Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr

During Don Manuel’s recitation of the Apostles’ Creed, Angela noticed his habitual silence as the congregation spoke of the resurrection of the body and eternal life. This reminded her of Moses being carried by his people to the promised land. She also observed that his sermons did not denounce atheists or adherents of other faiths. Rather, Don Manuel frequently condemned the harms of gossip. He cautioned that awareness of being victimized could lead to greater pain than the initial wound.

Don Manuel, unable to endure solitude, busied himself constantly to avoid the weight of isolation, viewing idleness as a vice and warning against too much introspection. Angela realized that Don Manuel battled internal conflicts. Engaging in manual labor, Don Manuel created work where none existed, stepping in for ill workers and serving as a secretary by writing letters for mothers to their sons. When the “matriarchal walnut” tree, a fixture of Don Manuel’s childhood, died, he repurposed its wood, making toys for children and providing firewood for the needy; he kept six planks by his bed as a memento.

Deeply affected by the plight of sick, dying children and individuals who committed suicide, Don Manuel accompanied the doctor on visits, offering solace.