The Reminiscences of St. Anthony Mary Claret Taken From CATHOLIC TREASURES, Issue No. 33, 1978 THE VISION OF SINS One day while he was preaching at San Juan of Olo, he paused an instant while preaching. Inspired by the Divine Spirit, Who gave him an insight into the consciences of his hearers, he said in a solemn voice: "Brethren, I could point my finger at those who among you are in mortal sin." These words filled his hearers with salutary fear, and the following morning they thronged around the confessional to purify their consciences by Sacramental absolution. Referring to this epoch, a venerable parish priest, whom he dealt with intimately said: "In our days, on our Catalonian soil, there has never been a more exemplary priest, neither of better fame nor of greater zeal than the servant of God, Don Anthony Mary Claret."   God manifested this holiness by extraordinary signs. Among these was the resplendent light that surrounded him while he celebrated Holy Mass. This declaration was made by Father Paul Coma of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, in the informative process. The following are his words: "When I was fifteen years of age I entered the parish church of St. Eugenia of Berga, diocese of Vich. At the "Rosary" altar I noticed an unusual splendor surrounding the then unknown celebrant. I drew near and then recognized Father Claret, whose face was transformed. This strange brightness spread its rays as far as the sacristy. I do not remember whether there was, besides myself, any other person in the church. This happened while the servant of God was giving Missions in Catalonia." CONDESCENSION OF A SAINT Father Claret travelled on foot from one town to another; only once, through humble condescension, he mounted a camel. At the close of the Mission in Gran Canaria, the bishop sent him to the island of Lanzarote, and assigned him a religious companion. This religious, however, was very stout and walked with difficulty. They alighted at a port of the island, and as their destination was still at a distance of two leagues, the good friar asked Father Claret, "How are we going, on horseback or on foot." "You know," Father Claret humbly replied, "I always go on foot." "Well, I," replied the friar, "cannot make so long a stretch on foot; but I will not ride if you do not do so."   The dialogue ended, and Father Claret said: "I cannot consent that you, through respect for me, should fatigue yourself. Both of us will ride, since you so desire." A camel was brought to them, and both the missionary and the friar rode. Beautiful virtue of condescension, daughter of charity, and therefore, proper to Saints. They alighted from the camel before arriving at the town so as to enter it on foot. Some, however, had seen them mounted. The news that this was not Father Claret, the missionary who was coming to preach to them, spread through the town. When they arrived, a man, determined and vexed, approached Father Claret and asked him, "Are you the missionary who preached in Gran Canaria?" "Yes, sir," Father Claret replied. "Be it known to you," the man concluded, "that some say you are not the same, basing their assertion on the fact that the former always travelled on foot, whilst you have come riding. Many have said that they will not go to hear your sermons, because they think you are not the missionary who preached in Gran Canaria." The Mission, in spite of this, bore abundant fruit, but Father Claret took note of this observation and of the case. He was again convinced of the fact, that examples of mortification and sacrifice are what principally move and attract people. SIN OF CURIOSITY During a mission he was the guest of a very religious family. Every morning the lady noticed that the bed had not been used. "This missionary priest," she said to her husband one day, "must not go to bed, because I always find the bed the same. If he does not sleep nor rest, how can he work so much?" Once, moved by curiosity, she wished to observe what Father Claret did in his room during the hours of the night. She silently drew near the door and looked at him through the keyhole. Father Claret was on his knees praying. The following day the lady made her Confession to the missionary, and before leaving the confessional the priest asked, "Have you no other sins?" "I do not remember any," the lady replied. And then with grave accents, the holy missionary said: "Yes, there is another. Last night you observed me in my room through the keyhole; that was a sin of curiosity."   The same happened to a young man who had looked at him through a crack in the door during the late hours of the night, while Father Claret was on his knees at the foot of the Crucifix. DISCERNMENT OF CONSCIENCES Discernment of consciences was one of the singular graces with which God favored His servant. By a single word of the penitent he knew the secrets of his soul. There were occasions on which, without ever having seen the persons, he knew the state of their consciences. On a certain day a lady presented herself for Confession to him for the first time. Father Claret, without ever having heard her Confession, said to her: "Madam, God bless you and preserve you in His grace. You may receive Holy Communion, for you are not guilty of even a venial sin." The lady was greatly surprised and received Holy Communion with all tranquillity. She told the story herself, affirming that in reality she was not conscious of having sinned. Other penitents said that if, through ignorance or forgetfulness, they had failed to confess some of their sins, Father Claret would ask them: "Do you not remember other sins? My son, why do you not confess such or such a sin, which you have committed on such a day, with such a companion, and in such a place?" And he reminded them of the minutest circumstances of the sins not confessed. Many persons knew that Father Claret had this particular gift of penetrating into the secrets of consciences, and for that reason they tried to place themselves under his authority and direction. THE ANGEL OF BESOS On a rainy day the Besos River had risen; nevertheless, Father Claret had to wade it because he had a Mission scheduled in a town on the other side of the river. What was to be done in this critical moment? Was he to postpone the Mission? And who knows if there was in that town one single soul awaiting the missionary's word to be converted. No, he would not turn back. He resolved to cross the river. Seated on the bank, he took off his shoes. Soon a child appeared to him, and looking smilingly at him, said: "Father do not take off your shoes, for I will take you across."   "What! You will take me across: You are too small; you could not sustain the weight of my body for one moment, much less could you take me across the river! But tell me from what town are you?'   The child looked at him sweetly but did not reply. "Go, my son; go home, for it is going to rain, and you will get wet." The child then said firmly and resolutely, "Let me help you, Father. You will see that I can sustain you and bring you to the other side without becoming wet."   And so it was. The child transported Father Claret to the opposite bank. Father Claret was astonished. He opened his breviary to give the child a picture as a remembrance, but in the act of giving it to him, the child disappeared. It was an Angel. ARCHBISHOP OF CUBA God exalts the humble! The Church placed the pompous robes of the episcopate over the missionary's cassock, and in order that the Missionary Archbishop might have greater prominence, he was assigned the most suitable of Spanish colonies-----the island of Cuba. How was the news of Father Claret's nomination to the Archbishopric of Santiago de Cuba made known to him? Who was the first to communicate it to him? Was it the Minister of the Interior? Surely, no one would guess that; it was the demon. Father Claret was in Barcelona, guest of the chaplain of Religious Magdalens. His open breviary, from which he was praying, was on the table. Soon a slip of paper fell mysteriously on his book. It was of brown color about four inches long, and on it were written these words: "Now you will be content, for they have named you Archbishop of Cuba. There you will work for your own, but I also will work for my own." The paper bore a strange signature. Three scratches made by a finger nail. On another day the demon repeated the notice in a monologue of rancor. A religious was greatly tormented by the demons. One night they thrust her out of her bed violently; they fastened her to a column of the cloister, beat her vigorously, and tore her habit off. Father Claret had a high opinion of the virtue of this religious. He animated and comforted her in her tribulations. Another night while the demons were passing the door of the religious, they were heard to say: "Now they wish to make him Archbishop of Cuba! We shall see!" This occurred several months before the appointment. The religious communicated it to Father Claret, but the humble missionary exclaimed: "Do not heed the father of lies!" Again the demon spoke with rabid disdain, pointing to the boat and the cabin which the future Archbishop was to use on his trip. A soul greatly favored by Almighty God, yet tormented by the demon, had had been for a long time under the spiritual direction of Father Claret. This person asked the prayers of a religious community in favor of Archbishop Claret. "Pray much for him," she said, "because the demon hates him since he draws so many souls from his satanical power."   Later on it became known, by an authentic document, that one night a religious was violently torn from her bed by evil spirits, who carried her on board a merchant vessel, "Teresa Cubana," and said to her: "This cabin is for the thief who is going to Cuba. We have not been able to prevent it, but know that we are going to wage war against him and not let him do anything." Two Angels, the Angel of Spain and of the Angel of Cuba  ascended to the presence of God. The prayer of the Angel of Cuba was this: "Lord, listen to the clamors of thousands of abandoned souls. They are without a father and without a shepherd! Send them Your apostle, and they will be saved!" The prayer of the Angel of Spain was this: " Lord, he has been a missionary in Catalonia, but not of all Spain. The clamor of thousands of souls who wish to hear his voice arises to Thee, asking that the word of Thy apostle may resound throughout all Spain." God said to the two Angels: "From 1850-1857 he shall be Archbishop of Santiago and missionary of Cuba; from 1857-1868 he shall be Archbishop of Trajanopolis and missionary of Spain." The Angels were silent. On descending to earth, they saw the great apostle taking leave of Catalonia.   E-Mail HOME-----------CHRIST THE KING-----------CATHOLIC CLASSICS www.catholictradition.org/Priests/claret2-3.htm