St anthony mary claret biography of rory

Among looms, Antonio Claret lays the foundations of his life. He lives within a family dedicated to textile manufacturing and, at 17, he goes to Barcelona to specialize in this field, placing him in the center of the industrial boom of the nineteenth century. Two days later, on the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, his parents, Juan and Josefa, have him baptized in the parish church of Santa Maria.

Antonio is the fifth of eleven children, of which five die before their fifth birthday.

There has been a great

He grows in a home dedicated to textile manufacturing. Just a few months after his birth, the rhythmic beat of the looms is ruined by the outbreak of the French invasion and the War of Independence. The atmosphere of violence and insecurity does not overawe him; on the contrary, it strengthens his infantile temper. Little Anton finds peace of mind and strength in his friendship with Jesus, whom he encounters in the Eucharist, as well as in his devotion to the Virgin Mary, whose chapel in Fussimanya he often visits with her sister Rosa praying the rosary.

At five years of age, he often thinks about the eternal misery of those who are condemned. This feeling make him eager to help everyone to live according to the will of God and thus avoiding eternal suffering. However, the school is unfortunately closed by government orders; so his father puts him to work at the family loom. Aware of his talent for manufacture, he goes to Barcelona for further training in the textile skill.

He works and studies with such dedication that it soon becomes an obsession. His prayers become much shorter and less enthusiastic than they used to be in his childhood, although he still attends Sunday Mass and regularly prays the rosary. He gradually forgets his desire to be a priest, but God is leading him according to His plans.