The Augustinian Recollect Martín Legarra Tellechea (1910-1985) was a direct witness of several great events of the 20th century. He developed his ministerial service with optimism, sympathy and communication skills. His life as a missionary, educator and bishop could have served as a movie script.
After the Chapter, Martín is named a member of the Provincial Council. He liked their proposal, because it allowed him to take better care of his undermined health: the anemia did not subside and even caused him to faint.
He resides in the Parish of Santa Rita in Madrid for the first year and a half, temple of great effervescence. He attends sacraments, gives conferences, advises religious communities, he celebrates with Filipinos in Madrid. The click of his typewriter is part of the community soundtrack.
In 1962 he was named spiritual director of the seminarians in Spain. He visits the Saint Augustine of Valladolid and resides in Fuenterrabia (Guipuzcoa). Also he caters to British and Irish postulants in Spain.
His contact with the United States Army is renewed, so many years after Cañacao and Manila, in the tropospheric control center of Mount Gorramendi (1959-1966), about 60 km. of Fuenterrabia. He was under the command of the chaplain Hess, a resident of the Zaragoza base, with whom he develops a strong friendship that will allow him to finance many projects, years later, in Panama.
Every Wednesday he would go to the base for religious instruction and a celebration. the Sunday mass was in the convent of Saint-Maur de Fuenterrabia. He visited homes of the soldiers, where he comforted the families in the face of the remoteness of their country and their dislocation in the face of constant changes of destination.
NEXT PAGE: 9. Martin in Bocas del Toro
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- 1. An open mind to the unknown
- 2. Martin and religious life
- 3. Philippines, learning and new responsibilities
- 4. Even more open to the world
- 5. Chronicler of the greatest nightmare
- 6. Martin, educator
- 7. Martin, educator of religious
- 8. Martín is reunited with Spain
- 9. Martin in Bocas del Toro
- 10. Martin in Veraguas
- 11. Bishop emeritus, not retired
- 12. A Week of Easter