Saint José María Robles Hurtado

Life story

José María Robles Hurtado was born on 3 May 1888 at Mascota, Jalisco, Mexico. He was ordained a priest at Guadalajara in 1913, aged 25. Two years later he founded a women's congregation, first called the Institute of Sisters Victims of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus and now the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

During the religious persecution in Mexico he had to avoid the authorities and celebrated Mass in secret in believers' homes. Soldiers arrested him as he was about to celebrate Mass at the home of the Agraz family, who were sheltering him. He was arrested on 25 June 1927.

He was hanged from an oak tree on a hill outside Quila, Jalisco, on 26 June 1927, the day on which his feast is kept. Accounts say he forgave the soldiers and placed the noose around his own neck, but such details come from later narratives rather than official records.

Pope John Paul II beatified him on 22 November 1992 and canonized him on 21 May 2000, with five other Mexican priest-martyrs.

Works and witness

• Ordained a priest at Guadalajara in 1913
• Founded the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus around 1915
• Celebrated Mass in secret during the persecution
• Arrested on 25 June and hanged at Quila, Jalisco, on 26 June 1927
• Beatified in 1992 and canonized in 2000

Saints from the same country

Saint Juan Diego, Blessed Miguel Pro, Saint José Sánchez del Río, The 25 Martyrs of Mexico

References

• Catholic Culture: 'St. José María Robles Hurtado' (catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6354)
• Knights of Columbus: 'St. José María Robles Hurtado' (kofc.org)
• Wikipedia, 'José María Robles Hurtado' (birth date, arrest and death dates: cross-check)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.