Saint Cristóbal Magallanes Jara, 1869–1927

May 21

Cristóbal Magallanes Jara grew up in Mexico. When he was a boy, he was a shepherd. Later, as a priest, he tried to be like Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  He took care of the people in his village. He built schools. He started a newspaper. He trained other men to become priests. He even built an electrical plant. He was arrested on his way to say Mass at a farm. Some people thought that he was trying to rebel against the government. He wasn’t, but he was killed anyway. Before he died, Saint Cristóbal gave away his belongings to his executioners, and forgave the people who killed him, just like Jesus did.

Saint Cristóbal is considered one of the martyrs of the Catholic Action Movement in Mexico. Martyrs are people who have died for the faith and their beliefs. Three laymen and twenty-two devout priests were killed in the same period of persecution in Mexico. They were all beatified in 1992 and canonized in 2000.

Discuss: How was Saint Cristóbal like Jesus?

Activity
The Good Shepherd
Verbal/Linguistic

Share that Saint Cristóbal gave away his belongings to his executioners, gave them absolution, and without a trial, he was martyred. His last words were “I die innocent.”

• Invite your child to share some of the things that Saint Cristóbal did that showed how he tried to be like Jesus, the Good Shepherd. (He took care of people, built schools, started a newspaper, trained young men to become priests, and forgave the people who killed him.)
• Ask your child to name some ways that he/she can personally try to live like Jesus.
• Share some of the ways you are trying to live like Jesus and/or what difference you are trying to make in your neighborhood/community.
• Check in with each other in the weeks ahead to assess whether either of you has been successful in living more like Jesus.