Born in Barcelona in 1807, Antony Mary Claret felt called to the foreign missions in far off lands. Instead he was asked to exercise his missionary apostolate in his own country. He went everywhere in Catalonia and in the Canary Islands where his burning zeal and deep piety was the means of converting many souls. He helped found the seminary in Vich, the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians). He founded the teaching sisters of Mary Immaculate after his appointment as archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. In 1857 he was recalled to Spain as counselor and confessor of Queen Isabella II. His whole life was marked by great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Rosary.