Francisco Simón Ródenas

Drawn to the religious and contemplative life, the young priest decided to leave Spain in 1876, as religious orders were then prohibited by the laws of the time. He went to France and entered the Trappist abbey of Notre-Dame de Divielle, located in the Landes department. However, in 1880, the decrees of the French government led to the expulsion of religious congregations. Forced to return to Spain, and in the absence of active Trappist monasteries on the peninsula, he chose to enter the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. After his novitiate, he received the title of preacher and was assigned to the convent of Santa María Magdalena in Massamagrell, near Valencia. There, he devoted himself with fervor to popular missions, the spiritual direction of the Secular Third Order, assistance to lepers, and the ministry of confession, attracting many faithful from all over Spain. In 1891, after having been a novice master for a year, he was sent as a missionary to Colombia, in the La Guajira region. He performed various functions there: rector of the seminary of the Diocese of Santa Marta, confessor, spiritual director, and evangelizer of the indigenous populations, notably the Arhuaco people of San Sebastián de Rábago. In 1895, the outbreak of a revolution in Colombia forced the Capuchins to take temporary refuge in Venezuela. In 1898, he was recalled to Spain, to Massamagrell, to once again become novice master. In 1904, the vacancy of the episcopal see of Santa Marta in Colombia led to his appointment as bishop of that diocese by Pope Saint Pius X. He received episcopal consecration on October 30, 1904, in Barranquilla. During his eight years as bishop, Msgr. Simón y Ródenas deployed intense pastoral activity: he undertook the reform and ongoing formation of the clergy, had a new diocesan seminary built, restored numerous parish churches, promoted the liturgy, organized catechesis, and actively supported the education of peasants and marginalized people. Despite a difficult tropical climate, long distances, and declining health, he carried out the complete pastoral visitation of his vast diocese three times. He showed himself to be particularly close to his priests, preaching spiritual exercises to them and helping them materially with their financial difficulties. Exhausted by the fatigues of his mission and by illness, he submitted his resignation, which was accepted on December 2, 1912. Appointed titular bishop of Echino (or Equino), he returned to Spain and retired to the Capuchin convent of Massamagrell. He spent his final years there in prayer and silent contemplation, before passing away holily on August 22, 1914.

The reputation for holiness of Msgr. Francisco Simón y Ródenas, already immense during his lifetime both in Spain and in Colombia, prompted ecclesiastical authorities to open his cause for canonization after his death. Two ordinary informative processes were conducted: one within the ecclesiastical curia of Valencia (Spain) from December 17, 1927, to June 16, 1931, and the other in the diocese of Santa Marta (Colombia). The cause was officially introduced in Rome on December 21, 1968.

On February 18, 2014, the ordinary session of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave a favorable opinion on the heroicity of his virtues. On April 3, 2014, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, thus conferring upon him the title of Venerable. For his beatification to be pronounced, the official recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession is required.

The spirituality of Francisco Simón y Ródenas is deeply marked by the Franciscan ideal of poverty, obedience, and humility, combined with an ardent apostolic zeal and a life of intense contemplative prayer. His writings reveal a constant desire to love God above all else and to aspire to holiness. His legacy remains alive, particularly in the diocese of Santa Marta in Colombia.