Home2024-01-04T10:52:03+01:00

Catecismo de Canarias completed 175 years of its birth

Claret without any doubt can be recognized as a prominent figure of the 19th century, contributing significantly to the realm of catechism through his roles as a publisher and writer. Beyond his literary endeavors, he also served as a teacher, emphasizing the transformative impact catechisms can have on fostering faith growth. Among his catechetical works as a writer and publisher are the Catecismo Militar, Catecismo Menor, Catecismo Explicado, Compendio Smadía Claret, Catecismo de Canarias, Mana del Cristiano, Catecismo de Cuba, Devocionario de los Párvulos, Catecismo Unico, La Santa Ley de Dios, Platicas Dominicales, Pastoral del Obispo Valverde, Platicas Doctrinales, and more. Additionally, he produced various other works of a catechetical nature, including leaflets and stamps.

Our focus now is on the Catecismo de Canarias, completing the 175th anniversary since its publication. The original title of the work, “Catecismo Brevísimo; que solamente contiene lo que indispensablemente ha de saber todo Cristiano” (Very Brief Catechism; which only contains what every Christian must indispensably know), is the focus of our content. This work was composed by Claret to address the urgent needs of the people of the Canary Islands. Bishop Buenaventura Codina the then bishop of the Canary Islands, in his prologue of this work, the purpose of the Catechism is presented indicating that it is to ensure that everyone grasps the truth of Christian Doctrine, even as the possibility of an elaborated one with illustrations later on. “Para obviar les males que se deben originar necesariamente de la ignorancia de las verdades de nuestra santa fe, y de los principios de moralidad que deben dirigir las acciones humanas, nos apresuramos i dar al público un breve resumen de la Doctrina  Cristiana… Lo acaba de componer nuestro muy amado colaborador D. Antonio Claret Misionero Apostólico para utilidad de los fieles habitantes de estas Islas, y principalmente de las gentes de los campos”. (Catecismo Brevísimo, pp. 3-4) (more…)

The apostolic prayer

This is a prayer widely used by Saint Anthony Mary Claret and that he himself includes in his Autobiography. With some slight variations from the original, it sounds like this:

“My Lord and Father,
may I know you and make you known;
may I love you and make you loved;
may I serve you and make you served;
may I praise you and make you praised
by all creatures. Amen".

Claret adds more elements, but the essence is reduced to the set of the four verbs applied to God: know, love, serve and praise. With the initials of each of them, in Spanish, the word “casa” (house) is formed (conocer, amar, servir y alabar) It is a simple way to remember that Claret – like Jesus – dreamed of being in the Father’s house to devout himself to His affairs and not to his own interests or tastes. (more…)

El petit imperi

GARGALLO E. – SANT J., El petit imperi. Catalans en la colonització de la Guinea Espanyola.  (The small empire. Catalan people in the colonization of Spanish Guinea), Angle Ed., Barcelona 2021, pp. 318.

The mission of Equatorial Guinea, or Spanish Guinea, or Fernando Póo, as it was called before independence, has a singular importance for us Claretians: (more…)

Jesús a la vista

Ahí tenemos a Claret
Que pide presto salida,
Quiere, libre de pertrechos,
Salir por las periferias
A anunciar el Evangelio.

No quiere comodidades,
que le aten o encadenen.

Él es un itinerante,
Como el Jesús de Betania
De caminatas…amante. (more…)

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March 26

“I, many times, each day I ask Jesus to help me understand what he wants me to do with regard to our Project, because I am ready to work and to die for his love.  Sometimes he has said to me internally that it was not yet time, I have consulted with zealous persons of my confidence and they tell me the same thing”

(Letter to V. M. Antonia París, 2.12.64, en EC II, p.838).

DISCERNING THE WILL OF GOD

“Lord, what do you want me to do?” (Acts 22,10). The question of Paul on the road to Damascus is repeated in my crossroads of life.  Claret formulated it when, in his youth, he questioned the possible success in the textile industry: (more…)

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Episode 2. The second episode titled “Nourishing the Fire” addresses aspects of the pre-founding and founding events of the Congregation helping the listener reflect on the importance of nourishing the fire of faith and vocation. Within the framework of the 175th anniversary of the foundation, our General Government in association with the CESC publishes different episodes explaining our history. You can access them in this Videos section of the Congregation’s website  ( https://www.claret.org/audio-visual/ ).

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