St. Josep Manyanet y Vives: "Apostle of the Family"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 16, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II canonized Josep Manyanet y Vives, presenting him to the universal Church as a «true apostle of the family.»

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«Inspired by the school of Nazareth, he fulfilled his plan of personal holiness and dedicated himself with heroic selflessness to the mission that the Spirit entrusted to him,» the Pope said in his homily at today’s canonization Mass, reading a passage in Catalan. «To this end he founded two religious congregations.»

«A visible symbol of his apostolic yearning is also the temple of the Holy Family in Barcelona,» said the Holy Father.

Josep Manyanet y Vives (1833-1901) founded the congregations of the Sons of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and the Missionaries Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

The mission of these religious families is to imitate, honor, and propagate devotion to the Holy Family of Nazareth and to work for the Christian formation of families.

Both institutes are present in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the United States. They have some 300 men religious, including priests, and 500 women religious.

The Pope said: «May St. Josep Manyanet bless all families and help you to take the examples of the Holy Family to your homes!»

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