The Cristero War Centennial: A Catholic Review of Fr. Ravasi’s Book
Book Review: The Cristero War: Counterrevolution and the Battle for the Soul of Mexico
The Centennial of the Cristero War
The year 2026 marks the centennial of the outbreak of Mexico’s Cristero War (1926–1929). During this conflict, pious Catholics across Mexico took up arms to defend themselves against the vicious anti-Catholic persecution imposed by Presidents Plutarco Calles and Portes Gil. The brutal guerrilla war claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Cristero fighters, along with countless civilians.
The Cristero War also gave the Church 25 saints and blesseds. Among the most notable are St. José Luis Sánchez del Río and Bl. Miguel Pro.
A Forgotten Persecution Close to Home
While American Catholics often know about persecutions in ancient Rome or Reformation England. Yet many remain unfamiliar with the Mexican persecution that unfolded on our own doorstep and within living memory.
For that reason, I was pleased to learn about the publication of Fr. Javier Olivera Ravasi’s new book, The Cristero War: Counterrevolution and the Battle for the Soul of Mexico (Os Justi Press, 2025).
A Thoughtful and Accessible Account
Fr. Ravasi draws from primary sources and reputable scholarship to present a clear and accessible account of the Cristero uprising. He approaches the conflict from several angles and handles the complexity with skill.
The Cristero War was a complex event. It involved military, political, social, and even theological dimensions. When authors tackle such broad material, they often overwhelm readers with facts and lose the narrative thread. Fr. Ravasi avoids this mistake. He structures the book as a series of essays, each focused on a particular aspect of the conflict.
He devotes careful attention to the political background, tracing the roots of the crisis to Mexico’s anti-clerical Constitution of 1917. He also examines the logistical and military realities of the rebellion.
At the same time, he explores topics that many historians overlook. He analyzes the Mexican bishops’ response, the Holy See’s position, and the moral question of whether the uprising met the standards of Catholic just war theory. These chapters offer fascinating glimpses into aspects of the conflict that you’re not going to get elsewhere.
Fr. Ravasi seeks more than a simple chronicle of events. He aims to show what the Cristero War felt like for faithful Catholics living through it. He presents a comprehensive vision of their experience during this tumultuous time.
The Courage of Catholic Women
One of the most striking elements of the book is its treatment of Catholic women. Fr. Ravasi highlights their crucial role in the struggle. Women were deeply engaged at every level of the Cristero struggle.
Women organized political clubs to resist anti-Catholic laws. They formed improvised defense groups to protect churches from desecration. Some even transported ammunition to Cristero fighters by concealing it under specially designed vests to avoid federal searches.
These women did far more than pray quietly in church. They played an active and courageous part in defending the faith.
Final Recommendation
I strongly recommend The Cristero War: Counterrevolution and the Battle for the Soul of Mexico to anyone seeking a thoughtful, multifaceted Catholic perspective on the Cristiada.
My thanks to Os Justi Press for providing a review copy.
Additionally, if you would like your students to learn more about Latin America in this historical context, consider my high school course, History of Latin America.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Join other homeschooling parents and me in the Homeschool Connections Facebook Group or in the HSC Community to continue the conversation.
