JANUARY
03
1849. On the way from Telde to Agüimes (Canary Islands), Claret goes through Ingenio, where at that time there is no church or town, but there are people working, and they make him preach.
1860. Spiritual Exercises for the religious called “las Francesas” in Madrid. In addition, every afternoon he goes to the novena to Our Lady of the Pillar.
1866. There is a pronouncement by Prim and Pavia in Villarejo de Salvanes, near Madrid, which Claret feared would lead to a revolution; it was aborted on time.
THE FOUNDATION (1849 -1858)
THE GREAT WORK: THERE ARE ALREADY MEN
In December 1848, Claret addressed a letter to Joseph Caixal, in which, referring to their plans for the foundation, he said: There are already men. Indeed, on July 16, 1849, he met with five companions to whom the Lord had given the same spirit that motivated me. At that time, Claret was 41 years old. Stephen Sala, 37 years old, had met Claret in some Spiritual Exercises preached by him in 1843. Dominic Fabregas, 32 years old, was already on the list of his collaborators in 1846, as well as Manuel Vilaro, 33 years old and who was the only one who had accompanied Claret on several missions. As for Joseph Xifre, 32 years old, it is unknown if they knew each other, but it is known that he had preached missions and wished to found a congregation of missionaries; the bishop of Vic told him to get in touch with Claret. Jaime Clotet, who was the youngest at 27 years old, was summoned at the last minute by Claret himself, also at the suggestion of Bishop Casadevall.
GERARDO ESCUDERO, CMF
Missionary and Canon Lawyer (1910-1981)
Ribera de la Polvorosa (Leon, Spain). He stood out as a specialist in Canon Law of Religious Life. In 1950 he began a period of collaboration with his former professor Fr. Arcadio Maria Larraona, at the time Secretary of the Congregation of Religious, from which he would gain experience and competence. The first initiative in favor of the men and women religious was the creation of a magazine in Spain with which to prepare what would be called in the Second Vatican Council the adaptation and renewal of religious life. In 1944 the magazine Vida Religiosa [Religious Life] appeared, supported by a team of Claretians, among whom he occupied a prominent place. Until the year 1981 he threw himself into his activity in the association CLAUNE (Claustros Necesitados [Cloisters in Need]), for which he obtained the approval of the Sacred Congregation as Pontifical Institute Claune, in favor of the nuns of contemplative life. He was the solo author of El nuevo derecho de los religiosos [The New Law of the Religious], an update of a collaborative work prior to the Council.
The Name
I was christened Anthony Adjutor John. My mother’s brother, Anthony Clara, was my godfather, and he wanted me to be named after him. Mary Claret, (my father’s sister), was my godmother. She was married to Adjutor Canudas, so they gave me her husband’s Christian name. My third name, John, was my father’s name. Later, out of devotion to Mary Most Holy, I added the sweet name of Mary, because Mary Most Holy is my mother, my patroness, my mistress, my directress and my all, after Jesus. Thus my name is Anthony Mary Adjutor John Claret y Clara. (Aut 5)
FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
Claret explains the history of his names.- Do you know the history and the meaning of your name?
- His devotion to Mary led Claret to complete his name. In our case, the CMF (Cordis Mariae Filius) explains and completes ours.
- What space does she occupy in your life?
“My beloved Congregation: I have loved you as well as I could until the end and I will not forget you in eternity. I have lived only for you,
without shunning sacrifices or danger.”
(Joseph Xifre, Final Farewell)