Ramon Parés i Vilasau

He was born in Barcelona on January 11, 1882; it was the third son of Josep and Lluïsa and the minor brother of Josep Maria and of Gil, chaplain guard of the Sacred Family from 1905 and great friend of Gaudí. Ramon married Francesca Sallent i Casanovas, native of Barcelona. They were established in Terrassa, in Sant Leopold's street, n. 29. They formed a Christian home, where it was said every day of the Rosary, it was lived the Month of Mary and First Fridays and spiritual exercises were done annually. In addition, Ramon was catechist and Marian speaker in favor of the Immaculate Conception and belonged to the brotherhood of Portants del Sant Crist of the church (today cathedral) of the Sant Esperit. He was working as human resources chief of Can Marcet and of Aymerich i Amat. He founded and organized Terrassa's Red Cross, city where also he founded and presided at the Traditionalist Circle and was an executive of the Somatén. With his political party, the Traditionalist Communion, he was a councilman of the Town hall of Terrassa and deputy. For being Ramon brother of Fr. Gil Parés, he established friendship with Antoni Gaudí with a familiar treatment, during the last years of his life. This way, Gaudí was present at the first communion of his daughter Rosa Parés, the day of the Virgin of Carmen of 1917, in the crypt of the Sacred Family, and her wedding in the basilica of the Mercè. In 1931, Ramon and Francesca moved to Barcelona, to Bailén's street, 95-97, pral., 1. ª, between Aragó and València. Little later, in 1933, the wife died. In July, 1936, the political party of Ramon, the Traditionalist Communion, added to the military rebellion of the general Franco, who failed in Catalonia. Begun the unhappy Spanish Civil War, Ramon was denounced by the committee of Sant Antoni-Casa Salvans. It was arrested in his flat on August 27, 1936. The following day, coming to Terrassa, he was murdered in the diversion to Can Viver of Sabadell's road to Terrassa. He said to his assassins: "I die for my ideal religious and patriotic, for which I succumb, and that they cannot be reached by the lead of your bullets; the catholic Spain is immortal" ("El Correo Catalán", 24-II-1939).