By Carmen Elena Villa
LINARES, Spain, JUNE 18, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Lucía Lozano Garrido says the greatest gift God has ever given her was seeing her brother beatified.
In an interview on Blessed Manuel Lozano Garrido’s Web site, Lucía reflects on the beatification ceremony held June 12 in their hometown of Linares.
Lucía, 86, is four years younger than Lolo. She looked after him during his illness, which began when he was 22 and ended with his death at 51.
Blessed Manuel, known as Lolo (1920-1971), is the first journalist to be raised to the altar.
His sister said he endured many difficult moments during the years she looked after him, but «he never complained.»
«I remember that one day he was in a corner of the dining room at dinner time and he was eating,» she recounted. «He hurried to pick up his fork and spoon until one day he could no longer do so. One noticed it because one could see him, but he said nothing.»
«When he was small, Lolo was naughty, mischievous,» his sister laughingly affirmed. «He was the only one my mother spanked with her slipper.»
Lucía recalled some of his pranks, such as going up on the roof to go to Catholic Action because it was closer that way and he didn’t want to go the long way around.
The mother of the Lozano Garrido siblings constantly repeated that Lolo had to be told to study and not read the newspaper so much. Hence, the journalistic vein of today’s Blessed Lolo was evident from his youth.
There were seven children in the family. «His siblings and I called him the ‘absent-minded one,'» said his sister.
Good News
Despite his illness, Lolo worked in journalism for many years, writing articles, books, stories and reflections. «When he lost his sight he was somewhat troubled and a nun said to him: ‘Lolo, we have a tape recorder that might help you.’ They brought it to him and it had a switch. He put it on his legs, would think and dictate,» Lucía explained. «It was very helpful; it was hard in the beginning but then he adapted to it very well. Sometimes he spent the whole afternoon recording.» And in that way, Lolo dictated his ideas to the tape recorder and others transcribed them.
Lourdes
Lolo’s father died when his children were very young. Years later, his mother died. Lolo was 14 and Lucía 10 when they became orphans. His sister said that this loss made them both increase their devotion to the Virgin Mary. «The faith was the center of his whole life,» she said. «He was passionate about the Virgin and the Eucharist.
«The last time he was able to visit the Virgin was when he went to Madrid for his military service. […]
«I remember saying to him one day, what is the first thing you’ll do if you get better — and he said to me — I would go up to see the Virgin.»
His sister also spoke about the pilgrimage they both made to Lourdes in 1958. «I remember getting on the train in the Atocha station. When we arrived in Lourdes it was 8 in the evening with the torch procession; it was very moving.»
At first Lolo did not want to go to the pool, «because he was afraid they would hurt him.» He finally agreed to go. «They took Lolo in a wheelchair, and I stayed on the steps weeping.»
«There he offered the Virgin his immense, fecund and blessed joy,» Lucía said. She suggested they buy a candle and place it before the image of Our Lady of Lourdes, to which Lolo responded: «Buy the largest they have for her, so that our faith will burn for long,» she recalled.
Lucía concluded by saying that what she most likes about her brother «is that he be called the saint of joy,» because of the way he was able to endure his illness and invite others in his condition to offer their sufferings.
