Franciscan Penance Library

Saint of the Month  

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Blessed Anacleto Gonzalez Flores (July 13, 1888 - April 27. 1927)  

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The second of twelve children of a poor family, Anacleto early learned the values of discipline, work, and patriotism. Because he had a brilliant mind and, from his youth, was a leader who inspired respect, Anacleto willingly accepted a priest's funding to attend a seminary. He, who had completed the spiritual exercises when he was seventeen and who had been teaching catechism, did very well academically in the seminary but eventually realized that God was not calling him to the priesthood. In 1912 he left the seminary for Mexico City  where he joined the Catholic National Party.  

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Later, in Guadalajara, Anacleto became an enthusiastic leader of the Catholic Association of Mexican Youth, attended conferences, wrote articles, taught catechism, visited the poor and prisoners as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and founded a periodical which refuted the anti-religious articles of the 1917 Mexican Constitution. These articles, intended to squash the Catholic Church, barred elementary schools from being established by clergy or religious orders, prohibited monastic vows and abolished monastic orders, forbade public worship outside of church buildings, confiscated all religious property for the government, and permitted the government to "exercise in matters of religious worship and external discipleship such intervention as by law authorized," a vague decree that made the government into a dictator regarding the Catholic Church in Mexico. Using a philosophy of resistance based on the non-violent principals of Mahatma Gandhi, he continued to defend the rights of the people, even being briefly jailed. He was a coordinator of the first Congress of the National Catholic Workers even as he studied law and received his designation as an attorney in 1922, the same year in which he married his wife who later bore him two sons.  

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Anacleto had a deep spiritual life which he shared with his spiritual director, the archbishop of Guadalajara. Every day he started his day with Mass and Holy Communion. Every morning he spent time in prayer and meditation and, as a Third Order Franciscan, faithfully kept the rule of life and generously prayed as required.  

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Anacleto organized and served as president of the Union Popular, an organization dedicated to protesting the government's anti-Catholic actions. He began to think about and almost expect to be martyred. Although not in favor of armed resistance,  the forced entry by the government into the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalajara on August 3, 1926, and the desecration of the church made him reconsider. In January 1927, the guerillas, who called themselves Cristeros and who fought for freedom of religion, began to wage war on the government. Anacleto urged Catholics to help the guerillas with money, shelter, food, and clothing. Anacleto studied the major strategies, wrote bulletins and gave speeches. He said that, if he were martyred for his faith, this would fulfill his greatest desire. 

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Deciding that the rebellion must be stopped, the government captured its leaders including Anacleto who was hung by his thumbs until they dislocated, then subjected to having his feet slashed and having his back rammed with the butt of a rifle which fractured one of his shoulders. Under this torture he refused to provide any information so the government determined to kill him and three other leaders. Needing a reason, the general in charge of the torture trumped up a false charge that Anacleto had caused the assassination of an American, Edgar Wilkens, whom everyone knew had been murdered by a criminal who had intended to rob him. Anacleto asked to be the last to die so that he might encourage the others, all of whom were shot crying out the cry of the rebellion “Vivo Christo Rey!” (Long Live Christ the King!).  

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The bodies were taken to their own homes where hundreds came to pray before Anacleto and to touch his body reverently. His wife told their sons, “Look. This is your father. He has died defending the faith. Promise me on his body that you will do the same when you are older if God asks it of you.” Anacleto was later proven innocent of all charges levied against him. 

Blessed Anacleto, pray for us.