Claretian Formation

MODESTO ARNAUS, MARTYR IN CHOCÓ, COLOMBIA (1947)

The 15th of March, 1947 was the eve of the elections in Chocó, a region of the Northern Colombian forest. The Claretian missionaries had assumed, among other responsibilities, that of defending the Indians against economic and political exploitation.

Fr. Modesto Arnaus had observed the movement of the chiefs who were buying the Indians’ votes and cheated them because the majority was illiterate. On March 15, Fr. Arnaus saw that one of the chiefs returned from gathering Indians to vote. He was bringing with him 40 so they could cast their vote. The missionary, making use of his title of protector of the Indians as a representative of the central government, reached the river and ordered the Indians to get down to the ground. Joseph Acosta, which was the chief’s name, upbraided him: “And why do you interfere with politics?” Father answered: “Sir, I am not dealing with you but with the Indians who are under my protection.” This said, he made a half turn to go back to the boarding school of which he was the director. A shot was heard and Fr. Arnaus fell to the ground without even a sigh. His last words and his last missionary action had attested to a whole life of self-offering to the cause of the poor.