Cristero War Martyrs Come to Des Moines — Relic Veneration at Sacred Heart Parish – Monica Meredith & Antonio Banuelos - 06/17/2026

Who Are the Six Martyred Priests? During Mexico's Cristero War (1926–1929), the Mexican government effectively outlawed the Catholic Church — banning public Mass, expelling clergy, and desecrating churches. Six Knights of Columbus priests refused to stop ministering and were executed for their faith. Pope John Paul II canonized 26 martyrs of the Cristero War on May 21, 2000 — six of whom were Knights of Columbus. Their final words: Viva Cristo Rey — Long live Christ the King. Relic Veneration Schedule — Diocese of Des Moines Tonight, June 17 — Saint Patrick Parish, Perry | 5:00 PM Mass | 6:30 PM Presentation Friday, June 19 — Sacred Heart Parish, West Des Moines | 7:00 PM Mass & Adoration | 8:00 PM Relic Presentation | 8:30 PM Social Saturday, June 20 — Saint Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines | 8:00 AM Mass | 9:00 AM Presentation Saturday, June 20 — Our Lady of the Americas, Des Moines | 4:00 PM Mass (English) | 5:00 PM Presentation | 6:30 PM Mass (Spanish) | 7:30 PM Presentation What to Expect at a Relic Veneration These are first-class relics — bone fragments of the martyred saints. A kneeler is placed before the relics. Visitors may kneel, pray briefly, and touch a rosary or devotional object to the relics, creating a third-class relic. Prayer cards will be available on-site. Visitors are encouraged to pray the rosary in the pew before approaching rather than at the kneeler itself. Why This Matters for Catholics Today Antonio Banuelos emphasized that the persecution in Mexico didn't happen overnight — it built gradually through decades of constitutional and legal changes that people assumed would never be enforced. The martyrs' witness is a direct call to defend religious liberty and live the faith publicly and courageously. Monica Meredith highlighted that this pilgrimage is for all Catholics — not only the Hispanic community — and that encountering saints who lived just one hundred years ago is a powerful reminder that holiness is possible in every era. To join the Knights of Columbus: kofc.org/join For event information, search Knights of Columbus Iowa or Caballeros de Colón Iowa on Facebook. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com #CrisoteroWar #CatholicMartyrs #VivaCristoRey #KnightsOfColumbus #RelicVeneration #SacredHeartParish #DesMoines #CatholicIowa #DiocesOfDesMoines #HispanicCatholic #CatholicFaith #MexicanMartyrs #Canonization #JohnPaulII #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio #ReligiousLiberty #CristeroWarMartyrs Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show. 🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.