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264:). 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".
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Rodríguez zealously promoted a renewal of the
Catholic liturgy among bishops, clergy, and laypeople. 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,
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260:, 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
220:. His medical problems, however, caused him to leave before graduation. He returned to the family home and continued his high school studies as best he could while working as a clerk, finally receiving his diploma in May 1939.
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decreed Rodríguez's heroic sanctity and service in his life. The process took a major step on April 29, 2001, when Rodríguez was beatified by Pope John Paul. Rodríguez is the first Puerto Rican person and the first
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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
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The 1983 reform of the
Catholic Church's canon law has streamlined the canonization procedure considerably compared to the process carried out previously. Pope John Paul II established the new method, in his
272:. Increasingly convinced that “the liturgy is the life of the Church," he organized a "Liturgy Circle" in Caguas to foment better knowledge among the people. He expressed particular concern over the Easter
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the use of the vernacular, and – most significantly – the observance of his much loved
Paschal Vigil in its proper nighttime setting, after centuries of having this service celebrated on the morning of
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Rodríguez did not care about possessions or money. As an adult, he only owned one pair of shoes. Those shoes are kept at his sister's house, where people leave notes in them, asking for his prayers.
241:, 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
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Rodríguez was born in 1918, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, the son of Manuel
Baudelio Rodriguez Rodriguez and Herminia Santiago Esteras, both from large, Catholic families. He was baptized at the nearby
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In 1925, a fire destroyed the family's residence and business, and they were forced to live with his mother's parents. That same year, Rodríguez was enrolled to study at the
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The
Escuela Superior Católica de Bayamón (Bayamón Catholic High School) was renamed in 2001 after him as Colegio Beato Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.
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Stained glass window depicting Carlos Manuel Rodríguez located at
Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro. The church is located next to
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354:. She and her husband had been friends of Rodríguez during his college years and knew of his death from cancer. She prayed to Rodríguez for
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of the region) on May 4, 1919. Rodríguez was the second of five brothers and sisters. Two of his sisters married, while another became a
344:. In Rome, Meza initiated the process of inquiry that could lead to canonization. In 1981, a 42-year-old mother was diagnosed with non-
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Rodríguez was diagnosed with rectal cancer following an operation in 1963 and died on July 13, 1963, at the age of 44.
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on her behalf. After fully recovering, she publicly attributed her recovery to the miracle of intercession.
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401:. For Rodríguez to pass from Blessed to Saint, one more miracle (confirmed by the Vatican) is necessary.
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204:, attached to the parish church. After graduating the Catholic elementary school, he began to attend
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Caguas cathedral "Dulce Nombre de Jesús" (Sweet Name of Jesus). On the facade an image of
Blessed
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208:. His desire to become a priest was undermined by ill health. At that point, he began to develop
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233:. Using articles on liturgical subjects he had translated and edited, he began publishing
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to high school students whose study aids he supplied out of his pocket. He was a
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137:, also known as "Blessed Charlie" (November 22, 1918 – July 13, 1963), was a
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592:"10 FACTS FOR 40 YEARS: POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II AND THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS"
374:, Rodríguez is only the second layperson to be beatified, the first being
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212:. After two years at the local public high school, he transferred to the
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Notable
Caribbeans and Caribbean Americans: A Biographical Dictionary
486:"Thousands Of Puerto Ricans Receive Blessed Charlie In His Home Town"
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Childs, Steven. "Miracle Needed to Make First Puerto Rican Saint,"
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EWTN page in
Spanish on Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez
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in 1952. One of his favorite sayings about this feast was "
370:-born layperson in history to be beatified. In the entire
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on his tomb, which is located in the Cathedral of Caguas.
641:"Pope Francis: Men and women are different for a reason"
540:"Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago (1918 - 1963)"
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from Spain, Mauro Meza, was authorized by the local
663:. Greenwood Publishing Group. 2003. pp. 368–.
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721:Deaths from colorectal cancer in the United States
284:" ("We live for that night"). This is now the
182:. His brother, José (Pepe) Rodriguez became a
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157:-born layperson in history to be beatified.
571:"Carlos Manuel Rodriguez - Saints Resource"
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736:Venerated Catholics by Pope John Paul II
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135:Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago
29:Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago
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613:A. J. M. & J. K. Mousolfe (1986).
711:American magazine publishers (people)
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399:Congregation for the Causes of Saints
312:, whose relics rest in the cathedral.
214:Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
189:and the first Puerto Rican to become
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519:, Diocese of Brooklyn, July 20, 2012
731:Beatifications by Pope John Paul II
328:Relics at the Cathedral of San Juan
149:on April 29, 2001. He is the first
252:In 1946 Rodríguez enrolled at the
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746:Deaths from cancer in Puerto Rico
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141:catechist and liturgist who was
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701:People from Caguas, Puerto Rico
619:. St Pauls BYB. pp. 255–.
420:, where Carlos Manuel studied.
115:Catedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús
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726:Puerto Rican beatified people
616:Saint Companions for Each Day
418:Academia del Perpetuo Socorro
388:Divinus Perfectionis Magister
262:Círculo de Cultura Cristiana
206:Gautier Benítez High School
202:Colegio Católico Notre Dame
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172:Sweet Name of Jesus Church
741:American beatified people
340:to take the story to the
254:University of Puerto Rico
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716:Roman Catholic activists
73:Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
310:Carlos Manuel Rodríguez
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384:apostolic constitution
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282:Vivimos para esa noche
128:May 4 (in Puerto Rico)
16:Beatified Puerto Rican
594:. Knights of Columbus
461:List of Puerto Ricans
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386:of January 25, 1983,
376:St. Kateri Tekakwitha
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83:Roman Catholic Church
645:Catholic News Agency
57:Caguas, Puerto Rico
439:Puerto Rico portal
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372:Western Hemisphere
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247:Knight of Columbus
210:ulcerative colitis
670:978-0-313-31443-8
626:978-81-7109-092-1
397:, Prefect of the
363:Pope John Paul II
361:On July 7, 1997,
239:Christian Culture
147:Pope John Paul II
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100:Pope John Paul II
79:Venerated in
54:November 22, 1918
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94:April 29, 2001,
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546:. The Holy See
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596:. Retrieved
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494:. Retrieved
492:. 2001-05-29
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151:Puerto Rican
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96:Vatican City
68:(1963-07-13)
696:1963 deaths
691:1918 births
598:October 16,
390:and by the
332:In 1991, a
258:Río Piedras
184:Benedictine
166:Early years
706:Liturgists
685:Categories
550:13 January
517:The Tablet
496:2022-07-06
472:References
300:Veneration
50:1918-11-22
368:Caribbean
349:malignant
346:Hodgkin's
243:catechism
195:monastery
176:cathedral
174:(now the
155:Caribbean
143:beatified
90:Beatified
425:See also
392:cardinal
352:lymphoma
218:San Juan
139:Catholic
342:Vatican
235:Liturgy
231:liturgy
193:of his
126:July 13
24:Blessed
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405:Legacy
338:bishop
109:shrine
107:Major
292:Death
286:motto
274:vigil
191:abbot
122:Feast
665:ISBN
621:ISBN
600:2018
552:2014
237:and
187:monk
161:Life
63:Died
44:Born
256:in
216:in
145:by
98:by
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