Saint Anthony Mary Clare 19th Century Patron Saint of Weavers
Saint Anthony Mary Claret was born on December 23, 1807, and he died on October 24, 1870. He was a Spanish Catholic missionary who served as the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and was the confessor of Isabella II of Spain. He founded the congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly called the Claretians. In addition, Saint Anthony Mary Claret founded or drew up the rules of several communities of religious sisters. Saint Anthony Mary Claret is the patron saint of weavers. He left quite a legacy. Have you heard of him?
Saint Anthony Mary Clare Biography
Saint Anthony Mary Claret was the fifth of eleven children. As a child, he liked pilgrimages to the nearby Shrine of Our Lady of Fussimanya. He got an elementary education in his native village, and at the age of twelve became a weaver, like his father. When he was eighteen, he went to Barcelona to be a loom programmer, and remained there for two years, and became proficient in Latin, French and engraving.
Saint Anthony Mary Claret left Barcelona and wished to become a Carthusian monk, but entered the seminary and was ordained on June 13, 1835. He wanted to become a missionary, but he was a victim of poor health, and he was rejected.
Saint Anthony Mary Claret was sent as an Apostolic Missionary throughout Catalonia (so not too far), which had suffered from French invasions. He walked from one mission to the next. After preaching for hours, he would also spend long hours in the confessional. In 1848, he was sent to the Canary Islands, where he gave retreats for fifteen months.
Saint Anthony Mary Claret returned to Spain, where he established the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (The Claretians) on July 16, 1849. The order still exists on five continents. He also founded the great religious library at Barcelona, which was called “LibrerÃa Religiosa” (now “LibrerÃa Claret”).
Saint Anthony Mary Claret became the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. While in that role, he accomplished many things and claimed he heard Jesus speak to him. In 1869, he went to Rome to prepare for the First Vatican Council. His health failed, and he died on October 24, 1870, aged 62. His remains were buried in the Catalan city of Vic, in the County of Osona.
Saint Anthony Mary Clare Veneration
His zealous life and the wonders he did testified to his sanctity. This testimony is from during his life and after his death. Information was sought in 1887, and he was declared venerable by Pope Leo XIII in 1899. His relics were moved to the mission house at Vic in 1897, and his heart was found incorrupt. His grave is visited by many pilgrims.
Anthony Mary Claret was canonised by Pope Pius XII on May 7, 1950. Pope John XXIII included him in the General Roman Calendar in 1960, and fixed his feast on October 23, where it remained for nine years until the 1969 revision of the calendar moved it to the day of his death, October 24, which had been the feast of Saint Raphael the Archangel since 1921. Anthony Mary Claret is the patron saint of weavers.
Conclusion
Anthony Mary Claret accomplished many things during his life. He the Claretians, which is a large order that still exists today, and several religious orders for nuns, which also still exist. He is revered in Spain and very much a topic of conversation in Rome. He also has an educational legacy. Many educational institutions ranging from kindergarten to undergraduate school are named after Claret and run by the Claretians in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia.
