José María Luis Mora Lamadrid was a local politically-active Catholic priest and promoter of the separation between church and state more than a century before than it came to pass.
Considered the “father of Mexican liberalism” Jose Mora was born in October 1794, in San Francisco Chamacuero (today called Comonfort).
Ordained a priest in 1819, Jose Mora worked tirelessly on his political agenda, writing several books on the history of Mexico. Fr. Mora was critical of the Mexican Constitution of 1824 because it protected Roman Catholicism as the sole religion, rather than allowing for religious freedom. He was in favor of expropriating the property of the Church that occurred a century later.
Fr. Mora served as a Mexican diplomat to England and France, where he died in 1850.
His liberal views were one of the precursors allowing the entry of Protestantism into Mexico. Fr. Mora is called doctor, for his education in the theology.
His museum, and former home, in Comonfort is filled with his writings and local historical artifacts, just across the street from the museum for the revolution’s heroine of love, Manuela Taboada.
He has a town named for him just outside of San Miguel, Dr. Mora. A former hacienda, the village was named Dr. Mora in 1949 and is widely recognized for its incomparably delicious beef carnitas.
by Joseph Toone
- TripAdvisor’s top tour guide in San Miguel de Allende with History and Culture Walking Tours and Joseph Toone Tours.
- Amazon’s best selling author of the San Miguel de Allende’s Secrets book series on history, holidays, tours and living in San Miguel.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed hereby are those of the author and not necessarily those of the San Miguel Times.