On Sunday next, October 11th, Pope Benedict will raise to sainthood Francesco Coll y Guitart OP (1812-1875), a Spanish Dominican friar who founded the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Below is a brief biographical extract of fr. Francisco:
Francisco Coll y Guitart, O.P. was born on May 18, 1812 in Gombren (Cataluna) Spain. He joined the Minor Seminary of his home Diocese of Vic in 1822. In 1830, he joined the Dominicans in the Convent of Santo Domingo de Vic. He made religious profession in 1831 and was ordained a priest on May 28, 1836. He died in Vic on April 2, 1875. He was a popular preacher of missions in various dioceses of North Eastern Spain. Those who knew him characterized his life by his fervent zeal for preaching; he prayed long hours, studied, and dedicated a great deal of time to preparing the sermons for his missions. He believed in the efficacy of collaboration in preaching missions. Hence, he collaborated with diocesan priests, Jesuits, Claretians, Augustinians, and fellow Dominicans in preaching missions, and novenas. His missions were popular with Bishops and diocesan priests. He was a friend of Saint Anthony Mary Claret with whom he founded the “apostolic fellowship” for evangelization in 1846.
Another saint of the Order through whose intercession we can pray for an increase of vocations to the various entities of the Dominican family.
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