"'I rejoiced when they said to me: Let us go to the house of the Lord' (Ps 121:1). These words from the psalm invite us to lift our gaze towards Heaven, trusting that Fr. Fernando has already arrived there, to full and definitive union with God in glory." With these words, recalling the mercy of God, the Prelate of Opus Dei began his homily at the funeral on 23 April in the Basilica of Saint Eugene.
Fernando Valenciano Polack was born in Seville on 1 February 1923 and died in Rome on 21 April 2026, at the age of 103, after several weeks of declining health, on the day of the first anniversary of Pope Francis' death. In those final moments, having received the anointing of the sick, he was in his room at Villa Tevere, accompanied by the Father, those who lived with him, and the doctor.
He had asked for admission to Opus Dei on 23 December 1939, in Madrid, while preparing to enter the Higher School of Civil Engineers, at the student residence on Jenner Street, founded by Saint Josemaría a few months earlier.
Fr. Fernando held a doctorate in engineering and, before his priestly ordination, also obtained a doctorate in canon law. After many years of professional work as an engineer in Madrid and Seville, he went to Rome in 1961 to join the General Council of Opus Dei (1961–1994), assisting the founder in governing the Work as it expanded to many countries. On his arrival at Villa Tevere, the central headquarters of Opus Dei, Saint Josemaría welcomed him in person. From that moment, his presence, alongside that of Blessed Álvaro, became a constant. "From them," Msgr. Ocáriz said in his homily, "he learnt a lesson we can all appreciate: that, in order to enjoy the vision of God in heaven, we must seek to contemplate Him already here on earth, in the exercise of our ordinary duties in the midst of the world. And thus Fr. Fernando lived his life: first as a university student, then as an engineer, later working at the central headquarters and caring for his brothers in Opus Dei, as a layman and then as a priest; always with no other ambition than to serve the Church."
At the time of his death he was the oldest member of Opus Dei, having lived his vocation in the Work for just over 86 years, and the last of those who had requested admission in the 1930s. In 1993, he was ordained a priest by Blessed Álvaro, and he exercised his priestly ministry for as long as his strength allowed. He celebrated his silver jubilee as a priest in 2018 with great joy and gratitude to God.
Until the age of 100, he remained active and independent, attending family gatherings and formational activities. For decades, he went to hear confessions at the Basilica of Saint Eugene in Rome and, through this priestly work, maintained and cultivated friendships that were passed down from one generation to the next. He often received visits from relatives and friends ranging in age from 10 to 90, who came simply to see him and express their affection, sometimes from very far away. He could have met someone 60 or 70 years earlier (many of them civil engineers), and the relationship would be inherited by their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Fr. Fernando always remembered family stories and accompanied the others through prayer, even from a distance. His phone and WhatsApp history bear witness to these long and faithful friendships, which he knew how to lead to God.
He retained his lucidity and memory to the very end, following conversations with interest, joining in, and sharing memories both old and recent. He would sometimes recall remarkable details: a name, or the precise location of a centre of the Work where he had once stayed, down to the city, street, and number, or the address of someone's parents. He often brought up amusing anecdotes and sayings that made his listeners smile.
During his last two or three years, he lost much of his independence and physical strength, but never his piety, apostolic zeal, mental clarity, or desire to make good use of his time. Just a few weeks before he died, he was still asking whether he could help with any priestly work. He asked for prayers for the Pope and for the Church. He prayed and encouraged others to pray for the intentions of the Father, whom he kept in mind at all times. He asked for news of current events, never losing touch with what was happening in the world, and when he heard of wars or other catastrophes, he would pray. He also continued watching tennis matches and westerns with all the enthusiasm of a lifelong fan.
Despite his limitations growing ever greater, he never complained or protested. He listened to the doctors and those who cared for him and did his best to go on participating in the life of the centre. When someone asked how he was, he would say he was fine and move on to another topic (though, more recently, he would allow that he was "well, all things considered"). He was moved by gestures of affection, visible even in the simplest things of each day: food prepared with care, and all the little things that made his life more comfortable and welcoming. He gave thanks tirelessly, many times a day, and apologised for any trouble he caused. He was a very easy patient to care for. In truth, we are the grateful ones, who had the good fortune to know and care for him. His example will always stay with us, and we will never stop asking for his intercession.
In the Mass celebrated before the coffin at Our Lady of Peace, Msgr. Ocáriz concluded his homily: "We turn to our Mother, the Blessed Virgin. Fr. Fernando prayed so many rosaries over the years of his life, praying for so many intentions! And we ask the Virgin Mary to obtain for us from her Son the grace to understand what Saint Josemaría wrote in the final point of The Way, which at this moment, thinking of Fr. Fernando, is especially significant: 'What is the secret of perseverance? Love. Fall in love, and you will not leave Him.'"
His mortal remains rest at Villa Tevere, in the crypt of the prelatic church of Our Lady of Peace, close to the remains of Saint Josemaría and Carmen Escrivá and beside Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, the Servant of God Dora del Hoyo, Msgr. Javier Echevarría and Rosalía López.