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 Blessed Elías Julián
Julián Torrijo Sánchez was born in Torrijo del Campo (province of Teruel) on November 17, 1900 and was baptized the following day.
He entered the junior novitiate in Cambrils on November 3, 1916 and took the habit on February 11, 1917 at Hostalets de Llers (province of Gerona).
He began his apostolate working with very small children at Santa Coloma de Farnés in 1920.
In 1925 he was put in charge of the carpentry section of the building of the novitiate in Cambrils by his Superiors since before entering the Brothers he used to assist his father who was a carpenter. In 1928 he was appointed Bursar for the Manlleu boarding section. In 1929 he returned to the classroom at San Hipólito de Voltregá and then he spent two years at Condal. In 1934 he went to Our Lady of Carmel School in Barcelona. Due to health problems, he spent some time recuperating in the infirmary at Cambrils. He was there when the religious persecution began.
He was a simple person, always willing to serve, with a great capacity for work.
Along with Brother Bertrán Francisco he was assigned to accompany a group of novices and scholastics who were from Aragon to their homes. But in Sagunto they were stopped by the militia. When they arrived in Valencia they managed to find places for the young Brothers in the houses of some friends since they could not continue on to Aragon.
While going to visit one of the young Brothers they were stopped, identified as religious, and arrested. They were transferred from the civil government jail to the Valencia jail. Brother Elías was 35 years old when he was shot.
Lord Jesus, you call whomever you wish.
Call many of us to work for You and for our brothers and sisters.
Help us to overcome our problems and our fears as you helped our Brother Elías.
And if you do call some of us to serve you in the midst of others,
may your love encourage their vocations and make them mature until the end.
Encourage us to fulfill our dreams and see to it that we are not trapped
by consumerism in society.
Amen.
Beatified March 11, 2001. |
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