From the other side of the US border, crime and immigration. The Mexican Church denounces the difficulty in fighting rising organized crime, whose root may be found in the vast persecution of Christians a century ago. The bishops call for a change in the social and cultural environment.
In 2026, important events are scheduled to commemorate the 200,000 victims of the “Cristero War,” the persecution against Mexican Christians and their armed rebellion.
In 2031, the 500th anniversary of the Guadalupe apparition—the Virgin Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego —will be celebrated. The bishops discuss these in a message approved at an assembly (121 bishops) on November 13, 2025, titled Church in Mexico: Memory and Prophecy—Pilgrims of hope on the centenary of our martyrs.
Following the recognition of the magisterium of John Paul II, the text particularly develops four points: the memory of the “Cristero War,” the upcoming Jubilee of Guadalupe, a stern denunciation of the current state of the country, and the defense of the family.
Secularist Persecution and Armed Rebellion
In the early decades of the 20th century, Mexico experienced harsh persecution. Most bishops, except a few, were arrested or expelled from the country; nearly all priests faced imprisonment; nuns were expelled from convents; Catholic schools were closed; and ecclesiastical properties were confiscated (almost all of them). An aggressive form of liberalism, ideological secularism influenced by European models and American trends, aimed to limit the influence of the Catholic Church.
This vision was reflected in the 1917 Constitution, which effectively called for the radical marginalization of religion, the civil irrelevance of the Church, the nationalization of ecclesiastical assets, and an aborted attempt at establishing an autonomous church.
In 1926, three laws were enacted, one of which—known as the Calles Law (Ley Calles), named after its proponent Plutarco Elias Calles—banned religious instruction, Christian symbols, and processions. It severely restricted liturgical services and stripped the Church of legal recognition.
The bishops urged the faithful to boycott the law, refuse products from state companies, and show solidarity with the victims of repression.
Faced with violent repression, a spontaneous armed resistance movement emerged, proclaiming itself the “National Guard” with the slogan “Viva Cristo Re” (“Long live Christ the King”) and growing to about 20,000 armed men. The repression claimed approximately 200,000 victims.
An initial agreement between the state and the Holy See was signed in 1929, but the fallout from the clashes continued for many years. The persecution is considered to have ended during President A.A. Camacho’s term (1940–1946), but full recognition of ecclesiastical rights was only achieved with the legal reform of 1992.
Yes to Christ, No to the Tyrant
Thus, the bishops recall those decades:
“When the totalitarian state sought to impose its absolute control over consciences, our martyrs clearly understood the centrality of Jesus Christ: dying while shouting ‘Viva Cristo Re’ (Long Live Christ the King) meant affirming that no human power can claim full sovereignty over the person and conscience. It meant declaring with their life what they proclaimed with their lips: Christ is king, not the oppressor state; Christ is king, not the dictator of the moment cloaked in pride. Today, we want to honor the memory of over 200,000 martyrs who gave their lives defending their faith: children, young people, the elderly, farmers, workers, professionals, priests, religious, and laity. In heroic Mexico, the Cristeros gave their lives for a sacred cause, for the freedom to believe and live their faith. They wrote a luminous page in the history of the universal Church and our homeland. The centennial of 1926 is not just a nostalgic commemoration. It must be a moment of conscience, an examination, and a renewed commitment. Our martyrs ask us today: are we willing to defend our faith with the same radicalism? Have we lost the sense of the sacred? Have we adapted to a culture that seeks to confine faith to the private sphere?”
Guadalupe: A School of Reconciliation
In 2031, the fifth centenary of the Marian apparition at Guadalupe will be commemorated—a significant date for Mexican Catholicism and the entire continent. An intercontinental novena has been launched, inviting all the world’s episcopal conferences under the banner of reconciliation. This commemorates not only the tension between the indigenous world and the Catholic faith, but also as an imperative to overcome social and political conflicts.
“Mary appeared as a bridge between cultures and races, as a mother who welcomes all her children without distinction. Guadalupe teaches us that unity is not built by erasing differences but by recognizing in every face the image of God… Guadalupe has inspired feelings of freedom among our people. Today it must also be a symbol of strength to free us from violence, poverty, and injustice.”
They Tell Us…
The bishops denounce current conflicts and contradictions with surprising clarity.
“They tell us that violence has decreased, but many families who have lost loved ones or whole populations living in constant fear tell a different story.
They say corruption is being fought, but in the face of severe and scandalous cases, there is no apparent will to clarify, leading to impunity.
They assure us that the economy is doing well, but many families cannot make it to the end of the month, and many young people cannot find job opportunities, demonstrating that this is not true.
They claim freedoms are respected, yet those who express critical opinions are disqualified and labeled by the highest authorities. They tell us we are the most democratic country in the world, but in reality, we have seen institutions that guaranteed genuine citizen participation compromised to concentrate power arbitrarily.
We live in difficult times. Violence has become something that happens every day. The cancer of organized crime, which we have suffered from for years, has extended its tentacles into many parts of the country. None of the leaders governing this nation has succeeded in eradicating this evil. In many regions, our nation remains under the control of violent groups. We must not be afraid to speak about what everyone knows—even if some prefer to stay silent. Murders and disappearances continue. Innocent blood keeps being shed on our streets, towns, and cities. Entire families have been displaced due to the terror of organized crime. We face daily insecurity when walking on the roads or on highways. Extortion has become a system for small and medium entrepreneurs, farmers, and transporters, even for humble families. All are forced to pay protection money under threat of death. The state, which in many places has ceded control of territory to criminal groups, is unable to regain strength. Priests, religious, and pastoral workers attempting to change this situation have been threatened and murdered in front of helpless citizens. We have mourned the deaths of several fellow priests who gave their lives serving their communities.
Migrations and Family
Beyond corruption, violence, and insecurity, the bishops also criticize the insufficient policy toward migration. “Forced migrations continue. Thousands of Mexicans are compelled to leave their land, not only seeking better opportunities but also fleeing violence. Those who migrate encounter new forms of violence along the way. Thousands of Central American brothers and others from different continents pass through our territory, victims of extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking, and death. In each of these situations, the Church is present with aid centers for migrants, shelters, defense of rights, and pastoral accompaniment. The face of the migrant is the face of the crucified Christ today.”
Much emphasis is also placed on the family, which does not find adequate protection. “What we are experiencing is a systematic deconstruction that inevitably generates social disintegration. The data is alarming—and we cannot ignore it: disintegrated families, domestic violence, violence in schools, dependencies destroying the lives of young people.”
A picture of fragmented, fragile communities leads the bishops to warn about the dangerous drift away from the traditional family. “Current public policies in education are implemented without genuine dialogue with parents and other stakeholders in the educational sphere. A subtle—and sometimes explicit—anthropological vision is promoted, one that is foreign to the full dignity of the human person. Ideologies are introduced into schools that relativize the complementarity of man and woman, dilute sexual identity, and present as progress what, in reality, is a deconstruction of human nature.”
The bishops conclude: “Mexican brothers and sisters, faced with many of these painful realities, we bishops do not have the solution; but we are willing to seek it in dialogue with all who truly love Mexico—beyond political parties, the ideology inspiring them, or the religious beliefs they profess.”
