Joan Roig i Diggle

In El Masnou, Joan became actively involved in the Federation of Young Christians of Catalonia (FJCC), a dynamic Catholic youth movement founded by Canon Albert Bonet and the blessed physician Pere Tarrés. There, he became a delegate for the "avantguardistes," overseeing the spiritual formation of boys aged 10 to 14. He also taught catechism at the local parish of Sant Pere (Saint Peter). Joan distinguished himself through a remarkable Eucharistic piety, attending the 7 a.m. Mass daily before taking the train to work in Barcelona. He actively studied and disseminated the social doctrine of the Church, convinced that it was the only just path to combat inequalities and defend the dignity of workers.

In July 1936, the Spanish Civil War broke out, triggering a violent religious persecution. The FJCC headquarters and the parish church of El Masnou were burned down. Faced with this situation, Joan prepared his companions for martyrdom, telling them: "If God chooses us, we should be prepared to receive martyrdom with grace and courage, as befits any good Christian." With the churches closed, his spiritual director, Father Llumá, entrusted him with a Eucharistic reserve (a ciborium containing consecrated hosts) so that he could distribute communion in secret to the sick, the elderly, and the persecuted faithful. On September 11, 1936, while visiting the Rosés family, he confided to them: "I fear nothing, I am taking the Master with me." On the night of September 11 to 12, 1936, a group of armed militiamen from the FAI (Iberian Anarchist Federation) arrived at his home to arrest him. Aware of the danger of desecration, Joan immediately consumed all the consecrated hosts he kept at home. Before being taken away in front of his mother, he kissed her and whispered to her in English: "God is with me!" He was taken near the Santa Coloma de Gramenet cemetery where he was shot at the age of 19. Before being executed, he addressed his executioners, forgiving them, and cried out: "Long live Christ the King!" One of his executioners would later testify to his exceptional courage: "That blond boy was so brave... he died preaching, telling me that he forgave me and that he would pray for God to forgive me too. I was even moved by it."

The cause for the beatification of Joan Roig i Diggle officially opened in the Archdiocese of Barcelona on October 4, 1999, under the impetus of Cardinal Ricard Maria Carles. The diocesan phase concluded on May 16, 2001, and the dossier was transmitted to Rome. On October 2, 2019, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing his martyrdom in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith), thus paving the way for his beatification without the requirement of a miracle. The beatification ceremony was celebrated on November 7, 2020, in the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. It was presided over, in the name of Pope Francis, by Cardinal Juan José Omella i Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona. During the Angelus the following day, November 8, 2020, Pope Francis honored the memory of the young blessed, describing him as a "witness of Jesus in his workplace" and a model of courage for the youth.

The spirituality of Joan Roig i Diggle is based on a deep love for the Eucharist, a life of intense prayer, and a great social sensitivity. Despite his young age, he knew how to combine a contemplative spiritual life with a concrete commitment to the poorest and the workers, drawing inspiration from the social doctrine of the Church. His heroic forgiveness granted to his executioners at the moment of his death testifies to his total configuration to Christ. His mortal remains, found in 1938, were solemnly transferred on January 20, 2007, to the parish church of Sant Pere in El Masnou, where they are venerated today by the faithful. He is considered a patron saint and an inspiring model for young laypeople, students, and Christian workers.