Spain. Today, December 23, is the anniversary of the birth of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Archbishop and founder of the congregations of the Missionaries Sons of the Heart of Mary (Claretian Missionaries) and of the Religious Sisters of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters. All throughout this year the bicentenary of his birthday has been celebrated which was officially closed in Tanzania on last August 24. Many provinces and delegations have chosen this December 23 to close their celebrations of the Claretian Jubilee year.
Yesterday, December 22, the book “Born to Evangelize”, 350 pages, was published by Claretian Publications, Madrid, in the celebrative context.
The Provincials of Iberia requested Frs. Bocos and Bellella the preparation of one week of Claretian Spirituality around the bicentenary of Fr. Claret. Since this week could not be celebrated, Fr. Aquilino Bocos, as representative of the Cathedra Saint Anthony Mary Claret, of the Pontifical University of Salamanca, and Fr. Antonio Bellella, as Director of the Centre of Claretian Spirituality of Vic, have prepared the edition of the articles in a book with the title “Born to Evangelize.”
In the fourth page of the cover we read:
“Born to evangelize” has been the theme that has guided the celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Saint Anthony M. Claret. All his life was inspired by the Word of God, animated by the charity of Christ and dedicated to obtain that God the Father be known, loved and served by all creatures. Mary formed him in the forge of her heart. The Spirit granted him the gift to make a family with all those who worked for the growth of God’s Kingdom, following his style of missionary life and his guidance. The members of the Claretian Family, born to evangelize, gratefully revive this vocation in the Church and offer their reflections in this work about how to announce the Good News today.”
The conclusion of the book is written by Fr. Juan José García, president of the Iberian conference.
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The contents of the book are the following, according to the index:
INTRODUCTION
1. To live, announce, celebrate and serve the Gospel, today.
Mons. Raúl Berzosa
CLARET’S ITINERARY, BORN TO EVANGELIZE
2. “From your mother’s womb I called you”
Hortensia Muñoz
3. “The Spirit of the Lord is over me”
Ángel Aparicio
4. The Bible in Saint Anthony Mary Claret: the awakening, the fullness.
Francisco Contreras
5. The discourse of cordiality
José Cristo Rey García Paredes
CLARET, TEACHER OF EVANGELIZERS AND FOUNDER
6. Claret, promoter of evangelizing Institutions
Joan Sidera
7. Saint Anthony Mary Claret and the life styles in the Church
Antonio Bellella
8. The Claretian Family in the face of the challenges of evangelization
M. Ruberte
NEW DEMANDS IN THE EXERCISE OF THE MISSION
9. The evangelizing subject
Jesús María Ibáñez
10. Missionary imagination and freedom to innovate
José Mª Vegas
11. To evangelize in this cultural context of “liquid life”
Benito García Ramos
12. To evangelize in shared mission
Miguel A. Velasco
13. Evangelization and solidarity
Fernando Torres
