July 31

Peter Benenson, Walter P. Carter, Ignatius of Loyola, and the Alhambra Decree

Author

David Barnhart
July 31, 2025

Hydrangeas. Photo by Angela Barnhart, 2008.

On July 31, 1492, Spain’s Alhambra Decree went into effect, forcing hundreds of thousands of Jews to flee Spain into exile. It was one of many such acts of antisemitic genocide in Europe at the beginning of the colonial era. There is some evidence that Jews, perhaps fleeing this Spanish persecution, came to the New World and settled on the West Coast long before English colonizers came to the East Coast. 

Today marks the birthday, in 1921, of Peter Benenson, devout Roman Catholic and co-founder of Amnesty International. From an early age he raised awareness about the plight of those in war zones and oppressive regimes. 

Today marks the death, in 1971, of Walter P. Carter, civil rights leader and advocate of fair housing policies. 

Today is also the Feast Day of Ignatius of Loyola, who died on this day in 1556. He was a former soldier, and brought the same kind of military discipline to his monastic life, to scholarly study, and to contemplative prayer. 

Reflection: 

Peter Benenson wrote: 

“Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will find a report from somewhere in the world of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government … The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done.”

He also wrote these words, which are important in light of our current fascist regime and its policy of kidnapping, torturing, and imprisoning immigrants without due process: 

“Torture is banned but in two-thirds of the world's countries it is still being committed in secret. Too many governments still allow wrongful imprisonment, murder or "disappearance" to be carried out by their officials with impunity.”

Prayer: Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth and freedom, help us build a world in which freedom of conscience is a principle under every form of government. Without the freedom to seek you and speak the truth as we find it, we are all lost. Amen.