Tiburcio Arnáiz Muñoz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blessed Tiburcio Arnaiz Muñoz SJ
Pictured circa 1910.
Born	(1865-08-11)11 August 1865 Valladolid, Kingdom of Spain
Died	18 July 1926(1926-07-18) (aged 60) Málaga, Kingdom of Spain
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	20 October 2018, Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación, Málaga, Spain by Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu
Feast	18 July

Tiburcio Arnaiz Muñoz (born August 11, 1865 – died July 18, 1926) was a Spanish Catholic priest. He was also a member of the Jesuits, a group of priests. Tiburcio helped start a group called the Missionaries of the Rural Parishes in 1922. He wanted this group to help poor people, especially workers and those living in the countryside.

Tiburcio was known for being very caring towards everyone. After his death, the process to make him a saint began. Pope John Paul II called him a Servant of God in 1989. Later, Pope Francis declared him venerable in 2016. This meant Tiburcio had lived a very good Christian life. In 2017, Pope Francis approved a miracle linked to Tiburcio. This led to his beatification on October 20, 2018.

Life Story

Tiburcio Arnaiz was born in Valladolid, Spain, on August 11, 1865. He was the younger of two children. His older sister was Gregoria. Tiburcio's father passed away in August 1870 when Tiburcio was only five years old.

Becoming a Priest

Tiburcio studied to become a priest. He faced financial difficulties, which meant he had to study from outside the school for some time. During his studies, he worked as a sacristan (someone who helps in a church) for the Dominican nuns.

He became a priest on April 20, 1890. From 1893, he served as a parish priest in Villanueva de Duero. In 1896, he earned a special degree in theology. After this, he moved to a new parish in Poyales del Hoyo. His mother died shortly after this move.

Joining the Jesuits

On March 30, 1902, Tiburcio joined the Jesuits. He began his training period, called a novitiate, in Granada. This training ended in 1904. His sister, Gregoria, later became a Dominican nun in the same convent where Tiburcio had worked as a sacristan.

Helping the Poor

In 1911, Tiburcio moved to Málaga. There, he focused on helping poor people and those in need. He was especially concerned about people living on farms and in other rural areas. He also spent some time in Loyola and Cádiz before returning to Málaga in 1917.

In 1922, he co-founded the Missionaries of the Rural Parishes. He started this group with María Isabel González del Valle Sarandeses. This organization helped Tiburcio in his strong dedication to improving the lives of poor people, especially those in remote areas. The Bishop of Málaga, Manuel González García, praised Tiburcio's work and encouraged him to continue.

His Passing

In June 1926, Tiburcio became ill while giving a series of prayers. He had a high fever and was diagnosed with bronchopneumonia, a lung infection. He passed away a month later, on July 18, 1926. His body was buried in the church of the Corazón de Jesús in Málaga.

Beatification Process

The process to declare Tiburcio Arnaiz a saint began on December 5, 1989. The Church officially called him a "Servant of God." This is the first step towards sainthood.

Becoming Venerable

Church officials in Málaga gathered information about Tiburcio's life from 1990 to 1995. This information was then sent to Rome. On October 10, 2016, Pope Francis declared Tiburcio "Venerable." This means the Pope recognized that Tiburcio lived a life of "heroic virtue," showing great faith and goodness.

The Miracle and Beatification

For someone to be beatified (the step before becoming a saint), a miracle must be proven. A miracle linked to Tiburcio was investigated in Málaga. It involved a man who had been in a coma and was close to death in the mid-1990s. He suffered a serious heart and breathing problem. Doctors could not explain his healing.

After careful study, medical experts and theologians (religious scholars) agreed that science could not explain the man's recovery. On December 18, 2017, Pope Francis officially recognized this healing as a miracle. This cleared the way for Tiburcio's beatification. The beatification ceremony took place on October 20, 2018, in Málaga. Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu led the celebration on behalf of the Pope.

See also

In Spanish: Tiburcio Arnaiz para niños