INTRODUCTION

Some time ago, in 1973, in the Claretian seminary of Segovia, a group of minor seminarians, guided by their formators, and after many days’ work, were able to make a dream come true. They gathered in just one book what they thought was essential to get to know the Congregation of Claretian Missionaries. Time passed and, with the collaboration of many others, we can publish now this edition, revised and updated.

The idea of reediting the book is basically due to the acceptance and usefulness it is having in the seminaries of the Congregation and in the provincial centres of Youth Ministry, as well as the felt need among vocation promoters of such publication. We know it has also been translated into French, Japanese and Russian.

To those who may consider the book too elemental I would say that my intention is still to respect the original idea: To have in just one book the basic elements to know the fundamental aspects that no candidate to the Congregation should ignore. At the end of each chapter I have added a “basic bibliography” for the sake of those who wish to widen their information.

I hope this book is useful to all. I dedicate this simple work to the Blessed Martyrs of Barbastro who, with their writings and the testimony of their death, have given the Congregation an inexhaustible treasure of life and hope.

Madrid, 16 July, 2000

Vicente Sanz Tobes, cmf.