FATHER FELIX HIS VOCATION TO PRIESTHOOD AND HIS

FATHER FELIX, HIS VOCATION TO PRIESTHOOD AND HIS UNDERSTANDING OF IT. PADRE FÉLIX, SU VOCACIÓN AL SACERDOCIO Y SU COMPRENSIÓN DE LA MISMA

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONERO, RELIGIOSO Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST Y A A I C EZ A L GR URA T NA A vocation to the priesthood is built on an ordinary life. Grace and nature are united in the life of a man whom God calls to be his own. Felix was born to an ordinary family, he grew doing, saying, and thinking what children of his age did.

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONERO, RELIGIOSO Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST Besides, God’s especial calling, one of the few extraordinary events that took place in his life was the consecration that his mother Luisa did of Felix to God the Father and consecrating him to Mary. These two events were decisive because the life of Felix was shaped by them. Louise made an offering and at the same time a renunciation of her son, and God received this offering. Mary, in turn, became Felix’s companion for the rest of his life.

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONEROS, RELIGIOSOS Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST Another important and influential element in the life of Felix was the fact that he was born into a very Christian family. A special mention should be made about his mother Louise Olanier. Louise was a very spiritual woman, and Felix’s Christian formation is owed, to a large extent, to her.

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONERO, RELIGIOSO Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST He made his first communion when he was nine years old.

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONERO, RELIGIOSO Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST 1874. Bishop Louis Eloy, from the Society of Mary, and bishop in the Oceania Islands invites the students of the college in La Chartreuse to join him as missionaries. Out of the 400 students only Felix decides to join him. 1878. On the 24 th of September Felix joins the society of Mary, and as a novice he is known for his devotion, his fidelity to the Rule of Life, and his obedience. During this time he begins to suffer from arthritis in his right hand.

EL LLAMADO DE DIOS A SER MISIONERO, RELIGIOSO Y MARISTA THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE MISSIONARY, RELIGIOUS, AND MARIST September 24 th 1879: First religious profession as Marist 1882 -1884: Studies Philosophy and teaches at the same time. 1884 He does his theological studies in Barcelona, and on the 24 th of September 1887 he is ordained a priest. After he is ordained a priest he returns to Barcelona to finish his theological studies, and at the same time he teaches Sacred Scriptures for eight years.

SU MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL COMO MARISTA: PROFESOR DE SAGRADA ESCRITURA, SU MINISTERIO EN COLOMBIA Y LUEGO EN MÉXICO. HIS PRIESTLY MINISTRIES AS MARIST: PROFESSOR OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, HIS MINISTRY IN COLOMBIA AND THEN IN MEXICO Father Felix speaks of his 8 years teaching Sacred Scriptures as one of the greatest graces he received in his life.

SU MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL COMO MARISTA: PROFESOR DE SAGRADA ESCRITURA, SU MINISTERIO EN COLOMBIA Y LUEGO EN MÉXICO. HIS PRIESTLY MINISTRIES AS MARIST: PROFESSOR OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, HIS MINISTRY IN COLOMBIA AND THEN IN MEXICO One of the main reasons why he wanted to be Marist was because he wanted to be a missionary. But because of his poor health he was not able to go the missions. It was until 1895 when he was sent by his superiors to Colombia as the principal of two schools.

SU MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL COMO MARISTA: PROFESOR DE SAGRADA ESCRITURA, SU MINISTERIO EN COLOMBIA Y LUEGO EN MÉXICO. HIS PRIESTLY MINISTRIES AS MARIST: PROFESSOR OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, HIS MINISTRY IN COLOMBIA AND THEN IN MEXICO 1889: His mother dies. While in Colombia, and besides his responsibilities as principal of these two schools, Fr. Felix is also chaplain of the military, he makes a foundation called “Pan de San Antonio” (St. Anthony’s Bread), and he also serves as the diocese administrator while the ordinary bishop is on a trip to Europe.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DEL P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS This preparation lasted for 11 years (1903 -1914). A good question to ask would be: what made him to wait this long and without the smallest possibility that what be believed would be fulfilled? Or where did his strength to bear “human humiliations” and misunderstandings from the people that were important to him came from?

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DEL P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS 1902. Arrives to Mexico after a difficult departure from Colombia in the midst of the war and without even having the money to travel. He arrives to Mexico as the Local Superior of the community and as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Mexico City.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DEL P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS 1903. Providential Encounter with Concepcion Cabrera de Armida. This is a historical but transcendental encounter because it is the beginning of his vocation to the Works of the Cross.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DE P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS As soon as he knows about the spirituality of the Cross, he feels strongly called to it, and he begins to spread the Apostleship of the Cross, and he also begins to help the Sisters of the Cross.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DE P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS 1904. He discovered God’s will for him to be the founder of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit. It is understood that behind this discovery there is a great deal of faith. 1904. July 15 th. He wants to proceed by the way of obedience, and thus, he goes back to France to ask for permission to be the founder of the M. Sp. S. This permission is completely denied by his superiors.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DE P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS He has to wait ten years in Europe before the foundation of the M. Sp. S. The first five years are spent in Barcelona Spain as professor in a grade school, and the other five years are spent in France. These ten years are specially a teaching experience for Fr. Felix. He had to learn how to be humble, he had to renounce to his most legitimate and good intentions to be the founder of the MSp. S. These years are a time for proving his faith and his obedience. He was not allowed to have any type of communication with the people in Mexico who had anything to do with the spirituality of the Cross.

MINISTERIO SACERDOTAL DE P. FÉLIX Y SU VIDA RELIGIOSA EN LOS AÑOS DE PREPARACION PARA SER MSPS FR. FELIX’S PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE YEARS OF PREPARATION TO BE MSPS 1913. Saint Pius X approves the foundation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit.

DIRECTOR DE LOS MSPS. DIRECTOR OF THE MSPS. 1914. Foundation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit. 1918. Foundation of the first priestly house in Mexico, which was suppressed by the Mexican government 1919. Foundation of the Apostolic School, and the house of philosophical and theological studies. 1920. Benedict XV grants permission to Fr. Felix to continue as the head of the MSp. S for 5 more years with the explicit condition of “No more time” after this. 1924 Foundation of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. 1925. Fosters the Consecration of Mexico to the Holy Spirit. This takes place on May 31 st.

MISSIONARY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (1926 -1938) 1926. Pius XI grants him permission to transfer from the Society of Mary to the MSp. S 1927. Foundation of a community in La Habana Cuba. 1929. Opening of the Inter-diocesan Seminary in Castroville, TX 1930. Foundation of the Guadalupan Missionaries of the Holy Spirit 1931. Foundation of the expiatory temple of St, Philip of Jesus in Mexico City. 1937. Foundation of the Oblates of Jesus the Priest. 1938. Fr. Felix dies.

. . . FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. HE HAD TO FACE HUMILIATIONS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AND YET HE BELIEVED UNTIL THE END. Self-denial: he was a brilliant man with a promising future in the Society of Mary. He had been local superior for many years, he had a great capacity for ministry. When he was in Mexico there was a huge possibility for him to become the Provincial of the American Province.

. . . THE CROSS ALWAYS PRESENT…. AN INTERIOR CROSS MARKED BY UNCERTAINTY ABOUT TIME, ABOUT HIS PERMANENCE WITH THE MSPS. Fr. Felix lived 79 years. He was a priest for 51 years. Out of those 51 years he was a Missionary of the Holy Spirit for 12 years only. He met Conchita in 1903, and he knew that God had chosen him to be the founder of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, but for 23 years he lived his life in an extreme uncertainty not knowing what was going to happen with him. Out of those 23 years, he spent 10 years in Europe isolated from anything that had to do with the Works of the Cross.

SOME OF THE MAXIMS USED BY FATHER FELIX IN THE FORMATION OF THE MISSIONARIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT To belong completely to Jesus To be a living copy of Jesus May Jesus make you as he wants you to be To be another Jesus To be transformed into Jesus Elements that favor the unity of life: Loving Attention to God Ambience of recollection, silence and solitude Profound and serious study Ministry

QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS IN SMALL GROUPS? What would be two or three of the main virtues that define Father Felix’s living out of his priesthood and why? What do his life or his spiritual journey has to teach about the Spirituality of the Cross? What can we learn, and how can we apply it in our daily lives as APOSTLES OF THE CROSS? ¿Cuáles serían dos o tres de las principales virtudes que definen la vida del padre Félix y “su sacerdocio” y por qué? ¿Qué nos enseña sobre la espiritualidad de la Cruz su vida y su recorrido espiritual? ¿Qué podemos aprender, y cómo podemos aplicarlo en nuestra vida cotidiana como Apóstoles de la Cruz?

Oración final