Carlos Rodríguez was born in 1918 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Rodríguez began working as an office clerk to support his family. He initially wanted to become a priest, but he developed inflammatory bowel disease, he was unable to pursue a religious vocation. In his clerk job, he wrote and translated articles promoting a greater understanding of Catholic liturgical practice, published in Liturgy and Christian Culture. In 1946, he began attending the University of Puerto Rico, but despite his good grades and the Catholic community he had formed on campus, he was forced to drop out due to health issues. He became a member of the Knights of Columbus, holding community workshops alongside catechism classes for high school students. He lived very humbly, apparently owning only one pair of shoes, and paying for his students’ class materials out of pocket. He strove to promote the restoration of the Saturday Easter Vigil, and promoted liturgical renewal among the clergy of Puerto Rico. He died of Rectal cancer on July 13, 1963.
Questions for reflection
- What can you do to promote the education of others?
- How can you help your local Catholic community with Liturgical expression?
- What can you do to live humbly?
