DOMINGO Y SOL, MANUEL, BL.

Priest, founder of the Fraternity of Diocesan Worker Priests; b. April 1, 1836, Tortosa, Tarragona, Spain; d. there, Jan. 25, 1909. Son of Francisco Domingo Ferré and Josefa Sol Cid, Manuel received his early education at local schools and from a tutor before undertaking the study of philosophy in the diocesan minor seminary (1851–52) and theology in the major seminary. He was ordained deacon by the bishop of Vich (1859) and priest at Tortosa (1860). After another year of study, he began his ministry by concentrating on catechesis and giving missions in towns surrounding Tortosa. On March 7, 1862, he took possession of the parish at La Aldea, 13 kilometers from Tortosa. While serving his parish he completed further study in theology at the University of Valencia and began teaching at Tortosa's seminary. Among his many pastoral works were the founding of Catholic Youth of Tortosa (1869), an evening school for workers and artisans, the publication El Congregante to foster Christian ideals among youth, a theater complex, and a recreational center. He became known as a great confessor and a spiritual director for the discernment of vocations. In 1872 to 1873, Domingo established the College of Church Vocations of St. Joseph in Tortosa in order to allow poor seminarians to continue their study of philosophy and theology. Later he founded similar schools at Almería, Burgos, Lisbon, Murcia, Orihuela, Plasencia, Rome (Pontifical Spanish College), Toledo, and Valencia. With six other priests, Domingo founded the Fraternity of Diocesan Worker Priests (1883) to further foster vocations. Manuel Domingo, whose cause was opened in 1946, was declared venerable by Paul VI (May 4, 1970) and beatified by John Paul II (March 29, 1987), who called him "the holy apostle of priestly vocations."

Bibliography: j. m. javierre, Reportaje a Mosén Sol: un hombre bueno y audaz (Madrid 1987). f. martÍn hernÁndez, Mosen Sol: vida de Manuel Domingo y Sol, fundador de la Hermandad de Sacerdotes Operarios Diocesanos (Salamanca 1978). L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, no. 14 (1987): 1–2.

[k. i. rabenstein]