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ENGAGEMENT, MATRIMONY AND CHILDREN
ENGAGEMENT, MATRIMONY
AND CHILDREN
tHeir meetinG 4
It was January 3, 1926, and Tomás’ father, Teacher Alvira,
organized a study trip to Barcelona. Paquita was 14 years old and
participated as a student, while Tomás, who was 20 and already a
teacher, joined the group because he had to go to Barcelona. The trip
lasted several hours, and the two young people crossed paths several
times. Once off the train, Tomás is so attracted to the girl he had met
that in the following years he showed no interest in other girls. They
meet again years later, and Paquita was no longer a young girl. They
recognized each other and got engaged.
marriaGe
They were married on June 16, 1939, in the Church of San Gil
in Zaragoza. Nine children were born from their marriage, the first of
whom, José María, died at the age of five.
marriaGe: tHe ansWer to a call
Tomás and Paquita lived their marriage as a response to a
vocation, to a call from God, and they saw it as the way that could
lead them to God and, therefore, to holiness.
To speak of marriage as a vocation is not usual, on the contrary,
but Tomás and Paquita profoundly felt that it was God who was
calling them on this path and, guided by their spiritual Father, they
lived this call to the fullest, fulfilling a happy marriage.
4 Cf. Antonio Vázquez, Tomás Alvira y Paquita Domínguez, op cit., p.14.
