Josep Tous Soler was a 19th-century Spanish Capuchin friar, often referred to as Josep of Igualada. Born in 1811, he entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and was ordained as a priest in 1834. Throughout his ministry, he traveled extensively to preach across both France and Spain. He is primarily remembered for establishing the Capuchin Sisters in 1850 and for drafting the formal constitution for his religious order.
Life and work
After his ordination in 1834, the priest dedicated much of his life to missionary work and religious organization. In 1850, he founded the Capuchin Sisters, an order for which he wrote the governing constitution. His life concluded in Barcelona on February 27, 1871, when he passed away during the consecration of the Mass.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes his holiness through several stages of formal recognition. He was declared Venerable in 2008, and his path toward sainthood continued when he was beatified in Barcelona on April 25, 2010. His feast day is observed annually on February 27.