Rereading some pages of the book written by Beatriz Macarro, F.I., Miguel San José Herranz and the Congregation of the Hijas de Jesus, the question may arise: Do we allow God to possess our hearts so that we can carry out the plans He has in mind? (p. 19).
Today, on the day we gratefully remember the birth of Father Herranz, we transcribe Beatriz’s account of the first meetings between the future foundress and the Jesuit. They were in Valladolid, where Juana Josefa served in a house and he lived with his brothers because of the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from the Peninsula.
The Eucharist is over and Father goes to the confessional. The young woman approaches him. The first manifestation of his consciousness begins. From the very first moment, Father feels something special when listening to her… To his question whether she had a religious vocation, an affirmative answer. She then adds in all simplicity that she was of humble condition and did not know how to read or write.
This first meeting will be followed by others in the same place and for the same reasons: to expose their feelings.
Fr. Herranz, as he entered into the spirit of that simple woman, became aware of the great inner richness hidden in her heart. From each of the interviews he came away with a greater certainty that she was the humble instrument that the Lord had placed in his path so that what he had been maturing for some time could become a reality.
She felt understood and encouraged, despite her poverty. Each time she left the meeting with Fr. Herranz, she felt that the horizon was clearing and her confidence grew that everything would come to fruition. It was in God’s hands.
There was a total understanding of the feelings that they both felt about the foundation of an Institute dedicated to the Christian education of children and youth. It had reached such a point that it was not easy to distinguish to which of the two the idea belonged. M. Candida herself always answered: “Neither mine nor his, exclusively, but both ours and at the same time”.
Beatriz Macarro, FI – “Father Miguel San José Herranz and the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus” pp. 23-24.
We encourage you to let yourself be invited by this story: To whom do you expose your feelings? What do you feel called to? Who accompanies the path of your faith?
We hope that the memory and gratitude to Father Herranz, to our origins, enlighten us today and give us the keys to continue being what God wants us to be. Would you like to share them?
Happy Father Herranz Day!
