On August 13th we celebrate the feast day of the 51 Blessed Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro. Please join us from August 5th to 13th in praying for your vocation as well as those close to you.
Would you like to learn more about their story?
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 1: August 5th
Intention: For my vocation
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
One of the Martyrs writes: "We have not been found to be involved in any political cause. And although we have not been given any kind of trial, we are all content to die for Christ, for His Church and for the faith of Spain. For the Martyrs, Manuel Martinez CMF." And the militiamen themselves confess: "We do not hate you personally; we hate your profession, your black habit, the cassock, that filthy rag: take off that rag and you will be like us and we will set you free." "We are killing you because you're fanatics and hypocrites and don't want to take up arms to fight for the people."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 2: August 6th
Intention: For my family and their vocation
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro you have given us
a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Ramon Illa writes: "We have been in this jail since July 20th. The whole community is here. Eight days ago, they shot our reverend Father Superior and some other Fathers. Happy they, and happy we who will follow them. I wouldn't exchange my jail for the gift of working miracles, nor my martyrdom for the apostolate, which has been my life's dream. Thanks be to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.'
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 3: August 7th
Intention: For my friends and their vocation
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro
you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Fr. Juan Diaz Nosti spoke to the seminarians an hour before they were arrested, encouraging them, in such uncertain circumstances, "to greater prayer, to tranquility and peace: that we may throw ourselves into the arms of Providence, that what God may send us will be the best thing for us; that if we are imprisoned, it will be a great glory to suffer persecution for justice sake, to suffer for God, and if it comes to the supreme moment of giving ourselves up to death, what joy, what glory, what honor to give our lives for Christ, to die for our ideals!"
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 4: August 8th
Intention: For my co-workers and peers
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro
you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Martyr Salvador Pigem wrote "Mama, don't cry. Jesus asks me for my blood; I am going to shed it out of love for him. I will be a martyr; I'm going to heaven. I will be waiting for you there."
And Agustine Viela: "The most they can do is kill us out of hatred for God. Then we would be martyrs, and could there be any greater glory for a mother than to be able to say that her son died for God and for the Immaculate Virgin? Please don't be too upset or saddened by what they may do to us, rather rejoice in seeing your son persecuted for the sake of God."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 5: August 9th
Intention: For all young men and women discerning their vocation
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
"Since I won't be able to go to China as I had wished," confessed Rafael Briega, "I heartily offer my blood for the missions in China and I will pray for them from heaven." And Ramon Novich and others repeated that "since we will not be able to exercise the sacred ministry on earth, working for the conversion of sinners, we will, like St. Therese of the Child Jesus, spend our heaven doing good upon earth."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 6: August 10th
Intention: For my parish and parishioners
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro
you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Blessed Martyr Esteban Casadevall told Pablo Hall before he was set free: "I die content. I am happy, like the apostles were because the Lord allowed them to suffer something out of love for Him before they did. I confidently hope that the Lord and the Heart of Mary will carry me promptly to heaven. With all my heart I forgive those who hurt us, persecute us and will kill us, and with Jesus Christ, dying on the cross, I want to say to the eternal Father: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'. Their leaders and the hatred they have for us are blind. If they knew what they were doing, they certainly wouldn't do it. We have already prayed for their conversion. I feel truly sorry for them and from heaven I hope to obtain that God will open their eyes to see how things truly are and be converted. Frankly I have no difficulty forgiving them. Just think what good they are doing for me; despite the hatred they have for me!... Tell Fr. General that I am going to die content in the Congregation of Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that I confidently hope for the fulfilment of the promise made by the Most Holy Virgin to those who die within the Congregation."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 7: August 11th
Intention: For the Claretians I know
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro
you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Fear of wavering, suspicion of his weakness, especially plagued Jose Ma. Blasco, despite his having written: "I pray that when this little paper is found it will inform my family that Mr. Jose Maria Blasco died a martyr on July 25th, shedding his blood for Jesus Christ, in Barbastro. Signed: Jose Ma. Blasco." He was afraid of his very fear, insecurity, and terror over a catastrophic weakening. Pablo Hall says the Martyr "thought that, in conscience, before he risked becoming an apostate, he should or would flee, or at least try to. 'If I could do it without failing in my obligations or causing scandal'." What seemed a weakness ended up being his greatness, as St. Paul said "When I am weak, then am I strong." "In the final days he was as animated as any of them and his fear had gone out of him."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 8: August 12th
Intention: For the People who inspire me to do better
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Ramon Illa writes to his aunt Rosario in 1932: "May the Child Jesus bring peace and the abundance of grace; above all his peace, that peace of his, since it seems He will not allow us to enjoy the peace this world gives. I believe it is well done: yes, we await great things. The Church weeps like a widow, but she crowns us, her chosen sons, the religions, with the greater blessing of those who are persecuted. God may also want them to don the purple of martyrdom. We are not of the world, and thus the world persecutes us. Many times, I have thought about it, and it almost makes me want to ask our Lord for persecution."
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
NOVENA FOR MY VOCATION
WITH THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF BARBASTRO
DAY 9: August 13th
Intention: For Pope Francis and the Body of Christ
PRAYER
God, our Father,
in the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro
you have given us a model of fidelity to the cause of Jesus,
of fidelity to missionary vocation,
of love for the Heart of Mary and for the Church,
of loyalty to our brothers and forgiveness of our enemies.
Grant that we may follow their example
in living faithfully and joyfully in our Congregation and in proclaiming the Gospel
for the glory of God and the salvation of all humankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
REFLECTION
Our Martyrs sang with total conviction this traditional song of the Congregation:
Perhaps you may see me lying on the ground,
the last of my blood pouring forth!
Then look instead at my forehead
and see emblazoned there the ideal.
And what ideal?
for you, my King, to shed my blood.
By chance you may,
as I lay alone and bleeding,
hear my last weak moan!
Jesus then will I have conquered
and will have fulfilled my ideal.
For you, my King, to shed my blood.
Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven,
grant me your sweet consolation
when in the battle your faithful soldier falls
embracing his ideal
and what ideal?
For you, my Queen, to shed my blood.
LET US PRAY
Lord our God,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
you gave St. Anthony Mary Claret a great love for Jesus, your Son,
and inspired him to found this Congregation of Missionaries, in order to save all people.
Bless the Claretian Congregation with new vocations, and help us to persevere till the end
in proclaiming the Gospel,
just like the martyrs did. Amen.
Could God be calling you to surrender yourself fully to Jesus and his Church in a religious vocation? Our vocation director would love to accompany you in your discernment to make a conscious choice. Contact him today!