Spanish archbishop urges Catholics to follow fundamentals of faith

Valencia, Spain, Jan 25, 2010 / 10:49 am

Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Valencia called on the faithful last week to follow the example of St. Vincent the Martyr by defending “the fundamental precepts of the faith.”

During the archbishop's homily for the solemnity Mass of St. Vincent the Martyr at the Cathedral of Valencia last Friday, he noted that while martyrdom might not come to today's Catholics in the same way that it did to St. Vincent, “we must also bear witness with our lives, our words and our works of Jesus Christ, presenting him amidst this world without allowing ourselves to be emptied of the fundamental precepts of the faith that our Lord gives us.”

St. Vincent, whose feast was celebrated on January 22, was born in Saragossa, Spain and was martyred under Diocletian in 304.  During his life, he was ordained a deacon and was commissioned to preach within his diocese.

Later, by the orders of the governor, Vincent and his bishop were arrested and put imprisoned.  The bishop was later banished, but Vincent remained subjected to many cruel methods of persecution before his death. 

St. Vincent is the patron saint of the Archdiocese of Valencia.

In his homily, the archbishop also urged the faithful to defend “the human person, human rights, human dignity, justice, truth and the love of others above all other things.”

Archbishop Osoro also referred to St. Vincent the Martyr as “the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies and bears much fruit.”  “The fruit St. Vincent bore is seen reflected today in this assembly, in all of you,” he added.