Eduardo served as an altar boy for two years at the chapel of the Dominican nuns with Fr. Coll, OP. At the age of ten, he entered the minor seminary to begin his studies in the Humanities in which he excelled. When he was twelve years old, he was taken by a priest friend of the family, Fr. Deogracias, to the Carmelite monastery in Tarragona to continue his studies. He entered the novitiate in Tarragona at the age of fifteen and made his first profession on August 10, 1913, and solemn vows in 1916. As a student, Eduardo demonstrated an exceptional aptitude for literature. His poems were recognized by the Academia Mariana of Lerida and won prizes at Juegos Florales of San Andres-Barcelona.

Completing his studies in 1919, Eduardo was eight months away from the required age to he ordained. He was dispensed from this requirement, was ordained by Bishop Jose Miralles Shert in Lerida on June 13, 1920, and celebrated his first Mass at the Carmelite nuns’ monastery in Lerida. That same year, he was assigned to Durango and remained there for three years.

At this time, religious persecution in Mexico had targeted Fr. Eduardo; and he had to find refuge urgently. Friends of his were able to help him flee the country to the United States by disguising him as a newspaper reporter mounted on horseback. Through donations that he received for his preaching and ministry, he was able to pay for his journey to Tucson.

The Province assigned Fr. Eduardo prior of the monastery in Washington, DC, which had been inaugurated and blessed by Bishop Thomas Shanahan in the presence of Fr. José Maria Isasi and Fr. Pascasio on the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila on October 15, 1916. As prior in 1927, he faced critical issues regarding the running and operation of some properties there, which he was able to solve with the help of God.

After spending nine years in the Americas, Fr. Eduardo returned to Spain for the Provincial Chapter in 1930 where he was elected to the General Chapter as an associate. Although he was elected superior of the Carmelite monastery in Washington, DC, for a third term, he declined to take the position offered him and instead went to Guatemala to investigate the possibilities of establishing a Carmelite presence there. By the next Provincial Chapter in May 1936, he was elected prior of the monastery in Tarragona.

• Fr. Eduardo of the Child Jesus (Farré), O.C.D.
• Born: April 3, 1897 Torms, Lerida, Spain
• Ordained priest: June 13, 1920
• Assignments: Holy Family, Tucson 1926-1927,1930-1932; Santa Cruz, Tucson 1932-1933
• Martyred: July 25, 1936 Moncada, Spain
• Martyrdom promulgated by Holy See June 22, 2004

Read Fr. Eduardo's Story      CLICK  HERE