MODESTO ARNAUS, MARTYR IN CHOCÓ, COLOMBIA (1947)

The 15th of March, 1947 was the eve of the elections in Chocó, a region of the Northern Colombian forest. The Claretian missionaries had assumed, among other responsibilities, that of defending the Indians against economic and political exploitation.

Fr. Modesto Arnaus had observed the movement of the chiefs who were buying the Indians’ votes and cheated them because the majority was illiterate. On March 15, Fr. Arnaus saw that one of the chiefs returned from gathering Indians to vote. He was bringing with him 40 so they could cast their vote. The missionary, making use of his title of protector of the Indians as a representative of the central government, reached the river and ordered the Indians to get down to the ground. Joseph Acosta, which was the chief’s name, upbraided him: “And why do you interfere with politics?” Father answered: “Sir, I am not dealing with you but with the Indians who are under my protection.” This said, he made a half turn to go back to the boarding school of which he was the director. A shot was heard and Fr. Arnaus fell to the ground without even a sigh. His last words and his last missionary action had attested to a whole life of self-offering to the cause of the poor.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I: SAINT ANTHONY MARY CLARET, FOUNDER
First years (1807-1829)
Priest, apostolic missionary and founder (1829-1850)
Archbishop of Cuba (1850-1857)
Apostle in Madrid (1857-1868)
His last years (1868-1870)
Glorified (1950)
Basic Bibliography

CHAPTER II: HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION
The Foundation (1849-1858)
Constitution of the Institute (1858-1870)
First Great Expansion (1870-1899)
Generalate of Fr. Clement Serrat (1899-1906)
Fr. Martin Alsina and the increase of the Congregation (1906-1922)
Fr. Nicholas García’s first mandate (1922-1934)
Fr. Philip Maroto’s short generalate of (1934-1937)
Towards the first centennial of the Congregation (1937-1949)
A new century for the Congregation (1949-1967)
The Congregation renews itself (1967-1979)
The Mission of the Claretian Today (1979-1991)
Servants of the Word (1991-1997)
In Prophetic Mision (1997-2000)
Basic Bibliography

CHAPTER III: CLARETIAN MARTYRS
Francis Crusats, protomartyr of the Congregation (1868)
Claretian Martyrs in Mexico
Claretian Martyrs in Spain (1936)
Modesto Arnaus, Claretian martyr in Chocó (1947)
Rhoel Gallardo, martyr in Basilan, Philippines (2000)
Basic bibliography

CHAPTER IV: CLARETIANS WHO LEFT A TRACE
Cofounders of the Congregation
Superiors General
Selection of profiles
Proper nouns
Deceased Claretian Prelates
Basic bibliography

CHAPTER V: CLARETIAN MISSIONS
Claretian Missions in Africa
Claretian Missions in America
Claretian Missions in Asia and Oceania
Claretian Missions in East Europe
Basic bibliography

CHAPTER VI: THE CLARETIAN FAMILY
The Claretian Family
Other members of the great Claretian Family
Institutes related to Fr. Claret
Institutes related to the Claretian Missionaries
Basic bibliography

APPENDICES
General Chapters of the Congregation
Important Documents of the Congregation
Social Communication Media
Claretian Presence in the Hierarchy
Evolution of the Coat of Arms of the Congregation
Statistics of the Congregation
Latest statistics