11 Foreword would gladly return to the country, but first he wanted to understand clearly what the terms of this amnesty law would be in order to determine more clearly his position. In this difficult and complex situation, on February 20, 1937, a man full of God was appointed as Archbishop of Mexico, Monsignor Luis María Martínez y Rodríguez. When he took possession of the archdiocese on Wednesday, April 14, thousands of enthusiastic people arrived at the cathedral to witness his installation. The crowd was so large that even part of the floor of the right nave of the cathedral collapsed, causing some to suffer minor injuries. Apart from this mishap, everything looked resplendent. In the cathedral, there were numerous Catholic congregations, each one with their banners. There were also the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Action groups, and the Catholic Youth. Several bishops from Mexico and other countries, such as the United States, were able to attend. Archbishop Martínez limited himself to these words: “I only come to promise you one thing: that I will give you my life.” The personality of the new archbishop of Mexico, who was from the same region as the nation’s president, Cárdenas, helped reduce tensions and create an environment of greater tolerance. Relations between the state and the
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