units – spain – who we are

Let us present

Who we are

Mariannhill’s presence in Spain dates back to the early sixties of the last century. The Spanish priest D. Antonio Sánchez-Elvira Ramos (+), then a member of the Spanish Institute of Foreign Missions, being a missionary in ancient Rhodesia, entered in 1958 at the Mariannhill Novitiate in South Africa, making his first profession on July 26 from 1959.

March 13, 1960

The beginnins

Antonio arrived in Madrid on March 13, 1960 with the commission to found Mariannhill in Spain. In July of that same year the Procuration of Spain was canonically established, placing it at number 22 of Angel Muñoz street, in Madrid.

March 13, 1960

August 25, 1960

On August 25, 1960, a building was acquired on the outskirts of Palencia to open a Minor Seminary. To this end, Father Gallus Strittmatter CMM (+) had been transferred from South Africa. On October 3, 1961, the first academic year began in the mentioned Minor Seminary, dedicated to Santa Ana, with 72 students.

August 25, 1960

1962 - 1969

During 1962 the canonical status of Mariannhill in Spain passes from Procura to Region and its headquarters is established at number 249 of Arturo Soria street, in Madrid. In 1969 the canonical status of Mariannhill in Spain changes again, becoming a Province. In those early years, the following Mariannhill missionaries were transferred to Spain: from Germany Brother Lukas Schmidt CMM (+) [1960], from Austria Fr. Bertram Nunn CMM (+) [1961], from Germany Fr. Francis Jank CMM [1961], from Holland Fr. Philip Voorn CMM [1962] and from Switzerland Fr. Lukas Mettler CMM [1963].

1962 - 1969

1969 - 1987

Minor Seminary

At that time, next to the existing building in Palencia, a farm was acquired in order to build in it a new Minor Seminary with capacity for 250 students. Planned in two phases, the building was completed in 1969. When the first phase was completed in 1965, the Minor Seminary was moved to the new building, offering the previous building to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. And that's how they also arrived in Spain.

1969 - 1987

The activities of the Mariannhill Minor Seminary in Palencia ended in July 1987, the building becoming the property of the Diocese of Palencia and where it, in turn, established its Diocesan Minor Seminary. And that's how Mariannhill said goodbye to the Diocese of Palencia after 27 years of presence and work in it. There we have left our beloved Frs. Albertus Shärf CMM, who died in 1975, and Matthias Tutsch CMM, who died in 2002, buried in the parish cemetery of Santa Ana. Every year Mariannhill missionaries in Spain visit their graves when November arrives.

1987 - 2012

In that same year, when Mariannhill left Palencia, a house with an estate was acquired in the town of Carbajal de la Legua, belonging to the Province and Diocese of León, where Mariannhill established a new community, which also served as a Novitiate. There Mariannhill has remained until 2012, when both the community and the house were canonically closed. During the 25 years of Mariannhill's presence in León, two rural parishes have been attended, young people have worked, retreats and spiritual exercises have been preached, both to priests and to apostolic groups of lay people.

For two years, from 1987 to 1989, Mariannhill was also present in Benidorm (Province and Diocese of Alicante), where, along with the parish work, many pastoral activities were carried out with the different groups of foreign tourists.

1987 - 2012

Spain & panama

In the mid-eighties, Sr. Mary Martin Piti CPS, missionary of the Precious Blood, informed our General Curia in Rome that a nephew of his, a native of Panama, wished to join Mariannhill. Taking advantage of the presence in Panama as Apostolic Nuncio of a good friend of Mariannhill, Archbishop José Sebastián Laboa Gallego, he was initially asked to accompany this young man as well as, subsequently, other young Panamanians, who contacted us, interested in Meet Mariannhill and come to be missionaries. The Spanish Province of Mariannhill committed itself at the end of the eighties to train candidates from that Latin American country in Spain. The first two Panamanian priests of Mariannhill trained in Spain, the PP. Marco Antonio Saavedra Quiel CMM [nephew of Sr. Mary Martin Piti CPS] and Antonio José Chong Águila CMM, were ordained priests in June 1996. They were followed by the PP. Jorge Ariel Espinosa Bernal CMM, José Alonso Torres Moreno CMM and José Francisco Flores Zambrano CMM. Companion of these Panamanian Mariannhill priests is Fr. Juan José Cepedano Flórez CMM, the last ordained Spanish priest of Mariannhill.

Spain & panama

today

At present

At the moment, Mariannhill in Spain is embarked on two new initiatives, which fill us with hope:

today

colombia

The Foundation of Mariannhill in Colombia

The Foundation of Mariannhill in Colombia, that, although it is an initiative of our General Curia in Rome and is under its jurisdiction, the Spanish Province of Mariannhill has collaborated in its implementation by contributing to the same with some of its members.

colombia