JANUARY
24
1857. From Santiago, Claret thanks the Dunigan brothers (USA) for the edition of the Bible that they have dedicated to Claret and wishes that through its reading our Lord will be better known and loved.
1864. The newspaper La Esperanza [Hope] publishes today el Testimonio de la Verdad [the Testimony of the Truth], Claret’s autobiographical writing to defend himself against slander.
CONSTITUTION OF THE INSTITUTE (1858-1870)
PERMANENCE, CONSECRATION AND VOWS
Summarizing the various steps or legal situations in which they lived, we can briefly mention the following. At the beginning there was no special bond. On October 7, 1857, everyone gave up their property. As of July 5, 1860, they made a type of formula of profession. It seems that by 1861 an oath of permanence and the profession of private vows were introduced little by little. After the General Chapter of 1862, Claret prepared a new formula of profession that contained the observance of the ten commandments and the evangelical counsels, a special consecration to God and the Heart of Mary and an oath of perseverance. Throughout 1863 more communities renewed or made this consecration. At the beginning of 1869 Fr. Xifre decided to ask the Holy See if they could make public vows. The Constitutions were approved on February 11, 1870. The Decree was published on May 2nd. On July 15, 1870, Pius IX approved the new formula with public vows. After August 11th all the missionaries made public vows.
Fernando Sebastian Aguilar, CMF
Cardinal and Theologian (1929-2019)
Calatayud (Zaragoza, Spain). He entered the Claretian Missionaries in 1945 and was ordained a priest in 1953. He studied theology in Rome and in Leuven. From 1956 to 1979 he devoted himself to teaching Theology, first in the Centers of the Congregation and after 1967 in the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical University of Salamanca, where he was Dean and Rector of the University between 1971 and 1979. In September of 1979 he was consecrated Bishop of Leon. In 1982 he was elected Secretary General of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, until 1988. In April of this year he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Granada. He was Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Malaga from 1991 to 1993. In 1993 he was named Archbishop of Pamplona and Bishop of Tudela. He has been Emeritus since July 2007. He was Vice President of the Episcopal Conference from 1993-1999 and 2002-2005. He participated in six Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops. Pope Francis made him a cardinal on February 22, 2014.
The Fruits of Devotion
All my joy was to work, pray, read, and think about Jesus and Mary Most Holy. I enjoyed keeping silence and spoke very little because I liked being alone so as not to be disturbed in my thoughts. I was always content, happy, and at peace with everyone. I never had a quarrel or fight, great or small, with anyone. (Aut 50)
FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
- Does your love for Jesus and Mary affect your relationship with others?
- Do you have moments of silence to deepen your inner life?
- Do you try to maintain joy and peace in the difficult moments of your life?
Prayer and spiritual reading are part of the missionary’s apostolic life. Union with the Lord is the source of our missionary fruitfulness. (Briefly comment on these phrases with a brother from your community).
individual human beings are the foundation,
the cause and the end of every social institution.
That is necessarily so, for men are by nature social beings.
This fact must be recognized, as also the fact
that they are raised in the plan of Providence
to an order of reality which is above nature.”
(John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, 219)