HOSPITALLERS OF ST. JOHN OF GOD, MARTYRS OF THE, BB.

Also known as Blessed Braulio María Corres, Federico Rubio, and companions; d. 1936–37, Spain; beatified at Rome by John Paul II, Oct. 25, 1992.

The 71 Hospitallers of St. John of God assumed under this title died at various times and places during the infamous persecution of the Church during the Spanish Civil War. At the outbreak of violence, the prior general, Father Narcissus Durchschein, urged the brothers to continue their sacred duty to the sick, unless the civil authorities took over the work or "until such time as a force majeure obliges them to leave" (letter dated April 4,1936). The martyrs were all brothers serving in different capacities, ranging in age from 18 to 75 years old, and were Spaniards except seven young Colombians.

Apostolic School of Talavera de la Reina. (d. July 25, 1936, Toledo). The first four martyrs ran the order's new Juniorate (opened 1935) in Talavera near Toledo:

Federico Rubio Alvarez, baptized Carlos, brother and priest; b. 1862, Benavides, Léon.

Jerónimo Ochoa Urdangarín, brother; b. 1904, Goñi, Navarre.

Juan de la Cruz Delgado Pastor, baptized Eloy, brother; b. Dec. 10, 1914, Puebla de Alcocer, Badajoz.

Primo Martínez de S Vicente Castillo, superior; b. 1869, San Román de Campezo, Alaya.

At the outbreak of civil unrest, they sent their 22 youngest charges home. The brothers' house was searched twice for weapons (July 23 and 25, 1936). Following the second raid the brothers were arrested, interrogated, and taken to a site near the Virgen del Prado, where they were shot. All four were buried in a common grave in Talavera's cemetery, but reinterred in separate tombs (November 1936). On Nov. 22, 1946, their bodies were translated to Ciempozuelos (Madrid), where they were buried in the Pantheon Chapel (Jan. 14, 1937).

San Juan de Dios Sanitarium at Calafell. (d. July 30, 1936, Tarragona). About the same time as the house of the Hospitallers was searched in Toledo, the Communist authorities began harassing the brothers in Tarragona (July 23–29, 1936). On July 25, the militia took charge of the institute. They stripped the brothers of their habits and removed any sign of religion. The brothers continued their work for the next several days, while increasing the time spent in prayer. The brothers were provided documentation to travel to France, but warned that their safety could not be guaranteed. Nevertheless, 19 of the 27 Hospitallers left for Barcelona the morning of July 30. They were picked up by the militia en route. The truck stopped within the border of the Calafell District and four youths were removed from the group. A firing squad of 19 militiamen shot the others:

Antonio Llauradó Parisi, novice; b. June 13, 1920, Reus, Tarragona.

Antonio Sanchiz Silvestre, novice; b. Dec. 6, 1910, Villamarchante, Valencia.

Benito José Labre Mañoso González, baptized Arsenio, brother; July 19, 1879, Lomoviejo near Valladolid.

Braulio María Corres Díaz de Cerio, baptized Pablo, brother and priest; b. 1897, Torralba de Rio, Navarre.

Constancio Roca Huguet, baptized Saturnino, brother; b. Aug. 12, 1895, Sant Sadurni d'Anoia near Barcelona.

Domingo Pitarch Gurrea, novice; b. Feb. 12, 1909, Villareal, Castellón.

Enrique Beltrán Llorca, novice; b. Nov. 14, 1899, Villareal, Castellón.

Eusebio Forcades Ferraté, baptized Antonio, brother;b. September 28, Reus, Tarragona.

Ignacio Tejero Molina, novice; b. July 31, 1916, Monzalbarba near Zaragoza (shot the day before his twentieth birthday).

Julián Carrasquer Fos, baptized Miguel, superior; b. 1881, Sueca, Valencia.

Manuel Jiménez Salado, brother; b. Oct. 29, 1907, Jerez de la Frontera near Cadiz.

Manuel López Orbara, novice; b. Feb. 5, 1913, Puente de la Reina, Navarre.

Rafael Flamarique Salinas, novice; b. Oct. 24, 1903, Mendívil, Navarre.

Tomás Urdanoz Aldaz, novice; b. March 7, 1903, Echarri, Navarre.

Vicente de Paúl Canelles Vives, brother; b. June 25, 1894, Onda, Castellón.

Colombian Martyrs. (d. Aug. 9, 1936, Barcelona). These seven Colombians became the first of their homeland to be beatified. They were sent from the Colombian mission (opened 1920) to the San José Psychiatric Institute in Ciempozuelos (near Madrid) for training. When the Spanish brothers of the community were taken into custody on August 7, Br. Guillermo Llop arranged with the Colombian ambassador, Dr. Uribe Echeverry, for their safe passage and repatriation and with the Claretian Sisters for money to cover travel expenses. The seven young brothers were taken off the train from Madrid to Barcelona, incarcerated overnight, and kept incommunicado with the embassy. Embassy officials found their bodies at the hospital mortuary the following morning, together with more than 100 others killed that day in Barcelona. The first Colombian beati are:

Arturo Ayala Niño, baptized Luis, brother; b. April 7, 1909, Paipa, Boyacá, Colombia. Brother Arturo joined the Hospitallers (1928) and joined the community at Ciempozuelos, Spain, in 1930.

Esteban Maya Gutiérrez, baptized Gabriel, brother;b. March 19, 1907, Pácora Calda, Antioquia, Colombia. In 1932 he joined the order, where he was known for his humility, intelligence, and obedience.

Eugenio Ramírez Salazar, baptized Alfonso Antonio, brother; b. Sept. 2, 1913, La Ceja, Antioquia, Colombia. He entered the order (1932), professed his vows (1935), then was transferred to Spain.

Gaspar Páez Perdomo, baptized Luis Modesto, brother; b. June 15, 1913, La Unión, Huila, Colombia. Shortly after joining the Hospitallers (1933) and professing his solemn vows, he was sent to Spain to finish his religious and professional formation.

Juan Bautista Velázquez Peláez, baptized Juan José, brother; b. July 9, 1909, Antioquía, Colombia. He was a teacher prior to joining (1932) the Hospitallers, who characterized him as joyful and pious. After traveling to Spain (1934), he lived with the communities at Córdoba, Granada, and Ciempozuelos.

Melquíades Ramírez Zuloaga, baptized Ramón, brother; b. Feb. 13, 1909, Sonsón, Antioquia, Colombia. Ramón entered the order at age 21. In April 1935 he traveled to Spain to complete his professional and religious formation at the community of Ciempozuelos, where he was known for his simplicity and patience.

Rubén de Jesús López Aguilar, brother; b. April 12, 1908, Concepción, Antioquia, Colombia. He was known for his spirit of prayer and obedience. During the armed conflict between Colombia and Peru (1933), he volunteered to work in the hospital at Pasto in the militarized zone. In 1936 he joined the community at Cimpozuelos, Spain.

Institute San José de Carabanchel Alto. (d. Sept. 1, 1936, Madrid). The isolated hospital for epileptics was relatively untouched by the violence of early July. On July 29, 1936, militia searched the institute for three hours and forbade the brothers to engage in any further "worship or religious expression." Undeterred, the brothers continued to pray together in secret for the next month. The mayor of Carbanchel arrived (August 29) with an armed escort, confiscated administrative records and money, and appropriated the hospital. Three days later (September 1) the brothers were herded into vehicles and taken to the "Charco Cabrera," where they were executed for being the servants of God. The mortal remains of the following martyrs were solemnly translated, June 18, 1942, to the church crypt in the Institute of San José:

Benjamín Cobos Celada, baptized Alejandro, brother; b. July 9, 1887, Palencia.

Canuto Franco Gómez, baptized José, brother; b. Dec. 23, 1871, Aljucer, Murcia.

Carmelo Gil Arano, baptized Isidro, brother; b. May 15, 1879, Tudela, Navarre.

Cecilio López López, baptized Enrique, brother; b. June 25, 1901, Fondón, Almeria.

Cesáreo Niño Pérez, baptized Maríano, brother; b. Sept. 15, 1878, Torregutiérrez near Segovia.

Cosme Brun Arará, baptized Simon, brother; b. Nov. 12, 1894, Santa Coloma de Farners, Girona.

Cristino Roca Huguet, baptized Miguel, priest, director of the juniorate; b. June 6, 1899, Mollins de Rei, Barcelona.

Dositeo Rubio Alonso, baptized Guillermo, brother;b. Feb. 10, 1869, Madrigalejo near Burgos.

Eutimio Aramendía García, baptized Nicolás, assistant superior; b. Dec. 23, 1878, Oteiza de la Solanna, Navarre.

Faustino Villanueva Igual, baptized Antonio, brother; b. Jan. 23, 1913, Sarrión, Teruel.

Proceso Ruiz Cascales, baptized Joaquín, superior;b. Oct. 4, 1887, Beniel, Murcia.

Rufino Lasheras Aizcorbe, baptized Crescencio, brother; b. June 15, 1900, Arandigoyen, Navarre.

Martyrs at Barcelona. (d. 1936). The Hospitallers of St. John of God ran two institutions in Barcelona. All but one of the 52 brothers who staffed the Psychiatric Hospital of Our Lady of Monserrat of San Baudilio de Llobregat made it safely to Marseilles, France, after a period of physical and psychological harm.

Protasio Cubells Minguell (baptized Antonio, provincial councillor and secretary; b. 1880, Coll de Nargó near Lleida; d. Dec. 14, 1936) was arrested while giving music lessons to two children. His body was found in the street the next day.

The others martyred in Barcelona were attached to the Children's Hospital, whose institute was the residence of the Brother Provincial of Aragon. The 22 brothers were subjected to various threats and indignities, including the confiscation of the hospital and all its goods, July 20–26. The brothers scattered to find refuge in various parts of the city, but five were killed:

Acisclo Piña Piazuelo, baptized Joaquín, brother; b. 1878, Caspe, Zaragoza; d. Nov. 10, 1936. He was arrested in the home of his superior's relative on November 5 and killed with 40 other people after suffering in St. Elia Prison.

Francisco Javier Ponsa Casallach, brother; b. 1916, Moiá near Barcelona; d. Sept. 28, 1936. He was arrested at his family's country home (September 27), taken to San Feliu de Codinas, Barcelona, by truck, and shot.

Juan Antonio Burró Más, brother; b. June 28, 1914, Barcelona; d. Nov. 5, 1936. Although attached to the institute at Barcelona, Juan Antonio was completing his military service at the time of the revolution. He was betrayed as a brother and killed.

Juan Bautista Egozcuezábal Aldaz, brother; b. March 13, 1882, Nuin, Navarre; d. July 29, 1936. Juan Bautista was captured near Esplugas de Llobregat and shot. He died in the hospital the following day.

Pedro de Alcántara Villanueva Larráyoz, baptized Lorenzo, brother; b. 1881, Navarre; d. Sept. 11, 1936. He was arrested (September 4) with the family who gave him refuge.

Hospital of San Rafael. (d. Madrid). The 35-member community at San Rafael's were harassed from the middle of July 1936. The situation was made more difficult because the hospital depended on charity personally collected by the brothers, who could no longer walk safely through the streets. The hospital was confiscated by the government August 20 and the brothers force to leave by October 24. Although there were members of the community who were missing after 1939, only three were known to have been martyred:

Gonzalo Gonzalo Gonzalo, brother; b. Feb. 24, 1909, Conquezuela, Soria; d. Aug. 4, 1936. He was killed while dressed as a peasant to collect alms to support the hospital and institute.

Jacinto Hoyuelos Gonzalo, brother; b. Sept. 11, 1914, Matarrepudio near Santander; d. Sept. 19, 1936.

Nicéforo Salvador del Río, brother; b. Feb. 9, 1913, Villamorco near Palencia; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Psychiatric Hospital of San José, Ciempozuelos. (Madrid). As in the other hospitals, the government took over the hospital (July 31, 1936) at Ciempozuelos (about 18 miles from Madrid), posted militiamen around the perimeter, removed all religious symbols, and suppressed worship. The brothers continued to nurse the sick and to gather early in the morning for worship. On August 7 each brother was searched, imprisoned, and told he would die the following day. Brother Guillermo Llop asked the chief of general security to spare the brothers. The chief responded by having all 53 religious taken to an underground prison for the night and transferred on August 9 to San Antonio Prison in the former Scolopian College on the Calle Hortaleza. They were temporarily separated on November 28 when 15 were assassinated; another six died on November 30, and the last, on February 11.

Angel Sastre Corporales, novice; b. Aug. 16, 1916, Vallaralbo del Vino near Zamora; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Antonio Martínez Gil-Leonis, novice; b. Nov. 2, 1916, Montellano near Seville; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Arturo Donoso Murillo, brother; b. March 31, 1917, Puebla de Alcocer near Badajoz; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Clemente Díez Sahagún, brother; b. Nov. 23, 1861, Fuentes de Nava, Palencia; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Diego de Cádiz García Molina, baptized Santiago, provincial secretary; b. Dec. 14, 1892, Moral de Calatrava near Ciudad Real; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Eduardo Bautista Jiménez, brother; b. Jan. 5, 1885, La Gineta, Albacete; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Flavio Argüeso González, baptized Atilano, brother;b. 1877, Mazuecos, Palencia; d. Dec. 12, 1936.

Francisco Arias Martín, priest, novice; b. April 26, 1884, Granada; d. Aug. 18, 1936.

Guillermo Llop Gayá, baptized Vicente, brother, superior; b. Nov. 10, 1880, Villareal, Castellón; d. Nov. 28, 1936. Brother Guillermo had a distinguished career among the Hospitallers. He entered the order in 1898. From 1912 to 1922 he served as novice master for the Roman province, where he tended the wounded during World War I, and later he became prior of the house at Frascati. He helped reinvigorate the order in Chile (1922–28). He returned to Spain in 1928 to serve as prior of community running the Psychiatric Hospital in Ciempozuelos near Madrid.

Hilario Delgado Vilchez, baptized Antonio, brother;b. April 18, 1918, Cañar near Granada; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Isidoro Martínez Izquierdo, novice; b. April 9, 1918, Madrid; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Jesús Gesta de Piquer, brother; b. Jan. 19, 1915, Madrid; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

José Mora Velasco, priest, postulant; b. Aug. 18, 1886, Córdoba; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

José Ruiz Cuesta, postulant; b. Nov. 6, 1907, Dílar near Granada; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Juan Alcalde Alcalde, novice; b. Oct. 20, 1911, Zuzones near Burgos; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Juan Jesús Adradas Gonzalo, baptized Maríano, priest and brother; b. Aug. 15, 1978, Conquezuela, Soria;d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Julián Plazaola Artola, brother; b. Sept. 12, 1915, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Lázaro Mújica Goiburu, baptized Juan María, brother; b. April 5, 1867, Ideazábal, Guipúzcoa; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Martiniano Meléndez Sánchez, baptized Antonio, brother; b. Jan. 15, 1878, Malaga, Costa del Sol; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Miguel Rueda Mejías, baptized Francisco, brother;b. Jan. 19, 1902, Motril near Granada; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Pedro de Alcántara Bernalte Calzado, novice; b. Aug. 4, 1910, Moral de Calatrava near Ciudad Real; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Pedro María Alcalde Negredo, brother; b. Nov. 26, 1878, Ledesma near Soria; d. Nov. 28, 1936.

Román Touceda Fernández, baptized Rafael, assistant superior; b. Jan. 22, 1904, Madrid; d. Nov. 30, 1936.

Tobías Borrás Román, baptized Francisco, brother;b. April 14, 1861, San Jorge, Castellón; d. Feb. 11, 1937.

Feast: July 30 (Hospitallers).

Bibliography: v. cÁrcel ortÍ, Martires españoles del siglo XX (Madrid 1995). f. gÓmez catÓn, La Iglesia de los mártires en la provincia eclesiástica tarraconense (Barcelona 1989). j. pÉrez de urbel, Catholic Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, tr. m. f. ingrams (Kansas City, Mo. 1993). Acta Apostolicae Sedis, no. 21 (1992) 1064.

[k. i. rabenstein]