Opus Dei

Ale is Bolivian, a mother of two, a psychotherapist and a doctor. She has dedicated a large part of her life to social work. Inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaría, she understood early on that poverty is not only material, but also a lack of love and of God. She and her husband decided to dedicate themselves to social rehabilitation programs. When he died in an accident, Ale decided to continue their work, strengthened by her faith.

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.

María José was an associate of Opus Dei for 20 years and about 5 years ago, at the age of 35, she left the Work. "Even though it was a very painful decision, it was definitely one where I was supported, and absolutely one where I was free," she says. "It’s beautiful to think that every vocation has a mission that transcends time."

Caroline, 37 years old and originally from Osasco, comes from a family where her father is a hairdresser and her mother a maths teacher. She studied hospitality and did a specialisation course in the service sector. She says that her vocation to the Work as an assistant numerary makes her "a mother within Opus Dei," which means caring for people in every aspect of their being. "It has a spiritual impact as well, not just a material one."

Rebekah, better known as Bek, is from Wollongong, Australia. Bek has many hobbies: she likes sailing, painting, reading, music and cooking. Her passion for cooking ended up being her field of professional development. The purpose of her work is to ensure that people know that they are loved, something that requires continuous learning: "I don't think anyone can say that they've reached the summit of learning how to love people."

María Ángeles discovered Opus Dei by chance, when a teacher at the secondary school in her village told her about the opportunity to live in a Study and Work Centre (CET). There she learnt three things above all: “First, it helped me learn to balance study and work, to make better use of my time... Then it helped me to understand what true Christian life lived with coherence really is. And the third thing I’d say, which then led to discovering my vocation, was discovering Opus Dei from the inside.”

Kele studied to be a gastronomy assistant and nutritionist. When she met Opus Dei, she says, "it was a real discovery, because I didn't know that, quite naturally, I could bring God into my things," even "outings I'd go on with friends."

Miriam, from Brazil, is 34 years old and is a gynaecologist and obstetrician. She is married and has a three-month-old son. She was an associate of Opus Dei for a time, until, after a period of reflection in which she always felt accompanied and understood, she saw that her path lay elsewhere.

Dani describes herself as a very competitive person who always aspired to more in life. She still sets high goals for herself, but now her perspective has changed: "Opus Dei has totally changed my life, because it's given me a different perspective on why we are here in the world."

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.