This priest was executed for refusing to violate the seal of confession

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵, 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦.”

In 1924 Plutarco Calles became president of Mexico. He hated the Church, and using the power of the revised constitution, which basically shut down all things Catholic, he set out to fully implement these “laws.” His actions would result in what is known as the Cristero War, and many thousands would lose their lives. Calles’ main focus was the priesthood and men and women religious throughout Mexico.

Under Calles, the persecution, imprisonment, and executions of priests, religious, and Catholics in general escalated quickly. Father Mateo Correa Magallanes, like many other priests, tried to continue his ministerial work in secret. He would say Mass in people’s homes, in their barns, in fields, or wherever he could without being detected. He would visit the sick and administer Last Rites and hear Confessions as much as possible. However, he could not hide forever.

It was the beginning of February of 1927 when Father Mateo Correa Magallanes was caught by the soldiers. He was on his way to bring Viaticum to a dying woman. When he saw the soldiers coming, he quickly consumed the consecrated Host to prevent its being desecrated. Father was arrested and taken to a nearby jail.

There were other prisoners in the jail and after a few days the commanding officer, General Eulogio Ortiz, gave Father Correa permission to hear their Confessions. Father gladly did his priestly duty, knowing most of these prisoners would be dying very soon.

As soon as he had heard the Confessions, the priest was brought before the general. General Ortiz demanded that he tell him what the prisoners had revealed. Father refused. General Ortiz told the priest they would “make him tell.” Father told him, “You may try to do so, but you ignore the fact, General, that a priest must keep the secret of confession. I am ready to die.”

Father Correa Magallanes underwent several days of torture but would not relent. At dawn on February 6, 1927, Father was taken to a nearby cemetery. General Ortiz pointed a gun at his head and told him he had one more chance to save his life. Father Correa looked at him and the other soldiers holding their rifles pointed at him. His answer was quite simple, “Viva Cristo Rey” (Long Live Christ the King).

The priest died as a volley of bullets tore through his body. Once again, the Sacred Seal of Confession was not broken.

Father Correa was canonized a saint by Pope St. John Paul II on May 21, 2000, along with 25 other martyrs, mostly priests, from the Cristero War.

Father Mateo Correa Magallanes, pray for us, for all priest confessors, for a greater love of the Sacrament of Confession, and for all those legislators and politicians who would attempt to violate it.

Source: Fear Not