Saint Anthony Mary Claret symbolized, in some sense, the whole Church as the innocent victim and hated enemy of modern world intrigue. There are those who see in Saint Anthony more than just an example, but actually a living prophecy of the persecution that Holy Mother Church and her divine Faith must endure in latter times, suffering humiliation and even apparent defeat before rising again victorious to her greatest glory. For the enemy who relentlessly persecuted Anthony Claret, while wreaking havoc on Spain and other countries, is that same demonic force which even now seeks the ruin of the Church.
King Charles III of Spain, inaugurated through what he called “reform” measures his own version of GalIicanism, repudiating Church authority and confiscating her property. These policies characteristically were followed by the persecution, suppression, and expulsion of religious orders, as in all other countries where the state “liberated” itself from the Vicar of Christ. Also characteristic of such monstrous scheming was the parallel growth of a so-called “intellectual” movement, the “Spanish Enlightenment.” An uprising brought to power a “Liberal” ministry which set up a new constitution. Spain once more was choking in the foul air of heresy — Protestantism and Jansenism — and of atheistic philosophies a la Rousseau and Voltaire. Likewise, there was mounted against the Church a new persecution that was highlighted by the massacre of many priests and bishops.
Anthony Claret was a seminarian during this time. Strongly impressed by his brilliance and holiness, the Bishop of Vich decided that the young Catalan should begin preparing for ordination long before his seminary training was completed. The prelate explained confidentially, “I want to ordain Antonio now because there is something extraordinary about him.” But there was one other reason. Bishop Corcuera had the foresight to know that the increasing political upheaval spelled renewed suffering for the Church which would likely make ordinations difficult at a later time. After Claret was ordained, the government, forbidding any further ordinations, seized the seminary and converted it into a barracks.
Anthony Claret had a remarkable life delivering a total ten thousand sermons in his apostolic career. He traveled throughout the towering mountains in the Catalonia region, an impossible rugged terrain, preaching sometimes ten to twelve sermons a day to the one and a half million souls that populated the region. Father Claret preached several lengthy sermons every day to priests, nuns, hospital and prison inmates, besides those given to the general public — and then to hear confessions, often for another fifteen or more hours in the same day. People would stand in seemingly endless queues for four and five hours — even days in some instances. What made him so popular as a preacher in an era of spiritual deterioration and cynicism was the natural eloquence, the brilliantly simple style, and the irresistible charm of his sermons. He was consecrated Archbishop of Cuba and completely reformed the island that was suffering from heretical creeds that were destroying the Catholic values of the people. He was there for his people during a scourge of multiple earthquakes and a cholera epidemic that claimed three thousand lives. Multiple attempts were made on his life, with one assassin slashing his arm and his cheek with a knife, leaving his face severely disfigured and slurring his speech. After almost seven years, he was requested to return to Madrid to be the confessor and spiritual director to the royal family, specifically Queen Isabella. There he had the influence to establish museums, libraries, schools, and more institutions. His life ended in exile with the royal family two years after the revolution of 1868. While he was dying, in his most enfeebled state, his mind was still preoccupied with the salvation of souls. “Souls, souls, give me souls,” he said repeatedly.
In all his afflictions Saint Anthony had always found incomparable strength and consolation in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. And so, to fortify the little apostle in his fiercest combat, God conferred upon him a very special grace with which few other saints in the history of the Church have ever been favored: “On August 26, 1861, finding myself at prayer in the church of the Holy Rosary, at La Granja…the Lord granted me the grace of conserving the Sacramental Species within my heart.” For the rest of his earthly days he shared with the Mother of God in a special way the divine privilege preserving incorruptibly from Communion to Communion the precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in his bosom. Now a human tabernacle of Our Lord, he reflected: “I now bear within me day and night the adorable Eucharist. I must therefore be always recollected and cultivate the interior life. Moreover, according to Our Lord’s command, I must try to arrest by prayer and in other ways the evil rampant in Spain.” Some months later, after obediently writing down this sublime experience, Antonio became plagued with doubt. Believing himself to be wholly unworthy of so wondrous a blessing, he perhaps felt that he might only have dreamed it. In any event, he was thinking of erasing all mention of the episode when the Blessed Mother spoke, forbidding him to do so. “Afterward, while I was saying Mass, Jesus Christ told me that He had indeed granted me this grace.” Then, as if to assure the humble prelate of his worthiness of the esteemed privilege, something quite remarkable occurred on Christmas Eve in 1864. Having celebrated Midnight Mass, Monsignor Claret arose from making an unusually long thanksgiving. As he left the chapel his countenance betrayed an unmistakable look of ecstasy to Don Carmela Sala, who greeted the saint outside. At length, Anthony dispelled the mystery, confiding to his friend his precious secret: “The holy Virgin placed the Child Jesus in my arms tonight!” Only it was not really a secret. The Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, who were present in the chapel, confirmed that “during his thanksgiving, Father…had received the Child Jesus in his arms. The Blessed Virgin had given the Child to him.”
The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. “A Very Special Patron: Saint Anthony Mary Claret.” Catholicism.org. 6 January 2006. https://catholicism.org/anthony-claret.html.
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