St Jose del Rio
Year 7 have chosen their Patron Saint during their Saints Day. During this day we found out how people become Saints and played ‘Who wants to be a Patron Saint’ and ‘Saint Factor’! Each form had prepared a presentation on a Saint that they presented to the rest of the year group- these were St John Bosco, St Oscar Romero, St Josephine Bakhita, St Jose del Rio, St Maximilian Kolbe and St Therese of Lisieux. Each student in Year 7 was then voted for the Saint that they wished to be their Patron Saint and Form 7U’s saint was chosen.
The Winners
St Jose Sanchez del Rio is a new saint for the Church. He was born in Mexico in 1913 and was killed for his faith when he was 13 years old. He was told by the authorities to give up his Catholic faith, but he refused and remained brave. He was put in prison and even watched another believer hung, but he prayed with the man and his faith kept strong. So they cut off the soles of his feet and made him walk in pain through the narrow streets to the Cemetery. Once again they told him to give up his belief in Jesus and pointed to a hole that had been dug for his grave. Even in the face of death he remained brave, saying ‘I will never give up Christ.’. His last words were ‘Viva Cristo Rey!’ (‘Hail Christ the King!’) he is an example of being brave and standing up for your faith and will be a good patron saint for us.’
Oliwia Polowczyk from 7U had this to say.
Pope Francis declared St Jose a Saint in October 2016 and encouraged young people to follow his bravery.
