English: Brother Ross Murrin Trying to Understand History
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Year XXI - n° 36 - September 2007 Year XXI - n° 36 - September 2007 index Editor-in-Chief: Brother AMEstaún The first beatified Marist Brothers. Publications Commission: Brothers Emili Turú, AMEstaún, Onori- Br. AMEstaún no Rota y Luiz Da Rosa. Translators Coordination: Brother Carlos Martín Hinojar page 2 Translators: Spanish: Brother Carlos Martín Hinojar Letter to my Brothers. Br. Seán Sammon French: Brother Giovanni Bigotto Brother Louis Richard Brother Jean Rousson Brother Fabricio Galiana page 5 English: Brother Ross Murrin Trying to understand history. Feliciano Montero García Portuguese: Brother Manoel Soares P. Eduardo Campagnani Brother Aloisio Khun page 10 Photography: AMEstaún, Archives de la Vicepostuladuría de España en San- The martyr is the one who does not save tan María de Bellpuig de Les Avellanes, his life at any price. José Sedano Gutiérrez Juan María Laboa Gallego Formatting and Photolithography: TIPOCROM, s.r.l. Via A. Meucci 28, 00012 Guidonia, Roma (Italia) page 18 Production and Administrative Cen- ter: La presencia marista en España Piazzale Marcellino Champagnat, 2 en vísperas de la guerra civil. C.P. 10250 - 00144 ROMA Br. Juan Moral Barrio Tel. (39) 06 54 51 71 Fax (39) 06 54 517 217 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.champagnat.org page 23 Publisher: Instituto dei Fratelli Maristi BR. BERNARDO Casa generalizia - Roma Diocese of Girona Printing: C.S.C. GRAFICA, s.r.l. Via A. Meucci 28, 00012 Guidonia, Roma (Italia) page 25 BR. LAURENTINO Diocese of Burgos page 33 BR. VIRGILIO Diocese of Pamplona page 39 DIOCESE OF BURGOS Alberto María, Fortunato Andrés, Frumencio, Gabriel Eduardo, Gil Felipe, Isaías María, José Federico, Licarión, Lino Fernando, Porfirio, Salvio, Santiago María, Santos, Vivencio page 45 DIOCESE OF CARTAGENA Juan de Mata page 61 DIOCESE OF GIRONA Anselmo, Carlos Rafael, Epifanio, Laureano Carlos page 65 DIOCESE OF LLEIDA Leónides, Victor Conrado, Victorino José page 73 DIOCESE OF PALENCIA Ángel Andrés, Miguel Ireneo page 79 DIOCESE OF PAMPLONA Baudilio, Felipe José, Félix León, Ismael, Leopoldo José, Ramón Alberto, Santiago, Teódulo page 83 DIOCESE OF SAN SEBASTIÁN Vito José page 93 DIOCESE OF SOLSONA Dionisio Martín page 97 DIOCESE OF TERRASA Bernabé page 101 DIOCESE OF ZARAGOZA José Carmelo, Martiniano page 105 DIOCESE OF URGELL Hermógenes, Vulfrano page 109 DIOCESE OF VIC Antolín, Gaudencio, Jaime Ramón, Juan Crisóstomo, Prisciliano page 113 History of the beatification process page 120 EDITORIAL H. AMEstaún The first beatified Marist Brothers he beatification of a to their beatification celebrat- ly learned through the reading group of Marist Brothers, ed in Rome, has been long and of an abundance of elaborated T for the fist time since tedious. This news, which to- documentation under the guide their foundation, opens a day is proclaimed to the ends of the experts of the Congrega- solemn chapter in the pages of of the earth, has been coming tion for the Causes of Saints. the history of our Institute. of age for more than seventy The progress of the work has The journey of this story, from years. The story of the succes- come marked with official de- its beginning with the shoot- sive steps followed by the two crees. Brother Bernardo’s cause ing of these servants of God up long “processes” can be quick- followed its own route. Lau- rentino, Virgilio and their 44 Marist companions, on the other hand, were included in one single cause, because they were martyred on the same night. In total there are 47 Marists who have shared life’s project and martyrdom. Today, having concluded these two processes, these brothers are officially recognized as mar- tyrs, as Christians who died for their faith. This news, an- nounced with this headline, re- mains thus fixed forever in the history of the Little Brothers of Mary. The letter of Seán Sammon, Superior General Brother Seán Sammon, Superi- or General, in his letter of June 6, 2007, gave congratu- lations to these witnesses of 2 • FMS Message 36 his reflection “to try to under- stand history,” while Juan María Laboa, on his part, of- fers us a vision of what it means to be a martyr today. Each one of the beatified Brothers Next a brief biographical ac- count is given of each one of the beatified brothers which tells of the places that saw them born to life and to the faith, their family roots, their initial steps in their Marist life, the dates of their com- mitments, the places of their apostolates and the final tragedy before the rifles and machine guns that ended their lives. Also accompanying us on this journey is the written testi- mony of some companions who survived the events, es- the Gospel in the name of all Martyrs for their pecially one who did some of Marists and extended those faith in Jesus Christ writing about what happened congratulations to the whole The death of these brothers, in those tragic days. The Institute, for this new sign of who today are recognized by voices of the bishops of life that the Lord has raised the Church as martyrs for their Girona and Palencia join up among us. faith in Jesus Christ, occurred throughout the life of Brother In that same letter, Brother in the midst of complex cir- Bernardo who appears as the Seán placed on record the cumstances, launched on the precursor of this group. names of the 47 brothers ship of history when it was whose witness has been offi- crossing rough and troubled cially recognized by the waters. Brother Juan Moral Church and indicated that describes for us the setting in “they became seeds of new which the Marist Brothers in life no only for our Institute Spain were working when the and its mission but also for events occurred that demand- the universal Church.” For ed of our brothers the surren- this reason the slogan “Seeds der of their lives. The facts of Life” has become a moti- have been interpreted through vating incentive to describe several different clues in the spiritual distance toward books, magazines and other the beatification that the types of massive dissemina- whole Institute has lived tion. In this task Feliciano through. Montero accompanies us with September 2007 3 editorial H. AMEstaún The pastoral voice of the Archbishop of Barcelona resonates from the city in which Laurentino, Virgilio and their 44 compan- ions died, and where the whole diocesan canonical process was completed, prior to the Roman process, which concluded with the proclama- tion of their martyrdom. Their lives have been fruitful for God, for the Church and for the Institute FMS Message wanted to gather together the testimony regarding our martyred brothers in order to make known, in a simple form, the persona of each one of them as sons of the Church, witnesses of the faith and faithful followers of the Marist charism and mission. The 47 Marist martyrs belong to 14 different dioceses of the country. In small parishes, in families and Chris- tian communities, the faith in Jesus Christ was passed on to them through baptism and they were in- cluded on the list of believers. Religious profession, made in ma- turity, solidly confirmed their option for Jesus Christ. And the spilling of their blood sealed definitively the option that began with their baptism. This witness of fidelity is personified by a large group of young brothers who gave their lives while sowing in the fields. They participate in the honor at the altar, joined to a larger group of contemporaries belonging to other orders or reli- gious congregations, whose lives were interrupted by the same storm; another ecclesial sign of communion in the same faith. To- day we proclaim them blessed, eternally happy, because their lives have been fruitful for God, for the Church and for the Institute. The choir of martyrs praises you Lord and their voices unite also with ours from the fidelity of each day. 4 • FMS Message 36 Superior General Br. Seán Sammon 6th June 2007 ear Brothers and all Dwho share the charism of Saint Marcellin Cham- pagnat: With great joy we announce the October 28th, 2007 beatification Letter here in Rome of 47 of our Brothers. Victims of the reli- to my gious persecutions that took place in Spain during the 1930s, these men are now Brothers recognized by our Church as martyrs, heroic witnesses October 28th, to the Good News of Jesus 2007 Christ. These Brothers of The group includes 2 bish- Beatification ours are also the first among ops, some married men us to be beatified. On the and women, several secu- in Rome day of the ceremony itself, lar priests and seminari- of 47 brothers their causes will be joined ans, other religious—men and women1, laity and together with those of 451 young people. This impor- others whose zeal for the tant moment in the histo- gospel cost them their lives. ry of our Institute gives 1Along with our brothers, the latter group is made up of 98 Augustinians, all of us an opportunity to 62 Dominicans, 59 Salesians, 58 De La unite ourselves with the Salle Brothers, 31 Discalced Carmelites, universal Church in giving thanks for the gift of martyrs, especially 29 Franciscans, 23 Adorers, 16 Carmelites, 9 Dominican Sisters, 9 Trini- among those who share our way of life. The public commitment of tarians, 4 Carmelite Missionaries, 4 Mis- our Brothers who will be beatified to live fully and radically the sionaries of the Sacred Hearts, 4 Mari- gospel of Jesus Christ as the plan of their life brought them to the anists, 3 Daughters of the Heart of point of the cross. In embracing this journey as their destiny, each Mary, 2 Franciscans of Mercy; 1 Reli- gious of the Order of St.