Today, October 24th, the universal Church celebrates St. Anthony Claret, Spanish Catholic priest, writer, publisher, missionary, founder, queen’s chaplain, archbishop and refugee. It is incredible how talented this man was and what a hard worker for the people of God.
He worked as a weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, Spain, wherein he also learned the printing business and studied Latin. When he was 28 years of age, he became a priest, and indeed, was one of Spain’s most phenomenal and popular preachers.
Father Anthony gave missions and retreats, wherein he expounded mostly upon the true presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist and encouraging devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is reported that he kept Our Lady’s rosary always upon his person, as he knew it was one of his best weapons against evil.
When he was 42 years of age, he founded the religious order of the Claretians, who were missionaries. And, he was also appointed to serve as the archbishop of Santiago in Cuba. He instituted immediate reform by his constant hearing of confessions and constant preaching against sin, more particularly, his opposition to concubinage. He also taught black slaves.
Because of his outspoken Catholicism, an assassin slashed his face and slit his wrists. What is even more incredible is that Father John was the person who obtained freedom from imprisonment for this assassin. And, it was also Father Anthony that changed this individual’s death sentence to life in prison. In total, there were actually 14 attempts at his life.
Father Anthony helped Cubans own family-run farms, to support themselves and to bring food to market for people to buy. Thus, he aroused the fury of those individuals who marketed working in a single cash crop, namely, sugar.
He was recalled to Spain to serve as chaplain for the queen. But he made it very clear he would only serve in this capacity if he did not live in the palace, that he would come to hear the queen’s confession and that he would also teach children, and that he would not attend court functions.
During the revolution of 1868, he fled with the queen and her party to Paris, where he preached to Spanish colonies. He was a prolific writer and was interested in Catholic publications. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a publishing venture in Spain, wherein he published 200 books and pamphlets.
He attended Vatican I, where he defended the doctrine of papal infallibility. Indeed and in fact, American Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore said of him, “There goes a true saint.” He died in exile when he was 63 near the border of Spain.
Dear St. Anthony Claret, you showed by your life great courage, love and faith. He is the very opposite of being “lukewarm,” the temperature that Our Lord finds so repulsive. Please help us St. Anthony to stand for what is right and true, to stand for our Faith, no matter what the cost. We live in a world with “in-your-face” evil from all sides. We hope to learn from your example to serve God with passion and great love, the most important of all virtues.
