Bl. Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve

 I made a little comment on my post yesterday about "another Italian Saint." It is true that there is a higher percentage of canonized saints from Europe, especially from Italy. I think that is because of the proximity to the Vatican make promoting a cause a little easier. It's one of my goals to present a very Catholic (i.e. universal) picture of the communion of Saints. Today we will travel to South America.

Today's Blessed is Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve. This is unique. I have never featured a saint named Jesús. I would like to bring in a bit of cultural sensitivity in regard to this name. In English, Jesus is a sacred name, and it is uncommon and considered inappropriate for it to be used as a given name. However, we must recognize that the name Jesus comes from the Hebrew Yeshua, which is rendered as Joshua in English. Jesús is how Yeshua is translated into Spanish. So, if my nephew Josh were to relocate to a Spanish speaking country, he would be called Jesús with no disrespect or dishonoring of the Holy Name implied.

Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve was born in 1916 in Columbia. He joined the Xaverian Missionaries of Yaramul at the age of 20 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1940. During his priesthood, he served as a parish pastor, chaplain at a women's prison, spiritual director for seminarians and novice master for his order. In 1970 Pope Paul VI appointed him Vicar Apostolic of Arauca and Titular Bishop of Strumnitza. The apostolic vicariate was dissolved in 1984 and Pope Saint John Paul II appointed Jesús as the Bishop of Arauca. The bishop championed the rights of the poor and unrepresented. He was known for being a shepherd who cared about the spiritual needs of his flock who fought against social injustice. 

Bishop Jaramillo Monsalve was a staunch opponent of the E.L.N. (a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla insurgency group in Columbia). His outspokenness against their atrocities led him to being marked for death. On October 2, 1989, while making parish visits with a priest companion, the pair were kidnapped at around 3:30pm after three armed men intercepted their vehicle. A few hours later, the priest was released. He did not want to leave the bishop, but the bishop asked him to do so out of obedience. 

Bishop Jaramillo Monsalve was shot twice in the head with an assault rifle with his hands tied behind his back. His remains were discovered the next morning. Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve was beatified in 2017. His Feast Day is October 3.

Blessed Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve, pray for us.