CLARETIAN MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO

Tomorrow, August 14, we will die martyrs. Keep in mind that we die on vespers of the Assumption.What a day!We die because we wear the cassock. And we die precisely on the anniversary that we received it.

--Faustino Pérez

Who are Who are they?they?

3 of them were only 21 years old.

They are 51 Claretian

MissionariesThey were killed because of hatred of faith in August 1936.

All of them belonging to the

seminary of Barbastro (Spain) It was a big

community with 60 people.9 were

priestsFrom the 12 Brothers in

the community, ony 5 died martyrs. The rest, 39, were

seminarians

Two Argentineans escaped because they

were foreigners..

Only 9 of these martyrs were 25 or above.

36 were younger than that.

Where Where did they did they

come come from?from?

• 25 from Cataluña. • 9 from Navarra. • 6 from Castilla-León. • 5 from Aragón. • 3 from Valencia. • 1 from Cartagena. • 1 from Asturias.• 1 from La Rioja.

66

1199

552525

11

33

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Why Why were were they they

martiredmartired??

Their families Their families were poor, were poor,

most of them most of them peasants. peasants.

• On July 20, 1936, a group of militia-men On July 20, 1936, a group of militia-men broke into the house of the missionaries broke into the house of the missionaries to check if there were hidden arms to check if there were hidden arms inside. inside.

But the main reasons were the calumnies that were heard about the hipocrisity of the clerics and

their dangerousness.

Perhaps the suspision came from the fact that the seminarians who were at the age of military service made some exercises in a public square to shorten

they stay in the barracks.

• No arms were found after a meticulous search, but still all the missionaries were incarcelated.

• The three superiors were separated from the rest of the community. llevaron a la cárcel.

• The rest of the community were taken to a confined space at a school belonging to another religious congregation.

• There were no reasons or political affiliation in our martyrs to justify their death.

• The millitia-men publickly said in front of the martyrs the reason of their hatred and condemnation: they were religious so they had to die.

”We do not hate you as persons; what we hate is your

profession.”

“I am going to be killed because I am a religious, that is, for following the doctrines of the Catholic Church.” (Ramón Illa cmf)

”I die innocent; I do not have any affiliation with any political party; that is forbidden in our Cosntitutions.” (José Brengaret cmf)

Their Their martyrdomartyrdo

mm

While in jail, their behavior was exemplary at all times.

Even separated from their superiors, they remained committed and strong

until the end.

They underwent all kind of trials

Freedom was offered to some. All of them were asked to join the millitia and fight with them. Nobody accepted. None

of them gave up their faith or their vocation.

Water was rationed in the heat of summer.

Several times they

underwent fake

executions.

Prostitutes were brought in to provoque them.

Veinte el 13,

Finally they were killed in different groups.

The six elders were martyred on August 12.

On August 2 they killed the three

superiors.

Another twenty on the 15th.

Finally, two who were sick in the hospital on the 18th.

Twenty on the 13th.

Convictions Convictions on on

martyrdommartyrdom

ForgivingForgiving

With joyWith joy

As apostlesAs apostlesLoving the Loving the Churh and Churh and

the the CongregatioCongregatio

n.n.

Loving Loving their their

familiesfamilies

Spirituality

It is difficult to imagine the It is difficult to imagine the martyrs could have faced martyrs could have faced martyrdom unless they had martyrdom unless they had a thorough formation and a thorough formation and intense preparation for it.intense preparation for it.

While in jail, their religious instinct guided them to affirm

their spirtual life above

everything else.

The Eucarist was the The Eucarist was the center of their life center of their life while they could while they could receive it. receive it.

They were blessed with the They were blessed with the presence of a priest until presence of a priest until the very end, to receive the very end, to receive the sacrament of the sacrament of reconcilliation. reconcilliation.

Prayer, the recitation of the Rosary and the office of the Common of Martyrs nourished

their spirit.

Fraternal encouragement and help was also a decisive

factor.

Conclussion

• From the very beginning the Claretian Congregation and even the city of Barbastro judged as true martyrs these 51 Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. toda veneración ha conservado sus restos y su memoria.

• Many have found in them an example and stimulus for Christian life, and have taken them as true intercessors before the Lord.

Catch up with

love