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MEXICO: Cradle of the
Church in the Americas
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of Mexico, Pray for Us
      Despite the still poor condition of the country today, Mexico nonetheless has the distinction of being the cradle of the Catholic Church in the Americas, and the home to the only traditional native Christian monarchy on North American soil. The Church has long recognized the special place of Mexico, particularly through the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose miracle won countless native peoples to the Christian religion. The recent canonization of St Juan Diego by HH Pope John Paul II is further evidence of the special recognition given to Mexico for the role of that country in spreading the faith in the New World.
       The hand of God cannot be missed in the national history of Mexico. The Spanish ships of Hernan Cortez arrived at exactly the perfect time, when the native Aztec Empire was expecting the return of the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl, and when the Aztec civilization was at its peak, which meant that there were more people than ever who had been conquered and oppressed by the Aztecs and were willing to join the foreigners in overthrowing
Emperor Moctezuma II. The Aztecs fought on under the next Emperor, Cuauhtemoc, but were soundly defeated. Tlactozin was the nominal last Emperor of the Aztecs, but by the time of his reign independent power had ceased to exist. The Mexico of idols, pyramids and massive human sacrifice was gone, and a new Christian Mexico arose, with the help of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
       As a colony, Mexico did well until the coming of the absolutist-liberal Spanish monarchs. During the reign of Ferdinand VII indpendence was secured by General Agustin de Iturbide, a conservative Mexican who had commanded the Spanish army before joining the cause of his countrymen. Iturbide established his movement based on the three promises of union, freedom and religion. He wanted to maintain the legitimate Spanish royal line, but none would accept the crown of Mexico. In 1821, reluctantly, Iturbide was persuaded by popular appeal to accept the throne as Agustin I, by Divine Providence and by the Congress of the Nation, First Constitutional Emperor of Mexico. However, the Emperor was betrayed by power-hungry politicians and generals and exiled in 1823. He attempted to return to Mexico, but fearing his support among the people, the new President had him executed as soon as he landed.
      Without the Emperor, Mexico fell victim to corrupt presidents and tyrannical generals. The people were oppressed, and the harsh policies of the dictator Santa Anna sparked wars and revolution that lost more than half of Mexico's national territory to the United States. A power struggle developed between the liberals and conservatives. The victorious liberals under President Benito Juarez drove out all opposition, attacked traditional values and persecuted the Church.
       However, in 1864 Mexico was given a new monarch from the family of their original Spanish rulers: Maximilian von Hapsburg. Although tricked by the French autocrat Nepoleon into accepting the throne, Emperor Maximilian won over the hearts of many of his new people. He set to work trying to preserve Mexican culture, help the poor and the indians, and restore traditional values to the Mexican government. Yet, he was still opposed by guerilla forces under Benito Juarez and depended on French troops to maintain security until his government could be well-established. He was also determined not to play favorites and do what was best for
Emperador Maximiliano I
all of his people, even if they did not support him. He even adopted a grandson of Emperor Agustin I as his heir so that the throne would pass to a native Mexican after his death.
       However, opposition from the United States mounted after the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The US supported Juarez who had agreed to give them special favors at the expense of Mexican sovereignty. Napoleon III cowardly withdrew his forces and abandoned his promises to Maximilian, but Emperor Maximilian would not abandon his promise to Mexico. With his loyalist army he fought on to the last in 1867 when he was executed by the republican forces. Again, after
the loss of the Christian monarchy, Mexico suffered. Juarez' successor, President Porfirio Diaz established a ruthless dictatorship. At the dawn of the 20th Century, Mexico was the home of some of the worst persecutions against Christianity in the world.
       The Church was outlawed, the faithful were massacred shouting "Viva Cristo Rey" (long live Christ the King) and one official even named his three sons Lenin, Lucifer and Satan. In truth, the traditionalists had the
power to strike back, but in the example of Christ, the Bishops would not allow it. Instead, any blood shed would be on the hands of the communists. In the end, this recreation of the attitude of
the early Christians paid off, and over time the Church was restored, freedom of religion was granted and Mexico regained her Catholic roots.
       As a symbol of how far things have come, when Pope John Paul II went to Mexico City to canonize St Juan Diego, the world witnessed something that few probably thought would ever happen; when Mexican President Vicente Fox kneeled before the Holy Father and kissed his ring, showing that Mexico was fully recovered from the earlier persecutions. Prayers are still needed though, that a Christian government (the only kind to ever work) will be restored.
Music is "El Rey"