Claretians

Congregation of Missionary Sons
of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Congregatio Missionariorum Filiorum Immaculati Cordis Beatae Mariae Virginis
Coat of arms of the Claretians
Abbreviation	CMF
Nickname	Claretians
Formation	16 July 1849 (174 years ago) (16 July 1849)
Founders	Antonio María Claret, C.M.F. Esteban Sala, CMF José Xifré, CMF
Founded at	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Type	Clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men
Headquarters	Via del Sacro Cuore di Maria 5, Rome, Italy
Membership (2020)	3,034 members (2,239 priests)
motto	Latin: Silii Ejus Beatissimam Predicaverunt English: His disciples preached the Beatitudes
Superior General	Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF
Main organ	Commentarium pro Religiosis et Missionariis
Parent organization	Catholic Church
Website	claret.org

The Claretians, officially named the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Latin: Congregatio Missionariorum Filiorum Immaculati Cordis Beatae Mariae Virginis; abbreviated CMF), is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men headquartered in Rome. It was founded on July 16, 1849, by Fr. Antonio María Claret y Clará, C.M.F. They are active as missionaries worldwide, in 70 countries on five continents. The number of Claretian priests and brothers is at more than 3,000.^{[year needed][1]} The Congregation has a particular devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary^[1] and members have published extensively in Mariology.^[2]