Mona AlvaradoFrazier
By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor
As a Latina and an American of Mexican descent, I often anticipate the release of films that highlight the history of Mexico or the Latino experience in the United States. That was the case with “For Greater Glory” with its thought provoking tagline:
What price would you pay for freedom?
The movie is the true story of the Cristeros War (1926-1929). General Gorostieta, a retired military man and atheist, recognizes his government’s religious persecution of Catholics and transforms resistance rebels into a heroic force. He encounters idealists, renegades, and a remarkable 14 year old, Jose Sanchez del Rio, who reveal to him how courage and faith form against all odds and when justice seems lost.
As a Ventura County native, it was amazing to hear that an Oxnard family had a personal connection to the Cristero War. In 2003, Sylvia Munoz Schnopp first heard of this civil war through her father’s stories. After 70 years of keeping his eyewitness accounts private, Mr. Munoz related his childhood memories of martyr’s hanging from trees and his families involvement with this civil war. Her paternal grandfather’s ranch in Los Altos region of Jalisco was Cristero headquarters for General Victoriano Ramirez (El Catorce) and his assorted team of Catholic warriors. Her maternal grandfather associated with Federales and government leaders in Ocotlan, Jalisco. (Ocotlan is a Mexico/Oxnard sister city).
After her father’s death in 2003, Ms. Munoz Schnopp began research into the Cristero War, interviewing people who fought and lived during this period, collecting photographs, and visiting historical sites. “My family was intimately involved with the Cristero Revolution…I believe it’s my responsibility to share the story…Mexicans have a rich cultural heritage that needs to be acknowledged…” This research resulted in a novel, Abandoned Angels, which is soon available on Amazon, with a Spanish version to follow.
“Expanding on the Cristero Revolution,” will be presented by Ms. Munoz Schnopp on June 20, 2012 from 6 to 6:45 p.m. at Downtown Sol, 328 W. 3rd St. Oxnard, CA (805)240-7765. A second presentation is scheduled for June 27, same time and location.
Ms. Munoz Schnopp is a licensed minister, college professor, and a Port Hueneme City Councilwoman, serving as Mayor during the 2010-2011 terms. Both talks are free of charge.
— Mona AlvaradoFrazier is a writer and proprietor of the BookNook in Downtown Sol, 328 W. Third St., Oxnard. To see more of her work, visit www.latinapen.blogspot.com
Sylvia Munoz Schnopp in Mexico doing research for her book "Abandoned Angels — A Historical Novel." Courtesy photo.
Image from "For Greater Glory,” in theaters since June 1. Image courtesy of ARC Entertainment.