The history of the Cremades family, and in particular the figure of Don Javier Cremades Sanz-Pastor (Zaragoza, January 27, 1946-Madrid, January 7, 2021), offers a singular testimony of audacious faith and filial trust in God. Your book The Cremades' plans is a deeply human work, where family memories and anecdotes full of spiritual meaning converge. In addition, it reflects the concrete experience of a mother who knew how to transmit to her children the value of living the faith with courage.
The work allows us to discover how, behind every daily gesture, there can be hidden a lesson for priestly life and the dedication to the service to the Church.
Don Javier's mother, Doña Pilar, appears in the book as a key figure. A woman of strong character and deep devotion, she raised her children in an environment where trust in God was not abstract, but real. One of the most significant episodes took place in 1958, when he saw the car of St. Josemaría Escrivá through the streets of Zaragoza. Without hesitation, she decided to follow him, convinced that she should ask him to bless her and her children.
That scene, described by Don Javier with humor and amazement, is an example of how audacity can be born of the simplest faith: a faith full of tenderness and the spiritual intuition of a mother.
This episode, recounted so many times by the family, sums up the essence of the “plans” that give the book its title. For the Cremades, trusting in God implied acting decisively and opening new paths. It was to try what seemed difficult and to assume that Providence also manifests itself through small gestures.
Doña Pilar's attitude had a profound impact on her children, especially Javier, who discovered that love for God is expressed in concrete initiatives and in the ability to take the plunge without fear. Thus was formed one of the distinctive features of his priestly life.
In the pages of the book there is a succession of stories that show the joyful, close and deeply spiritual personality of Don Javier. His direct style and his ability to narrate anecdotes with humor reveal a way of living the faith that does not separate the sacred from the everyday.
From his adolescence until his pastoral work, he appears as a priest who understood ministry as constant service. It is not only a matter of transmitting doctrine, but also of accompanying people with patience and consoling them with gentleness.
Many of the episodes in the book show how don Javier assumed the setbacks and surprises with naturalness. He transformed those situations into opportunities to deliver. His mother taught him that nothing is outside of God's plan, and he applied that conviction in his ministry.
The boldness he learned at home became a pastoral style: not to be afraid of challenges and to transmit confidence to those around him. For this reason, the subtitle of the book, “the audacity of the impossible,” describes a concrete way of living the faith.
Throughout its pages we can appreciate the importance that Don Javier gave to friendship. He understood priestly work as a personal accompaniment. Every soul deserves time, attention and kind treatment.
In his writings there are stories of young people whom he encouraged to discover their vocation, couples he helped to strengthen their faith and people who found in him a prudent and joyful spiritual guide.
Reading the book is valuable for understanding the relationship between audacity and mission. The Cremades family's trust in Providence was not naivety, but a deep conviction that faith requires initiative. Don Javier applied this vision throughout his life.
His ministry always had a constructive and encouraging tone, capable of encouraging others to raise their gaze. This attitude is crucial for understand the importance of forming priests that we know how to face the current challenges with serenity and judgment.
In this sense, The Cremades' plans has a special value for the mission of the CARF Foundation. Its content reminds us that the priestly formation should be based on living examples.
The witness of Christian families like the Cremades helps illustrate the importance of raising future priests with a spirit of service and a strong faith.
In addition, the book invites reflection on the role of the family in the emergence of vocations. Doña Pilar's story is an example of how a mother can decisively influence the spiritual path of her children. His way of living his faith and his trust in Providence created a favorable environment for Xavier to listen to the voice of God.
The seminarians and priests that today are preparing for serving the Church find in their testimony a call to value their roots and to cultivate a gratitude that strengthens their dedication.
Finally, the book leaves a clear teaching: faith, when lived deeply, broadens the horizon. It invites to act and turns daily life into an encounter with God.
Christian boldness is not an exceptional trait, but an attitude that everyone can cultivate. It is a serene, humble and persevering courage, born of knowing that God does not abandon those who trust in Him.
The Cremades family and the figure of Don Javier offer a current testimony. His story inspires and reminds us that the “impossible” are opportunities to let God act.
For those who work in the formation of priests and seminarians, this book is an invitation to renew confidence in the mission and to transmit the joy of a faith lived responsibly.
Antonio R. Rubio PloDegree in History and Law. Writer and international analyst @blogculturayfe / @arubioplo
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