On November 6, the liturgy commemorates the martyrs who gave their lives for their faith in Jesus Christ in 1936. We remember the nine Sisters from the Cullera nursing home—the entire community; the twelve from the Casa de Misericordia in Valencia; three more at their relatives’ homes; and finally, Mother General Polonia Lizarraga, better known by her religious name, Mother Sacramento, at the San Elías prison in Barcelona, where the worst tortures imaginable were carried out—a slaughterhouse complete with a crematorium. Today, visitors can tour the site, which is located in the crypt of the parish church of Santa Agnès.
Pope Leo XIV said at the conference titled “The 21st Century: A New Era of Martyrs?”: “New witnesses to the faith are being killed by those who abuse their power or by criminal organizations because, as Christians, they oppose injustices in the name of the Gospel.”
Among these witnesses is our Sister Felisa Urrutia, who was murdered in Cagua, Venezuela, on March 19, 1991, for speaking out against injustices, defending the marginalized, and standing in solidarity especially with women who suffered under the weight of sexism and neglect.
And surely within our Vedruna Family there are anonymous martyrs—true witnesses to the faith—whom we also gratefully remember and whose commitment to the Gospel and to the defense of oppressed humanity we celebrate.
In the face of all this violence against the innocent, we say, “Never again!” and forgiveness and peace must prevail. If we are truly followers of Jesus and remember his words—it is clear when he tells Peter that we must forgive seventy times seven—that is, always. On the cross, he gives an account of human frailty: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
For Pope Francis, forgiveness is the oxygen of the soul and of society, purifying the air polluted by hatred. It is not optional; forgiving one’s neighbor is not a discretionary good deed, but a fundamental requirement for Christians.
Pope Leo XIV outlines some key points about forgiveness: “It is essential for peace; without it, it is impossible to build a healthy society; it sets us free and restores light, allowing us to look to the future with hope; it is not synonymous with weakness or forgetting, but it prevents resentment from determining the future; it is a gift that precedes repentance, a gift of unconditional love.”
Sister María Teresa Llach, ccv
