St. Antony Claret

Antony Claret's energy looks almost impossible until one notices how much of it was bought at the price of suffering. He was preacher, founder, archbishop, writer, and spiritual director, but the strongest line through his life is tireless apostolic labor. He traveled to preach, worked for instruction and reform, founded the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and endured the hard years of his episcopate in Cuba, where office brought conflict far more often than comfort.

Later service in Spain continued the same pattern. He does not read like a church official settled into security, but like a missionary whose whole life was spent outward for souls under steady opposition and sacrifice.