Saint Anthony Mary Claret a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen’s chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He served as a missionary in Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris, and also was a Council father in the First Vatican Council.

Claret was born in Catalonia, in a town called Sallent on 23 December 1807. He was the fifth son of Juan Claret and Josefa Clará’s eleven children. Since his father was in the textile works, he also took up weaving but the words of the Gospel that kept resounding in his heart, “what good is it for man to win the world if he loses his soul?”, prompted him to be a priest.

Claret grew up in a Christian environment and at a very early age had a strong sense of the eternal life that Christ wanted all men and women to enjoy. When he was about eleven years old, a bishop visited his school and asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Without hesitation, he responded: “A priest.”

He studied latin inorder to be a to be a Carthusian Monk, but his ill health prevented his entering the Order. He was ordained a priest at 27 years of age and was assigned to his hometown parish.

Claret began preaching popular missions all over. He travelled on foot, attracting large crowds, and on some days he preached up to seven sermons in a day and spent 10 hours listening to confessions.

His popularity spread- people sought him for spiritual and physical help. By the end of 1842, the Pope gave him the title of “apostolic missionary.” Aware of the power of the press, in 1847, he organized with other priests a Religious Press.

On July 16, 1849, he gathered a group of priests who shared his dream. This is the beginning of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, today also known as Claretian Fathers and Brothers.

Days later, he received a new assignment: he was named Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba.

After two months of travel, he reached the Island of Cuba. Soon he realized the urgent need for human and Christian formation, especially among the poor.

Among his great initiatives were trade or vocational schools for disadvantaged children and credit unions for the use of the poor. He wrote books about rural spirituality and agricultural methods. He visited jails and hospitals, defended the oppressed and denounced racism. The expected reaction came soon. He began to experience persecution. He was then called to be the confessor of the Queen of Spain

The eleven years he spent as confessor to the Queen of Spain were particularly painful, because the enemies of the Church directed toward him all kinds of slanders and personal ridicule. In 1868 a new revolution dethroned the Queen and sent her with her family into exile, Claret also accompanied her to France.

He stayed with them for a while, then went to Rome where he was received by Pope Pius IX in a private audience.

On December 8, 1869, seven hundred bishops from all over the world gathered in Rome for the First Vatican Council. Claret was one of the Council Fathers.

His presence became noticeable when the subject of papal infallibility was discussed, which Claret defended vehemently. This teaching became a dogma of faith for all Catholics at this Council. The Italian revolution interrupted the process of the Council, which was never concluded. Claret’s health deteriorated, so he returned to France accompanied by the Superior General of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, his congregation.

In France, Claret joined his missionaries who were also in exile. Soon he found out, that there was a warrant for his arrest. He decided to go into hiding in a Cistercian Monastery in the French southern town of Fontfroide.

His zealous life and the wonders he wrought, both before and after his death, testified to his sanctity. Information was sought in 1887 and he was declared venerable by Pope Leo XIII in 1899. His relics were transferred to the mission house at Vic in 1897, at which time his heart was found incorrupt. Claret was beatified in 1934 and in 1950 canonized by Pope Pius XII; his feast day is on October 23rd.
-Catholic.org

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Luigi Guanella
2. Saint Proclus of Constantinople
3. Saint Senoch
4. Saint Martin of Vertou
5. Saint Regnobert of Bayeux