Dear brothers,
Today we celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Fr. Jaime Clotet, the cofounder of our beloved Congregation. The great work that our Founder, St. Anthony Mary Claret, began on July 16, 1849, started as a community with Fr. Jaime Clotet as the youngest of the group. The General Prefect of Spirituality and Community life, Fr. Carlos Sanchez, has sent you different materials for reflection and celebration on the occasion. Let us use them and grow in the same spirit that moved the first Claretian community. I would like to highlight the following points in the life of Clotet, which are significant for us too.
- Vibing with the same spirit that moved the Founder and allowing it to shape his life and mission till the end.
- Being a community man who attended to the care of his brothers and accompanied their growth.
- Reaching out to those in greater need in creative ways of proclaiming the Gospel.
- Responsibly obeying the Superiors and fostering communion amidst differences in perspectives
- Growing in holiness by cultivating deeper interior life that can sense God’s presence in the little ones in the community and the society.
Fr. Jaime Clotet, a Claretian rooted in Christ and audacious in mission, is a great model for us to imbibe the spirit that moved St. Claret and let it shape our whole lives.
Wish you a meaningful celebration of the Bicentenary of the birth of the servant of God, Fr. Jaime Clotet.
Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF
Superior General
24 July 2022
