Bl. Alphonsus Navarrette and 204 Companion Martyrs (September 10)
From 16th-17th
century, Christianity was banned in Japan and those who refused to abandon their
faith were killed brutally.
During the
first wave of persecution, 26 Christians were executed by crucifixion. This is
the group of the Franciscan St. Pedro Bautista and the Jesuit St. Paul Miki.
Then, the
group of 205 were persecuted. This is the group of Bl. Alphonsus Navarette whom
we celebrate today.
After this
was the Great Martyrdom of Nagasaki (1622) led by the Jesuit Bl. Charles Spinola.
Then, the 16 Martyrs of Japan (1633–1637) which includes St. Lorenzo Ruiz and the
Thomasian martyrs of Japan. Waves of persecution still continued after this.
Alphonsus
Navarrete was very young when he gave up his inheritance to enter the Dominican
Order in Valladolid (Spain) and, after he had completed his studies, was sent to the
Philippine missions. The great persecution had just begun in Japan, yet he was
determined and begged to be allowed to go to Japan. Consequently, he was sent
as superior of the mission.
The
missionary career of Alphonsus was brief, however, in the few years of his
apostolate, his accomplishment was immeasurable. He went about teaching and
baptizing the people. He began the tremendous task of caring for the abandoned
babies. He also cared for the homeless which he supported through the
generosity of wealthy Spaniards.
When two
priests were persecuted in Omura, Alphosus went to Omura with the intention of
rescuing the relics of the martyrs and consoling the Christians. They were
captured on the way and were beheaded. Their bodies were thrown into the sea.
Pope
Pius IX, in 1867, solemnly beatified 205 of the martyrs, among whom were 59
Dominicans, the friars and the laity, and 58 members of the Rosary
Confraternity. Although all did not die at the same time nor place, they are
listed under the name of Alphonsus Navarrete, who was the first to die.
I
asked my professor in Theology before, if I would be in Japan on that day, I
would probably renounce the faith but keeping in my heart that Jesus is the
Lord. My professor said “When you are called to be a martyr, God will give you
the grace to endure the persecution at that moment.”
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God bless you!