CLARET, ANTONIO MARIA, blessed. - Founder of the Congregation of the missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (v.), born at Sallent (Barcelona) on 24 Dec. 1807. Having studied at Vich and been ordained priest at Solsona, he came to Rome in 1840 to devote himself to the missions under the auspices of the S. Congregation of Propaganda Fide. Having returned to Spain after a brief stay in the Society of Jesus, he devoted himself with apostolic zeal to preaching and to the reform of morals. In 1849, together with five other priests, he founded in the seminary of Vich the aforesaid Congregation of missionaries, for which he obtained apostolic approval in 1860 and, six years later, approval of its constitutions.
In the same year (1849) he was appointed archbishop of Cuba, a see which he governed until 1857, when he was summoned to Madrid as confessor to Queen Isabella II. This important and thorny office did not prevent him from carrying out a remarkable apostolate by word and pen, founding the famous «Religious Bookshop» and assisting other founders of religious institutes and pious associations. When Queen Isabella was driven from the throne in 1868, he had to follow her into exile. The following year in Rome he took an active part in the Vatican Council. He died shortly afterwards in the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide (France). He was beatified by Pius XI in 1934. His cause of canonization is imminent. His body is venerated in the Mother House at Vich.