The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-28

at any other time, to remain the de-
voted son of our Holy Redeemer."
With prophetic vision he continues:
what still greater happiness would
it be If your benediction could obtain
from heaven the grace to shed my
blood for Him Who, being God, has
deigned to shed every drop OF His at
the pillar and upon the cross" More
wonderful still were his words to his
old college friend. Il am about to be
assassinated," he wrote on the 4th of
August, "but I am happy to die for
my faith. We shall meet one another
in heaven" Two days later he heard
Mass as usual and received Holy Com
munion, it being the first Friday of the
month.
His Assassination.
The conspirators waited outside, but
were deferred from their purpose by
the number of people present, and the
President came back safely to his
home. Towards one o'clock he again
left his house and stopped on his way
at the house of relative. On going
out he buttoned up his coat-an insig
nificant act that had fatal conse-
quences. The conspirators were in a
cafe on the square, and, emerging, fol-
lowed the President, who entered the
Cathedral to adore the Blessed Sacra-
ment exposed on the altar. He be-
oh IN
of the assassins, impatient of delay,
sent a messenger to say to the Presi-
dent that he was wanted for some
pressing business. Moreno rose at
once and had made three or four steps
from the Cathedral when Rayo, draw
ing a huge cutlass from under his
coat, inflicted terrible wound on the
President, as he tried in vain to draw
his revolver from his buttoned-up coat.
Rayo inflicted fresh wound on his
head, and the other conspirators fired
at him with revolvers. A young man
passing by tried to disarm Rayo, but
was wounded himself and had to let
go. Pierced with balls and covered
with blood, the President still tried to
defend himself and disengage his re-
volver, but Rayo, with double blow
of the cutlass, severed Moreno's left
arm and his right hand. The second
discharge threw him to the bottom of
the steps, where he remained motion
less. Die, destroyer of liberty ex-
claimed the ferocious Rayo, assail-
ing the PROSTATE man. God never
dies" murmured the President.
All this was the work of a moment.
People came rushing to the scene, the
conspirators fled and the dying man
was carried into the Cathedral and
laid at the feet of Our Lady Of the
Seven Dolors. The surgeons efforts
to stop the flow of blood were useless
and all knew that the end was ap'
preaching. When asked by the priest
to forgive his murderers, Moreno
eyes made answer that he had done so
Extreme Unction was administered
and a quarter of an hour later his
soul passed to his Creator. An exam
nation of the body revealed seven or
eight mortal wounds. On his breast
was relic of the True Cross, scapu
lar of the Passion and that of the Sa
cred Heart, and his rosary was round
his neck. In his pocket was little
memorandum in pencil, written that
very day: "My Saviour, Jesus Christ
give me greater love for Thee and
profound humility, and teach me what
[ should do this day for Thy greater
glory and service"
His statue stands in the square al
Quito, inscribed: "To Garcia Moreno
dying for religion and his country, a
grateful Republic"
His blood-stained message to Con
gress is treasured in the archives Of
the Vatican, and the example of his
life will be for his people a beacon
star amongst the quicksands and rocks
of irreligion and political crime.