Doroteo Hernández Vera facts for kids

Doroteo Hernández Vera (born March 28, 1901 – died November 6, 1991) was a Spanish Catholic priest. He started a special group called the Cruzada Evangélica.

Doroteo became a priest and worked as a chaplain. During the Spanish Civil War, he held secret church services. This led to his arrest. While in prison, he realized something important. He felt a strong need to share the message of God with everyone. He also wanted to help people in prisons. After he was released, he spent most of his life doing this work. He retired only when he became very ill.

After his death, people began the process to recognize him as a saint. In 2001, he was given the title Servant of God. Later, on December 21, 2018, Pope Francis declared him Venerable. This means the Pope recognized that Doroteo lived a life of great goodness and faith.

Life Story

Early Years and Becoming a Priest

Doroteo Hernández Vera was born on March 28, 1901. His parents, Santiago Hernández and Juana Vera, were not wealthy. He was born in a place called Matute de Almazán. The very next day, he was baptized quickly. This was because people worried he might not survive.

From a young age, around four years old, Doroteo felt he wanted to become a priest. He began his studies for the church in 1915. He finished them in 1925. On March 20, 1926, he became a priest. He held his first church service on March 26. After that, he started his work as a priest in Soria, Spain. He often served as a chaplain in different places.

During the Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War began, and Doroteo was arrested on April 14, 1937. He had been holding secret church services for people during this difficult time. He was released from prison on August 26 of the same year. His time in prison deeply affected him. It made him realize his main purpose. He wanted to help prisoners. He also wanted to find new ways to share the Gospel message. He aimed to reach people who didn't know about God or had turned away. After his release, he started helping people who were sentenced to death.

Founding the Cruzada Evangélica

Doroteo began working with a small group of women. These women were from working-class families. They wanted to help share the message of God. But they wanted to do this while living normal lives, not as nuns in a monastery.

On December 8, 1937, he officially started the Cruzada Evangélica. This group was approved by the local bishop in 1938. At first, there wasn't a clear legal way for groups like theirs to exist in the church. So, in 1942, the bishop asked them to become a more formal religious group. This was different from Doroteo's original idea.

However, in 1947, Pope Pius XII created new rules. These rules allowed "secular institutes" to exist. This meant groups like Doroteo's could be officially recognized. The Cruzada Evangélica received full approval from the local church in 1951. Much later, on December 8, 1976, Pope Paul VI gave them official approval from the Pope himself.

Helping the Community

In 1942, a big fire happened in Santander. Many people lost their homes and schools were destroyed. Doroteo saw this need. He started working to build two new schools for the children. He also worked with a group called Catholic Action to help the community.

Doroteo Hernández Vera passed away on November 6, 1991, in Madrid. He had been sick for a long time. His group, the Cruzada Evangélica, has continued to grow. It now helps people in many parts of the world, including Bolivia and Zambia.

Steps to Sainthood

The Beatification Process

After Doroteo died, his group decided to ask the church to consider him for sainthood. This request was made in 1999. On January 2, 2001, the church officially started the process. This meant Doroteo was given the title Servant of God.

Church officials then began to study his life. They looked at his writings and gathered stories about his goodness. This investigation took place from 2001 to 2004. All the information was sent to the Vatican in Rome.

In 2016, a detailed report about his life was submitted. Church experts reviewed this report. They agreed that Doroteo had lived a life of great virtue. Finally, on December 21, 2018, Pope Francis confirmed this. He declared Doroteo Hernández Vera to be Venerable. This is an important step towards becoming a saint.

See also

In Spanish: Doroteo Hernández Vera para niños