On March 11th we will remember the 20th anniversary of the Beatification of Father Juan María de la Cruz. What initiatives are underway in Rome and in Spain, the homeland of the Blessed and in the Congregation?
On March 11th we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Beatification of our Blessed and Protomartyr. It is a day to remember and to thank God for the life and martyrdom of our Blessed. It is also a day to pray and ask for his intercession.
No great things will be accomplished. But the Postulation wants to remember this anniversary and therefore invites us to pray that our Blessed may perform a miracle and that the canonization will go forward. It only takes one miracle to become a saint. We hope it will be very soon. But we have to pray.
In Spain, we are preparing various materials and resources that will be posted on our Spanish Province website: a biography, a compilation of his writings, a video recalling this event.
And throughout the year, we want to translate all of this into different languages so that it will be available to our entire Congregation.
March 14: proposal to be made (what aspect will be highlighted).
The postulation will hold a Prayer Vigil where the focus will be on Fraternity, living in community, SINT UNUM, with various texts from the Word of God, Father Dehon, Father Bourgeois, and Pope Francis. It will be a very Dehonian moment for the whole Congregation to reflect on our charism and our experience of fraternity in community.
Work to be done from the General Postulation.
Last year, we worked with the Positio super Martyrio of Father Capelli and the Positio of Father Prévot. Both were submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for their study.
During this year, we are carrying out several tasks:
- The creation of various materials in our own calendar, which are periodically sent to the Congregation.
- We will work with the Positio of Father Bernardo Longo and his martyrdom in the Congo.
- The Museum of Father Dehon should be arranged and taken care of.
- To make known the confreres who are in the process of beatification and canonization in our Congregation. And invite them to be our models of life who offered their lives to God and to the confreres, and also to be our intercessors, praying with them.
There are many things to do. But they are beautiful things that I am working with.
Last December, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave its positive vote to the Positio super Martyrio of Father Martino Capelli. The Congress of Historians confirmed the historical existence of martyrdom. Then the Congress of Theologians will have to pronounce itself on the martyrdom of Father Martino Capelli. We hope that this Congress will be held this year.
