SANT ANTONIO MARIA CLARET
Sant Antonio María Claret and Clará, known as Father Claret, (Sallent, Bages, December 23rd, 1807 - Abbey of Fontfroide, October 24th, 1870) was Religious Catalan, archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and confessor of Isabel II of Spain . He founded the order of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians) and the Religious of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters.
Born in Sallent in 1807, in the midst of a modest family of weavers. In 1822 he learned the trade of weaver working on the street Buixadé of Berga. He also worked in a textile factory in Igualada. [1] To continue the family trade, in 1825 went to study in Barcelona, where Llotja School of Mar studied textile design and languages. While in Barcelona, decided to embrace the religious life and in 1829 up to Vic, to study the seminari.Va was ordained on June 13, 1835, in Solsona, his first Mass said Sallent where, from then until 1839, is benefited, vicar and treasurer. Being, however, that his task should be another and wants to go as a missionary to be apostolic in America or Asia. With this idea, he went to Rome, and tries to join a missionary order, but his poor health made that was not accepted by the Congregation of Propaganda Fide and the Jesuits.
Sick and disappointed, returned to Catalonia in 1840 and is intended to Viladrau. He set about organizing parish missions in Catalonia, as found among the population of a country Christian theory, knowledge and practice of religious faith was small. His first mission was Viladrau, is a reminder that planted the cross on top of Metagalls (Montseny). During the following years, preaching to 157 towns in Catalonia, always going walk from Vic addition, to complete the task of ministry, wrote many books and pamphlets, form guide associations and religious congregations faithful who want to work in the same direction.
In 1847 he founded the Religious Library, publish and distribute works of devotion, [2] and the next year begins preaching missions in the Canaries, where he accompanied the new bishop of Las Palmas Codina and Augeroles Buenaventura. The July 16, 1849 in Vic founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the apostolate and the missions as a continuation of their work.
Pius IX appointed Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, is enshrined in Vic on May 20, 1850 and went to Cuba, where he was until 1857. During his episcopal ministry develops a missionary and social activity: organizing the local church, the fight against slavery and make farm schools for underprivileged children, and promote savings and pawnshops with strong social. To aid in the mission, you will create a new religious institute, now female, and together with Maria Antonia Paris, founded the Congregation of the Religious of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters, established in Cuba in 1855.
In 1856, the February 1, Claret suffers an attack in Holguin. Shortly after return to the mainland and is appointed confessor of Queen Elizabeth II. Then, lives in Madrid and leverages the Queen to travel preach to the people, and the religious and priests from elsewhere. The queen named 1859 pattern Royal Hospital and Church of N. S. Montserrat in Madrid.