CAUSA Lucas a Sancto Joseph, Leonardus Joseph et LXII Socii et Sociae
The Cause concerns 64 “presumed Martyrs”: 44 De La Salle Brothers, 15 Discalced Carmelites, 1 Carmelite Sister of Charity, 4 Carmelite Missionary Sisters and 1 Seminarian.
In 1936 lasallian institutions in Catalunya were 32. When the persecution came, they all had to be abandoned; many were pillaged and some burned. The fate of the Brothers was more painful, because 26 communities had Brothers killed and in one case, the entire community.
When the persecution became more violent, Bro. Leonardo José, Visitor, and Bro. Dionisio Luis, Director of the Bonanova school, were in a monastery in the Cerdaña area, preparing the District’s four retreats, which were to begin a few days later. On July 17 they left the monastery and went to the school at La Seo de Urgel, since the next day there was to be a pilgrimage from the school to the Shrine of the Virgin of Meritxell in Andorra. But when they arrived they learned of the sad news that came from Barcelona and from other places. They wanted to leave immediately for Barcelona, in order to be close to the Brothers and to those in formation, but the transportation connections were impossible. They also attempted to go to Toulouse to reach Barcelona by air, but this, too, was impossible. They sought accommodation in the Cadi Hotel on July 22. The owner, Jamie Sarriá, was a fervent Catholic. Meanwhile, they kept on searching for other ways to reach Barcelona. But, on August 7, they were caught and the next day killed at a place called “Baños de Sugrañes” near Traverseras. Some inhabitants of the village buried their bodies, which later were exhumed and identified. Today their remains are in San Martin de Sasgayolas.
The same fate was reserved for other 95 Brothers of the District; the youngest among them wasn’t yet 20 and the oldest was 60. In the canonical process of the diocese of Barcelona are included 44 of these Brothers. They are:
1. Hno. Leonardo José (José María Aragonés Mateu) 50 years old
2. Hno. Adolfo Jaime (Antonio Serra Hortal) 56 years old
3. Hno. Adolfo Mariano (Mariano Anel Andreu) 26 years old
4. Hno. Agapio (José Luis Carrera Comas) 55 years old
5. Hno. Arnoldo Julián (Jesús Juán Otero) 34 years old
6. Hno. Benedicto José (José Bardalet Compte) 33 years old
7. Hno. Benito Clemente (Félix España Ortiz) 47 years old
8. Hno. Candido Alberto (José Ruiz De La Torre) 30 years old
9. Hno. Cayetano Jose (Ramón Palos Gascón) 51 years old
10. Hno. Celestino Antonio (Ismael Barrio Marquilla) 25 years old
11. Hno. Cirilo Pedro (Cecilio Manrique Arnaiz) 27 years old
12. Hno. Crisostomo (José Llorach Breto) 55 years old
13. Hno. Dionisio Luis (Mateo Molinos Coloma) 46 years old
14. Hno. Edmundo Angel (Pedro Massó Llagostera) 39 years old
15. Hno. Eliseo Vicente (Vicente Alberich Lluch) 30 years old
16. Hno. Emerio José (José Plana Rebugent) 36 years old
17. Hno. Esiquio José (Baldomero Margenat Puigmitja) 39 years old
18. Hno. Eusebio Andrés (Eusebio Roldán Vielva) 41 years old
19. Hno. Félix José (José Trilla Lastra) 29 years old
20. Hno. Florencio Miguel (Ruperto García Arce) 28 years old
21. Hno. Francisco Alfredo (Francisco Mallo Sánchez) 20 years old
22. Hno. Francisco Magín (Antonio Tost Llabería) 21 years old
23. Hno. Hilarión Eugenio (Eugenio Cuesta Padierna) 24 years old
24. Hno. Honesto María (Francisco Pujol Espinalt) 42 years old
25. Hno. Honorato Alfredo (Agustín Pedro Calvo) 23 years old
26. Hno. Hugo Julián (Julián Delgado Díez) 31 years old
27. Hno. Ildefonso Luis (José Casas Lluch) 50 years old
28. Hno. Indalecio De Maria (Marcos Morón Casas) 37 years old
29. Hno. Jacob Samuel (Joseph Henri Chamayou Aucles) 52 years old
30. Hno. Jaime Bertino (Antonio Jaume Secases) 31 years old
31. Hno. José Benito (José Más Pujolrás) 23 years old
32. Hno. Lamberto Carlos (Jaume Mases Boncompte) 42 years old
33. Hno. Leonides (Francisco Colom González) 49 years old
34. Hno. León Justino (Francisco Del Valle Villar) 30 years old
35. Hno. Lorenzo Gabriel (José Figuera Rey) 24 years old
36. Hno. Louis de Jésus (Joseph-Louis Marcou Pecalvel) 55 years old
37. Hno. Mariano León (Santos López Martínez) 26 years old
38. Hno. Miguel de Jesus (Jaume Puigferrer Mora) 38 years old
39. Hno. Olegario Angel (Eudaldo Rodas Saurina) 24 years old
40. Hno. Onofre (Salvio Tolosa Alsina) 56 years old
41. Hno. Raimundo Eloy (Narciso Serra Rovira) 60 years old
42. Hno. Valeriano Luis (Nicolás Alberich Lluch) 38 years old
43. Hno. Vicente Justino (Vicente Fernández Castrillo) 24 years old
44. Hno. Victorio (Martin Anglés Oliveras) 49 years old
Iter of the Cause
13/11/1952: beginning of thediocesan Process super martyrio.
Given the large number of Martyrs (64) and the examination of the numerous texts (474) presented by the various ecclesiastical jurisdictions, the Bishops concerned appealed to the Sacred Congregation of Rites (now called Congregation for the Causes of Saints) to allow the establishment of a single Court and to hold a single trial for all 64. Having obtained the Congregation’s Rescript, (The Bishop of Vich on November 24th, 1951; the Bishop of Gerona on November 28th, 1951; the Bishop of Urgel on November 23rd, 1951; the Bishop of Zaragoza on November 23rd, 1951) the Bishops authorised that of Barcelona to set up the Ecclesiastical Tribunal in his diocese. On November 13th, 1952 the Archbishop of Barcelona opened the Sessions which were 542 and ended on 7th June 1959.
18/10/1991: Decree on the validity of the diocesan Process
25/10/1991: Rapporteur: Fr. Ambrogio Eszer, O.P.
08/11/1993: Presentation of the Positio
18/11/2003: Congress of Theologians
20/04/2004: Plenary of Cardinals and Bishops
22/06/2004: Decree super martyrio
28/10/2007: Beatification (together with others for a total of 498 Martyrs)
Liturgical memorial: November 6