LORENZO RUIZ | Faith Exposed with Cardinal Tagle

Summary

The video highlights the life of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino canonized saint. A calligrapher from Binondo, Manila, Lorenzo was accused of murder and sought refuge with Dominican missionaries. He joined them on a mission to Japan, where they faced Christian persecution under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Despite torture, Lorenzo’s unwavering faith led him to declare he would give his life for Christ, and he became a martyr. His canonization serves as a call for Filipinos to live their faith with dedication, even in the face of suffering and death.

Takeaways

• 😀 San Lorenzo Ruiz is the first canonized Filipino saint, marking an important milestone in the Catholic Church's history.
• 😀 Lorenzo was an escribano (calligrapher) who worked as a clerk at the Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario in Binondo, Manila.
• 😀 In 1636, Lorenzo was accused of killing a Spaniard and fled, seeking refuge with Dominican friars preparing to sail to Japan.
• 😀 Lorenzo grew up with the Dominican friars, serving as an altar server and being a trusted member of their community.
• 😀 The Dominican friars were on a mission to Japan during a time of Christian persecution under the Tokugawa shogunate.
• 😀 Despite the danger, Lorenzo and the friars maintained their faith, enduring torture and persecution in Nagasaki.
• 😀 Lorenzo's final words were a powerful declaration of his willingness to sacrifice his life for Christ: 'Had I a thousand lives, I would willingly give all of them up for Christ.'
• 😀 These words were included in the position presented to the Vatican during the process for his canonization.
• 😀 Pope John Paul II beatified Lorenzo in 1981 and canonized him in 1987, recognizing his sacrifice and unwavering faith.
• 😀 Pope John Paul II emphasized that Lorenzo’s martyrdom calls on Filipinos and all Christians to live out their faith even in the face of suffering and death.

Q & A

Who was San Lorenzo Ruiz?

San Lorenzo Ruiz was the first Filipino to be canonized as a saint. He was a calligrapher (escribano) and a devout Christian who was martyred in Japan during the period of Christian persecution under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

What role did San Lorenzo Ruiz have before his martyrdom?

Before his martyrdom, San Lorenzo Ruiz served as a clerk for the parish of Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario in Binondo, Manila. He was also an altar server and a trusted member of the Cofradía del Rosario.

What led to San Lorenzo Ruiz leaving the Philippines?

San Lorenzo Ruiz was accused of killing a Spaniard in 1636, and to escape prosecution, he sought the help of Dominican friars who were preparing to sail to Japan as missionaries.

How did San Lorenzo Ruiz's journey to Japan unfold?

San Lorenzo Ruiz accompanied the Dominican missionaries to Japan, where they arrived during a period of intense Christian persecution by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Although their ministry was short-lived, they were arrested and martyred for their faith.

What was the nature of the persecution San Lorenzo Ruiz faced in Japan?

San Lorenzo Ruiz and his fellow missionaries were tortured, subjected to cruelty, and eventually martyred in Nagasaki. They were asked to renounce their Christian faith, but San Lorenzo remained steadfast.

What was San Lorenzo Ruiz's final statement before his death?

San Lorenzo Ruiz’s last words were a powerful declaration: 'Had I a thousand lives, I would willingly give all of them up for Christ.' These words were recorded by eyewitnesses and became an important part of his canonization process.

How did Pope John Paul II describe San Lorenzo Ruiz during his beatification?

Pope John Paul II, during the beatification of San Lorenzo Ruiz in 1981, stated that Lorenzo’s declaration exemplified the Christian catechesis he had received and demonstrated that one’s life must be at Christ’s disposal.

What did Pope John Paul II emphasize during San Lorenzo Ruiz's canonization in 1987?

During the canonization in 1987, Pope John Paul II emphasized that San Lorenzo Ruiz’s martyrdom and faith in Christ in the face of suffering and death serve as a call for all Christians to live out their faith fully and offer their lives to God and their neighbors.

Why is San Lorenzo Ruiz considered an important figure in Philippine Christianity?

San Lorenzo Ruiz is considered an important figure in Philippine Christianity because he was the first Filipino saint, and his life and martyrdom inspire Filipinos to remain faithful to Christ, especially during times of suffering and persecution.

What was the significance of the period during which San Lorenzo Ruiz was martyred?

San Lorenzo Ruiz was martyred during the Tokugawa Shogunate’s period of intense Christian persecution in Japan. This was a time when Christians were severely oppressed, and his martyrdom highlighted his unshakable faith in Christ despite the threat of death.