Opus Dei

From its foundation on October 2, 1928, Opus Dei was already in essence, although in an embryonic state, the same as we see it today: a part of the Church, made up of faithful and structured hierarchically around a head who was at first the founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá, a priest.

On the 28th of November 2007, it will be 25 years since Pope John Paul II erected Opus Dei as a personal prelature, by the bull Ut Sit. By this action, Opus Dei attained its definite juridical status within the Church, as forseen by its founder St. Josemaria Escriva, and in accordance with the norms put in force by the Second Vatican Council.

The new deacons come from 15 countries and were ordained today by the Prelate in the Basílica of San Eugenio in Rome. We present some excerpts from Bishop Javier Echevarría's homily along with the names of the newly ordained deacons.

“In an environment that is not very Christian, how can we stand up for what we believe in?” This question, still relevant today, was put to St. Josemaría in 1972. Here is his answer (Weekly Video: 0’44”).

""Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." Citing words of St. Jerome, the Holy Father advised all the faithful to read a passage from the Bible each day.

My name is Hector. I’m stationed on a frigate in the Spanish Navy, and am a member of Opus Dei. When I found out that we would be conducting maneuvers in the Red Sea with a four-day stopover in one of the poorest countries in the world, a group of us officers decided to try to do what we could to help out.

Fr James Chápuli died on 25 September 2007 in Nigeria. He had been in Nigeria for 38 years and had acquired the Nigerian citizenship. We include a transcription of a testimony he wrote during his last stay in Spain last June.

“If you put love into each day, each day is different.” This is the advice Opus Dei’s founder gives to those who want to flee from routine and find God in their daily lives (video: 1’53”).

The Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie has disposed that a Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Fr. James Chapuli be celebrated in the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, on Wednesday November 14th 2007 at 10.00 am.