Saint José María Robles Hurtado

José María Robles Hurtado (May 3, 1888 – June 26, 1927) was a Mexican priest and one of several priests martyred during the Cristero War. He was born to the devoutly-Catholic family of Antonio Robles and Petronilla Hurtado in Mascota, Jalisco. At 12, he entered the seminary at Guadalajara. He was ordained to the priesthood at Guadalajara in 1913, at 25. A few years later, he founded the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He wrote a number of works to propagate the Catholic faith and also catechized others in ways contrary to the laws of the country. While serving as the pastor at a parish in Tecolotlán, he began to promote greater devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through his preaching, his personal example, and his great devotion to the Eucharist. His fervency was so pronounced that he became known as the "Madman of the Sacred Heart." He was known to work tirelessly for the care of the sick in his parish, and he often spent several hours hearing confessions of his parishioners. He also worked for greater reverence to Our Lady of Guadalupe. He was a Knight of Columbus, a member of council 1979. The Constitution of 1917 prohibited any public processions or other devotional practices. Hurtado proposed the creation of a huge cross to be placed in the geographic center of Mexico, which he said would be symbolic of how Mexico recognized Christ as its king, and he organized a public ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of the cross in direct violation of the existing constitution. In anticipation of the laying of the cornerstone, signs were placed throughout Mexico proclaiming Christ the "King of Mexico" and declaring the nation's devotion to the Sacred Heart. In 1923, an estimated 40,000 Roman Catholics made their way to the site of the cross to take part in the groundbreaking ceremonies at the hill, which was at the time called "La Loma" and is now called the mountain of Christ the King.