Manuel Aparici Navarro

Manuel Aparici Navarro quickly became a central figure of the Spanish Catholic Youth Action (JAC). In September 1934, he was appointed national president of the JAC, a position he held until 1941. Under his leadership, despite the tragic years of the Spanish Civil War and religious persecution, the movement experienced spectacular growth, going from 20,000 members and 400 centers to more than 100,000 young people and 2,000 centers. He also founded magazines for Catholic youth, notably Flecha in 1932 and Signo in 1936. In 1936, he was received in a private audience by Pope Pius XI, to whom he presented an ambitious project: to organize a great pilgrimage of 100,000 young people to Santiago de Compostela. Although delayed by the Civil War, this project remained at the heart of his work. To prepare the young people spiritually and methodologically, he created in 1940 the "Training Courses for Pilgrim Leaders" (Cursillos de Adelantados de Peregrinos), which would later serve as direct inspiration for the worldwide Cursillos de Cristiandad (Short Courses in Christianity) movement, initiated by Eduardo Bonnín. In October 1941, feeling the call to the priesthood, he left the presidency of the JAC to enter the Conciliar Seminary of Madrid. He was ordained a priest on May 31, 1947, at the age of 45. After his ordination, he continued his theological studies at the Pontifical University of Salamanca until 1950. In 1950, he was appointed national advisor (consiliario) of the JAC, a position he held until 1959. During this period, he was fully committed to the spread of the Cursillos de Cristiandad throughout Spain.

In 1956, Manuel Aparici suffered a severe myocardial infarction that left him heavily disabled. In 1959, his declining health forced him to cease his duties as national advisor. He spent the last eight years of his life confined to a wheelchair, suffering from acute pain and often dependent on oxygen assistance. He offered his sufferings to God for the sanctification of the youth and the Church. He died holily on August 28, 1964, in Madrid, the anniversary of the great 1948 pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela that he had so desired and prepared.

The cause for the beatification of Manuel Aparici Navarro was opened at the diocesan level in Madrid. The diocesan inquiry took place from July 13, 1994, to October 14, 1998. His mortal remains, initially deposited at the headquarters of the Peregrinos de la Iglesia association, were transferred in October 2014 to the Chapel of Perpetual Help in the Basilica of the Conception of Our Lady in Madrid. On March 27, 2013, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of venerable.

Nicknamed the "colossus of Christ, of the Church, and of the Pope" by Ángel Herrera Oria, Manuel Aparici had as his motto "Everything for Christ" (Todo por Cristo). His spirituality was deeply Eucharistic, Marian, and marked by absolute fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church. He spent long hours of the night in prayer before the Tabernacle, often with his arms in the shape of a cross. His major legacy lies in his role as a precursor and sower of the Cursillos de Cristiandad, as well as in the historical impetus he gave to youth pilgrimages, making him the "Captain of the pilgrims."