Pope Francis formally recognized that Brother Victorino Arnaud Pages, FSC, who dedicated his life to establishing schools and alumni associations in the United States and the Caribbean, lived the Christian virtues in a holy way, earning him the title of Venerable. Pope Francis signed the decree signed April 6, 2019.
Brother Victorino was born in Onzillon, France, in 1885. Soon after he joined to the Brothers of the Christian Schools at the beginning of the 20th century, he was forced to go into exile due to the expulsion of religious from France. From Montreal, Canada, where he had first taken refuge with many others, he offered to go to Cuba to start new schools. This Caribbean island welcomed him and he served there from 1905-1961, until he was expelled by Fidel Castro.
In Cuba, he founded the La Salle Association in 1919, the male and female Catholic Action in 1928, the Catholic University Hostel in 1946, and the Catholic Family Movement in 1953.
After his exile from Cuba, Brother Victorino spent his remaining energy trying to reorganize the various associations he founded among Cubans scattered in New York, Miami and other Caribbean countries. He established several La Salle Alumni Associations in New York and Miami as well as Puerto Rico, where he lived for five years before his death in San Juan on April 16, 1966.
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Photo courtesy Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools Communications Service