Beatification of the MSC martyrs of Guatemala April 23rd 2021
Prayer on the occasion of the beatification, from the General House
In invitation to watch the ceremony on line.
23 April 2021
Celebration space: prepare a space with an image of the Blessed of Quiché, Father Jules Chevalier, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the Paschal Candle, three candles to represent the Blessed and the Word of God in the centre.
1- INTRODUCTION
Today we gather with the Church and as a religious family to proclaim the heroic virtues of our Brothers: Father José María Gran Cirera, Father Faustino Villanueva, Father Juan Alonso Fernandes and seven lay people martyred in Guatemala. They lived their definitive surrender to the merciful love of the Heart of Christ, and thereby incorporated the gift of martyrdom into our charism. "The blood of martyrs is the seed of new Christians", and in fact the blood of MSC martyrs, are seeds of new MSC vocations.
V. We gather in the name of the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT. R. Amen.
V. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere. R. Forever!
2- OPENING SONG
Laudate omnes gentes, / Laudate Dominum.
Laudate omnes gentes, / Laudate Dominum.
(The youngest member of the community lights the Paschal Candle and says aloud)
Blessed are you, God of life, for the light of
Christ, and for so many witnesses to the
Kingdom, among them the Martyr Missionaries of the Sacred Heart!
Laudate omnes gentes, / Laudate Dominum.
Laudate omnes gentes, / Laudate Dominum.
3- HYMN (as you choose)
4- MARTYRDOM CHARISM
Reader 1: In Central America at the beginning of the nineteen eighties, the general situation for the countries in that region was appalling, to say the least. Dictatorships were forcefully imposed and brought with them all the evils flowing from a lack of freedom. In the economic area, unemployment, and low wages. In the social area, illiteracy, racial and social discrimination. In the political sphere, repression and violence increased more and more. During this process, religious life in those lands, seeking to be faithful to the Gospel, played a decisive role in the defence of human rights. In this way, they strove for a greater commitment to the poor and a greater commitment to a liberating evangelization.
Reader 2: They made themselves peacemakers. However, in that context, to stand on this side of history, meant to stand against the Regime. A stance in defence of human rights was identified as "dangerous and subversive" and foreign missionaries were seen as a "threat to national sovereignty". One of the most dynamic groups and the most committed to the option for the poor in the following of Jesus was, without doubt, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
For Faustino Villanueva, Juan Alonso Fernandes, and José María Gran Cirera, three Spanish MSC, evangelical commitment to the most marginalised cost them their lives. They gave meaning to their lives by offering to the people of God in Guatemala and Nicaragua the saving and liberating love of God the Father manifested in the Heart of Jesus of Nazareth. They chose the poorest as their friends and died a terrible death for having been faithful in following Jesus through love and service to the marginalised.
All: "The poor are the greatest wealth of the Church".
Reader 1: José María Gran Cirera, born in Barcelona, went to work as a missionary in Guatemala three years after his ordination. His pastoral work obliged him to make long missionary journeys to reach each of the communities of the parish. On 4 June 1980, after celebrating Mass, he set out together with Dominic Batz, his faithful friend and sacristan. They went on their way undisturbed. They did not imagine, however, that in a lonely place there were some soldiers waiting to shoot them in the back. While they were talking, suddenly a loud shot rang out, causing the surrounding birds to take flight. A bullet, fired with precision, pierced the priest's heart, knocking him off his horse. How can one not remember the blow of a lance with which another soldier pierced the heart of Jesus? Falling to the ground, six more bullets pierced the chest of the priest (pause and silence), a man with a clean and generous heart, who with the gospel of peace, proclaimed justice, love, freedom and forgiveness. Dominic Batz was also machine-gunned in the back. Two soldiers blew his skull apart. It was the eve of the feast of Corpus Christi. Like Jesus, both the priest and catechist gave their body and blood as the price of their choice for peace and love.
Reader 2: After the first martyrdom, the MSC community met to discern whether or not they should continue there, since things were getting worse and worse. It was decided that they would continue to carry on with their work of evangelization and defending the rights of the people as long as they had life. After this meeting, Fr Faustino returned to his parish. The question "Who will be next?" reverberated in his head. No one
thought that it could be him because nothing had happened in the place where he worked. However, on 10 July 1980, about half past eight in the evening, after celebrating Mass at the parish church, he was called to the door of the parish house. The cook went to answer. They were two well-dressed young men. They asked if they could speak to the priest. She watched as the young men entered and heard the priest greet them. They said something in a low voice and soon Fr Faustino entered the office, followed by one of them, while the other remained by the door. The maid, quieter, continued to clean the furniture. Suddenly a gunshot was heard that echoed through the house. As she ran to the office, she heard the second shot. It was still light as she saw the killers as they took off across the square, mounted their motorbike and disappeared into the night. The woman ran in and found the priest lying on the ground, bathed in the blood that came copiously from his head (pause and silence). Now as before, and even more insistently, the question hung in the air: "Who will be next?
All:
Lives for life
Lives for the kingdom
Lives for the kingdom
All our lives
Like his lives
Like his life
The martyr Jesus.
Reader 1: After the murder of Father Faustino, Father Juan Alonso, who always preferred the most risky and difficult for himself, insisted on going north, where the danger was greater, even though, at that time in the region, any place was dangerous for those who opted for the poor. In those days, towards the end of January, he wrote to his brother: "I have the feeling that I am in danger. I don't want to be killed in any way, but neither am I ready, out of fear, to abandon this people. Never, as in those days, did the truth of the apostle's words shine so brightly in his life. On the afternoon of Friday 13 February 1981, he was forced to go to the Military Detachment so they might extract from him the "confessions" that suited them. Courageous as always, Father Juan was not intimidated: "What we preach, anyone can hear. If you want to know what I say, just go to church. I do nothing but preach the word of God.
Reader 2: That day they did not release him until late at night. The next day after lunch he took his motorbike and set off for a community. In all these localities the people, despite their fear, were waiting for their pastor. Time passed and Father Juan did not arrive. The people then began to worry. In fact, at that hour, however, Juan Alonso was already living his Calvary. Witnesses saw soldiers dragging the priest up the ravine. He asked for water, but they would not give him any. In exchange they tortured him. The soldiers broke his ankle, then sat him down on a rock and blew his head off with three shots from close range (pause and silence).
Reader 3: Around six thirty in the afternoon, Msgr. Vitor Hugo Martinez telephoned the MSC saying: "The body of Father Juan has been found. Three bullets in the head. In the city, a drunk soldier was saying, as if it were a feat, that he had killed another priest. It was February 15, 1981.
These three MSC were martyred, together with seven other lay people. They have stories in common but lived a different vocation. They were individuals in different situations, but with at least one thing in common: the profound sense of living in fidelity to the Gospel. They were nourished by the conviction that the perfect model for the heart of humanity is the Heart of Jesus. To defend a full life for all, as Jesus did, cost them their lives, as it also cost the life of Jesus. They followed Christ in life, they followed him, also in death. With Christ they now reign in eternity. The Gospel sometimes demands of us an attitude of integrity that can cost us dearly. The question we could ask ourselves is: to what extent are we willing to do so?
All:
Lives for life
Lives for the kingdom
Lives for the kingdom
All our lives
Like his lives
Like his life
The martyr Jesus.
5- GOD SPEAKS TO US
LISTENING TO THE WORD - Jn 12: 24-26
(Prayerful silence and spontaneous sharing)
(After the reading and sharing of the Word of God, one MSC of the community reads the following text, and lights one of the three candles located on the memorial, representing one of the martyrs (one in turn).
6- BEATIFICATION OF THE HEART
Father of Goodness, we, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, stand before the witness of our brother Fr. José María Gran Cirera, who by his life propagated the merciful love of the Heart of Christ. The Church has on this day recognized his heroic virtues by his martyrdom, we ask his intercession: Blessed José María Gran, pray for us!
The first candle is lit, representing Blessed José Maria Gran.
Father of Mercy, we, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, stand before the testimony of our brother Fr. Faustino Villanueva, who by his life propagated the merciful love of the Heart of Christ. The Church has, on this day, recognized his heroic virtues in his martyrdom, we ask his intercession: Blessed Faustino Villanueva, pray for us!
The second candle is lit, representing Blessed Faustino Villanueva.
Loving Father, we, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, stand before the testimony of our brother Fr. Juan Alonso Fernandes, who with his life propagated the merciful love of the Heart of Christ. On this day, the Church recognized his heroic virtues in his martyrdom, we ask his intercession: Blessed Juan Alonso Fernandes, pray for us!
The third candle is lit, representing Blessed Juan Alonso Fernandes.
7- PRAYERS
OUR FATHER OF MARTYRS
Father, of the marginalized poor,
Father, of the martyrs, of the tortured, Your name is sanctified in those who die defending life.
Your name is glorified when justice is our measure.
Your kingdom is of freedom, of fraternity, peace, and communion.
Cursed be all violence that devours life through repression.
We want to do your will; you are the true God of liberation.
We will not follow the doctrines corrupted by oppressive power.
We ask you for the bread of life, the bread of security, the bread of the multitudes,
The bread that brings humanity, that builds people instead of cannons.
Forgive us when out of fear we remain silent in the face of death.
Forgive and destroy the kingdoms where corruption is the strongest law.
Protect us from cruelty, from the death squad, from those who prevail like this.
Revolutionary Father, partner of the poor, God of the oppressed,
Father, revolutionary, partner of the poor, God of the oppressed,
Father, of the marginalized poor,
Father, of the martyrs, of the tortured.
Remember Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Let us pray: Lord merciful Father, thanks for your son Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. Thanks for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priests: José María, Fausto and Juan Alonso; and for the laymen: Rosalis, Miguel, Reyes, Tomás, Nicolás, Domingos and Juanito, who, moved by your Spirit, lived among us as witnesses of your love. Thank you because new paths of truth, forgiveness and reconciliation are opening up in the midst of your people, so that justice, love, and peace may be everywhere present. Through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen.
Blessed José María Gran and companions, pray for us.
8- FINAL BLESSING
