THE ANNIVERSARY MASS of St Josemaria was held in Singapore on June 25, 2022 at the Church of the Holy Cross. The Mass--which has become an annual apostolic event, drawing many individuals, families and friends--was the first after the easing of restrictions due to Covid.  Some 600 people turned up for the Mass concelebrated by Fr Avelino Marin, Regional Vicar of Opus Dei in Southeast Asia, together with other priests of Opus Dei in Singapore.

Fr Marin made reference to the Year of the Family which Pope Francis declared a year ago. By coincidence, the Year of the Family drew to its close on June 26, day after the anniversary Mass in Singapore which also happens to be the feast of St Josemaria.

Fr. Marin made the point that everything St. Josemaria learned about holiness came from his sense of divine filiation; from his experience of God as Father. He also recalled how the examples of St Josemaria’s parents helped deepen the saint’s vocation and understanding of holiness. Like any other normal child, the young Josemaria had had his share of tantrums and bad temper.

There was an incident when Josemaria was a child, he did not like the food served to him and he threw it against the wall. To teach him a lesson, the mother allowed the stain of food on the wall to remain for days to help the child realised his bad behaviour and the need to make amends to our Lord and to others. He learned to pray and love the Eucharist, to overcome himself, to embrace suffering with patience and many human virtues from the good examples of his parents.

Fr Marin repeated what St Josemaria often told members of the Work “that they owe ninety per cent of their vocation to their parents because they have known how to educate their children and have taught them to be generous."