Missionaries of Hope with the Spirit of Claret
23 October 2025Today, the Claretian family joyfully celebrates the Solemnity of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, a man passionate about God and others. In him, we recognize “that apostolic man” whom the Lord revealed to María Antonia París in response to her prayer and her desire for renewal in the Church.
Claret was a prophet of his time: he knew how to read the needs of society and ignite in it the flame of the Gospel. His life was a fire that illuminated paths, awakened vocations, and sowed hope where everything seemed lost. That same fire remains alive in us today, called to continue his mission.
In a world marked by uncertainty, war, and division, the Spirit invites us to be, in the words of Pope Francis, “missionaries of hope among the peoples”, witnesses to a faith that consoles, unites, and transforms.
May this solemnity renew in us the gift of first love: the ardor that moved Claret to cross seas and mountains, the compassion that led him to those most in need, and the fidelity that sustained him in trials.
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to have eyes that discover the new life emerging in history, hands that build fraternity, and burning hearts that know how to “follow in the footsteps of Christ, our hope”.
May Mary, Mother and missionary Disciple, always accompany us, reminding us that the fire that burns within us is not ours, but the fruit of the Spirit who makes all things new.
Happy Feast of Father Claret!