Saintly Children

Tony Martinez of Spain

This little boy was born in Pedraja, Spain on August 8, 1920, and was given the name of Anthony. Tony, as he was called, was an intelligent child and he learned his A B C's by the time he was three years old. Tony often asked his mother questions about many different things. One day he was looking at some flowers in a meadow and asked, "Mamma, who made that?"

"The good God made that," his mother answered. "He created the whole world and also you. And the good God gave you your mother and father, your clothing and playthings and everything you have!"

"Oh, Mamma, but He must love me very much! I love Him too. I would like to see the good God. Where is He?"

"Everywhere. He also sees you right now; and He knows when Tony is good and when he gets angry and stamps his feet!"

Then for a long time Tony looked into his mother's eyes. He thought about when he was angry the last time and he made up his mind never to get angry again. And the way Tony did this was that as soon as he noticed that he was beginning to get angry, he stood up straight, put his hands into his pockets and said nothing. Then after a few seconds he was again the same good boy.

When Tony was good his mother loved to tell him fairy tales and fables but he was more interested in Bibles Stories and pictures in his Catechism book and one time he said, "Mamma, the fairytales are made up; I don't like to hear them. Rather tell me about the dear Christ Child."

One time Tony's mother caressed his little friend, Pacco. When Tony saw this he said, "Mamma, please do not pet Pacco like that when I am present, otherwise the same thing will happen to me that happened to Cain; I will begin to envy him as Cain envied Abel."

One time Mrs. Martinez showed Tony a crucifix and told him about the crucified Saviour. For a long time Tony looked at the crucifix, then he started crying and said, "Mamma, have I also hurt Jesus? I do not want Him to suffer on my account! I will be good and will not make Him sad. How does one hurt Him? Tell me Mamma, so that I will never do it"

"One hurts Jesus by sin, especially by doing big sins!" his mother replied.

"And what is that?" Tony asked.

"You will learn that later in your Catechism," his mother said. "Children like you do not commit big sins."

Often when Mrs. Martinez was sick, Tony would sit by her bedside and chat with her. On such days, he gladly gave up a walk or a game so that his mother would not have to remain alone.

Tony was only four years old when he was Confirmed by his uncle, Archbishop Juan de Herrera, of Mexico. On this occasion, the boy heard some people talk about the Mexican martyrs. Later he told his mother, "Mamma, when I am older I am going to travel to Mexico. I want to be a martyr!"

When Tony was only five years old he begged to be able to go to Holy Communion. One time, after his mother and father had received Communion he said, "Oh how happy you are to be able to receive Jesus! Why do I have to wait until I am seven? I know the Catechism well and I understand everything else too! Please let me receive Holy Communion!"

Since the boy could not go to Communion, he asked to go to Confession. His mother prepared him well and one day when he was walking with the maid, they went to a church, and Tony went to Confession. And from that time on he went to Confession every Saturday.

When Tony was six years old, he had to have his tonsils removed, and when his mother tried to tell him fairy tales, in order to get his mind off the pain, he said, "Please mamma, tell me the story about Job, who was very patient, for I notice that I am becoming impatient!"

Finally, Tony received his First Holy Communion on his seventh birthday, August 8, 1927. He invited all the neighbourhood children to his First Communion party and gave them cookies and other presents. From that day on, during his vacation, Tony went to Mass and Communion almost every day. After vacation, he returned to the city and only went to Mass and Communion on Sundays, Holy Days, and First Fridays, because his parents did not want him to get up so early. And every time he took a walk with the maid he said, "Lets go to visit Jesus, just for a little while please!" Jesus was the joy of his heart.

From the day Tony received his First Holy Communion, he also began to say the Rosary. He was faithful to saying his Rosary everyday, even when he was tired. And each morning he would Consecrate himself to Our Lady, so that she would guide and protect him during the day.

So far you have read that Tony was a good little boy, but he had his faults too. Tony had a temper and one time he hit the maid. He was punished for it but he was sorry for his sin and he asked pardon of the maid and his father.

Another time he got into a quarrel with a boy on the street. Tony picked up a stone to throw at the other boy in order to defend himself, but just then the maid came and took Tony home. He told the maid, "If I catch that boy tomorrow morning I'll smash his head, that's what I'll do!" But after some time he became calm and told his mother, "You know it's hard for me not to be angry at that fellow. But this would offend Jesus, so I will forgive the scamp and in that way I will make Jesus happy!" Tony struggled for a few days to overcome his anger but in the end he became a good friend with the boy who quarrelled with him.

One day Tony told his mother, "I don't like it at all that I am so wilful and not meek and humble like Jesus." Then his mother told him to say this prayer every day, "Jesus meek and humble of heart make my heart like unto Thine!" Tony said this prayer after every Holy Communion and he also asked Jesus to take away his envy. Some time later he told his mother, "Mamma, I no longer get angry, or envious, or want to take revenge! Now I am simply asking Jesus to make me holy!"

Tony had a very weak stomach. His throat was also sore and caused him pain. He wanted sweets and candies but he got very thin when he ate such things. The doctor said that he should not eat any sweets and that he should drink a lot of milk, and eat things made from milk. Tony did not like these foods but he made a sacrifice saying, "Because it is a hard thing for me to do, I will do it for little Jesus." And Tony had to make another sacrifice too; when others were eating sweet fruits at the meal, he could only watch then and did not ask for any.

Often Tony received some money for a present. At first he used to save it in his little bank, and then he started giving pennies to the poor. One time he told his mother, "I have less money in my bank because I gave so much to the poor!" But his mother replied, "Don't worry about that Tony. The money you give to the poor, you give to God!" And from then on Tony gave even more of his money to the poor people that he would see on the street.

Tony loved and respected priests. He even wanted to become a priest so that he could hold Jesus in his hands and so that he could tell children many things about Jesus and preach to the grown-up people. He would often explain to other children, the Catechism lessons he had learned because they did not know their Catechism well. And he would often go up to older people and tell them to correct their bad ways or at least to become good practising Catholics.

The boy continued trying to become holy. He tried to avoid every sin, even the smallest! And he was always very kind and good to everybody. One time when he was not yet five years old, Tony noticed a lady in church who could only with difficulty, walk back to her seat after receiving Holy Communion. At once he went up to her, took her by the hand and tried to support her. In return for this kind deed, the lady told Tony that she would pray for him. To which the boy replied, "Then pray to Jesus that He may never let me commit a mortal sin!"

It seems that Tony knew somehow, that he was going to die young. His mother was worried about this and wanted to have Tony take care of her when she was old. But he told her, "Oh, Mamma, do not give way to useless worry. God will give you still more children!"

On February 3, 1929, Tony's last illness began; he had a high fever and a very sore throat and during the night he had painful choking spells. On February 21st, two days before he died, he asked his mother to buy him a picture of the Holy Family because he said he wanted to have Jesus, Mary and Joseph with him. The picture was given to him and he prayed to the Holy Family for help during his last temptations.

When he felt that death was near, he told his mother, "Mamma, do not cry when I die, because I am going to Heaven! What I have to suffer now is my Purgatory!"

When Tony tried to eat, he could swallow almost nothing, and when with great pain he was able to take a little nourishment, he would vomit it up again. Tony's Confessor, Fr. Janez, told the boy to offer up all his pains for the Holy Father, as a present for the Golden Jubilee of his priesthood.

A few days later, Tony said, "Mamma, I send the Holy Father many sufferings. You do not know at all how much I am giving him!" Then Tony made his last will and testament. He took the $7.00 out of his little bank and he asked that the money be given to Fr. Janez, for decorating the church.

On February 22nd, Tony's condition became so much worse that it was decided to give him the Last Sacraments. So Fr. Janez came to see him during the night and he came again at 4:30, the following morning. At that time Tony received his last Holy Communion and after a few moments he said in a calm and cheerful whisper, "I am dying! I am dying!" He said a loving goodbye to his father, mother, and grandmother, and shortly afterwards he breathed forth his innocent soul. It was on Saturday, February 23, 1929.

The first thing that Tony sent down from Heaven to his dear parents and grandmother, was a very deep peace of heart and a holy joy of the fact that their little boy was with God in Heaven. And later on through his help from Heaven, Tony obtained from God many graces for his parents and other people.

Pray that you may also be good like little Tony and that you may never commit a mortal sin, even if it means you must die, in order to do so!

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