<p>Born in Spain in 1807, Anthony Claret, a weaver like his father, studied Latin and printing in his spare time. He entered the seminary at 22 and was ordained in 1835.</p>
<p>For 10 years he preached missions and gave retreats throughout Catalonia and in 1849 founded a congregation known as the 'Claretians.' Shortly afterwards he was appointed Archbishop of Santiago in Cuba where he brought reform, both to the clergy and the laity. He stayed until 1857 when he returned to Spain and became confessor to Queen Isabella II. He combined this assignment with overseeing the activities of his congregation, preaching, and publishing books and pamphlets.</p>
<p>In the revolution of 1868 both Anthony and the queen were exiled and, after attending Vatican I, Anthony sought refuge at a Cistercian monastery in France where he died in 1870. He was canonized in 1950.<br /></p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
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