Cecilia, Canada: "Through my work, people feel loved and valued"
Cecilia was born into a Catholic family in Ontario, Canada. The faith she received in her childhood is, to some extent, from her great-grandfather (the English intellectual Malcolm Muggeridge) and his tireless search for truth. The legacy Malcolm and his wife Kitty left their family was this spirit of inquiry and dedication. In her vocation to Opus Dei as an assistant numerary, Cecilia seeks to make people loved and valued through her professional work and to bring them closer to God.
Javier, Spain: "From this moment on, I'm starting fresh"
Javier's life took a dramatic turn on 18 May 2018. A car jumped the central barrier and veered into his lane, colliding with him head-on. He has been in hospital ever since, trying to recover and walk again. Throughout this time, he has been accompanied every day by his entire family.
Juan Eusebio, Spain: "The formation I receive in the Work is essential for me"
Juan Eusebio works in the fields of Mérida. He and his wife take in Saharawi children from refugee camps.
One by One: Opus Dei Through Personal Stories
No two people are the same, nor are there any identical lives. Opus Dei is every person who embodies its charism, as the Prelate often reminds us. "One by One" is a mosaic of faces from around the world, telling the stories of their lives and their encounters with the Work.
Anaca, Spain: "I would like to unite the notes and form a symphony"
Anaca is an assistant numerary of Opus Dei. Her mission is to bring people together, creating a sense of family so that each person forms part of a symphony of harmony and happiness.
February Recollection Kit (2025)
A recollection is time spent in silence with God, talking to Him and “recollecting” who we are before Him. This is a package of resources for a recollection in your own home, including a downloadable PDF.
Marina, Spain: "I want to be an assistant numerary with everything I do"
Marina is an assistant numerary of Opus Dei. She is involved in several social projects to help children in hospitals, distribute food to families in need, and care for elderly people. Her vocation gives unity to all these activities and motivates her to give in concrete ways, sharing God's affection with others.
Heloiza, Brazil: "In gastronomy, I've found a way of serving and connecting with others"
Heloiza has been an assistant numerary of Opus Dei for 34 years. She was born in Lorena, but after her father was murdered in a robbery when she was 10 years old, her mother decided to move to São José dos Campos to be closer to her family. Her life has been marked by other painful events, including illness. She loves baking, and during the pandemic she started a business called "By Chef Helô." Her story is one of overcoming adversity.
Mercedes and Concha, Spain: "We always had the support we needed to take care of our brothers"
Mercedes and Concha are sisters and both are assistant numeraries. After many years of working in the administration of Opus Dei centres, they now dedicate themselves to caring for their brothers, who suffer from spastic paraplegia, and to carrying out apostolic activities in places on the Levantine coast, including Gandía and Alzira. This is a conversation between the two sisters.
Luli, Argentina: "The Work helped me develop my own personality, never to shrink it"
Luli is 38 years old and originally from Corrientes, Argentina. Throughout her career, she has cultivated a deep relationship with people, highlighting her passion for listening, sharing and learning from the experiences of others. This facet of her life, which was not so prominent before, has become one of the most enriching aspects of her vocation to the Work as an assistant numerary.









