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St. Anthony Mary Cl  aretSt. Anthony Mary Claret spent a lifetime weaving common threads to create a magnificent tapestry that covered continents and warmed millions. St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Sallent, Spain, in 1807. His father owned a small textile factory. Anthony grew up in a family of faith, and even while he was very young man he felt moved to work for the salvation of all men. He had worked as an apprentice weaver, and when he turned 17, his father sent him to Barcelona to study the latest techniques in textile manufacturing. Although he did exceedingly well, he found this success to be unfulfilling and felt called to a life of sacrifice. Anthony decided to enter the local diocesan seminary in the city of Vic and was ordained a priest at 27 years of age and was assigned to his hometown parish. Anthony's missionary zeal lead him to Rome to offer himself to serve in foreign missions. While in the Jesuit Novitiate, he became ill, and his superiors recommended that he return home to keep searching for God's will in his life. Back in a parish of Catalonia, Anthony began preaching popular missions. He traveled on foot, attracting large crowds with his sermons. Some days he preached up to seven sermons in a day and spent 10 hours listening to confessions. He dedicated to Mary all his apostolic efforts. In 1847 he organized with other priests a Religious Press, recognizing the power of the Press. He wrote books and pamphlets, making the message of God accessible to all social groups. He accepted an offer to preach in the Canary Islands, where he spent 14 months, and he returned to organize an order of missionaries to share in his work. On July 16, 1849, he gathered a group of priests who shared his dream. This is the beginning of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, today also known as Claretian Fathers and Brothers, ( Cordis Mariae Filii - CMF ). Days later, he received a new assignment: he was named Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. He was forced to leave the newly founded community to respond to the call of God in the New World. Arriving and learning about the needs of the people, Anthony contacted Antonia Paris to come to Cuba and begin the religious community they had agreed to found back in Spain.  He began vocational schools for disadvantaged children and credit unions for the use of the poor. He wrote books about rural spirituality and agricultural methods. He visited jails and hospitals, defended the oppressed and denounced racism. During his 6 years in Cuba he visited the extensive Archdiocese three times... town by town. In the first years, records show, he confirmed 100,000 people and performed 9,000 sacramental marriages. Together with Mother Antonia Paris he founded the Religious Sisters of Mary Immaculate in 1855. In 1857 Anthony was called to return to Spain to serve as a confessor to the Queen of Spain, Isabella II. He found the aristocratic life very difficult, he loved poverty and the simplest lifestyle, but he accepted in obedience. He requested to be allowed to continue some missionary work, and whenever he had to travel with the Queen for the 11 years he was her confessor, he used the opportunity to preach in different towns throughout Spain. In 1868 a new revolution dethroned the Queen and sent her with her family into exile. Claret's life was also in danger, so he accompanied her to France. This gave him the opportunity to preach the Gospel in Paris. He stayed with them for a while, then went to Rome where he was received by Pope Pius IX in a private audience. On December 8, 1869, seven hundred bishops from all over the world gathered in Rome for the First Vatican Council. Claret was one of the Council Fathers, speaking strongly on the subject of papal infallibility. The Italian revolution interrupted the process of the Council, which is never concluded, and Anthony's health deteriorated, so he returned to France together with the Superior General of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In France, Claret joined his missionaries who were also in exile and learned that there was a warrant for his arrest. He went into hiding in a Cistercian Monastery in the French southern town of Fontfroide. There he died on October 24, 1870 at the age of 62. As his last request, he dictated to his missionaries the words that are to appear on his tombstone: "I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore I die in exile." Today almost 3000 Claretian Missionaries serve in 57 countries around the world.  Today Claretian publications include: U.S. Catholic Salt of the Earth At Home with our Faith Context BOOK Click here to order book. |
| Prayer: Lord, our God, You chose St. Anthony Mary Claret And you set him on fire with your love, In your mercy grant that we too, May proclaim your glory to the ends of the earth And always seek with zealous care The salvation of all peoples. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. |
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| Previous Saints of the Month Saint Francis of Assisi St. Anthony Mary Claret St. Katharine Drexel Blessed Damien of Molokai Uganda Martyrs Saint Martin De Porres Saint Mother Cabrini Saint Francis Xavier Saint Therese of Lisieux |
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