Pope Leo XIV officially recognized the heroic virtues of three new Venerables, moving them closer to sainthood on May 22.
The decrees were authorized during an audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
The three Servants of God — Sister Inés Arango Velásquez, Bishop Alejandro Labaka Ugarte, and Bishop Matthew Makil — are remembered for their extraordinary lives of missionary service, sacrifice, and peacebuilding.
Missionaries Martyred in Ecuador
Two of the new Venerables, Bishop Alejandro Labaka Ugarte of Spain and Sister Inés Arango Velásquez of Colombia, gave their lives in the Ecuadorian rainforest while defending Indigenous communities from exploitation by oil and logging companies.
Bishop Labaka, a Capuchin missionary and later bishop, dedicated his life to evangelizing and protecting the Huaorani and Tagaeri peoples in the Amazon. Known for his calm diplomacy and deep respect for Indigenous culture, he prioritized peace and dialogue amid escalating tensions with commercial interests.
Sister Inés, a member of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family, joined the mission in 1977 and quickly became a spiritual and social leader in the region. Her work with the Huaorani was marked by deep commitment and courage.
On July 21, 1987, the two missionaries were killed, speared, and shot with arrows while attempting peaceful contact with the Tagaeri tribe. Their martyrdom was a conscious act of faith and sacrifice, remembered today as a profound witness of gospel love and courage.
Indian Bishop Honored for Peace and Education
Bishop Matthew Makil (1851–1914), a pioneering church leader in India and founder of the Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was also declared Venerable.
Born in Manjoor, Kerala, Bishop Makil served as the Apostolic Vicar of Changanacherry and later of Kottayam, where he tirelessly promoted education, especially for girls, catechesis, and social outreach.
Faced with deep divisions between two Christian communities in Kerala, Bishop Makil responded with humility and vision. His efforts to reconcile the “northerners” and “southerners” led to the 1911 establishment of a separate vicariate to preserve unity and peace, with him appointed as its first bishop.
Guided by his episcopal motto, “God is my hope,” Bishop Makil’s legacy lives on in the religious and social institutions he founded and the peace he nurtured.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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