Blessed Bonaventure Of Barcelona

Biography

Blessed Bonaventure of Barcelona, also known as Bonaventure of Riudoms, Bonaventura Gran, Fra Bonaventure of Barcelona, and Miguel Baptista Gran Peris, was born on 24 November 1620 in Riudoms, Tarragona, Catalonia (in modern Spain). He was the only child in a farm family.

At the age of 18, Bonaventure married but tragically became a widower just sixteen months later. Seeking a deeper meaning in life, he felt called to religious life and joined the Franciscan Order as a friar at the convent of Sant Miquel d’Escornalbou. On 14 July 1641, he made his religious profession and took the name Bonaventura.

For the next 17 years, Blessed Bonaventure was assigned to various convents in Mora d‚ÄôEbre, Figueres, La Bisbal d‚ÄôEmpordÖ, and Terrassa. During this time, he fulfilled different roles such as cook, porter, beggar, and infirmarian, all while nurturing a quiet and pious devotion to work, prayer, and Franciscan spirituality.

In 1658, Bonaventure was sent to Rome, Italy, to promote a return to strict observance of the Franciscan Rule. During his time there, he founded four monasteries in the region and was assigned to houses in Aracaeli and Capranica. Additionally, he served as porter at Saint Isidore's College.

In 1662, Blessed Bonaventure initiated the Riformella, a reform movement comprising retreats and spiritual meditations for his fellow friars with the intention of restoring them to the original Franciscan spirituality. His writings about these "Retreats" obtained pontifical approval from Pope Innocent XI.

Throughout the years, Bonaventure served as an advisor to several notable individuals, including Pope Alexander VII, Pope Clement IX, Pope Clement X, and Pope Innocent XI. His wisdom and spiritual insight earned him respect and recognition among the highest authorities of the Catholic Church.

Blessed Bonaventure of Barcelona passed away on 11 September 1684 at the friary of Saint Bonaventure on the Palatine Hill in Rome due to natural causes. He was buried at the friary, and his relics were eventually transferred to Riudoms, Spain in 1972. The relics now rest in the tabernacle chapel in the church of Saint James the Apostle in Riudoms. Each year on 24 November, a celebratory feast devoted to Blessed Bonaventure takes place in Riudoms, where his relics are ceremoniously processed through the town.

In recognition of his holiness and virtue, Blessed Bonaventure was venerated by Pope Pius VI in 1775. Later, on 10 June 1906, Pope Pius X officially beatified him. The beatification miracles associated with Blessed Bonaventure included the healing of a woman in 1790 who had sustained injuries from a fall from a horse. Another miracle occurred in 1818 when a woman who had fallen into a three-day coma following childbirth regained consciousness through prayer and the imposition of a relic of Blessed Bonaventure.

Blessed Bonaventure of Barcelona is remembered for his deep spirituality, his passion for the Franciscan way of life, and his dedication to serving others. His life serves as an inspiration and a testament to the transformative power of faith and prayer.