Claretian Formation

Constitution of the Institute (1858-1870)

Election and First Actuations of Fr. Xifré

After the death of Fr. Stephen Sala, they went on to elect the person who would become the Superior General of the Institute. The election fell on Fr. Joseph Xifré. He was not slow in taking the first steps in the government of the Congregation that had been entrusted to him. As early as 1859 he gathered in Vic the first General Meeting of the Congregation, convoked and presided over by the Founder. This General Meeting is considered as the first General Chapter.

Subsequently there were two General Chapters that were transcendental for the Congregation, because they dealt with the definitive drafting and approval of the Constitutions. The first one took place in 1862 and the second in 1864. Fr. Claret was also present in both.

The First Spiritual Directory

Our Fr. Founder published this Directory in 1858. It had seven sections: examination on the Constitutions for the recollection day; suffrage for those who are travelling; itinerary; practical way for starting and ending the mission; eight formulas for as many blessings; prayers for those who return from a trip, for the sick and for thanksgiving; and meditation on death for the recollection day.

Noviciate and Scholasticate in Vic

In 1861 the Noviciate for Priests and Brothers was established. The students that began to flow posed a problem of difficult solution. Fr. Xifré took the first steps to solve some of these problems of the Noviciate and Scholasticate, mainly that of admission of young students. Fr. Claret always viewed the Noviciate and Scholasticate of Vic with fondness and sympathy. In 1862 he even wrote the “Reglamento” or Regulations that became a part of the Constitutions with some variations. That same year Fr. Xifré wrote an “Instruction,” that was considered as the first document on vocational promotion in the Congregation.

Mission House of Vic

The Mission House of Vic was the main house of the Institute. It was used as retreat house for clergy and laity, and as residence. Although at the beginning they did not handle any church, later on they did accept one: the church of La Merced.

Foundation in Gracia

With the foundation of Gracia (Barcelona), the expansion aspirations of both the Founder and Fr. Xifré began to take shape. The house of Gracia that was about to be founded was an isolated building. Towards the end of 1858 the foundation was already accepted in principle, but couldn’t quite be finalised because the promised funds for the work to be done did not come very punctually. Later on, thanks to the steps taken by Fr. Claret, they were able to obtain three thousand “duros” and, later, the rest. On January 23, 1860 Fr. Clotet and two Coadjutor Brothers moved into the building and took charge of the house.

Foundation in Segovia

The mission house of Gracia could not satisfy the yearnings of Fr. Claret and Fr. Xifré. It was necessary to expand. The Founder wanted to have one house in each diocese. It was he who initiated and directed the steps towards the foundation of Segovia, at the request of Bishop Friar Rodrigo Echevarría y Briones. It was established in the church of St. Andrew and officially founded on November 22, 1861. Later on it moved to St. Gabriel, the convent-church of the “alcantarinos.” Thus began the foundation in the Castilian region. The first persons assigned to Segovia were Fr. Clement Serrat as Superior, Fr. Francis Crusats and Bro. Joseph Saladich. Shortly after, Frs. Dominic Fábregas and Antony Vilaseca joined them.

The Founder with his Missionaries

Fr. Claret was still present in his Institute in spite of his many duties as archbishop and royal confessor. He visited the houses of Vic and Gracia in 1659, 1860, 1862, 1864; and that of Segovia during his summer stay in La Granja with the Queen. During these visits he lived with the missionaries as one of them. In 1865 he stayed with them in Vic for three months and gave them spiritual exercises. He did the same in the house of Gracia. In these exercises he prophesied that the Congregation would have a martyr: this would be Fr. Crusats. He also exerted efforts to have some members of the Institute stay with him in Madrid, like Frs. Vilar and Puig and Bros. Saladich and Calvo.

The Autobiography

Fr. Xifré ordered our Fr. Founder, by virtue of obedience, to write the Autobiography in order to contribute to the formation of new apostles. He wrote it in Madrid and submitted it personally to Fr. Xifré during a trip he made to Vic in 1862. The so-called Autobiography was not published until 1915 in the first volume of Archivo Histórico de la Congregación (‘Historical Archive of the Congregation’). Its reading was reserved to the more mature priests of the Congregation, because it included some delicate stories intended to give orientation in the direction of souls and in the confessional. Its reading was not brought into general use until 1951 when an expurgated edition was made. Today we can consider the Autobiography as the true Programmatic Letter of the Congregation and a source of inspiration for all Claretian missionaries. The original autograph is kept in the Claretian Archive in Rome.

The Pattern of the Missionary

Although the obligations of his office did not allow him normally to live with the missionaries, he was always near. For this reason, in 1861 he sent from Madrid to Fr. Xifré a most valuable document: the Pattern or pen-portrait of the missionary, which is a true gem of Christian spirituality. This document was well known and transcribed in multiple occasions by the first missionaries. Condensed in it is the life ideal that the Founder sought for himself and wanted to transmit to his sons. For this reason it has been included in the present text of the Constitutions. Here is the text of one of the two drafts that still exist and he left written in the Autobiography: “I tell myself: A Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a man on fire with love, who spreads its flames wherever he goes. He desires mightily and strives by all means possible to set the whole world on fire with God’s love. Nothing daunts him; he delights in privations, welcomes work, embraces sacrifices, smiles at slander, and rejoices in suffering. His only concern is how he can best follow Jesus Christ and imitate Him in working, suffering, and striving constantly and solely for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

The Consoling Promise

This type of promises is not exclusive of this Congregation. It is the third of the three statements that have been traditionally picked up from the prophecy of our Founder: the expansion throughout the whole world, the permanence until the end of times and the promise of salvation for all those who die in the Congregation. Fr. Xifré made it known in a circular letter of 1897 and it was later taken up by other publications, such as those of Frs. Cepeda and Ribera, but it was never taken as an official teaching of the Congregation.

“The Spirit of the Congregation”

This book was written by Fr. Joseph Xifré in 1867. We can say that this work inspired the live of many Claretians in the beginnings, because of the scant knowledge of the works of the Founder. “The Spirit of the Congregation” is a small book in three parts: the first part contains the means for one’s own salvation; the second, regulations to give Missions and Retreats successfully; and the third, various notes and useful preaching materials for the missionaries. His project was approved by the Founder.

First Foundations

Soon foundations were made in Huesca (1864), Jaca /1867) and La Selva del Camp (1868), and there were offerings for other foundations: Astorga, Valencia, Cadiz, Compostela, Zaragoza.

The Missionaries in the Missions

The only ideal of the first missionaries were popular missions and spiritual exercises. Later on, this ideal would extend to other ministries like confessions, direction of seminaries, teaching.

The Founder was the first missionary and, from the beginning, the missions were very successful. Like Fr. Xifré, the local Superiors dedicated themselves also to the missions.

The Missionaries at Home

The life of the missionaries was ruled by the Constitutions, the Directory and the Director. The Constitutions and the Directory had been written by the Founder, and the Director was the work of Fr. Clotet, dedicated to the Brothers.

Life at home was quite regulated from the outset. They rose at four in the morning and, after one hour of personal meditation, the Mass was celebrated. There was an obligatory conference on morals, examen and noon meal at 12:15, during which there was some reading. In the afternoon, after prayers, there was another conference on preaching and a stroll. On returning, there was a conference on mystical theology, supper, a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and recreation until a quarter to ten when they retired to rest. But, although everything was regulated, the family spirit, which was the ideal of the Founder, could always be felt.

Oath of Permanence, Consecration and Vows

After the General Chapter of 1862, the noviciate, the oath of permanence, the consecration and the vows were adopted, and the students were accepted as a new class of members in the Congregation. In 1865 the formula of religious profession was confirmed and the door was opened for all the members of the Congregation to make it. Fr. Claret himself made the profession at the end of his life on October 8, 1870 in Fontfroide, at the hands of Fr. Xifré.

Civil and Canonical Approval of the Institute

The civil approval of the Institute was necessary in order to insure its future in Spain and was soon obtained, on July 9, 1859. The canonical approval was obtained in 1860. It was Pope Pius IX who gave the definitive approval of the Institute when he approved “ad experimentum” the Constitutions on 22 December 1865.

Drafting and Final Approval of the Constitutions

The origin of the Constitutions is found in some first norms drafted by our Fr. Founder in 1849 for the first community. No copy is left of these first Constitutions. In 1857, when Fr. Claret had been newly installed in Madrid, in order to obtain the civil approval of the Congregation, he dedicated himself, together with Fr. Stephen Sala, to the actualisation of the Constitutions. These are the first Constitutions that we know today. In 1862 an appendix was added with 29 corrections to the previous text. In the text of 1865, the order and the structure are maintained, and the chapters on formation are added. This was the text approved by Pius IX “ad experimentum” that year, and definitely on February 11, 1870.

The Revolution of 1868

On those stormy days the communities went through particularly tragic moments. The house of Jaca definitively ceased to exist, painfully and without glory. The community of Vic was dispersed and, although Fr. Hilarius Brossosa bravely maintained that of Huesca, a general discouragement prevailed. In Segovia the missionaries were expelled from the province and went to the dioceses of Valladolid and Avila. Some priests abandoned the Congregation while the national Government civilly suppressed the Institute on October 18, 1868. The house of La Selva was assaulted and the Congregation could offer there its first martyr, Fr. Francis Crusats, newly arrived from Segovia.

Dodging the Storm

Fr. Xifré had to cross the Pyrenees, not by an exclusive personal decision, but in order to look for some house in France where he could gather the dispersed members. It was not an easy task, but after many efforts and after a short time in Perpignan, he found in the small town of Prades a small house to let. With the foundation of this house on February 2, 1869, that small enclosure in the exile became the centre and heart of the Institute.

Foundation in Algiers

The preoccupations of Fr. Xifré were about expansion, taking into consideration the circumstances and the growth of the members of the Congregation. The first foundation was in Algiers, a territory under France. Invited by Msgr. Lavigerie on October 4, 1869, Frs. Alibés, Quintana, Bech and Bro. Philip Gómez left for that territory. The missionaries found many difficulties there: lack of work, hostile ambience, even on the part of the Prelate, a very impulsive man who very easily hurled excommunications: even the missionaries themselves were not exempt from them. Although the Procurator of the Republic in Algeria protected them, things were becoming ever more critical, even in the economic aspect, and they abandoned the foundation in 1888.

The First Foundations of America in Chile

This foundation as well as that of Algiers had been done with the approval of the Founder. It was a proposal of the priest Santiago de la Peña, who had constructed a chapel and wanted to keep alive the worship there. On December 13, 1869, the first missionaries departed for Santiago de Chile. In charge was Fr. Paul Vallier. They found great hostility among the people and, one week after their arrival, they had to move to another residence. Fr. Xifré visited them as soon as they were established. He made no less than three visits to the missionaries of Chile. Fr. Vallier expanded the Congregation in Chile by opening a new foundation in La Serena in 1873. In 1876 he was appointed Visitor.

Foundation in Barbastro

Fr. Diego Gavín explained to Fr. General the convenience of establishing a foundation in Barbastro. Once the old house of Jaca was abandoned, and after taking the opportune steps in Barbastro, the house was founded in the year 1869. This house would later become an example for the entire Congregation, because of its numerous martyrs during the Spanish civil war in the year 1936. There also the first church dedicated to the Heart of Mary in Spain was built. The admission of some children and young adolescents in this house was also the beginning of the schools for postulants in the Congregation. Fr. Xifré wrote the first “Reglamento” or Regulations for them in 1876.

Last Days and Death of our Founder

 Our Founder arrived to the house of Prades on 23 July 1870. That was an oasis of joy in the midst of his sufferings. Prophetically he saw the Congregation spread throughout the whole world and he sensed that his death was already at the door. But soon, on August 6, he had to leave his own children and go into exile in the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide, near Narbonne.

After several days of terrible uncertainty and of slow and painful agony, Fr. Claret gave up his spirit to God in the said monastery on 24 October 1870.

Providentially the Founder was the first one to die after the definitive approval of the Institute with the official profession of vows, and after he himself made such profession.