<p>St. Anthony was born near Barcelona on December 2, 1807.&nbsp; He was the Son of a small woolen manufacturer.&nbsp; He received an elementary education, and at the age of twelve, became a weaver.&nbsp; He later went to Barcelona to specialize in his trade, and remained there until he was twenty.&nbsp; In the meantime he devoted his spare time to study and became proficient in Latin, and French. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>He recognized a call to religious life, and left Barcelona.&nbsp; He wished to become a Carthusian, but finally entered the seminary in 1829.&nbsp; He was ordained June 13, 1835 on the feast of St. Anthony of Padua.&nbsp; He started in Parish work but strongly desired missionary work, and went to Rome.&nbsp; He entered the Jesuit novitiate, but had to leave due to poor health.&nbsp; He returned to Spain, and exercised his pastoral ministry, attracting notice for his work on behalf of the poor. &nbsp;</p> <p>His superiors recalled him, and engaged his missionary work.&nbsp; In 1848 he was sent to the Canary Islands where he gave retreats for a year or so.&nbsp; On his return to Spain, he established the &ldquo;Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary&rdquo;, better known as the Claretians.&nbsp; He founded them on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, 1849.&nbsp; He founded the great religious library at Barcelona, which is called &ldquo;Llibreria Claret&rdquo;.&nbsp; Here several million affordable copies of the best ancient and modern Catholic works were issued. &nbsp;</p> <p>His work bore fruit, and Pope Pius IX at the request of the Spain&rsquo;s Queen Isabella II appointed him Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba in 1849.&nbsp; He left Spain in December 1850,arriving at Cuba to being his work through reform.&nbsp; The Santiago seminary was reorganized, clerical discipline was strengthened, and over 9,000 marriages were validated within the first two years of his arrival.&nbsp; He erected a new hospital and numerous schools.&nbsp; His work stirred up much opposition at that time, and no fewer than 15 attempts were made on his life.&nbsp; In 1857, he was recalled to Spain, to become the Queens confessor.&nbsp; He obtained permission to resign his Cuban see, and returned to Spain, living frugally and resided in an Italian hospice. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 1869 he went to Rome to prepare for the First Vatican Council.&nbsp; Afterwards he retired to the Cistercian Abbey at Fontfroide, Narbonne, in southern France.&nbsp; He died there on October 24, 1870 at the age of 63.&nbsp; His life&rsquo;s work both before and after his death testified to his sanctity.&nbsp; Pope Leo XIII declared him venerable in 1899.&nbsp; His relics were transferred to the mission house at Vic in 1897, and his heart was found incorrupt.&nbsp; Many pilgrims visit his grave, and he is one of the few saints known to have been given the privilege of literally carrying the Blessed Sacrament in his heart.&nbsp; Pope Pius XI beatified him 1934, and Pope Pius XII canonized him in 1950. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Anthony Mary Claret was a spiritual man at a young age.&nbsp; He was devoted to the Church, and received a call to the religious life.&nbsp; He was ordained and founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, better known as the Claretians.&nbsp; He had a profound compassion for the poor, and continued to assist the poor throughout his entire life.&nbsp; He at one point, was appointed the Archbishop of Cuba, and then returned to Spain.&nbsp; His heart was found incorrupt.&nbsp; Many pilgrims visit his grave, and he is one of the few saints known to have been given the privilege of literally carrying the Blessed Sacrament in his heart.&nbsp; His life shows us that one man can make a difference; by using the talents that God gives us. &nbsp;</p>