taken right into the cath lab to have a stent inserted in my occluded left anterior descending artery — the “widow maker.” The next 24 hours were spent juggling pharmaceuticals to get my heart rhythm normalized. I was then cleared to move to “step down” care. Unfortunately, there were zero available beds in the hospital. So I spent the next two days stuck in ICU. That experience could be fodder for future musings. Suffice it to say, the ICU is not designed for patients who are conscious. (I’ve recently learned there is such a thing as ICU psychosis.)

The last couple weeks have been a roller coaster of physical and emotional trials. Writing an entry for this blog is somewhat cathartic. Medicines are still being adjusted and I’ll soon start physical therapy to get my strength back. There is still more time to pass before I return to my previous work and play routines. Obviously, I am looking forward to getting back to the range, to enjoying good drink and good cigars. It goes against my nature to be idle, but I am working hard to be patient and allow my body, and mind, recover.

Looking back, I realize just how very fortunate I was. The ambulance had not even left my driveway when I went into cardiac arrest. I am thankful the emergency personnel arrived as quickly as they did. As I have been reminded numerous times since, the outcome might have been quite different otherwise.

I feel extremely thankful and blessed to be here now. It obviously wasn’t time for me to go. It wasn’t time for my wife to lose her husband. It wasn’t time for my son to lose his father. Nonetheless, it was a poignant reminder that we do not know when our time in this life will be up, and must always prepare well. There is no room for, “I’ll get to that later.” I am very thankful for the ongoing support of my family and friends throughout this ordeal. I’ve also realized that some things that were important to me before seem less so now.

So there you have it. Posting will be sparse for a while. I have accepted that this will be a long-term process, not a quick turnaround.

I survived the “Widow Maker.” I have that going for me.

I am often struck by the audacious attacks on personal freedom from those who seek to interfere with the pleasures and rights of others. The anti-gun crowd in the United States is vocal, intrusive, violent and sadly, out of touch with reality and rational thought. Our 2nd Amendment fight has many parallels in the cigar world. I read the following recently in “The Ultimate Cigar Book,” by Richard Carleton Hacker,

But these growing numbers of smoking enclaves aside, there are also subtle ways to win an anti-cigar war fueled by ignorance and prejudice – the two things that cannot be swayed. Rather than pointlessly argue with militant anti-smokers, we must try to win the nonsmokers over to our side. There are people who are neither anti- nor pro-cigars. They are the middle ground and comprise the largest percentage of the American populace. If we can show them that we are more civilized that the radical anti-cigar thugs, we will have made our point. We must convince them with kindness. And courtesy. It does no good to force ourselves upon others, for we only aggravate the situation.

I get as much pleasure from the shooting sports as I do a good cigar. Although my life would not be under threat if I lost the right to smoke a cigar, replace “cigar” with “gun” and the paragraph still rings true. It’s a fight we must take on. I know I have successfully explained gun rights to more people who are “neutral” on guns, than people who are already ignorantly “anti-gun.” With the Governor of Virginia actively trying to negate the 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments of the Constitution, our rights are again under a direct threat.

As with the gun grabbers, the anti-smokers are unabashed in their intrusiveness. Not too long ago I was sitting in the outdoor cigar lounge area at a local brewery. A group of people moved from where they had been sitting to sit in the smoking area, ostensibly to find seats in the sun. A woman in the group promptly asked me to put out my cigar. My one word answer was a very polite but emphatic, “No.”

All of these intrusions have as their basis a claim of “for your own good.” Americans once appeared to have learned a lesson during Prohibition. Yet, I don’t for a minute think that fight will not be fought again. The nanny state and prohibitionists of any ilk are unrelenting. The next time we lose a freedom, it may not be won back.

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” — William Pitt the Younger

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