Opus Dei was founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá on 2 October 1928. He would say that, after years of prayer, he finally ‘saw’ what God wanted of him. It was to open up new ways of sanctity in the world for ordinary men and women, to remind them that holiness was not for special people, but for everyone. 

This teaching (that all men and woman are called to holiness) was one of the most important of Vatican II and has now become a constant message of the Catholic Church. However, when Saint Josemaría first started preaching this message, it was not well known. An official in Rome remarked on one occasion that he had come “a century too soon”.

Saint Josemaría was overjoyed when the Second Vatican Council reaffirmed the universal call to holiness of all Christians. Meanwhile Opus Dei had spread worldwide, to Britain (1946), Ireland (1947), USA (1949) and many other countries. By the time of his death on 26 June 1975, there were 56,000 members, and they now number about 87,000 in over 60 countries.

In Glasgow, where Opus Dei began its apostolic activities in 1980, Opus Dei runs three centres where retreats, evenings of recollection, talks and courses of various kinds are held. Its members run clubs for teenagers with a dose of Christian formation, and youth projects in Sighthill and Govan that aim to encourage young people to take their schoolwork seriously and to set their sights on higher education.

The anniversary Mass will be in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow, on Monday 20 October at 7.30pm. Confessions will be heard from 7.00pm. Everyone is welcome. Download a file (pdf) with details here.