Venerable Antonio7 2 6 Margil 1 6 5 7 - 1 P ARADISE

enerable Antonio Margil’s nephew young friar joined the faculty of the was stricken with tertiary fever in missionary college of the Holy Cross at August of 1740 and he fervently prayed Queretero. It was for many years the base Vfor healing from his uncle who died in of all missionary activity for the Yucatan, 1726. Once, at about mid-day, while in Costa Rica and Guatemala. In 1716 his cell and praying for this intention, the he departed for Zacatecas where he Venerable appeared in resplendent light established the College of Our Lady of and addressed him in these words: “I Guadalupe. In 1716 he traveled to East am your uncle, Antonio Margil of Jesus, Texas where many missions had previously who because of the extreme humility been closed. He arrived with 3 priests I experienced while alive, now partake and 2 lay-brothers. His intense efforts of an indescribable glory!” Then as he increased the number of foundations to signed the sick boy’s forehead with a six, including Our Lady of Sorrows and cross, he promised him healing and he St. Michael of the Andes. This latter disappeared. The nephew was healed foundation was in Louisiana where and at once arose from his bed. Father Margil’s concern was also for the French colonials. Those particular Antonio Margil was born in territories were in dispute between Valencia, Spain, on August 18, 1657, of a France and Spain and their governors middle class family. He attended the would install missionaries of their local schools and was truly outstanding respective nationalities, seeking always to to the capital of Mexico as the Father in his humility. He was still a young man limit any expansion of their adversaries. Guardian (superior) of the College of when he experienced a desire to follow The Church, however, desired simply St. Francis which he had founded. For the example of St. Francis of Assisi. He to preach the Gospel. As a result, its the next three years, he re-organized the joined the Franciscan Order on April 22, mediation was instrumental in weakening missionary activity of the entire country. 1673 at the Convent of Christ the King the controversies about the territories. In His apostolate was extraordinary, traveling and took Antonio Maria of Jesus as his 1719, East Texas had to be abandoned and covering long distances on foot, name in religion. He pursued his philo- and the entire Spanish population had to often in his bare feet as a penitential sophical and theological studies and was emigrate to San Antonio which became gesture. He adapted himself to all the ordained a priest at 25 years of age. He the most important mission in Texas. weather conditions; he ate neither meat immediately volunteered for the missions Father Antonio of Jesus was the guiding nor fish. He slept infrequently, spending to the American Indians simply to bring presence in all of these undertakings. As most of the night in prayer. He died in the message of Christ to these natives. soon as it was feasible, he attempted to Mexico City on August 6, 1726 – regarded He left on March 4, 1683 and arrived at return to those missions that had been as a saint. Gregory XVI declared him Vera Cruz in New Spain on June 6. The abandoned, but in 1722, he was recalled Venerable in 1836. © Associazione Carlo Acutis