JANUARY
15
1857. Claret received the message: You’ll have work to do, Anthony; your hour has not yet come. (He hoped to resume his pastoral visit interrupted by the Holguin attack).
1864. Claret vents with Fr. Xifre about the slander to which he is being subjected. These days it has been reported that Claret has ceased to be the royal confessor, perhaps replaced by the Archbishop of Burgos.
CONSTITUTION OF THE INSTITUTE (1858-1870)
THE FOUNDER WITH HIS MISSIONARIES
Father Claret was still present in the Institute despite his duties as Archbishop and Royal Confessor. He visited the houses in Vic and Gracia in 1859, 1862 and 1864, commemorating the celebration of the first three General Chapters, and that of Segovia during his summer stays with the Queen at La Granja. During these visits he lived with them as just any other missionary. In 1865, on the occasion of his separation from the Court following the recognition of the Kingdom of Italy, he came to reside for three months with the missionaries in Vic, and led Spiritual Exercises for them in 1867. He did the same in the house in Gracia. It was during these Spiritual Exercises that he prophesied that the Congregation would have a martyr; this was going to be Fr. Francis Crusats. Likewise, in Madrid he tried to spend time with some members of the Institute like Fr. Pedro Vilar and Fr. Lorenzo Puig and Br. Joseph Saladich and Br. Antonio Calvo. His Claretian community in Madrid was also going to be mixed.
Eusebio Bofill, CMF
Student Missionary (1881-1904)
Viladrau (Barcelona, Spain). His family had experienced Claret’s kindness, especially when his house, El Mas Noguer, caught on fire on January 22, 1841. For Eusebio, it was reading about Claret’s life and the knowledge of the favors he did for his family that motivated him to enter the Congregation. His human and spiritual qualities, together with their application, foretold that he would be a valuable member of the Congregation. He began his philosophy studies in Cervera, and it was there that God called him home at 23 years old. He was a model of fraternal charity and piety. He showed an extraordinary devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to the Heart of Mary. He stood out for his great missionary zeal, since he prayed incessantly for the missions and for the missionaries, going out of his way for his companions, seeing in them future missionaries. At the end of his life some people wanted to see extraordinary celebrations, which greatly contributed to his reputation of holiness.
First Vocational Call
When I was still a small boy in elementary school, a distinguished visitor to the school asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I answered that I wanted to be a priest. Accordingly, when I had successfully completed my elementary school, I was enrolled in the Latin class taught by a very holy and learned priest, Dr. Don John Riera. From him I learned and memorized nouns, verbs, genders, and a bit more, but as the class was discontinued, I could no longer study and had to give it up. (Aut 30)
FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
- What is your first vocational memory?
- Was there any person who intervened in a special way in your vocational awakening?
- Was there anyone who tried to stop it?
- Go back to your “first love” … What does it say to you today? How has it matured?
- Go back to the text of Scripture that illuminated your vocation. How does it look to you now?
Make me love and serve you with all fervor;
make all creatures love and serve you.”
(Aut 152)