Bishop Alvaro's Favours

Seeking the intercession of men and women who have died with a reputation for holiness is a common practice in the Catholic Church. Examples of favors received through Alvaro del Portillo's intercession follow.

Newborn recovers after cardiac arrest

The Holy See has attributed to the intercession of Bishop Alvaro the recovery of the newborn Jose Ignacio Ureta Wilson after a cardiac arrest lasting longer than half an hour. Jose Ignacio's recovery has been declared medically inexplicable. See the video above for more.

I got a raise and could continue my studies

I got to know about Don Alvaro while I was working, and I started to pray his prayer card and became more interested in his life. One day I read that he spoke about justice at work, and then I decided to ask him about my job. At that time my financial situation was not good, and I need a salary increase, so I decided to ask for his intercession.

To my great surprise, within a week I was called to my manager’s office, and he told me that I was getting a salary increase.

On another occasion, I needed to change workplace to continue with my studies. It seemed impossible, but just the same I asked Don Alvaro and a short time later I received an offer to work in the place I needed to go to.

I admire his serenity very much and I continue to ask for his intercession. I am certain that I continue to receive many graces from God when I pray the prayer card of Don Alvaro.

N.Z. - Peru

Customers at my pharmacy

A few months ago, an acquaintance of mine who suffers from a very serious mental illness started to place orders with me... Well, this person ordered some expensive medicines from me over the phone, as well as some foodstuffs financed by the Social Security, which are also very expensive. He told me that he had the prescriptions in his possession, and that he would come for them in a few days. A week went by, and he did not come. Easter week went by and he still didn't come.

I tried unsuccessfully to locate my client. So I went home, and started asking Don Alvaro to help me, because, although the patient in this case pays about 12 €, I had advanced about 1,000 €, with the consequent loss. I could not afford this "luxury", and Don Alvaro knew it.

The next morning, as soon as I arrived, I received a phone call from this person, apologising and telling me that he would come the next day to collect everything. I couldn't believe it. It sounds easy, and maybe it's not that easy, but these "coincidences" are very rare in my job. I can't thank Don Alvaro enough for treating me so well.

The other "management" favour is also totally unusual. On a rather complicated day, due to the number of people coming in, I gave a lady back her Social Security card (on which we all have electronic prescriptions) and, by mistake, I also gave her the card of another lady who had been there earlier and had left it behind…

I started to entrust it to Don Alvaro because order in my work is fundamental, and doing what I had done with the card was a serious mistake… The morning progressed and a third lady came in, who happened to be a neighbour of the one we couldn't reach. I spoke to her… It was all sorted! To my surprise, a few minutes later, the lady I had asked for the favour appeared in the pharmacy with the card. She had spoken to her neighbour, they had checked and she had done me the favour. I really thanked her, and I decided to write down the favour so that people would be encouraged to ask Blessed Alvaro for everything, because if he can manage it, he does it quickly and efficiently, like when Saint Josemaría used to ask him to do things. I am amazed that he treats me like that.

J. V. S. - Spain

A nine-month journey. A master's degree. A baby.

I married Nazareth in Argentina in March 2012. Full of happiness, we went on our honeymoon. A few days after returning, we had some of the best news: we were going to be parents! However, that immense joy was tinged with darkness, because a few weeks later we lost the pregnancy.

It was a very hard blow. The following year, she got pregnant again... and we lost it again.

In January 2014 we went on a trip to Europe for a couple of weeks. When we were in Rome… I suggested to my wife that we go and visit Our Lady of Peace, the prelatic church in whose crypt Don Alvaro is buried. We were praying for our intention and I noticed that they were beginning to place candelabras on the altar. Solemn Benediction was about to begin. Minutes later, we were able to attend Benediction presided over by the then Father, Don Javier. After the Benediction, we went down the stairs of the church to leave. To our surprise, the Father was praying at the tomb of Don Alvaro. We waited at the side and were able to greet him and ask him to pray for our intention…

I said to myself that I wasn't going to miss Don Alvaro's beatification. Although, having paid for the trip to Europe months earlier, it was going to be difficult to be able to return that same year and be present at the beatification. We began to pray especially to Don Alvaro for our intention. A month later, I applied for a scholarship from the Carolina Foundation to do a Masters in Constitutional Law. After entrusting this intention to Don Alvaro as well, in June, I found out that I had won one of the places. The course began in early October 2014 and ended on 20 June 2015. Despite the fact that the Foundation usually issues tickets to Spain only a few days before the start of the course, my flight was scheduled for 20 September.

Seven days later, with my wife (and my parents) I was at the beatification. Needless to say, we especially entrusted our intention to him. And needless to say, Don Alvaro was extremely effective. A few days later, we were expecting our daughter!

In nine months: A scholarship. A Master's degree. A baby. Thank you, Don Alvaro!

J. S. Y. - Argentina

A mother's prayer and the intercession of Blessed Alvaro

My son needed to move to another apartment. But it was quite complicated to find one in good condition and well communicated with his workplace. He lives in a large city in France and is very active. I prayed to Don Alvaro every day and in three weeks he found a very good apartment at a good price with excellent transport to his work, even closer than the one he had before.

M.J.M. - Spain