A teacher for lay Carmelites

Today we remember the Spanish priest Francisco Palau y Quer OCD (in religion Francisco of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, 1811 – 1872).  To read an account of his life is to be confronted with the challenges and conflicts that engulfed the Church in his country in the nineteenth century.  Until recently I did not realise how much persecution Catholics endured in Spain in the nineteenth century from some of their governments.  At one point he was forced to take refuge in France, where he actually lived in caves as a hermit – which drew hostility from the locals and Church authorities.  Banished later to Ibiza, he again lived as a hermit.    My attention was drawn in particular to the fact that in 1867 he was appointed as Director of the OCD tertiaries in his country, and in 1872 he wrote a Rule of Life and Constitutions for the members of the Discalced Carmelite Third Order (which we in this country call the Secular Order).  He obviously deserves to be better known, but there is not an abundance of literature in English about him.

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon B, Catherine

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – in hospital

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

 Mark – brain infection

Joy Smith – in hospital

 Defence of the unborn and the elderly

 RIP Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, little Matthew (six years old, died of cancer)