Missionaries Killed

AMERICA/GUATEMALA - Lasallian missionary brother James Alfred Miller beatified, "martyr for education"

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

Huehuetenango (Agenzia Fides) - "A martyr, an excellent educator and evangelical defender of the poor and oppressed, who became one of us and for us gave his life": this is how Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, Bishop of David (Panama), representing Pope Francis, described Brother James Alfred Miller, of the Lasallian Christian Brothers school, during the beatification celebrations that he presided over Saturday 7 December, in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, in the place of his martyrdom.
James Miller was born on September 21, 1944 in Ellis, a small town in Wisconsin, in the north of the United States. Outgoing, simple and enthusiastic, full of energy, tireless, in the Pacelli High School of Stevens Point, headed by the Lasallian Christian Brothers, his vocation matured. He joined the Lasallians in 1959, professed his religious vows in 1969, and wanted to go on a mission. Destined for Nicaragua, he remained there until 1980, giving proof to his abilities, also appreciated by the civil authorities. When President Somoza was dismissed, they called him back to the United States. At the beginning of 1981, his superiors agreed to his request to return to the mission, but they assigned him to Guatemala, in the city of Huehuetenango, at the Casa Indígena La Salle, a school for only those born in rural areas, very poor, of which he became Deputy Director. On the afternoon of February 13, 1982, while the children were preparing for the carnival party the next day, Brother James was fixing a lamppost outside the building. He had started, when three people arrived from a corner of the street. One of them shot him in the throat, chest and right side. He died immediately, and the killers heve never been found. Brother James Miller was beatified with a celebration on the soccer fields of the same school he once served in an impoverished pocket of rural Guatemala.
"The beatification of Brother James Miller is a source of great joy for the Brothers, collaborators, students and all members of the Lasallian Family - wrote in his message for the occasion Br. Robert Schieler, superior general -. His assassination was a useless attempt to extinguish the light of Christ and calls us to remember all the others - catechists, peasants, pastoral workers - whose life was shortened, because they tried to awaken people to the intrinsic dignity of daughters and children of God. Brother James worked hard for the well-being of the young people entrusted to his care, especially young indigenous people at risk".
"Catholic education belongs to the evangelizing mission of the Church" underlined Cardinal Lacunza Maestrojuán during the homily of the beatification, highlighting that the project and work of Blessed Miller "is a point of reference, both for the Lasallian community and for all Christian educators". "Hermano Santiago - as he was known -, through his pastoral work for indigenous peoples and the poorest of the poor, was aware of their dignity, their rights and their responsibilities, challenged the authoritarian and offensive system of those who thought only of themselves". (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides, 10/12/2019)


Share:

2024 - A Missionary among fellow prisoners: Ján Havlík is blessed

2024 - The Church's grateful memory of the martyrs and the present of the Church

2024 - Jesuits and Salesians celebrate the memory of Father Stanisław Michalski, murdered at Christmas 1950

2024 - The martyrology of Catholics in Rwanda in 1994

2024 - “Christus in martyre est”. The light of hope lit by the martyrs continues to illuminate the path of the Church

2023 - Jubilee 2025: the Pope establishes the Commission of the New Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith, "ripe fruits of the Lord's vineyard"

2023 - The beatitude of martyrs, friends in Paradise

2023 - "She ended her life praying for everyone". Sister Maria Agustina Rivas, killed for being a peacemaker

2023 - Luisa Guidotti Mistrali: "I want to go on mission as a doctor, leave forever, remaining lay among the laity"

2023 - Sacrificing one's life to save the lives of others: the simple and strong faith of young Akash

2023 - "They remained in their place, close to the persecuted people, until their bloodshed". The story of the Jesuit martyrs of Chapotera

2022 - In grateful memory of the murdered missionaries. Witnesses, not "testimonial"

2022 - Missionaries killed in the year 2022

2022 - Recognized the heroic virtues of Luisa Guidotti Mistrali, killed in former Rhodesia

2022 - The testimony of Monsignor Jaramillo, "prophet and martyr of peace" is always alive and current

2022 - "We are not celebrating two dead, but two risen in Christ". Lebanese Christians celebrate the beatification of Capuchins Leonardo Melki and Thomas Saleh, missionaries and martyrs

2022 - Catholic priest and in charge of the migrant's house found dead in Tecate

2022 - Canonization of Charles de Foucauld: Archbishop of Algiers on the special spiritual path

2022 - Catechist Martyrs: stories that deserve to be recognized

2022 - March 24, Missionary Martyrs Day: "Voice of the Word"

2022 - The diocesan process for the beatification of the young Akash Bashir begins

2022 - Patriarch Sako: Canonization processes for Iraqi martyrs progressing

2022 - The Egyptian government increases the state subsidy to the families of the Coptic martyrs of Libya

2022 - The grateful memory of the Coptic Martyrs of Libya is renewed and grows, seven years after their massacre

2022 - Massacre of Jesuits: Film reconstructs what happened in 1989 and what is still happening today

2022 - A time of "spiritual awakening" in memory of the Coptic Martyrs of Libya, who died whispering the name of Jesus

2021 - MISSIONARIES KILLED IN THE YEAR 2021

2021 - Message and spiritual legacy of the monks of Tibhirine, 25 years after their tragic death

2021 - On January 22, the beatification of the four martyrs Rutilio Grande, Manuel Solórzano, Nelson Rutilio Lemus Chávez and Cosma Spessotto

2021 - A life at the service of the least of society: the lay volunteer Nadia de Munari killed in Nuevo Chimbote

2020 - MISSIONARIES KILLED IN 2020

2020 - On the 40th anniversary: CELAM commemorates the “selfless” service of the missionaries who died as martyrs in El Salvador

2020 - Bishops: "despite the pain, Catholics refuse to give in to fear"

2020 - A young priest ordained five months ago found dead

2020 - Salesian missionary Father Josef Thannhuber remembered, 100 years after his martyrdom in Brazil

2020 - "The value of martyrdom as an element of Christian life in El Salvador": towards the beatification of the missionary Cosma Spessotto

2020 - On the feast of San Romero the memory of all the missionaries killed in the name of Christ

2020 - A Day to remember the missionary martyrs

2020 - The body of the priest who went missing since January 16 has been found

2019 - MISSIONARIES KILLED IN 2019

2019 - Lasallian missionary brother James Alfred Miller beatified, "martyr for education"

2019 - The beatification of Father Cremonesi, martyr, on the eve of Mission Day in the Extraordinary Missionary Month

2019 - A parish priest in Cauca killed, a battleground between old and new armed gangs

2019 - The martyr Catechists of the Church of Mozambique towards beatification

2019 - The first liturgical feast of the blessed martyrs of La Rioja: an opportunity to learn and imitate their testimony of faith

2019 - The martyrs of La Rioja beatified: "they lived and died out of love"

2019 - The Bishops of the Cordoba region: "Let us joyfully live the grace of beatification"

2019 - Presentation of the logo for the beatification of the martyrs of La Rioja, "the joy of the whole people"

2018 - MISSIONARIES KILLED IN THE YEAR 2018

2018 - Special Fides: Young missionaries, witnesses of Christ giving their lives

2018 - Another priest murdered in Medellín

2018 - A priest killed in the English-speaking area, scene of clashes with separatists

2018 - La Rioja remembers its martyrs, the next blessed

2018 - Priest killed to rob his van

2018 - An impulse for mission and for vocations comes from the beatification of Sr. Leonella

2018 - Bishops ask after yet another priest is assassinated : ' why have we lost respect for life?'

2017 - Missionaries killed in 2017

2017 - The relics of Father Ramírez transfered, the Martyr of Armero, the next blessed

2017 - Pope Francis: “The Church is Church if she is a Church of martyrs”

2017 - Conclusion of the diocesan phase of the cause of beatification of the missionary martyr Fr. Ramin

2016 - PASTORAL CARE WORKERS KILLED IN 2016

2015 - PASTORAL CARE WORKERS KILLED IN 2015

2013 - PASTORAL CARE WORKERS KILLED IN 2013

2012 - PASTORAL CARE WORKERS KILLED IN 2012

2011 - THE NAMES OF PASTORAL WORKERS, BISHOPS, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND LAY CATHOLICS, KILLED IN THE YEAR 2011

2010 - THE NAMES OF PASTORAL WORKERS, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND LAY CATHOLICS KILLED DURING 2010

2009 - THE NAMES OF PASTORAL WORKERS, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND LAY CATHOLICS KILLED DURING 2009

2008 - THE NAMES OF PASTORAL WORKERS, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND LAY CATHOLICS KILLED DURING 2008

2007 - Dossier: The names of pastoral workers, priests, men and women religious and lay catholics Killed during 2007

2006 - NAMES OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES WHILE ON MISSION IN 2006

2005 - THE NAMES OF THOSE KILLED WHILE ON MISSION IN THE YEAR 2005