Francis Coll Guitart, Priest
He was born in the village of Gombrèn in Catalonia in 1812, the tenth and youngest son of John, a carder by trade. While living in the countryside, he taught children the first elements of learning.
In 1830, he received the habit of the Order at Girona, and there, after making solemn vows, he remained until the diaconate. From 1835, forced to live outside the convent, he never abandoned his Dominican profession; indeed, he nourished it all the more intensely.
With the approval of his superiors, he was ordained priest in 1836 under the title of poverty and was assigned to parish ministry. Later, with apostolic zeal, he devoted himself completely to itinerant preaching.
Working zealously for and with the lay members of the Order, he also founded a regular congregation of sisters, later called the Sisters of the Annunciation, for the education of young people.
He died blind at Vic on April 2, 1875. He was solemnly enrolled among the blesseds by John Paul II on April 29, 1979.
Proprium Officiorum Ordinis Praedicatorum ad Normam Decretorum Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II Instauratum Vincentii Couesnongle iussu editum, Editio typica, Sanctae Sabinae, Romae 1982.
