Following in Charlie´s footsteps

Puerto Rican role model inspires others

by Elisabeth Román

Years after the death of Charlie, many testify to their growth of a living faith thanks to his teachings together with the integrity of his life and exemplary service. Others say Carlos Manuel’s passion for Christ awakened in them their vocation to religious life.

The first person beatified in Puerto Rico, Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez is a perfect example of how nothing can get in the way of spreading knowledge and the love of Christ. Ill since he was 13 years old, he was unable to earn a college degree, but Charlie, as he is known in Puerto Rico, did not use his sickness as an excuse and continually pushed himself to inspire others.

Through his work at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Carlos Manuel helped students and faculty to reach a better understanding of the sacred liturgy. Although forced to drop out of college after just one semester due to his poor health, Carlos Manuel still worked as an office clerk at UPR’s Agriculture Experiment Station, where he also translated documents from English to Spanish.

Carlos Manuel translated and edited articles on liturgical subjects and began publishing Liturgy and Christian Culture, a magazine to which he dedicated long hours. Convinced that “the liturgy is the life of the church” (through proclamation of the Word, the Eucharist and the “mysteries of Christ” or sacraments), he organized a Liturgy Circle to reflect on the liturgy.

At UPR, Carlos Manuel achieved his desire to make Christ known, among professors and students. Having struggled with illnesses since childhood, Charlie finally succumbed to cancer on July 13, 1963, at the age of 44. While he spent most of his life in pain, far from making him resentful, it only served to bring him closer to the love of Christ.