Our founder's feast 2016 (Feast day photos also attached) ~ CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES

Homily delivered by Fr.Maria Arul cmf during our Vespers -

This evening we are assembled as brothers and sisters in the Lord to recall and celebrate the holy life of our Father founder St Antony Mary Claret. The holy life of this nineteenth century Saint is perhaps not unfamiliar to most of you as Claretian Missionaries are to you. However, using this special occasion I would like to refresh your memory of this saint who has left us behind a great spiritual and missionary heritage.

On the occasion of the birth bicentennial of St. Anthony Claret on 8 December 2007, Pope Benedict XVI wrote to the Claretian Missionaries, “Caritas Christi urget nos” was his Episcopal motto. This ardent love of Christ that flooded his soul and urged him to commit himself unreservedly to overcome any obstacles to faithfully fulfilling his mission… The great loves that guided the life of Claret was God’s word, the Eucharist, devotion to the Mother of God, ecclesial communion, and adherence to the Pope.” The Pope added: “The life, teachings and example of this marvelous Shepherd constitute an extraordinary spiritual heritage, not only for those who are directly inspired by his charisma, but also for the whole Church.On May 7, 1950, Pope Pius XII canonizing Anthony Mary Claret said that, “among the greatest men of the 19^th century arose Anthony Mary Claret. He added that Claret has served the Church up to the end of his life “more than anyone.”

Anthony Claret was born in Salent a village in the Catalan speaking region of Spain on 23 December 1807 in a weaver family. He spent his entire adolescence at his father’s workshop and later in Barcelona mastered and excelled in textile industry winning awards and appreciation from far and wide. While living with the dreams and desires of popularity and fame in the field of his specialization one day while attending the Holy Mass in the Church, young Claret heard the Gospel, “what will one gain by winning the whole world if he destroys himself?” (Mat 16:26). This Gospel words fell deep into the heart of young Claret and questioned his worldly ambitions and aspirations of earning money and popularity. Anthony decided to earn heavenly riches dedicating his entire energy and life for God and thus decided to join the Seminary. His decision initially caused great disappointment to his father who placed a lot of worldly dreams on his son. However, being a devoted Christian he accepted the decision of Anthony Claret. Having completed the seminary formation at the age of 27, on 13 June 1835 Anthony Claret was ordained to priesthood.

Claret started his priestly ministry in his own native village and dedicated himself to the priestly tasks, despite the enormous difficulties he encountered due to hostile ambience of his time. Not merely confining himself to a parish he exercised his missionary preaching of the Gospel in Catalonia and in Canary Islands. His exemplary simple and prayerful life style, scripture based preaching won the hearts of many people wherever he preached. As a consequence, Claret had to sit many hours in the confessional. In exercising the ministry he was convinced that the mission that he carried out was the “mission of God” and thus always followed the style of Jesus and the apostles who were sent. Father Claret was strongly convinced that to be effective, a missionary must be sent and thus he made it a point to be sent by his Bishop.

Wanting to go to preach the Gospel to the lands where Christ was not known he went to Rome to enroll himself in the Propagation of Faith. But, this desire was not materialized because of the absence of the Cardinal in charge of Propagation of Faith. Therefore, he spent some time with the Jesuits doing the Spiritual exercise of St. Ignatius of Loyola. As an ecclesiastical recognition to his missionary zeal and service in July 1841 Claret received the title “Apostolic Missionary” from the Propagation of Faith in Rome. Spain in the 19^th century was a country in turmoil. It was immersed in political wars caused by the liberal and traditional parties. In the parliament of 1835 the suppression of all religious Institutes was approved. The huge possessions of the Churches and monasteries were confiscated and auctioned. The people were instigated to burn the churches, monasteries and to kill the priests. The adverse laws of the liberal governments of Spain and the suppression of the religious orders had dismantled the traditional forms of evangelization and scarcity of preachers was a great challenge. In such situation Claret impelled by the love of Christ and to make Christ known for and wide, along with five other diocesan clergy of the same spirit and Gospel thirst, on July 16, 1849 on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel founded the Congregation of the diocesan priests with a new lifestyle - community life, free from any diocesan commitment that would tie them down to any concrete place or ecclesiastical benefice. In this way, they could fully devote themselves to the preaching of the Word, especially by means of Popular Missions, Spiritual Retreats and Catechesis. Because of his great love and devotion to our heavenly mother Claret named this foundation as “Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary” popularly known and called today as the Claretian Missionaries. Claret from the beginning firmly believed that the congregation was not his foundation but it was the work of God and he attributed Mary as its foundress. Pope Pius IX on December 22, 1865 gave his official approval to this Congregation in the Church.

Shortly after founding the congregation in August 1849 Claret was appointed as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba. He rejected to accept this appointment for he had to leave the congregation in its infancy and also this would tie him down to a single archdiocese, whereas, his spirit was for the entire world. However, because of the pressure from both the state and ecclesiastical sides after much consultation with very wise and virtuous priests and long retreat about two months later in October 1849 he consented to this election. After a year he was consecrated as the archbishop of Santiago de Cuba on 6 October 1850.

Life and mission in Cuba was not easy, neither he sought for an easy one. The archdiocese was vacant for several years before Archbishop Claret’s arrival. Apart from the spiritual poverty prevalent there, the people of the diocese suffered material poverty, moral decadence, discrimination, injustice, slavery, and so on. As a good shepherd who knew the smell of his sheep Archbishop Claret committed himself for the people of his diocese visiting them in the parishes six times in seven years, creatively promoting socio-economical projects that benefited the poor, rectifying their marriage irregularities, voicing against slavery and injustices at the cost of gaining the hostility of slave owners, exploiters, and the rich even to the extent of being physically attacked. Thus, as St. Paul he literally carried in his body the mark of being a missionary disciple of Jesus.

After serving seven years as Archbishop in Cuba he was called back to Spain in 1857 to be the Queen’s confessor and Missionary in the Court of Spain. Assignment to be the confessor of the Queen was a prestigious offer, but to Bishop Claret it was very much against his will and wish. Claret denied the comfortable accommodation offered in the palace and decided to live a simple and austere life outside the palace. During these years of service to the queen in the palace the queen always sought the counsel of Archbishop Claret in the appointment of new bishops in the Spanish Church as the practice was so. Understanding the importance of having good shepherds after the heart of Jesus Claret indicated candidates who would bring real renewal in the Church and be true successors of the Apostles, especially through their unconditional commitment to preaching the Gospel. The assessment of Papal Nuncio Barili, expressed in an official report to the Vatican Secretary of the State Cardinal Antonelli, constitutes the best praise of Father Claret in relation to his intervention in the choice of Spanish Bishops: “The Spanish Bishops for the most part, or better almost all of them, are men of integrity, solicitous and charitable shepherds, or at least they have a good desire to be so..”

Claret engaged himself in the service of the Word in various creative ways that would reach the people. Apart from the regular preaching and hearing confessions for several hours he dedicated himself writing, publishing and distributing a number of spiritual books and pamphlets that carried the message of the Gospel and the elements of faith. He used all the possible means to evangelize thus to fulfill his childhood dream of not letting anyone to go to hell. The enemies of the queen using the media defamed his name causing Claret great suffering. However, being a faithful Son of the immaculate Heart of Mary his entire life was led by the fire of love and nothing daunted him.

In 1869 attending the Vatican Council Claret defended the infallibility of the Pope. Due to the adverse political situation in Spain in August 1870 he had to go into exile to France. After suffering a period of physical illness in the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide near Narbonne Claret on 24 October 1870 inherited the heavenly abode prepared for him.

Once again I recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI about Saint Claret, “The life, teachings and example of this marvelous Shepherd constitute an extraordinary spiritual heritage, not only for those who are directly inspired by his charisma, but also for the whole Church”. I would like to highlight two areas of priorities excelled in the life of Claret that can inspire as priests, religious and devoted Christians of today.

While speaking about the Social Dimension of Evangelization in his Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis says, “God’s heart has a special place for the poor, so much so that he himself “became poor” (2Cor 8:9). Therefore, he wants a “Church which is poor and for the poor” and has called for a “missionary conversion”. Claret an “apostolic missionary” and a “missionary disciple” of Christ, his “missionary option” was the people in peripheries as a priest, Bishop and confessor to the queen. His ecclesiastical statues did not alter his missionary option and preferences. He was always a man on fire with God’s love for his people, especially the poor, the marginalized, and those who were denied justice. The autobiographical passages (auto. 562, 569-572) we have heard earlier is the summary of his love for the poor and his commitment to the cause of the poor as a good shepherd while he was the archbishop of Santiago de Cuba.

In May 2015 our Pope Francis through his Encyclical “Laudato Si” points out that the “Mother Earth” cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. He makes an urgent appeal to protect and care for the planet our common home . In addition to highlighting the duty of each person to care for nature, “the church”, the Pope says, "must above all protect mankind from self-destruction." Our Pope is hopeful, reminding us that because God is with us, we can strive both individually and corporately to change course. We can awaken our hearts and move towards an “ecological conversion” in which we see the intimate connection between God and all beings, and more readily listen to the “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (No. 49).

In this context it is worth indicating Father Claret’s close association and love for the nature. In his autobiography he writes: “While I was travelling I would strike up a conversation with those who chanced to join me about the various things we saw. If I happened to see some flowers, I would point to them and remark that, as these plants produced beautiful and fragrant flowers, we should produce virtues. The rose, for example, teaches us love, the lily symbolize purity, the violet, humility etc. We must, as the Apostle says, be bonus sumus Christi Dei in omni loco (the good aroma of Christ in every place – 2Cor 2:15). If we passed by a river, I would say that the running water reminds us that we are passing on toward eternity. (auto. 336). In his preaching used the images of donkey and cock to teach great truths.

Claret as bishop, in his archdiocese promoted planting trees and growing domestic animals that contributed to the cause of the poor as well as promoting ecological welfare. He wrote “I had a sort of botanical garden of trees planted, some native to the island, others foreign but adaptable and useful in that climate. The trees were numbered and listed by number in a catalog that explained their type, source, use, propagation, improvements, etc. I myself planted more than 400 orange trees with my own hands, and they were doing just fine when I left. I also had a yard sectioned off for animals…” (auto 567).

Yes, Father Anthony Claret’s life of holiness is manifested in his deep prayer life; reading, reflecting and preaching the word of God, Eucharistic celebration and adoration, preferential and compassionate love for the poor expressed in variety of concrete programs and caring the creation.

To conclude, let me quote a 12 century saint - St. Bernard, a monastic reformer, theologian and a mystic. He said, “do not delay in imitating the saint whose feast you are happy to celebrate.” Feast of St. Anthony Claret is inviting us to imitate his holy way of life and for a missionary conversion leading to missionary options to the peripheries and ecological conversion leading to caring for our common home.