JANUARY

29

1849. Claret finishes a mission in Tirajana (Canary Islands) and travels in procession to Tejeda.

1861. Claret visits the El Piul estate, belonging to El Escorial which was very damaged by flooding of the Jarama river.

1867. Claret gives instructions to Fr. Dionisio Gonzalez regarding the annual commemoration booklet of the seminary and school of El Escorial, specifying that there are professorships of Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, German, English, Italian, French and vocal and instrumental music.

CONSTITUTION OF THE INSTITUTE (1858-1870)

 

THE FOUNDATION IN ALGIERS

 

Fr. Xifre’s concerns were for expansion, given the circumstances and the growth of the members of the Congregation. The first foundation was in Algiers, a territory taken over by France. Invited by Mons. Charles Lavigerie (1825-1892), founder of the White Fathers (1868), on October 4, 1869, Fr. Pedro Alibes, Fr. Jose Quintana, Fr. Bernardo Bech and Br. Felipe Gomez (again a mixed community) left for those lands. There they encountered many difficulties, lack of work and a hostile environment, even from the Prelate, a very impetuous man who excommunicated people very easily, among whom the missionaries were not exempt. Although the Procurator of the Republic in Algeria protected them, since things became increasingly difficult, also in the economic aspect, they abandoned the foundation in 1888. This was the first foundation in Africa, even during the life of the Father Founder, and also one of the first attempts to carry out the Claretian missionary project through education. A good example of discernment in an adverse situation.

Two articles available: more details of the mission:

 

ALGIERS, THE FIRST MISSION

FOUNDATION IN ALGIERS

Felix ALEJANDRO CEPEDA, CMF

First Provincial of Catalunya (1854-1930)

 

La Serena (Chile). He was ordained as a diocesan priest. In 1887, after hearing a talk about the Heart of Mary in the church of the Claretian Missionaries in La Serena, he decided to join the Congregation. Once in Spain, during the division of the Congregation into Provinces, he was appointed by Fr. Xifre, as first Provincial Superior of Catalunya. He was also Visitor and Vice Provincial Superior of Mexico and the United States. In Mexico he founded the Marian magazine La Esperanza. He founded the houses of Queretaro, San Gabriel, Tepic, Los Angeles, La Condesa, Yuma and Prescott. Returning to Spain, in 1920 he was elected General Consultor at the death of Fr. Isaac Burgos. He accompanied Fr. Martin Alsina and Fr. Nicolas Garcia on their visits to America and Equatorial Guinea, despite his advanced age. He wrote numerous works, among others Ananias and biographies of Br. Mariano Gonzalez and of Mother Antonia Paris. He died in Madrid, far from his beloved Chilean land.

 

Being Available to Help

 

With regard to manufacturing, I had become adept not only in design but also in presetting looms. Some workers asked me to do them the favor of setting up their looms because they were not skilled at it. I helped them and they respected and liked me for it. (Aut 62)

FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION

 

  • Do you put your gifts and abilities at the service of others?
  • With what spirit do you carry out the favors that people ask of you?
  • How do you judge your availability?

To live for others is to be available.

  • Is that how you live? Do others see you that way?

 

“The Congregation, feeling it is the work of Mary,
experiences security, confidence, missionary thrust…
The Cordimarian filiation is an essential note of our missionary charism.”

(Aquilino Bocos Merino, Herencia y profecia, 2. 3)