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Valentí Serra i Fornell (Manresa, Bages, 1959), is a Spanish Capuchin and priest, whose religious name is Valentí Serra de Manresa.
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po cimas de capuchino de fray valenti serra de manresa
Biography
He was born in a Catalan traditional family of farmers and ranchers. He became Capuchin in 1980 and he took the vows of saint Francis' rule on 30 October 1982. Once he finished his years of religious instruction, he became priest on 31 May 1987 in the Capuchin convent of Arenys de Mar. Then he moved to the Capuchin convent of Sarrià, where he lives nowadays. He became Doctor in History in the University of Barcelona in 1995.
He is scientific partner of the Theology Faculty of Catalonia (2007). He is part also of the Doctors board of the University of Barcelona (1997). Since 1987 he is provincial archivist of the Capuchins and director of the Hispanic-Capuchin Library. He is correspondent in Barcelona of the Revue d'Histoire Ecclésiastique (Review of Church History) (Université catholique de Louvain) and member of the editorial staff of the review Analecta Sacra Tarraconensia (Balmesiana). He is also editor of the Índice Histórico Español (Spanish Historical Index), which is a review about bibliographical critics, founded in 1953 by Jaume Vicens Vives and published by the "Centro de Estudios Históricos Internacionales" (Center of Historical International Studies). He collaborates regularly with the weekly newspaper Catalunya Cristiana (Christian Catalonia). He has the weekly program "Remeis de Frare" (Friar's remedies) in Ràdio Estel, which deals with the traditions about medicinal plants in Catalonia. Since 2015 he takes part in the composition of the Calendar of Brother Ramon of the Pyrenees, which is quite popular in Catalonia. He writes also the section L'hortet del frare (el huertecito del fraile) in the agrarian supplement of the Diari de Girona.
Research task
He has made researches with a critical method about the institutional history of the Catalonia Capuchins from the beginning of the Bourbon dynasty (1700) until the outburst of the Spanish Civil War (1936); also about the Capuchin Clarisses since their foundation in Catalonia (1599) until the end of the Spanish Civil War (1939). He has also studied the evolution of the Franciscan laity that is linked with the Capuchins in the contemporary period (1883-1957) and the missionary history of the Catalan Capuchins overseas (1680-1989). These researches are included in nine volumes of the Col·lectània Sant Pacià (Saint Pacian collection) that publishes the Theology Faculty of Catalonia. He is currently making researches about the contribution of Catalan Capuchins to the Catalan popular and religious tradition: the representations of the birth of Jesuschrist and the popular devotions; the convents cuisine and the medicinal plants; the friars' horticulture and gardening
The rest of his works, contributions to collective works, prologues, scientific and popular articles and even, participation in congresses between 1982 and 2007 have been gathered in the book Bibliografia de fra Valentí Serra de Manresa, OFMCap. (anys 1982-2007). Noces d'argent (Catalan) (Bibliography of Valentí Serra de Manresa, OFMCap. (1982-2007). Silver wedding), by Dr. Joan Ferrer i Costa and Núria Ferret i Canale O.Virg. (Barcelona 2007).