James Miller

Brother James Miller began his mission in Nicaragua, first at the San José College in Bluefields from 1969 to 1974, and then in Puerto Cabezas. Under his leadership, the school in Puerto Cabezas experienced spectacular growth, expanding from 300 to 800 students. Gifted with a great sense of practicality and exceptional construction skills—which had earned him the nickname "Brother Fix-It" in the United States—he also supervised the construction of ten new rural schools in disadvantaged areas. However, in July 1979, the Sandinista revolution broke out. Due to his contacts with the government of the time regarding school development, his superiors believed he was in grave danger and ordered him to return to the United States. After a short return to teaching in Minnesota and a period of spiritual renewal, his heart remained turned toward the poorest in Central America. In January 1981, he received permission to return, this time to Guatemala. He was assigned to the "Casa Indígena La Salle" (Indigenous Center) in Huehuetenango. This center welcomed young Mayans from rural areas to offer them secondary education, as well as vocational and agricultural training. Brother James dedicated himself to it body and soul, teaching English, religion, and Guatemalan art, while directing an experimental agricultural program.

The work of the Brothers of the Christian Schools among indigenous populations took place in a climate of extreme political tension, marked by the Guatemalan Civil War. The military government and the 'death squads' regularly targeted the Church, accusing it of subversion due to its preferential option for the poor. Brother James actively opposed the forced and illegal conscription of his young Mayan students by the army, regularly intervening with the authorities to secure their release. This courageous commitment placed him directly in the crosshairs of the repressive forces. Aware of the threats hanging over his life, he wrote in January 1982: 'Personally, I am tired of the violence, but I still feel a strong commitment to the poor who are suffering in Central America. The Church is persecuted for its option in favor of the poor. Aware of the many dangers and difficulties, we continue to work with faith, hope, and trust in the Providence of God.' On February 13, 1982, around 4:10 PM, while he was performing repair work (on a wall or a lamp) outside the Indigenous Center, three hooded men appeared and shot him several times. Brother James Miller died instantly at the age of 37. His assassins were never identified.

The cause for the beatification of Brother James Miller was opened by the Diocese of Huehuetenango in 2009. On December 15, 2009, under the pontificate of Benedict XVI, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued the nihil obstat decree, granting him the title of Servant of God. The decree of validity for the diocesan process was signed in Rome in July 2010. On November 7, 2018, Pope Francis approved the decree recognizing the martyrdom of Brother James Miller, killed "in hatred of the faith" (in odium fidei). This recognition dispensed with the need for a miracle for his beatification. The beatification ceremony was celebrated on December 7, 2019, in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, at the very site of his martyrdom. The celebration was presided over by Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, Bishop of David (Panama), representing Pope Francis. Brother James Miller thus became the first Brother of the Christian Schools from the United States to be beatified. His liturgical feast is set for February 13, the day of his martyrdom.

Brother James Miller's spirituality is rooted in the Lasallian charism of education and evangelization of the poorest. His journey bears witness to a faith lived out in daily life and manual labor, uniting prayer with concrete action. Nicknamed "Brother Fix-It," he saw the repair of buildings and the construction of schools as a very concrete way to manifest the love of God and to restore the dignity of marginalized people. His legacy endures today through the "Brother James Miller Fund," created after his death to support projects for the poor, education, and social justice around the world. Furthermore, the Diocese of La Crosse presents an annual social justice award in his honor. His life remains a model of evangelical courage and fidelity to the educational mission among the most vulnerable.