The Blessed Claretian
Martyrs of Barbastro
Courageous Witnesses to the Word of God
Memorial: August 13th
On Monday, July 20, 1936, sixty religious from a house run by the Claretian Congregation at Barbastro, Spain, were rounded up by armed soldiers during the height of the anti-religious ferver of the Spanish Revolution. The majority of them were just young men - novices and seminarians - who had recently entered into consecrated life. Between August 2nd and August 18th, fifty-one of them were systematically gunned down - without any fair trial - for holding firm to their Catholic Faith, thus earning the glorious Crown of Martyrdom.
Prior to being executed by firing squad, the seminarians were hoarded into a makeshift jail where for three weeks they were confined with no beds, no change of clothes, and no running water. The conditions rapidly became unsanitary, and almost unbearable by normal standards, but the religious men maintained a prayerful spirit that sustained them during their imprisonment. Adding to their cramped and inadequate jail, their were also subjected to threats and tauntings by their captors, and by a hostile crowd that gathered to gawk at them through their prison windows. On a few occasions prostitutes were even ushered into the room in an effort to sway the men from their vows of chastity, but all remained steadfast against the threats and temptations that were directed towards them.
Knowing that their death was eminent, the group of captives spent their remaining time on earth praying together, confessing their sins, and also receiving Holy Communion when the opportunity arose. Many of the novices and seminarians left behind short written messages using whatever scraps of paper they could get their hands on, as well as on the walls and on the floorboards. Some of the recorded messages, read as follows: "We die happy"… "Lord, forgive them"… "Father, save them, for they know not what they do"… and "Workers, we martyrs die loving and forgiving you. Many of us have offered our lives that you may be saved."
The Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro were Beatified on October 25, 1992, by Pope John Paul II. Their names were, as follows:
Philip of Jesus Munárriz, Joseph Amorós, Joseph Badía, John Baixeras, Xavier L. Bandrés, Joseph Blasco, Joseph Brengaret, Raphael Briega, Manuel Buil, Antolín Calvo, Sebastian Calvo, Thomas Capdevila, Stephen Casadeval, Francis Castán, Wenceslao Claris, Eusebio Codina, John Codinach, Peter Cunill, Gregory Chirivas, Antony Dalmau, John Díaz, John Echarri, Louis Escalé, Joseph Falgarona, Joseph Figuero, Peter Gar-cía, Raymond Illa, Louis Lladó, Hilary Llorente, Manuel Martínez, Louis Masferrer, Michael Masip, Alphonse Miquel, Raymond Novich, Joseph Ormo, Secundino Ortega, Joseph Pavón, Faustino Pérez, Leoncio Pérez, Salvador Pigem, Sebastian Riera, Edward Ripoll, Joseph Ros, Francis Roura, Theodore Ruiz de Larrinaga, John Sánchez, Nicasio Sierra, Alphonse Sorribes, Manuel Torras, Atanasio Viadaurreta, & Agustín Viela.
A Reflection
Prior to being executed by firing squad, the seminarians were hoarded into a makeshift jail where for three weeks they were confined with no beds, no change of clothes, and no running water. The conditions rapidly became unsanitary, and almost unbearable by normal standards, but the religious men maintained a prayerful spirit that sustained them during their imprisonment. Adding to their cramped and inadequate jail, their were also subjected to threats and tauntings by their captors, and by a hostile crowd that gathered to gawk at them through their prison windows. On a few occasions prostitutes were even ushered into the room in an effort to sway the men from their vows of chastity, but all remained steadfast against the threats and temptations that were directed towards them.
Knowing that their death was eminent, the group of captives spent their remaining time on earth praying together, confessing their sins, and also receiving Holy Communion when the opportunity arose. Many of the novices and seminarians left behind short written messages using whatever scraps of paper they could get their hands on, as well as on the walls and on the floorboards. Some of the recorded messages, read as follows: "We die happy"… "Lord, forgive them"… "Father, save them, for they know not what they do"… and "Workers, we martyrs die loving and forgiving you. Many of us have offered our lives that you may be saved."
The Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro were Beatified on October 25, 1992, by Pope John Paul II. Their names were, as follows:
Philip of Jesus Munárriz, Joseph Amorós, Joseph Badía, John Baixeras, Xavier L. Bandrés, Joseph Blasco, Joseph Brengaret, Raphael Briega, Manuel Buil, Antolín Calvo, Sebastian Calvo, Thomas Capdevila, Stephen Casadeval, Francis Castán, Wenceslao Claris, Eusebio Codina, John Codinach, Peter Cunill, Gregory Chirivas, Antony Dalmau, John Díaz, John Echarri, Louis Escalé, Joseph Falgarona, Joseph Figuero, Peter Gar-cía, Raymond Illa, Louis Lladó, Hilary Llorente, Manuel Martínez, Louis Masferrer, Michael Masip, Alphonse Miquel, Raymond Novich, Joseph Ormo, Secundino Ortega, Joseph Pavón, Faustino Pérez, Leoncio Pérez, Salvador Pigem, Sebastian Riera, Edward Ripoll, Joseph Ros, Francis Roura, Theodore Ruiz de Larrinaga, John Sánchez, Nicasio Sierra, Alphonse Sorribes, Manuel Torras, Atanasio Viadaurreta, & Agustín Viela.
A Reflection
"…with the blood they shed they inspire us all to live and die for the Word of God we have been called to proclaim.” ~ words of Pope John Paul II during the Beatification Homily
A Short Prayer
A Short Prayer
Lord, help us to proclaim the Word of God through the way we live our lives and in the manner through which we will die. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
[Your comment/feedback is welcomed. However, business advertisements of any sort are not allowed and will be deleted. Thank you.]