This observance appears in the catholic calendar with liturgical color green .
Saint Antony Mary Claret was a zealous Spanish bishop, missionary, and founder of the Claretian Missionaries, known for his extensive preaching, writing, and tireless efforts in evangelization and Church reform.
Saint Antony Mary Claret, born in Sallent, Spain, in 1807, was a highly influential figure known for his profound missionary zeal and tireless dedication to the Church. After ordination, he became a renowned preacher throughout Catalonia, delivering thousands of sermons and missions that revitalized the faith. In 1849, he founded the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly known as the Claretian Missionaries, a religious institute dedicated to evangelization through preaching, writing, and education. He was appointed Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, where he implemented significant ecclesiastical reforms, promoted education, and fought against social injustices, facing considerable opposition for his efforts. Later, as confessor to Queen Isabella II of Spain, he continued to advocate for moral and religious principles, leaving a legacy as a prolific writer, an ardent defender of the faith, and a model of apostolic life committed to spreading the Gospel.
Saint Antony Mary Claret, born Antoni Maria Claret i Clarà on December 23, 1807, in Sallent, Catalonia, Spain, emerged from humble beginnings as the fifth of eleven children to a wool manufacturer. From a young age, he displayed a keen intellect and a deep piety, often found praying or meditating. He initially followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a skilled weaver and even inventing a new loom, demonstrating his practical ingenuity. However, a profound spiritual calling stirred within him, leading him to abandon a promising industrial career. After discerning his vocation, he entered the seminary in Vic, where he pursued his studies with diligence, eventually being ordained a priest on June 13, 1835. His early priestly ministry was marked by a fervent desire to spread the Gospel, initially dreaming of missionary work in the Philippines, a yearning that reflected his lifelong zeal for souls.
Claret’s missionary zeal, though initially thwarted by ill health that prevented him from traveling to foreign lands, found its powerful expression within Spain. He spent several years as a parish priest, but his true calling became evident in his extraordinary preaching. Traveling throughout Catalonia, he became a dynamic and sought-after missionary, delivering countless sermons and spiritual exercises that captivated audiences. His straightforward, passionate, and often miracle-accompanied preaching led to profound conversions and a widespread spiritual revival. He was renowned for his ability to connect with ordinary people, his sermons being clear, practical, and deeply rooted in the Scriptures and Catholic doctrine. This period laid the groundwork for his future endeavors, as he recognized the urgent need for a dedicated corps of evangelizers.
Recognizing the immense spiritual needs of his time and inspired by his own tireless efforts, Saint Antony Mary Claret founded the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly known as the Claretian Missionaries, on July 16, 1849, in Vic, Spain. This new religious institute was conceived as a dynamic force for evangelization, dedicated to preaching the Gospel, publishing good books, and fostering devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Claretians were to be "men on fire with love," who would spread the divine love wherever they went. From its modest beginnings with just five companions, the congregation rapidly grew, becoming a vital instrument in the Church's missionary efforts, reflecting Claret's vision for a renewed evangelization.
In 1850, a significant turning point in Claret's life occurred when Pope Pius IX appointed him Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. This appointment placed him in a challenging environment characterized by political instability, moral laxity, and widespread anti-clerical sentiment. Undeterred, Archbishop Claret embarked on a rigorous program of reform. He tirelessly visited his vast archdiocese, confirming thousands, regularizing marriages, promoting the education of both clergy and laity, and establishing credit unions to combat usury. His efforts to restore moral order and promote social justice were met with fierce opposition, including multiple assassination attempts, one of which left him seriously wounded. Despite the dangers, his pastoral courage and unwavering commitment to his flock earned him both admiration and virulent hatred.
After six years of intense labor in Cuba, Claret was recalled to Spain in 1857 to serve as confessor to Queen Isabella II. This role placed him at the heart of Spanish political and social life, a position he used not for personal gain, but to advocate for the Church, promote sound moral principles, and continue his missionary work through writing and spiritual direction. During this period, he founded the Academy of Saint Michael, an association dedicated to promoting Catholic literature and combating irreligion. His influence on the Queen and his outspoken defense of traditional Catholic values made him a target for liberal and anti-clerical factions, leading to constant calumny and political maneuvering against him. When the Spanish Revolution of 1868 deposed Isabella II, Claret was forced into exile, accompanying the Queen to France.
In his final years, Claret continued to serve the Church with unwavering devotion. He participated in the First Vatican Council, contributing to the discussions on papal infallibility. Despite suffering from severe illness and enduring continued persecution and slanders, he remained committed to his mission. He passed away on October 24, 1870, at the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide, France. His life was a testament to his motto, "To pray, to suffer, to work, and to be silent." Saint Antony Mary Claret was beatified in 1934 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950. His legacy endures through the Claretian Missionaries, who continue his work of evangelization worldwide, and through his extensive writings, which include over 140 books and numerous pamphlets, all aimed at spreading devotion to the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, making him a pivotal figure in 19th-century Catholic renewal and a model of apostolic zeal for all Christians.
It was the year 1852, and a tempest of unimaginable fury descended upon Santiago de Cuba. Hurricane season in the Caribbean was always a time of apprehension, but this storm was different. Winds howled with the roar of a thousand beasts, tearing at trees, flattening homes, and whipping the sea into a monstrous frenzy. Archbishop Antony Mary Claret, ever the watchful shepherd, had done all he could to prepare his flock, but the sheer power of nature was overwhelming. As the hurricane raged, many churches, including the grand cathedral, suffered catastrophic damage. The very foundations of faith seemed to tremble under the relentless assault of wind and water.
Circa 1862
A Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a man on fire with love, who spreads its flames wherever he goes. He desires ardently and strives by all possible means to set the whole world on fire with divine love. Nothing frightens him; he rejoices in privations, welcomes sacrifices, and delights in slander. He endures all things for the sake of Jesus Christ, he embraces all things, and he accounts himself blessed in every way to suffer with Christ.
His only purpose is the glory of God and the salvation of souls. He thinks of nothing else, he desires nothing else, he seeks nothing else. He works with his eyes on God, and his feet on the ground. He is diligent, humble, fervent, patient, charitable, obedient, and persevering. He is a man of prayer, a man of mortification, a man of self-denial. He is a man who studies, who meditates, who contemplates, who prays, who acts, who suffers, who dies, who rises again for Christ.
He is a man who is consumed by zeal, who is consumed by love, who is consumed by desire for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. He is a man who is so absorbed in God that he sees nothing but God, desires nothing but God, thinks of nothing but God, speaks of nothing but God. He is a man who is so filled with God that he overflows with God, and pours out God upon all who come into contact with him.
He is a man who is so united to God that he becomes one with God, and acts with the power of God. He is a man who is so transformed into God that he becomes God, and lives the life of God. He is a man who is so inflamed with divine love that he becomes a living flame, and burns with the fire of God. He is a man who is so possessed by God that he becomes a divine instrument, and works the works of God.
He is a man who is so immersed in God that he is lost in God, and finds himself in God alone. He is a man who is so emptied of himself that he is filled with God, and becomes a vessel of God's grace. He is a man who is so dead to himself that he lives for God, and becomes a living sacrifice to God. He is a man who is so poor in spirit that he is rich in God, and possesses God as his all.
He is a man who is so pure of heart that he sees God, and finds God everywhere. He is a man who is so meek and humble of heart that he is like a little child, and is led by the hand of God. He is a man who is so thirsty for justice that he is filled with God, and becomes an instrument of God's justice. He is a man who is so merciful that he obtains mercy, and becomes a channel of God's mercy.
He is a man who is so peacemaking that he is called a child of God, and becomes a messenger of God's peace. He is a man who is so persecuted for justice' sake that he rejoices and is glad, for his reward is great in heaven. He is a man who is so reviled and slandered for Christ's sake that he blesses those who curse him, and prays for those who persecute him.
He is a man who is so crucified with Christ that he dies daily, and rises again daily with Christ. He is a man who is so hidden with Christ in God that his life is hidden, and he appears with Christ in glory. He is a man who is so detached from the world that he lives in the world as if he were not of the world, and uses the world as if he used it not.
He is a man who is so united to the Immaculate Heart of Mary that he becomes her son, and she becomes his Mother. He is a man who is so devoted to Mary that he becomes her servant, and she becomes his Queen. He is a man who is so consecrated to Mary that he becomes her property, and she becomes his treasure. He is a man who is so like Mary that he becomes her image, and she becomes his model.
He is a man who is so zealous for the glory of God and the salvation of souls that he burns with an unquenchable fire, and spreads its flames wherever he goes. He is a man who is so consumed by love that he becomes a living holocaust, and offers himself daily to God for the salvation of souls. He is a man who is so fervent in prayer that he becomes a living prayer, and prays without ceasing for the whole world.
He is a man who is so mortified in body and spirit that he becomes a living sacrifice, and offers himself daily to God for the conversion of sinners. He is a man who is so detached from all earthly things that he becomes a living example of poverty, and lives only for God. He is a man who is so humble that he becomes a living example of humility, and considers himself the least of all.
He is a man who is so obedient that he becomes a living example of obedience, and obeys God in all things. He is a man who is so persevering that he becomes a living example of perseverance, and never gives up in the face of difficulties. He is a man who is so charitable that he becomes a living example of charity, and loves God and his neighbor with all his heart.
This, then, is the Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: a man who is consumed by divine love, who is transformed into God, who is united to Mary, and who lives only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. He is a man who is truly a missionary, a man who is truly an apostle, a man who is truly a saint. May God grant that all of us who bear this name may live up to its meaning, and become true Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
1907-1912
St. Anthony Mary Claret, born at Sallent (Catalonia), Spain, December 23, 1807; died at Fontfroide (France), October 24, 1870. The fifth of eleven children of a wool manufacturer, he received an excellent practical education, and at the age of twelve became a weaver. At seventeen he went to Barcelona to perfect himself in his trade, and later invented a new loom. He spent his leisure hours in study, and after a short time entered the seminary at Vich (1829). He was ordained in 1835, and shortly afterwards appointed to the parish of Sallent.
From his earliest years he had a great desire to become a missionary. He left for Rome in 1839, and after a short course in the Jesuit novitiate, was sent to the College of Propaganda. He soon returned to Spain, and began his missionary labours in Catalonia, where he gained a reputation for eloquence and for the numerous conversions he effected. He was indefatigable in his labours, preaching daily, and often three or four times a day, converting sinners, and rousing the indifferent to a new life. He was a man of extraordinary zeal, and his missions were marked by great spiritual fruits.
He founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians) at Vich, July 16, 1849, for the purpose of preaching missions and publishing good books. In the same year he established the great religious library at Barcelona, which was afterwards named the Libreria Religiosa. He was appointed Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba by Pius IX, August 6, 1850. There he reformed the seminary, organized the clergy, founded schools and hospitals, and introduced the Sisters of Mary Immaculate to care for the sick and the poor. He visited his entire diocese three times, confirming some 100,000 persons. He fought against slavery, promoted the welfare of the poor, and established savings banks. His zeal and reforms aroused the anger of his enemies, and he was the victim of several assassination attempts, one of which left him seriously wounded.
In 1857, he was recalled to Spain by Queen Isabella II, who appointed him her confessor. In this capacity, he continued his work of evangelization and reform. He founded the Academy of St. Michael, which published numerous works for the defence of the Faith. He also founded various religious associations, including the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a congregation of sisters dedicated to the education of girls. He was a zealous promoter of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
During the Spanish Revolution of 1868, he was forced to accompany Queen Isabella II into exile in France. He continued to advise her and to work for the Church from afar. He took part in the First Vatican Council, where he defended the doctrine of papal infallibility. Despite his failing health, he continued to write and to preach. He died at the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide, near Narbonne, France, October 24, 1870.
His writings fill a hundred volumes, comprising works on theology, asceticism, and popular instruction. Among them are 'Camino Recto' (The Straight Path), 'Avisos' (Admonitions), 'Verdades Eternas' (Eternal Truths), 'Vida de la Santísima Virgen' (Life of the Most Holy Virgin), and his Autobiography. He was beatified by Pius XI in 1934 and canonized by Pius XII in 1950. His feast is celebrated on October 24. His life was a testament to his ardent love for God and souls, his tireless work, and his unwavering fidelity to the Church. He is remembered as a great missionary, a reformer, and a prolific writer whose influence continues through the Claretian Missionaries and his spiritual legacy.
The universal liturgical observance of his feast day on October 24th, with special Masses and prayers offered in Catholic churches globally to honor his life and contributions.
This date marks his death and is his designated feast day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.
Members of the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretian Missionaries) and their associated lay groups worldwide often celebrate his feast day with special gatherings, renewal of vows, and a renewed commitment to their evangelistic charism.
Saint Antony Mary Claret founded the Claretian Missionaries, and his feast day is a significant occasion for the congregation to honor their founder and his mission.
Catholic journalists, writers, and media professionals frequently invoke Saint Antony Mary Claret as their patron saint, seeking his intercession for their work in evangelization through various forms of communication.
Saint Claret was a prolific author and promoter of Catholic literature, founding the Academy of Saint Michael to advance Catholic publications and combat anti-religious ideas.
In his native Catalonia, Spain, particularly in Sallent (his birthplace) and Vic (where he founded the Claretians), and in Santiago de Cuba (where he served as archbishop), local faithful may hold specific devotions, processions, or commemorative events.
These locations are central to his life, ministry, and the establishment of his religious congregation, preserving a strong local veneration for his memory.