Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago - Puerto Rico - layperson of the Roman Catholic Church
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Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio
Rodríguez Santiago (1918-1963)
was a layperson of the Roman
Catholic Church, who was
beatified by the Catholic
Church on 2001. He is the
first Puerto Rican, the first
Caribbean-born layperson
in history to be beatified.
Rodríguez was born in 1918,
in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Rodríguez
was enrolled to study at the Colegio
Católico Notre Dame.
While Rodríguez was working as an
office clerk in various towns of the
region, he dedicated his resources
to promote a greater knowledge of
the Catholic faith by promoting a
greater understanding of the
Catholic liturgy.
Using articles on liturgical subjects
which he himself had translated and
edited, he began publishing Liturgy
and Christian Culture, publications
to which he dedicated innumerable
hours. Rodríguez organized discussion
groups in towns across the entire
island, and worked with Catholic social
organizations to disseminate his ideas.
He also taught catechism to high
school students whose study aids
he supplied out of his own pocket.
He was a Knight of Columbus.
In 1946 Rodríguez enrolled at the
University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras,
to pursue higher studies, where his
brother José and sister Haydée were
already UPR faculty members.
As his disciples grew in number
he moved into nearby
Catholic University Center and
organized another Liturgy Circle
(later called the Círculo de
Cultura Cristiana).
Despite excellent grades and his
love for studies, however, illness
prevented him from completing
his second year. Nonetheless, he
was a voracious reader and, with
only a year's study, was able to
master both the piano and the
church organ.
In 1948, he assembled along with
Father McGlone, the parroquial
chorus "Te Deum Laudamus".
Rodríguez zealously promoted a
renewal of the Catholic liturgy
among bishops, clergy and laymen.
He professed extreme devotion
to the liturgy and worked to repair
the loss of liturgical customs
that had been abandoned over
generations. He advocated for
active participation of the laity
in prayer, the use of the vernacular
and – most especially –
the observance of his much loved
Paschal Vigil in its proper nighttime
setting, after centuries of having
this service celebrated
on the morning of Holy Saturday.
Increasingly convinced that “the
liturgy is the life of the Church",
he organized a "Liturgy Circle" in
Caguas to foment a better
knowledge among the people.
He expressed special concern
over the Easter vigil, saying that
it had lost its ancient character
as the focal night of the Christian
year. To his delight, the Easter vigil
was restored to its proper
time near midnight by Pope Pius XII
in 1952. One of his favorite sayings
about this feast was
"Vivimos para esa noche"
(We live for that night).
This is now the motto on his tomb,
which is located in the Cathedral of Caguas.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Manuel_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Santiago
Making a movie about him:
https://www.elvocero.com/escenario/en-pantalla-vida-y-obra-de-beato-boricua/article_386831f4-5242-11e9-85c6-7becc0d5b0f5.html
