nuntia - october 2013 (english)

8/13/2019 NUNTIA - October 2013 (English)

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The EditorIn this month, dedicated to deeper prayer for the Missions, we send Nuntia to you. We

dedicate this Issue, for the most part, to the Spanish martyrs of the Congregation of the Mis-sion beatified this month. We ask your understanding, because it is a bit long. It is an op-portunity to know a little about these confreres, who bore witness to Jesus Christ and ourcharism with their lives. The biographical information of each confrere was taken from thewebsite of the Madrid Province. For those who want to penetrate into the testimony ofthese missionaries further, here is the link: http://www.paulesmadrid.org.

The Beatification took place in Tarragona, Spain on 13 October. Our Superior General, G.Gregory Gay, came, accompanied by the Postulator General, Shijo Kanjirathamkunnel, totake part in the Beatification. Among the 522 beatified were 14 confreres, 27 Daughters ofCharity, and a lay Vincentian woman.

Who are the martyrs? They are Christians won forChrist, disciples who have learned well the mean-ing of that love to the end that brought Jesus tothe cross. Love in installments, love in portions,does not exist. Total love: and when one loves, oneloves to the end. On the cross, Jesus felt the weightof death, the weight of sin, but trusted entirely inthe Father, and forgave. As soon as he spoke thewords, he handed over his life. Christ went beforeus in love; the martyrs have imitated Him in loveto the end.

A brief excerpt from Cardinal ngeAmatos homily at the Beatification Tarragona

What message do the ancient and the mode

martyrs offer us?

They leave us a double message. First of all, they vite us to forgive. Pope Francis recently reminded

that The joy of God is forgiving! Here is the etire Gospel! Here! The whole Gospel, all of Chrianity, is here! But make sure that it is not sentimeit is not being a do-gooder! On the contrary, meris the true force that can save man and the wofrom the cancer that is sin, moral evil, spiritual evOnly love fills the void, the negative chasms that eopens in hearts and in history. Only love can do thand this is Gods joy!

Excerpt from the Message of Pope Francis
http://www.paulesmadrid.org/http://www.paulesmadrid.org/


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FORTUNATO VELASCO TOBAR (1906-1936)Fortunato was born in the village of Tar-

dajos (Burgos), on 1 June 1906. Hecame from a large family. He enteredthe Internal Seminary on 18 September1923. On 11 October 1931, BishopCruz Laplana y Laguna, another gloriousmartyr of the Spanish religious persecu-tion, imposed his hands on him.

Ready to go where God wishes that Superiors send me, he coveredthe communities of Murgua (lava), Teruel and, finally, Alco-risa (Teruel), where he witnessed to his faith by shedding his

blood on the dawn of 24 August 1936.

He was 30 years old. To a disciple, who would become a Vin-centian missionary, he wrote from jail: I am waiting to be shotat any time. Pray for me I will die a martyr in defense of the faith

I already have offered myself to God so that his holy will be done.

Imprisoned and condemned to death, Father Fortunato prayedto God for his assassins, forgave them with all his heart, andwith the cry: Live Christ the King!, he collapsed in a hail of gun-fire.

LEONCIO PREZ NEBREDA(1895-1936)

Leoncio, only son of Jos and Engracia, wasborn in Villarmentero (Burgos) on 18March 1895.He entered the Internal Seminary on 29August 1911. He made his perpetual vowson 1 January 1914. On 10 May 1921, he

was ordained a priest.Given his qualities and dispositions for teaching and the educationof youth, he was sent to the Apostolic School in Teruel, where heheld the position of professor with complete dedication to theboys (1921-1935); after Teruel, he was assigned to Alcorisa, toaccompany and help Father Fortunato Velasco in the task of theformation of the apostolic seminarians. Together they carried outthe same mission until it was time to enjoy the mission of heav-en. On 29 July 1936, on the road to Saragossa, approximatelythree kilometers from Oliete, a crafty neighbor, feigning help, hadhim mount one of his horses and led him down a path, until they

came to a solitary ravine.

Brother LUIS AGUIRRE BILBAO (1914-1936

Luis was born in Mungua (Biscay) oAugust 1914. While very younglost his father and mother. About he was taken to the boarding schoothe Hospital-Childrens Home of Gnica. The Daughters of Charitywhom depended the service of the Hpital-Childrens Home, received with the fondness of mothers.

He learned his first letters alongside the Daughters of ChaOn 29 June 1931, at the age of 15, he entered the InteSeminary. He made his perpetual vows on 30 June 1933 with the best of dispositions, he headed to Alcorisa.

On 29 July, while the community was still celebrating the of Saint Martha, they received confirmation that the militwere coming, shouting, into Alcorisa. With warmest regall parted from each other. Soon the militants came to theidence of the Vincentians. Father Velasco and Brother Agwent out to welcome them and to wait on them with words and gestures. After coming face to face with the

inhabitants of the Seminary who had come to meet them, forced them, by shoving and threats, to accompany themthe registry.

Then he was shot. Brother Aguirre was 22 years old andheld by all acquaintances as a saint of stature for his simpliThe martyrdom contributed to the people of Alcorisa claiming publicly that a man of faith had died, one whonever ashamed of the gospel.

He then began to strike him on the head with the transppikes that he was carrying, without giving him time to s

word of pardon. Father Leoncio fainted and fell unconscat the first blow to the head. Not satisfied with the barbacommitted, the murderer continued hitting him with bders. He then threw the body in the cleft of a rock at the eof the ravine, throwing up a big slab and some stones. FaLeoncio was 41 years old. The neighbors always saw himgreat witness of faith and love; so they mourned his blodeath.


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ANTONIO CARMANI Y MERCADER(1860-1936)

Antonio was born in Rialp (Lrida) on 17April 1860. In 1872, at 12 years of age, heentered the Diocesan Seminary of Seo deUrgel (Lrida). His first intention of beinga diocesan priest was reoriented towardthat of being a Vincentian missionary.When he was 19 years old, he entered theInternal Seminary on 22 February 1879. InFebruary 1881, he made his vows. Anoint-ed priest in 1885, he was sent to the Mis-

sion House of Palma de Mallorca, where he devoted himself tire-

lessly to preaching popular missions. The foundation in Rialp ofa House-School of the C.M. in 1904 filled him with enthusiasm;he would be assigned there for a long time, 1909-1927.When the revolution was declared in July 1936, Father Car-manu left Barcelonas Central House and sought refuge in thecounty capital, until he found a safe place in his hometown.From hiding place to hiding place, he came to Estarn (Lrida);accompanied by a relative, he began to walk uphill toward theFrench border. When the militants found him, they suspected inhim and asked for his pass. He was arrested and, without furtherado, imprisoned in the Red Committee of the village of Estarn.

At another stop they brutally forced him to drink drugged wine.It was ten or eleven on the night of 17 August 1936. The mili-tants sat the one to be executed on a pier. He was ordered toput his back to them, facing the current of the Noguera PallaresaRiver, to which Father Carmanu did not agree, responding thathe would die facing them, praying to God for them.The assassins threw sand and gravel on his corpse so that, as thewaters of the Noguera took it away, there would be no trace ofhis body. His fame as an undefeated martyr spread throughoutthe whole region and still today his aura comes to us, that of awise and humble missionary, the glory of the Church. He was76 years old.

IRENEO RODRGUEZ GONZLEZ (1879-1936)Ireneo, son of modest farmers, was born inLos Balbases (Burgos) on 10 February 1879.At the age of 12, he decided to direct hissteps to the Mission House and the Apostol-ic School that the Vincentian Fathers hadopened in Arcos de la Llana, in a formerresidence of the Archbishop. When hereached the age of 16, he spontaneouslyasked to join the Congregation. He made

his perpetual vows on 3 June 1897.

He was ordained to the priesthood on 1 November and sent to the Philippines. The grain of sand contributed by

ther Ireneo in the formation of the Philippine clergy helperaise up the greatest work that the Congregation of the Msion had carried out in the Philippines. From the Philippihe went to Cuba, and from there, at the end of 1931, he sent to the Apostolic School of Guadalajara, where he mtained the Marian and apostolic movements with a Vincenspirit.Later in the year 1936, but before the outbreak of religipersecution, the educational community of the CenSchool of Guadalajara escaped to Murgua (lava) in ordemove to safety the young aspiring missionaries. Left to gu

the School were only Ireneo Rodrguez and three commucompanions. A certain servant breathed deadly haagainst Father Ireneo and had sworn that one day he wocut off his head. On 26 July 1936, the militants detainedimprisoned the three priests and the Brother, together wother priests, religious, and Catholics.Led to the enclosure of the prison, there they were shothatred of the faith, leaving their corpses on the ground. ther Ireneo was 57 years old.

Brother NARCISO PASCUAL PASCUAL(1917-1936)

Narciso was born on 11 August 1917 inSarreaus de Tioira (Orense). His par-ents were Juan Antonio and Pilar. Nar-ciso was approximately 14 years old,when he asked to enter the ApostolicSchool, Los Milagros. After that, hewas sent to the Internal Seminary inHortaleza (Madrid) on 26 November 1933, eve of the cbration of the Apparition of the Miraculous Virgin.

He made his vows the same day as the Feast of Our Ladthe Miraculous Medal, 27 November 1935. He was senGuadalajara twice during his ministry. He was in Guadalawhen he was taken prisoner with his community companand on 6 December 1936 he died after being shot onCamino de Chiloeches. Together with Father Vilumbrhe was turned into ashes. He was 19 years old, but had aof iron to do good.


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GREGORIO CERMEO BARCEL (1874-1936)Saragossan by origin and from Madrid byadoption, he was born on 9 May 1874.When he lost his parents, he was moved to

Madrid and placed in the Jesus ChildrensHome, directed by the Daughters of Chari-ty. After a short stay in the ApostolicSchool of Teruel, he entered the InternalSeminary on 27 April 1892, at the age of18. He pronounced his vows on 28 April

1894. He was ordained on 8 September 1899. At the celebra-tion of his first Mass, he was accompanied by some Daughters ofCharity, who had been his educators and formators, for whom hekept a grateful and lasting memory.

The newly ordained priest went to Valdemoro until he travelledto Porto Alegre (Brazil), where the Spanish Vincentians ran thediocesan seminary. In 1902, the Vincentians also established thefoundation of Porto Alegre and Father Cermeo returned toSpain. Later he would be assigned to the school of Guadalajara,where the religious persecution found him.

He alone dared to ask the executioners why they were behavingin such an inhuman way with persons dedicated to the service ofthe needy. Nobody answered him, but as a response he receiveda hail of gunfire. He was 62 years old. The corpses of Fathers

Cermeo and Vilumbrales, with those of many other clergy andlaity, were thrown into a burning fire, a fire that turned theminto white ash, a fact reminiscent of the massa candida whitemassmartyrs of Utica, near Carthage, thrown to the flames forrefusing to sacrifice to Jupiter.

VICENTE VILUMBRALES FUENTE (1909-1936)Vicente was born on 5 April 1909 in Reinosode Bureba (Burgos). He was the youngestchild of ten siblings, as he would be too of thepriest-martyrs of the C.M. in Spain. His par-

ents were teachers in the villages.Young Vicente entered the Internal Seminaryof the Congregation on 14 September 1926.

While a seminarian, he left us his impressions of a missionary,fascinated by the 1828-1928 centenary of the Vincentians in Ma-drid. He made his vows on 27 September 1928 and received or-dination to the priesthood on 9 September 1934. Superiors de-cided to leave him temporarily in Madrid as a help to the directorof the magazine, Reina de las misiones, but not for long, because inFebruary 1935 we see him already settled at the Central Apostol-

ic School of Guadalajara.

On 26 July 1936, Father Vilumbrales was detained withcommunity companions. Together they were led to the Ctral Prison, where they remained confined and suffecountless punishments and penalties. The Camino

Chiloeches crowned his life on 6 December 1936, confeswith his lips the faith that his heart practiced. He wasyears old and breathed physical and spiritual health from ery pore.

TOMS PALLARS IBEZ(1890-1934)A native of La Iglesuela del Cid(Teruel), Toms was born on 6 March1890. While a teenager, he asked to goto the Apostolic School that the Vincen-

tians had opened in Teruel in 1887. Heentered the Internal Seminary on 8 Sep-tember 1906. He made his vows on 9September 1908 and was ordained to the priesthood onAugust 1915.

His first and principal ministry was the popular missiopreached on the island of Tenerife, 1915-1923. He returto the peninsula in 1923, carrying out several ministries uthe Superior General, Franois Verdier, named him secreto the Extraordinary Commissioner, Father De las He

Visitor of Mexico, who had been appointed to visit the Princes of the Vincentians and Daughters of Charity in Spain

The new Visitor, Adolfo Tobar (1930-1949), assigned hin 1930, to the Diocesan Seminary of Oviedo, as Administor, then Spiritual Director and Vice-Rector. What wasexpected was the Marxist octubrada of Asturias, which trcated his career in 1934. The revolutionaries surroundedDiocesan Seminary, making it the target of horrible gunfMost of the teachers and students were caught and led toPolice station and subsequently to a makeshift jail, a form

barracks of the Civil Guard, along with other Carmelites Dominicans.

On 13 October, in the makeshift jail, there were two pvoked explosions. After the first explosion they tried tocape. As Father Pallars slid down the ropes, a hail of buhit him in the head; he lost his grip on the rope and fell tosecond floor, where he died instantly. It was midday of urday, 13 October 1934. A post of iron from the streecables, thrown by the second explosion, fell down on body of Father Pallars, burying it. Oviedo was bapt

with blood, earning the name: the martyr city.


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Brother SALUSTIANO GONZLEZ CRESPO(1871-1934)

It was dawn on 1 May 1871 when Salustiano

came to brighten the home of a humble cou-ple living in Tapia de la Ribera (Len), 25km from the capital of Len. At age 22, in1893, he sought and obtained a placement inLens Civil Hospital, where he was em-ployed as a nursing assistant for two years.

In contact with the Daughters of Charity, who served the hospi-tals patients, he discovered what would be his definitive voca-tion. On 28 October 1894, he presented itself to the Vincen-tian Community to make his Internal Seminary. He made his

vows on 29 October 1896 in the Mission House of vila. Fromvila, he was assigned to Valdemoro and, from there, to theDiocesan Seminary of La Laguna (Tenerife) in 1900.

Without leaving the island, he moved to the House of SantaCruz de Tenerife in 1906, where he spent the longest stage ofhis life: 22 years, 1906-1928. Without expecting it, a new as-signment led him to the Theologate House of Cuenca (1928-1930). Finally, his last mission: the Diocesan Seminary of Ovie-do. On 13 October 1934 he died fighting the good fight offaith.

AMADO GARCA SNCHEZ(1903-1936)

Amado was born on 29 April 1903 in Mos-cardn (Teruel). On 10 September 1917, heentered the Internal Seminary of the Congrega-tion of the Mission. On 2 May 1926, he wasordained to the priesthood.

During that same year he was in the Mission House of vila,preaching popular missions. He was assigned to the newly found-ed house of Granada in 1927. He spent barely two years therewhen Superiors called again at the door of his availability to sendhim in 1929 Gijn, where he carried out an excellent apostolicmission, attracting youth. On 15 August 1936, he made his finalexit. He knew that the persecution was growing worse and thatat any time he could be surprised by the enemies of the Churchand condemned to death.

ANDRS AVELINO GUTIRREZ MOR(1886-1936)

Andrs Avelino was born on 12 Novem-ber 1886 in Salazar de Amaya (Burgos).He entered the Internal Seminary on 3July 1903. On 4 July 1905 he pro-nounced his vows. In 1911, he receivedpriestly ordination in Santander. Hisname became famous in the whole regionof Burgos, where he gave popular missions; he was knowthe name of Father Tasks. He was assigned to Gijn in 1Father Gutirrez knew the danger he was in in the new G

residence and knew that the same thing awaited him aconfreres in Oviedo if he did not seek refuge.

His name was registered and they did not delay in imprisohim. One unknown day, they called at the residence of thecentians of Gijn. Father Gutirrez came out. They asked for hi

which he answered immediately: I am he. And they took him.

Nobody knew where they hid him, for they wanted to sfice him secretly, without calling attention to it. What istain is that on 3 August 1936, he was found locked in a m

shift prison in Gijn. About three oclock in the afternoothe same day, three or four militants snuck him out and dhim by car to the village of San Justo. No interrogationneeded to condemn him to death, because the assassins kwell that he was a priest. Without another word, thetacked him with merciless brutality, and he was sentencedeath with insults and abuse.

At 50 years of age, he said good-bye to the inhabitants ofworld.

On 24 October 1936, eve of the feast of Christ the King,assassins entered very early in the morning and, with a lishand, the reader on duty read the name of Comrade Amawho stepped forward. He embraced Brother Paulino at on

saying to him: Good-bye! Until eternity! and, at the stime, directed a petition to the assassins: Kill me, but do noanything to this poor old man, who is only a servant of ours. 24thof October had not yet dawned, when they made himin a car and drove him to Gijns municipal ceme(cemetery of Suco, Ceares).


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RICARDO ATANES CASTRO (1875-1936)

Ricardo was born in Cualedro (Orense) on5 August 1875. He joined the Congrega-tion of the Mission on 11 May 1891 at theage of 15. Despite his young age, Superiorsjudged him ready to make his vows on 6August 1893.

In October 1899 he was sent to Mrida deYucatn (Mexico), where he remained ten

years teaching in the Diocesan Seminary. In 1909 he left theministry of seminary classes to devote himself entirely to cate-chizing the Mayan Indians until he headed to the United States of

America. In 1914 he changed the geographical scene and settledin Fort Worth, Texas, at the service of the Mexican colony (1914-1924).

Obedient to his Superiors, he went back to Spain in 1924, butwith intention of returning to his Fort Worth assignment, oncehe had recovered his strength. However, the Superiors of Spainmade him desist from his determination and sent him to the resi-dence of Orense and, a little later, to Gijn in 1935.

It was four oclock on the afternoon of 14 August when the

Communists took all the prisoners to shoot them. Father Ataneswas thrown like an old sack into one of the death trucks.

Even if he tried to defend himself from the treatment he re-ceived, his poor health would not have allowed it. It was eve ofOur Lady of Begoa in Gijn and it was necessary to celebratethe feast in style, sacrificing the lives of priests and monks. Andthey did, carrying the victims to the pine grove located in one ofthe beautiful hills surrounding Gijn, at the time designated bythe name Llantones. Immediately, the prisoners were draggedby ropes to the ground and, put in row, a squad took charge of

riddling them with bullets. It was 14 August. Father Ricardowas 61 years old and was always noted for his kindness to thepoor.

PELAYO JOS GRANADO PRIETO (1895-19

Pelayo Jos was born in Santa Mar

Llanos (Cuenca) on 30 July 1895.joined the Congregation of the Mion 8 September 1914. He wayears old. Just anointed priest to egelize the poor, he received his destination to cija (Seville), whergave himself completely to preaching of popular missions (1

1927).

He would do the same thing in the following destinat

Granada (1927-1929), Seville (1929-1932), Badajoz (11935), and Gijn (1935-1936). On 19 August, on the sion of having to go to La Corrada to preach, a Sister wahim not to go, for he would run a great risk, but he answeObedience is necessary, because without it martyrdom is not possEverything ran smoothly until, in the evening, the antireligmovement of militants, who reviled the Church and religbegan.

Father Granado, on seeing and hearing it, suspended theturn trip to Gijn and told the parish priest: How ugly it g

The killers most enraged against the Catholic faith mutisome of the members of the body of Father Pelayo, whiloffered his life for peace and concord. They struck and ptured him, while mocking him. They deprived him omanly integrity and cut off chunks of flesh with a knife, wthey then sewed with needles.

On the night of 27 August 1936, they took him out of the on to lead him to the Naln River, passing by Soto del BaThere, with a penknife, they again scored his back untdied, throwing his body into the river. In this way they

ished off the life of Father Pelayo, a man without decemalice, a friend of God and of men.

Live Christ the King!


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ONATT MathewAppointed / Assumed oce on24/10/2013

Visitor Province of In

SouthernBONFIM DA CONCEIO Manoel Appointed oce on 30/10//2013

Assumed oce: 05/11/2013 Visitor Province of Rio

Nominationes / Confirmationes

IMOISILI Lawrence Ayemere Sac Nig 16/08/2013CATAO CORRALES Chrisan Avelino Sac Col 28/09/2013JIMNEZ MORENO Wilton Yecid Sac Col 28/09/2013NIETO Edwin Sac Col 28/09/2013PAYARES ROJAS Fernando Sac Col 28/09/2013RODRGUEZ CABUYA Erwin Geovanny Sac Col 28/09/2013RUZ MARTNEZ Domingo Jos Sac Col 28/09/2013RAGONA Dario Sac Nea 05/10/2013

Ordinationes

Nomen Cond Dies ob. Prov. Aet. VDEBRTOLI Jos Sac 03/10/2013 Flu 79 60LVAREZ ARIAS Manuel Adan Fra 09/10/2013 Col 88 60GMEZ CACHO Gabriel Sac 21/1072013 Cae 86 66LAMER Marek Sac 25/10/2013 Pol 60 40GOROWSKI Roman Sac 25/10/2013 Nan 68 46DA FONSECA SOARES Antnio Sac 30/10/2013 Lus 82 66

Necrologium

nuntia - october 2013 (english)

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