The Reminiscences of St. Anthony Mary Claret Taken From CATHOLIC TREASURES, Issue No. 33, 1978 THE HOUR OF GOD "And you, what will you be?" his parents asked him when he was a child. Anthony always answered: "I wish to be a priest." "Well, if you wish to be a priest," said his father, "you must learn Latin." He then placed him under the tutorship of Don Juan Riera, a virtuous priest who lived at Sallent at the time. But in a short time this priest died, and Anthony had to suspend the study of the language, much to his regret. Transferred now to Barcelona and entangled in the business of manufacturing, he seemed not to feel the same impulses of his first vocation. But God touched his heart anew, and Anthony faithfully followed the call of grace. A PROVIDENTIAL INTERVIEW "Sir, I know a young man, a native of Sallent, who is a model of virtue, very fond of study and of matters pertaining to the Church. I believe that he will be a good priest." Thus spoke Don Mariano Casajuana, the administrator of the properties and the domain of the Bishop of Sallent. The Bishop, who was Don Paul de Jesus Corcuera, responded: "Tell him to come to the palace, for I wish to know him." Don Mariano immediately informed Anthony's parents of the Bishop of Vich's desire. They, filled with hope and joy, wrote to their son who was still in Barcelona, advising him to come to have an interview with the Bishop as soon as possible. Anthony was not pleased with this news because his extraordinary fervor and his loathing of the world had already inclined him to become a missionary. He consulted Father Canti, a priest of the Oratory, who told him resolutely: "Go to Vich." Anthony obeyed and in the year 1829, on the Feast of St. Michael, the Archangel, a date never to be forgotten, he arrived at Vich, accompanied by his family. The Bishop received him cordially. Much to the surprise of the youth, the Bishop immediately assured him of his acceptance, saying: "My son, you are admitted into my seminary. Be a good seminarian." Don Fortunato Bres, chaplain and steward of the palace, then interviewed him. He, also, charmed with the virtues and manners of the youth, said: "Come to my house; I wish to keep you with me while you are a seminarian; you will be like a brother and a member of the family to us." Anthony saw in all this the hand of God which opened the road to a priestly career. He remained in Vich and resolved to increase in fervor in his new life as a seminarian. THE APPARITION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN The heart of Anthony was a garden where flowers of virtue grew in abundance. But among these flowers there appeared an outstanding one which surrounded and defended the others like a wall; it was the lily, the symbol of purity. 'Blessed are chaste souls, for the lamb of God grazes among them as among lilies.' Anthony suffered great trials in this virtue of chastity at different times of his life, but he always came out of his temptation harmless, vigorous, and pure. The demon, envious of the angelical innocence of the seminarian, presented him, by permission of God, with a last combat. Because it was the last, it was a decisive one, as well as the strangest and the most tenacious. Anthony was in the second year of Philosophy. The Superiors of the Seminary obliged him to remain in bed because he was exhausted from the effects of a severe cold which might endanger his already delicate health. Anthony obeyed. Soon the demon let Anthony feel his presence. He caused the young man to recall the memory of the world and placed obscene images in his imagination and impure desires in his heart. This troubled him exceedingly. He feared to offend God, a God Whom he loved so much! Danger was imminent. The temptation, far from relaxing, increased in intensity every moment. He struggled with all available arms that the Saints and the masters of the spiritual life advise for such combats. Sometimes he fixed his eyes on different objects; at other times he made the sign of the cross, humbly invoking the protection of Our Lord; now he took refuge, like a child, in the lap of the Blessed Virgin, his Mother, praying at the same time to his Guardian Angel and the Saints to whom he was especially devoted. But the temptation did not cease. What else could the youth do in defense of his virginal treasure? Suddenly, a bright light illumined his room. He looked up and saw a beautiful and graceful figure; it was the Queen of the Angels, holding in her left hand garlands of roses. Taking one of them with her right hand and placing it on the forehead of a child kneeling near her, in a clear and sweet voice, Anthony heard our Blessed Lady say: "Anthony, this crown is for you, if you conquer." Who can express the torrent of joy that inundated the soul of the youth on contemplating the beauty of Our Lady and experiencing the sweetness of her words? Later he saw a group of Saints in an attitude of prayer. These were the patrons who were praying for him in his temptation. Again there was a formidable group of dragons who crept across the room, roaring and standing erect as though they were ready to swallow him. All this lasted but an instant. The vision passed. All dangerous thoughts fled from his memory; all obscene figures, from his imagination. Peace and calm took possession of his spirit. He triumphed over the temptation and now he felt that the crown of roses of the vision rested on his brow. Later, in the last years of his life-----1862-----referring to this supernatural scene, he asserted that he was not sleeping, nor was it an illusion. In a personal manuscript he left the following annotation: "What made me believe that it was a special grace of Our lady who freed me from the temptation was that for many years afterward I was not assailed by any similar temptation against chastity. If later on I was tempted it was in so insignificant a degree that it did not even merit the name of temptation. All praise to Mary! Victory! Victory to Mary!" AIMING AT PERFECTION In Anthony's youthful heart there already glowed embers of the great blaze of charity which was to consume it in later life. On school holidays and in vacation he visited the sick in hospitals, consoling them, animating them to suffer their illness with patience, performing for them, with great abnegation, humble offices, such as arranging their rooms, sweeping, trimming their nails, washing their feet, alleviating their thirst-----acts by which he mortified his senses. By such edifying example he attracted many sick to God, among them a poor soldier who, while assisting at a bull fight in the Main Plaza at Vich, had the misfortune of falling and fracturing his leg. He was taken to the hospital where Anthony visited him frequently. Through Anthony's advice the soldier was converted to God, made his general Confession, and lived, thenceforth, as a practical and fervent Christian. During the day he wished to remember the resolutions of his meditation, the lights from Heaven, and the inspirations he had received from the Holy Ghost. For this purpose he used little cards on which, in the form of ejaculations or of resolutions, he briefly expressed the ideas or the sentiments that had filled his heart and placed them, as bookmarks, in his various textbooks so that they might serve as continual reminders. SACERDOTAL ORDINATION "Don Fortunato: I wish to ordain Anthony at once, for there is something extraordinary in him." These were the prophetic words of His Excellency, the Bishop of Vich, Don Pablo de Jesus Corcuera, addressed one day to his steward and chaplain. What did this venerable prelate see in our seminarian to set aside, contrary to custom, the proceedings which are generally observed by all candidates to the priesthood? Assuredly he saw in Anthony that exterior modesty, so natural and attractive, which infused veneration and concentration. He saw the harmonious blending of all his virtues, principally his prayer and mortification, which made of him a perfect model in public and private life. He saw his extraordinary application to study and the great benefit he derived from the teachings of his professors, prefects and superiors. He saw the fame for sanctity which he enjoyed among his fellow students and the people, who, through a supernatural presentiment saluted him as the man of God who was to carry the torch of the Gospel triumphantly through the Catalonian principality. He saw the wisdom, the ingenuity, the zeal, and the ability that the young seminarian had shown in the organic conception and the literary composition of his first work "Cartas de los Angeles," which he published while pursuing his theology course. It is an original and very profitable work. The prelate saw all these qualities in Anthony, for they were visible to those who came in close contact with him. Inspired by God, the bishop removed the shadow of the future with light from Heaven which presaged the sublime and providential mission which the youth was to fulfill in the Church and for his country. For that reason His Excellency believed that he would oppose the designs of God if he delayed the sacerdotal ordination of Anthony. This revelation was enclosed in the words of the illustrious Prelate of Vich: " Don Fortunato, I will ordain Anthony at once, for there is something extraordinary in him." The venerable bishop arranged for a ten days' retreat for ordinands before taking minor orders; twenty days for subdiaconate; thirty days for diaconate, and forty days for ordination to the priesthood. Thus he succeeded in having virtuous and exemplary clergy in his diocese. Anthony made these preparatory spiritual exercises with great devotion and earnestness. At the close of the retreat, during the Ember Days of Advent of 1833, he received minor orders; sub-diaconate on the Ember Days before Trinity Sunday; diaconate on the Ember Days before Christmas. He was ordained on June 13, 1835, the feast of his glorious patron, St. Anthony. A Divine light came to Anthony when, in the act of receiving the diaconate, the following words, taken from the letter to St. Paul to the Ephesians were read from the Roman Pontifical: "Our battle is not against men of flesh but against evil spirits in high places." By this celestial light he recognized the enemies referred to in the words of the Apostle, and suddenly he recalled the vision of the Blessed Virgin and of the demons which he had had when he was following his second course in philosophy. The enemy, envious of the sanctity of the ordinand and fearful of the battles which he would have to fight if Anthony became a priest, assailed him with all kinds of temptations, principally against faith and his vocation, during the entire forty days of retreat which he made in preparation for the priesthood. He suffered dryness of spirit and weakness of nature; but his valor triumphed. After the shadows came the light, and from the depths of his sadness joy sprang forth. He himself affirmed that these Spiritual Exercises were the most profitable he had ever made in his life. His desires were fulfilled. He was now a priest. Soon he would ascend to the altar. He had received the unction of regal dignity. He was a new descendant of the dynasty of Christ. Angels looked upon him with envy, and souls with hope. Like the pearly dew drop that gleams on the leaves of the violet, there sparkled, glistening and trembling on the windows of his soul, a tear of love.   E-Mail HOME-----------CHRIST THE KING-----------CATHOLIC CLASSICS www.catholictradition.org/Priests/claret2-1.htm