Capuchin Martyr (1883-1936)

Blessed Andrea of Palazuelo, who was known as Miquel González Gonzáles before entering the Capuchins friars, was born on the 8th May 1883 and baptised on the same day. At sixteen years of age he entered the noviciate of the Order of Capuchin friars minor, and was vested in the habit in the friary at Bilbao. It was the 31 July 1899, a significant date because it was on the same day he was killed in 1936 for reason of hatred of the faith.

At the end of his novitiate he made his temporary vows, and on the 2nd August 1903 he professed his perpetual vows. On the 19th September 1908 he was ordained to the priesthood and was sent as to teach in the house of studies of the Capuchin friars at El Prado in Madrid. He was then transferred to Leon and then to Bilbao, always as a teacher. In 1920 he was sent again to Madrid as the Provincial Archivist and Chronicler. He remained with this responsibility, except for a brief stay in Gijón, until his death.

He was carrying out the tasks of being a Provincial Definitor, writer and spiritual director, when during the tragic period of the Popular Front in Spain, on 20th July 1936 he was forced to leave the friary of Madrid and live, along with other priests and religious, in a care facility for elderly priests. He maintained his habitual serenity, and despite having done no harm to anyone, was arrested on 30 July 1936 and taken from the residence. Without any juridical process, and for the only reason that he was a priest and religious, on the same night between the 30th and 31st July 1936, he was beaten to death. On the same morning his body was found in the park of San Isidro. It was taken to the cemetery of Almudena and buried in a place where it was not possible to individually identify.

Blessed Andrea was the first of the 32 Capuchin friars who in the same months suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Popular Front militants. The others were:

1. Fr. Fernando de Santiago † 12 August 1936
2. Fr. José Maria de Manila † 17 August 1936
3. Fr. Ramiro de Sobradillo † 27 November 1936
4. Fr. Aurelio de Ocejo † 17 August 1936
5. Fr. Saturnino de Bilbao † 26 August 1936
6. Fr. Alejandro de Sobradillo † 16 August 1936
7. Fr. Gregorio de la Mata † 27 August 1936
8. Fr. Carlos de Alcubilla † 15 January 1937
9. Fr. Gabriel de Aróstegui † 23 August 1936
10. Fr. Primitivo de Villamizar † 20 May 1937
11. Fr. Norberto Cembronos de Villalquite † 23 September 1936
12. Fr. Bernardo de Visantoña † 14 August 1936
13. Fr. Arcángel de Valdavida † 14 August 1936
14. Fr. Ildefonso de Armellada † 14 August 1936
15. Fr. Domitilo de Ayoó † 14 August 1936
16. Fr. Alejo de Terradillos † 14 August 1936
17. Fr. Eusebio de Saludes † 14 August 1936
18. Fr. Eustaquio de Villalquite † 14 August 1936
19. Fr. Ambrosio de Santibáñez † 27 December 1936
20. Fr. Miguel de Grajal † 29/30 December 1936
21. Fr. Diego de Guadilla † 29/30 December 1936
22. Fr. Ángel de Cañete La Real † 6 August 1936
23. Fr. Luis de Valencina † 3 August 1936
24. Fr. Gil Del Puerto de Santa María † 6 August 1936
25. Fr. Ignacio de Galdácano † 6 August 1936
26. Fr. José de Chauchina † 6 August 1936
27. Fr. Crispín de Cuevas Alta † 6 August 1936
28. Fr. Pacífico de Ronda † 7 August 1936
29. Fr. Eloy de Orihuela †7 November 1936
30. Fr. J. Crisóstomo de Gata de Gorgos † 25 December 1936
31. Fr. Honorio de Orihuela † 2 December 1936

On the 13th October was also beatified another Capuchin who had been inserted into another Process of Beatification:
32. Fr. Carmelo da Colomo

Prayer

Eternal and Omnipotent God
who conceded to Blessed Andrea da Palazuelo and his companions
the grace to die for Christ,
help our weakness, so that,
as they did not hesitate to die for You,
we too can remain strong
in the confession of Your name.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.