Opus Dei

Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical, from Bishop Javier Echevarría, the Prelate of Opus Dei.

In his most recent book, the Prelate of Opus Dei devotes a chapter to divine filiation, a supernatural reality that is fundamental to the formation given in centers of the Prelature. Here are some selections from that chapter, "The Eucharist and the Christian Life."

Given below is a summary of Benedict XVI's first Encyclical, entitled "Deus caritas est" (God is love). Dated December 25, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, it considers the question of Christian love.

The Big Picture Seminar has been running for a few years in several Canadian cities including Vancouver, London, Toronto, Kingston, Montreal and Quebec City. It is designed to help young men develop a strong vision of their future as they enter high school. The BC Catholic (November 28, 2005) dealt with the impact of the program in the Vancouver area.

At the start of 2006, Bishop Javier Echevarría wrote a letter to the faithful of Opus Dei and its cooperators. We include here the paragraphs that stress the need to strengthen the institution of the family.

Excerpts from the message of Pope Benedict XVI for the World Day of Peace, January 1, 2006.

Vanesa Walter is a young French mother who finds ways to harmonize her family tasks and professional work.

"When spouses found their community of life on the Eucharist, their home reproduces spiritually the house in Bethlehem, the home in Nazareth." These words of Bishop Javier Echevarria are drawn from his book, "The Eucharist and Christian Life."

Beauty has the ability to open our minds to the spiritual realm by making us aware of our dignity and potential for transcendence, said Heather Ratzlaff during the keynote address at Women & Elegance, a conference exploring fashion’s influence on women, held on October 15, 2005 at the Arbutus Club in Vancouver. The initiative came as the result of some brainstorming of a group of women that participate in activities offered at Crestwell Centre in Vancouver.

In these final days of Advent, Benedict XVI invites Christians to prepare for the coming of the Son of God by meditating on the example of St. Joseph