Fernando Rielo

Fernando Rielo was born on 28 August 1923 in Madrid, to his father, Enrique and his mother, Pilar Pardal. He was keenly interested in drawing during his childhood years. When he entered adolescence, the Spanish Civil War broke out, affecting people in many Spanish cities, including Madrid. Rielo once stood before a firing squad during the war, when he was receiving his First Holy Communion. The leader of the squad asked him to renounce his faith, but Rielo refused. However, the leader finally decided not to order his men to shoot Rielo.[2]

Fernando Rielo was interested in reading philosophical works, including Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. Rielo developed a keen interest in art, reading the Argentine cultural journal, Billiken. His father encouraged him to read several oriental classics too. During these years, he studied for the Spanish Civil Service examination and performed well in it, securing a high grade. He then found employment as an administrator and went to Granada for work. There he met and fell in love with a young woman. Rielo's ideal was to marry and form a family. According to the upbringing of his time, he wanted to father a child. However, he renounced marriage after a vision at the foot of the Sierra Nevada.

Rielo wanted to study further and wanted to apply to the Central University of Madrid (now the University of Madrid). He intended to study philosophy and Letters and become a professor at the university. However, he went to a church and met a Redemptorist priest. He then decided to join the Redemptorist seminary of Nava Del Ray. During his priestly studies, he liked to encourage his fellow students in preparation for their future missions. He began a movement called Motus Christi (the Movement of Christ) to revive their spiritual life.

Rielo could not remain in the Redemptorist Institute. When he completed his ecclesiastical studies, a number of coinciding events occurred as a result of which he could not receive priestly ordination. Rielo had shared his work on the Christus movement with the General Superior, who was a Belgian, who was pleased with the movement. However, the General would not remain alive for long, and succumbed to cancer of the pancreas. Rielo made his public profession during this period.

Rielo then consulted a highly respected professor about his situation. He told Rielo after three days of prayer to leave the congregation. He remained with the Redemptorists till 1956. During the Christmas that year, he read the text loud before several witnesses, indicating that his profession would be immutable.

Rielo had to finally leave the Redemptorists. He established a religious institute, which was to be a painful journey for him.

Rielo, after leaving the Redemptorist house, continued with his professional life. He was sent to the island of Tenerife, in the Canary islands to work actively as a Government employee. He arrived in Tenerife on 6 January 1957. After two years, and much pain and hard work, Rielo founded the Institute. On 29 June 1959, the official statutes were presented to Domingo Pérez Cáceres, the bishop of the diocese.

• The Fernando Rielo Foundation
• Idente Youth