This week, our series about influential Jesuit saints, prophets, and witnesses returns to the Xavier E-News. Drawn from the book All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time, each story in the monthly series delves into the life and experiences of a carefully selected Jesuit. This month, we study the legacy of Fr. Rutilio Grande, S.J., a martyr of El Salvador.

Born in El Paisnal, El Salvador, in 1928, Fr. Grande entered the Society of Jesus at age 17. For decades to come, he felt that his main role as a priest was to set an example of perfection, but in the mid-1960s, he had a conversion experience. The life of a priest, he came to believe, was instead a life of service and self-sacrifice. As he shared that message with clergy in El Salvador, he came to be seen as a threat by government officials—and an inspiration to many, like the new archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero. To read more about Fr. Grande, click here.