Javier, Spain: "From this moment on, I'm starting fresh"
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.
Juan and Lourdes, Spain: "The 'culture shock' of an imperfect, happy marriage"
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.
Autimio, Brazil: "In Opus Dei, I learned to find God in little things"
"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.
Cecilia, Canada: "Through my work, people feel loved and valued"
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.
Anaca, Spain: "I would like to unite the notes and form a symphony"
Anaca is an assistant numerary of Opus Dei. Her mission is to bring people together, creating a sense of family so that each person forms part of a symphony of harmony and happiness.
February Recollection Kit (2025)
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.
Marina, Spain: "I want to be an assistant numerary with everything I do"
Marina is an assistant numerary of Opus Dei. She is involved in several social projects to help children in hospitals, distribute food to families in need, and care for elderly people. Her vocation gives unity to all these activities and motivates her to give in concrete ways, sharing God's affection with others.
Mercedes and Concha, Spain: "We always had the support we needed to take care of our brothers"
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.
Ilona, Finland: "I like to think of myself as someone with sisu"
"Sisu" is a Finnish word that translates to perseverance, courage or determination. Ilona is a good example of this concept: born in a country where Catholics are a minority, she dreams of changing the world through her work as an academic. "I tackle polarisation from a statistical perspective, with data. Not everything is black and white," she says.
Ale, Bolivia: "Thinking about my happiest moments, I remembered 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.