Sequence Opening Prayer Introduction of the chapter Short video clip Short information of Claret Main topic Canonization of Claret Thank you dance

Chapter 2Their Father Founder

“Everything I do or suffer in my ministry will be done for her; she has planted the tree, the fruit belongs to her”Fr. Antonio Claret

Born: December 23, 1807

Father: Juan Claret

Mother: Josefa Clara

Birth Place: Village of Sallent, Catalonia in Spain

Fifth of eleven Children in the family

July 16, 1849

Five young priests, aged 27 to 32, assembled in a room in the Seminary of Vic, a city north of Barcelona, Spain.

They agreed to form a new missionary group – a hope nurtured

for years by the oldest.

Who are these 5 young Priests?

Rev. Fr. Dominic Fabregas, CMF

Rev. Fr. Manuel Vilaro, CMF

Rev. Fr. Stephen Sala, CMF

Rev. Fr. Jaime Clotet, CMF

Rev. Fr. Joseph Xifre, CMF

Article of the Constitution

1st Article“The Congregation shall be named the Congregation of the

Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it shall have her as its Patroness”

2nd Article“Its aim is to seek in all things the glory of God, the

sanctification of its members, and the salvation of souls throughout the world…”

For a month after, Fr. Claret was called by the Bishop and told that Pope Pius IX on the endorsement of the reigning Queen of Spain, Isabella II, has just appointed Claret Archbishop of Santiago, in Cuba, then a Colony of Spain. Queen Isabella II

of Spain

October 6, 1850Father Claret was consecrated Archbishop of Santiago,

15 years after he was ordained priest.

He spent 6 years in Cuba. His Archdiocese consisted of one-half of the island in Cuba. It took 18 months for him to visit all the places by travelling on foot or horseback even the weather is not good. He had more than doubled the number of parishes, reestablished the diocesan seminary.

He also established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine on July 9, 1851.

The Archbishop’s Activities

He gathered orphans and illegitimate children roaming the land and gave them shelter, education and trade to follow.

He had plantation he acquired near Puerto Principe, now Camaguey.

He constructed farm buildings, a library, laboratories and a dormitory each for the boys and girls.

Through his activities, made many enemies. Their complaints were that he had stamped out the institution of concubines and had given religious instruction to Negro slaves.There were many unsuccessful attempts on his life. On February 1856, a hired criminal succeeded to slash open the Archbishop’s face and wrist.

Archbishop Claret was appointed as being the Holy Confessor to the Queen’s Family. He hated the worldliness, the intrigue and idleness of court life.

He was resided to away from the palace and need come only to hear the queen’s confession or instruct her children.

Exemption from: *Court functions *Ceremonies*Freedom to preach *Visit hospitals*Jails for his apostolic projects.

In returning from Cuba he sought and obtained recognition for his own Congregation, both from Spanish government and Holy See. From Rome he gained the right congregation to celebrate then-reserved feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

His piety created for him enemies. In Spain, there were fourteen unsuccessful attempts made upon his life by enemies of the church, and those who just hated his Catholic piety.

The Attempts of Claret

In Madrid, a big crate looking like a case of books was delivered to him. On open it, it contained the body of a dead man with dagger through his heart accompanied by a note which said “within a few days you will be like this corpse.”

In 1865 Archbishop Claret resigned from the Queen’s Court.In 1868 there was another bloody revolution in Spain. The

Queen and her Household fled to France together with the Archbishop and ministered to the royal family and Spanish community in Paris.

Early 1869, he went on leave and proceeded to Rome. Where he obtained more permanent recognition for his congregation. There, he participated in the First Vatican Council.

Sickness StartedWhile in Rome, however, he was stricken with apoplexy. Apoplexy – a sudden paralysis with partial or total loss of consciousness

and sensation, caused by breaking of a blood vessel in the brain.Gravely ill, he was brought to Prades in French Catalonia where he

could be with the community of exiled Claretian and possibly improve his health.Arrestment of Claret in Spanish Authorities.

1. Being a revolutionary leader plotting a conspiracy against the Spanish Government.

2. Meddling in biased politics.3. Publishing and circulating scandalous and offensive books under the

guise of religious writings.

Notwithstanding his illness and deteriorating physical condition, he was transferred to Frontfroide. A remote monastery of a French Cistercian community where he died on October 24, 1870.

Pope Leo XII declared him Venerable

In 1899 In 1934

Pope Pius XI pronounced him Blessed

In May 7, 1950

Pope Pius XII canonized Anthony Mary Claret as

Saint

For listening on my report in the Claretian in the Philippines Chapter 2 entitled “Their Father Founder”