Opus Dei

In this episode of Fragments of History, historian Constantino Ánchel traces the history of the first associate of Opus Dei and describes how the vocation to the Work as an associate spread through various Spanish cities over the next few years.

How do you sanctify work when you're fired from your job? That was one of the questions Sidnei asked when he lost his position after the restructuring of the multinational company he worked for. He discovered that he could approach this period in another way, as a new way to serve.

Juan wasn't a believer when he started dating Lourdes. However, their affection, as well as the respect and admiration he had for her Christian upbringing, gradually drew him closer to God. In this video, they share their testimony of joys and difficulties.

"At first, I couldn't find God in my work," says Autimio, a Brazilian dentist. He explains how, thanks to Saint Josemaría, he discovered the secret of working well: seeking to love God and others by taking care of the smallest details.

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.

João Carlos is an architect, professor of archaeology, and comparative history researcher. "We have to have great love for people's freedom, because without freedom, it's impossible to love God," he says.

Malina learned to get along with Muslims, atheists and Christians in her own family. "My family is an example of the mix of cultures and religions that exist in my country, Malaysia," she says. Her father is an atheist, her mother is Catholic, and her sisters converted to Islam. She decided to be baptised at the age of 16. That was the beginning of a search that would eventually lead her to Opus Dei as an assistant numerary.

The Genesis account tells us that Jacob spent an entire night wrestling with God. It was a physical struggle that ended with a dislocated femur… and God’s blessing. Alonso’s battle was even longer but no less hard or intense. And, just like Jacob, God won – which means that they both won.

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.

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.