Opus Dei

A column by Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, published in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the death of Saint Josemaría. This is an English translation of the original piece.

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.

Jesus often withdrew to speak to his Father God alone, and we too need some time every day dedicated to dialogue with God. Our friendship with Jesus Christ unfolds and grows in these moments of quiet, through simple conversations in which we open our souls wide to Him.

An English translation of the interview with Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz by Francesco Ognibene (Avvenire), originally in Italian.

In this episode of Fragments of History, we take a closer look at the life of Elena Blesa. Born in 1925 in Barcelona, she was one of the first associate members of Opus Dei. Historian María Hernández-Sampelayo Matos traces her life story, shaped by her work in both Spain and Venezuela.

Homily by the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, on the liturgical feast of Saint Josemaría, delivered at the parish of Saint Eugene (Rome).

José Manuel Horcajo is the parish priest of San Ramón Nonato, a church located in Vallecas, one of Madrid’s most well-known neighborhoods, and the author of “Al cruzar el puente” (Crossing the Bridge) and “Diamantes tallados” (Cut Diamonds), two books of stories around the parish life. In this interview, he shares the origin of his vocation and reflects on the priesthood.

Living like Christ, whether in marriage or celibacy, means embracing a new lifestyle given to us by the Holy Spirit: a fruitful love, a pure heart, and a preference for God’s riches and for caring for those in need, as the Gospel shows us.

The historian José Luis González Gullón recounts some previously unpublished details of 26 June 1975, the day Saint Josemaría passed away.

As we commemorate the anniversary of St Josemaría’s death this month, we share three favours obtained through his intercession, all experienced within the family: recovery after a heart attack, a journey to reunite with loved ones, and a pregnancy after several miscarriages.

The song “Aprite le finestre” was the piece with which singer Franca Raimondi won the popular Sanremo Music Festival in 1956, Italy’s most important musical competition. St. Josemaría liked it and saw it as a simple and radiant expression of Christian hope in eternal life. He told those around him that he would like it to be sung at the moment of his death.

Shiró is happiest spending time with people: “I need people, and feeling that they need me makes me want to give the best of myself. No man is an island... We need each other.” This openness led her to start her studies in healthcare, and later move to hospitality and catering in her country, Kenya. She also started a social initiative to help street children. All these experiences confirmed her vocation to Opus Dei as an assistant numerary.