Barcelona, Spain, Jan 16, 2010 / 14:30 pm
The Vatican announced on Friday the time and location of the beatification of Fr. Josep Samsó i Elisa, a Spanish priest and martyr. According to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the ceremony will take place on Jan. 23 at the parochial basilica of Santa Maria n Mataro in the Archdiocese of Barcelona.
Born in Jan. of 1887 in Castellbisbal, Spain, Fr. Josep eventually studied at Barcelona's seminary and was sent to the Pontifical University of Tarragona. Upon graduation, Bishop Laguarda of Barcelona assigned him to be his personal secretary, and he was ordained a priest in 1910.
In his priestly ministry, Fr. Josep emphasized charity and catechesis, earning him praise from the Archbishop of Barcelona, Manuel Irurita, as “the premier catechist in the diocese.” The Bishop of Segovia, Daniel Llorente also praised Fr. Joseph, and declared that “Doctor Samsó, in his parish of Santa María de Mataró, held the best organized catechesis in all of Spain.”
His spiritual direction encouraged many people to follow their religious or priestly vocation. Fr. Josep also insisted on punctuality in the Mass schedule, sought perfection in the liturgy, and worked intensely to improve the interior decoration of the local cathedral, which was honored with the title of minor basilica in 1928.