Luis Batis Sáinz, Manuel Morales, Salvador Lara and David Róldan (+1926)

Biography

Luis, priest, was born in San Miguel del Mezquital, Zacatecas. Manuel in Mesillas, Zacatecas, Salvador in El Súchil, Durango and David in Chalchihuites, Zacatecas. These last three were lay people from Catholic Action. Don Luis was parish priest of the parish church of San Pedro Chalchihuites, and founded a branch of the Catholic Association of Mexican Youth and supported and collaborated in the “National League for the Defense of Religious Freedom.” Obeying a government order, he left the parish the same day the churches closed and went to live in a private home. But without hiding, because he was ready for martyrdom. At a Catholic Action meeting, Don Luis told the militants: “We are in a difficult moment that the Church of Mexico is going through.” And to make a sounding, he asked if anyone was willing, if the time came, to give their life for faith. Three immediately responded: Manuel, Salvador and David. Don Luis responded excitedly to Manuel Morales. "Not you, because you are married and have a wife and children." - "Father, Manuel answered, God is Father and will watch over them." On July 29, 1926, following the instructions of the National League for the Defense of Religious Freedom, the parish priest Luis Batis organized a meeting, with the help of activists from Catholic Action. It was in the Chalchihuites bullring. The objective was to inform parishioners of their rights and duties as citizens and as Christians. This meeting, falsely distorted and interpreted as a plot against the established government, reached the ears of General Eulogio Ortiz, known for his hatred of the Church. The general decided to teach a lesson and sent soldiers to arrest the priest. Upon finding out, Salvador Lara called a meeting of the A.C.J.M. to study how to free the father. Then the soldiers burst into the meeting and detained Manuel Morales, Salvador Lara and David Roldán. They took them to the Municipal Presidency calling them “fanatic dogs” and announcing that they were going to hang them. The townspeople took the side of the accused and to calm them down, they then said that Zacatecas would take them to trial. On the way they got them out of the car and while they shouted “Long live Christ the King and the Virgin of Guadalupe!”, they shot them at point-blank range. They were beatified on November 22, 1992 by Pope John Paul II, the same one who canonized them on May 21, 2000.