Saint Anthony Mary Claret

Vida y virtudes de la Rma. M. Anita Soler de Santa Sabina [Barcelona 1928], p. 62.

2412 “I can assure you,” said Don Vicente de la Fuente, “that I have never heard a sacred orator who had this speciality (anointing) as Fr. Claret had it.” Of Claret’s early writings, the famous Jesuit philosopher Jaime Balmes wrote: “There is nothing special about these writings per se; nevertheless, they produce extraordinary fruit. This cannot be explained by natural means” (IPV ses. 24).

2413 “Few men have possessed in such a high degree the ability to say one and the same thing in so many different words, making himself understood by the ignorant, while still pleasing the learned” (Aguilar, Mariano, Vida de Claret…, I, p. 128). “Although he spoke rapidly and his sermons lasted no less than an hour, his tongue never tired, nor did he have to correct a single word or concept” (ib., p. 139). In Segovia, a doctor who had witnessed the Saint’s staying-power during his preaching, stated that he considered it beyond human explanation (cf. HD, II, pp. 462-463).

2414 Autob. nn. 573-578; Autob. Doc. XVI.

2415 Witnesses: Fr. Pablo Coma, of the Philippines (IPB ses. 4), and Queen Isabel II (PlV ses. 165).

2416 Positio super virtutibus, 1915, II, n. 120.

2417 Ib., I, pp. 835, 855.

2418 “His customary meal would have been a rigorous fast for others; nevertheless, despite this prolonged fasting, Fr. Claret worked tirelessly day and night” (APT ses. 36; IPL ses. 7).

2419 In this connection, the letters of Fr. Carmelo Sala to Fr. Joseph Xifré, reporting on the royal tour of Andalusia, are most interesting, especially the letter of September 27, 1862 from Cádiz (cf. Revista Católica 49 [1862] 123-125: EC, II, pp. 540-545).

2420 “Lights and Graces,” 1855 and 1861.

2421 “The sanguine-bilious temperament which we judge most suitably fits the Venerable Father Claret, is considered by [Alfred] Fouillée [1838-1912] (Temperamento y carácter, book 3, chap. 3) as the ideal temperament for a man” (Puigdesens, José, Espíritu del Venerable P. Antonio María Claret, Arzobispo y Fundador [Barcelona 1928] p. 145).

2422 Puigdesens, José, op. cit., pp. 142-156.

2423 Ib., pp. 349-366; Gutiérrez, Lucas, San Antonio María Claret, sagrario viviente: IC 43 (1950) 303-314; Mesa, José María, Una gracia grande: SC 2 (1964) 47-134; Juberías, Francisco, La permanencia eucarística (Granada 1975) 152 pp.; Álvarez, Jesús, La conservación de las especies sacramentales de una comunión a otra: una experiencia mística de San Antonio María Claret: SC 13 (1995) 7-16.

2424 Cf. Guibert, Joseph de, La spiritualité de la Compagnie de Jésus (Roma 1953) pp. 42-44; see also The Jesuits: Their Spiritual Doctrine and Practice, Institute of Jesuit Sources (Saint Louis, Missouri 1964).

2425 Cf. “Lights and Graces,” 1856.

2426 Pastoral letter on the Immaculate Conception (Santiago, Cuba 1855), 38 pp. in Works III, pp. 512-570.; Spanish text found in María Inmaculada: carta pastoral (Madrid 1954) 130 pp.; L’Immacolata, introduction and note of Fr. Gabriele Roschini (Milan 1943) 82 pp.; Escritos Espirituales, BAC (Madrid 1985) pp. 43-485; Escritos Marianos. Publicaciones Claretianas (Madrid 1989) pp. 188-239; and in Carta pastoral de la Inmaculada (Sevilla 2004) 64 pp.

2427 This painting depicted Our Lady of the Rosary, with a heart painted on her bosom. The Saint kept this painting in his room, and carried it about with him on his missions. It was lost in Sallent during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939.

2428 He is careful to note the spiritual effects produced in him by this locution, since this is one of the traditional and sure criteria for judging the veracity of any phenomenon of this sort.

2429 Cf. Autob. nn. 573-584.

2430 This was indicated to the Apostolic Nuncio in Spain, Don Giovanni Brunelli: “The enemies, not content, continued the persecution; on the first night of our trip they burned down a house where they thought I was staying, fortunately I stayed in another. We continued on our journey and on the second night they tried to do the same” (letter written in Santiago, Cuba on March 19, 1856: SL, pp. 432-433; cf. also the letter to Paladio Currius on the 15^th of March: SL, pp. 430-432).

2431 He would not receive the Pope’s letter, dated May 5, 1856, until November or December of that year. The Pope’s will seem to contradict the Virgin’s words. Claret followed the Pope’s decision, which was that he stay-on despite persecutions, leaving the matter in the hands of Providence. (cf. Randle, Guillermo, Discernir en el desconcierto. Una experiencia: Claret (1807-1870) [Madrid 1993] pp. 138-143).

2432 Jer 51:9: We would have cured Babylon, but she is not healed: let us forsake her, and let us go every man to his own land: because her judgment has reached even to the heavens. In locutions, we must distinguish the inner word from its outer formulation. Claret, who knew by rote a large number of biblical texts relating to his mission, at once found the adequate formulation. This text from Jeremiah is one of those marked by a hand-symbol in the margin of his edition of the Vulgate. Of the texts so marked, he tells us in the foreword of this edition: “We would add, moreover, that having read the aforesaid chapters (two in the morning and two in the evening), we would like you to go back and read those verses alongside which we have placed a hand-symbol, to indicate that they are of great importance, and we would like you to learn them by memory and be ever-ready to recall them” (Biblia Sacra [Barcelona 1862]: Dialogue on the Holy Bible).

2433 Cf. Autob. nn. 587-588.

2434 Cf. Acts 22:10.

2435 It is interesting to note that in all of Claret’s lights and locutions, there is not a single one urging him to work. On the contrary, there are many aimed at holding him back. The Saint realized that although the hour for his more universal apostolate had not yet come, he was not excused from doing his regular duties. Hence, on February 20th he set out on a visit and a mission to the town of Baracoa. But persecution followed him. A man who had been leading an immoral life was paid by Claret’s enemies (who were furious over the failure of the attempt at Holguín) to assassinate him. Fortunately, he was apprehended in the nick of time (cf. HD, l, p. 983).

2436 Cf. Autob. 675. These consolations may have been a compensation for the sacrifice of his forced inactivity, or perhaps a preparation for his new mission.

2437 Cf. Autob. n. 588.

2438 Cf. Autob. n. 589.

2439 Cf. Autob. n. 590.

2440 In the Autobiography (n. 676) he says that this took place in 1857, but in two earlier manuscripts he states clearly that it was in 1858. The latter date seems more in keeping with the overall context, and with the fact that he was on retreat.

2441 Although he says in the Autobiography (n. 677) that this was in 1857, we believe that it was in October of 1858, as he says in two other handwritten notes closer to the events. He left no written record of the earlier time when the Blessed Virgin told him that he was to be the Dominic of his age in preaching the Rosary. His idea of St. Dominic can be seen in several short works he wrote. He generally projects his own vocation on Dominic. Knowing that he was called to be another Dominic, and seeing from the latter’s humility how far he himself was from this ideal, he wrote: “It is to be hoped that Blessed Mary will move one of her devout and faithful servants to revive the people by preaching to them about the Most Holy Rosary, and teaching them how to recite it. Ecce ego, mitte me [Here I am, send me]. If she really wants to avail herself of me, her most unworthy son, then I offer myself with great readiness and joy, even though, in order to do so, I should have to pass through many labors and suffer death” The Most Holy Rosary Explained (Barcelona 1864) pp. 148-149; cf. The Holy Law of God (Barcelona 1870), pp. 26-27. The book he refers to here must be The Devotion to the Most Holy Rosary (Barcelona 1858).

2442 It was not until 1867 that he wrote down his Retreat Resolution to make his day of recollection on the 25th of each month, but as can be seen from this note, he had begun to do so much earlier. His reasons for this practice are given in his Spiritual Exercises... Explained (Madrid 1859) pp. 466-468.

2443 Cf. Lk 22:53, 63-65.

2444 Cf. Mk 14:61.

2445 Cf. Mt 26:56.

2446 Jn 18:11 - For some years already, he had been striving to accept slanders not only with resignation but with joy. Now the Lord was granting him an infused love for them. Even in his dream-life we can see his concern to imitate the interior life of Jesus.

2447 During his retreat he had made a resolution not to be a meddlesome servant, but rather, one who simply offers to do the will of his Lord. Now he was receiving a response, indicating the apostolic ministries he ought to be doing. The first counsel – to pray more – had repercussions on his next year’s resolutions. In Cuba, he had made an hour’s meditation every day; he would now raise this to three hours, with an explicitly apostolic intention. How he fulfilled the second counsel – to write books – can be seen in the Autobiography (n. 640) and in his General Bibliography. As to the third counsel – to direct souls – we know that when he was an itinerant missionary he avoided doing so since it would interfere with his apostolic activities. Now, with his residence fixed in Madrid, he had more opportunity for giving spiritual direction, and he used it. He directed a very few select souls, such as St. Micaela of the Blessed Sacrament, Don Bienvenido Monzón, Archbishop of Granada, and the Marqués del Arco (cf. HD, II, pp. 77-79). What he found most mortifying was having to remain cooped-up in Madrid – he who had traversed Catalonia and the Canary Islands on foot, and had covered the southern half of Cuba four times during his six years as Archbishop of Santiago (cf. Autob. n. 620).

2448Cf. Autob. Doc. VIII; and Works III, pp. 27-31.

2449 Cf. HD, II, pp. 561-584.

2450 Cf. Autob. n. 680.

2451 Jn 4:26: I am he, who am speaking with you

2452 Cf. Jn 19:5-6.

2453 Cf. Lk 24:34.

2454 Ex. 3:14.

2455 Cf. Acts 9:5.

2456 Cf. Jn 4:19, 25, 29, 39.

2457 Cf. Lk 10:21.

2458 Cf. Acts 9: 6, 15-16, 20.

2459 Cf. Jn 21:6, 11-12.

2460 Cf. Jn 18:6.

2461 Ex 3:14, 18.

2462 In the Autobiography (n. 689), he speaks of these sufferings without specifying the date. He may be referring to the machinations of the Overseas Minister to trick the Queen into signing an order to have Claret removed from his See. Also around this time, a libelous book by Santiango López de Sanromán Observations of Fr. San Roman on a leaflet by Bp. Claret (New York 1859) 148 pp. was sneaked into Madrid (cf. HD, l, pp. 927-928, 937).

2463 Cf. Autob. nn. 406, 684. At the time he was a guest in the home of the Marqués del Arco. The crucifix from which it is believed he heard these words is venerated in the Shrine of the Heart of Mary on Calle Feraz, Madrid.

2464 Cf. Autob. n. 407.

2465 Cf. Autob. nn. 484-485.

2466 Cf. Autob. n. 403.

2467 Cf. Autob. n. 397.

2468 Cf. Autob. nn. 406, 684.

2469 Cf. Jdg 7:3, 6-7, 8-10. – The Saint interpreted the Gideon story in the sense that 300 mortified soldiers routed 135,000 of the enemy. By implication, the same would hold true of a small number of mortified missionaries.

2470 Cf. Autob. n. 685.

2471 Cf. a lápide, Cornelius, Commentaria in Apocalypsin (Antwerp 1672) pp. 167-168. Ex libris. An 1890 English translation by T. W. Mossman (Fourth Ed., J. Hodges, London) is available on the Internet. < http://www.catholicapologetics.info/scripture/newtestament/Lapide.htm>.

2472 But they that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles.

2473 In the Autobiography (n. 685) he expressly names communism as one of these consequences. Karl Marx issued the Communist Manifesto in 1848. On August 27, 1861, Claret was given a further knowledge of these evils as they were to be concretely experienced in Spain, as well as the role he would play in confronting them. (cf. Autob. n. 695).

2474 Cf. Mss. Claret, IX, 254.

2475 Cf. Autob. n. 686 and Autob. Doc. VIII: Résumé of his life.

2476 Cf. Rev 10:2-4.

2477 Rev 10:3.

2478 Cf. Mk 3:17.

2479 Cf. Autob. n. 223 and Autob. Doc. II. - Claret had doubtless read the reasons why James and John were called sons of thunder in the Flos Sanctorum: “The reason for calling these two apostles and blessed brothers sons of thunder, was because, more than the other apostles, after St. Peter, they were to be closer and more privileged members of His circle, as indeed they were... He also called them sons of thunder because they had to be the principal captains and conquerors of the world, into which He sent them in order to subject it and make it obedient to Him” (Ribadeneira, Pedro de, Flos Sanctorum [Madrid 1761] III, p. 691). Ribadaneyra also has some fine passages on John’s love of the Virgin (ibid., pp. 692-693).

2480 Jn 14:24: And the word which you have heard is not mine.

2481 Jer 1:9: Behold, I have given my words in your mouth.

2482 Mt 10:20: For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. – Cf. Autob. Nn. 686-687.

2483 Lk 4:18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted.

2484 Cf. Autob. n. 688, where he says this episode took place “in the Church of San José, Madrid, on Alcalá Street.”

2485 Cf. Mk 14:68; Lk 22:61-62.

2486 Ps 103:32 Vulgate, (Ps 104:32): He who looks upon the Earth and makes it tremble.

2487 Cf. Autob. n. 697, where he assigns it to 1861. It became, so to speak, a new emblem of his instrumentality as an apostolic missionary. (Cf. also Autob. n. 664.).

2488 These Counsels are most likely the sketch for The Well-Instructed Seminarian, which began as a set of rules with a few instructions for Cuban seminarians, and ended up as a complete handbook for the formation of all seminarians in Spain. In this work, aimed at the Christian formation of good priests, the Blessed Virgin, faithful to her maternal mission, took the initiative. In his Notes for the Governance of the Diocese, after recommending his The Well-Instructed Seminarian and two complementary works, The Vocation of Boys and The Art of Ecclesiastical Chant (also by him), he says: “I know a person to whom God made it known that this was His most holy will” (Apuntes de un Plan... para el régimen de la diócesis [Madrid 1865] 2.ª ed., p. 59, nota 1).

2489 Not for a martyrdom of blood (although there were more attempts on his life, but for greater conformity with the suffering Christ, through the weight of his apostolic enterprises and the persecutions he would have to bear.

2490 Cf. Autob. n. 690. - WIS is an admirable, encyclopedic compendium of great usefulness to seminarians, for whom it provided not only a ritual and book of devotions, but also a guide and self-teacher. It is the crowning work of a priest at the height of his priesthood, and of a bishop rich in experience and holiness.

2491 Cf. Autob. n. 691. - The consolation mentioned came just when it was most needed. Claret had been named President of El Escorial on August 5, 1859, at which time he established the body of chaplains. In 1860, both the high-school and seminary began functioning. Fr. Jerome Pagés, a Hieronymite monk, who was custodian of the monastery, was named vice-president. For a time he was of great help to the Saint, but because of difficulties involving the new corps of chaplains, Pagés submitted his resignation, which was reluctantly accepted on November 19th. Claret was left with the main responsibility for the huge undertaking, which was all the heavier since the Queen would not hear of his residing at El Escorial. Although not easily discouraged, he certainly suffered from this burden that had been thrust upon him, so he sought and found consolation in prayer. The prior’s oratory adjoined his cell. The image of Christ from which he heard the words of encouragement, consists of a golden corpus on a black cross.

2492 This ‘paper on the Passion’ was the leaflet, “The Clock of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ,” printed this year, according to the catalogue of the Librería Religiosa. There had been a number of ‘clocks’ or ‘timetables’ of the Passion in devotional literature, the best known of them being that of St. Alphonsus Liguori (Opere ascetiche [Rome 1934] V, p. 8 ff.). Claret’s work differs in its consideration of certain mysteries. For example, at 2:00 p.m. Claret considers how Jesus gave us Mary as our Mother, while St. Alphonsus considers how he handed over his spirit to the Father. But a main difference is that Claret joins the notions of Jesus as both Redeemer and Savior, proposing him as the model of all the virtues, a trait very close to Claret’s present state of mind. Finally, Claret’s work is a method of practicing the inner presence of Christ: “The soul contemplates Christ within it, as Martha and Mary did, when they received him into their home; and it will pay attention to the hour showing on the clock.” (Works, III, p. 237). Even in his Retreat Resolutions for 1870, the Saint still refers implicitly to this practice.

2493 Cf. Autob. n. 693. - This advice led him to change the subject of his particular examen from humility to meekness (cf. Retreat Resolutions, 1861). Among other trials, he was suffering considerably from the opposition of Cardinal Cirilo Alameda y Brea (1781-1872), Archbishop of Toledo, in matters affecting the organization of El Escorial.

2494 The call to a more universal apostolate came to him in various ways, both by inner presentiments and divine locutions. He wrote to Don Dionisio González: “The persecution being waged against me grows stronger every day. I believe that the Lord is using these means so that I may leave Spain and begin the great mission to which He destined me some time ago” (letter written in Aranjuez on April 9, 1861: EC, II, pp. 257-258). Just as God, according to St. John of the Cross (Llama de amor viva, 2, n. 12), grants very special graces to contemplative Saints who are heads of religious families, so the Lord granted Claret, a Father of apostles, these urgings toward a universal apostolate, which would be carried out by his sons. Nevertheless, this call to preach in Italy would be carried out by Claret himself during the First Vatican Council.

2495 The Feast occurred on May 30th. At 10:00 a.m. Claret presided at Mass in this parish. From a letter to Don Dionisio González, we know that he was already working on volume 2 of WIS at the beginning of April (cf. letter written in Aranjuez on April 3, 1861; EC, II, p. 251). He received this divine approval on Corpus Christi, and the work was already published in August (cf. Autob. 690).

2496 This year he had preached enough missions and retreats to overtax anyone else, but he felt idle and wanted to do still more: “The greatest suffering I have is to be stationed in this Court. It’s true, I always preach in prisons, hospitals, hospices, convents and towns, but it still doesn’t satisfy me. I would like to be running” (Letter to Ven. Fr. James Clotet, Madrid July 1, 1861: EC, II, p. 321). The Lord had to check these yearnings, which would soon find their outlet in a great mission. Meanwhile, he had to content himself with the possibilities offered during the Queen’s next journey: “On the 15th we will be leaving for Santander, where I hope to be satiated, since I know that the clergy, sisters, people, etc., are eagerly awaiting me” (ibid., p. 321).

2497 Cf. Job 5:11.

2498 Glorify and bear God in your body. - Cf. Autob. n. 694. On the scope of this grace, see the studies cited in the note to this number of the Autobiography.

2499 Cf. Autob. n. 695. This grace complements that of September 23, 1859. In letters written at this time, he recommends these devotions, especially to Mother Antonia París: “Presently three great calamities are threatening Spain: communism, Protestantism and the republic. God our Lord has given me to understand in a very clear manner, the need we have to pray and promote devotion to the Trisagion, the Blessed Sacrament, visiting and receiving it frequently, and the Holy Rosary. You and the other sisters should do this. Tell Bishop Caixal” (letter written in La Granja de San Idelfonso on August 27, 1861: