As a result of the increasing tension between the Catholic Church and the government of Mexico, in 1917 the Archbishop of Guadalajara, Francisco Orozco y Jiménez, issued a pastoral letter on behalf of the bishops of Mexico—most of whom were then in exile in the United States—in which he detailed the sufferings he was enduring for defending the rights of the Church against government interference.

For reading this letter publicly at the Sunday service in his church, Sánchez was jailed by the local police.

Due to the prohibition of public worship by the Republic of Mexico, Sánchez conducted secret Masses in private homes.

On 17 January 1927, he was out hunting with Herculano, Crescenciano and Cresencio Castillo, Lucio Camacho and Ricardo Brambila.

[1] Before dawn, the soldiers returned shot Sánchez in the left shoulder and then lowered the body to the ground.