Opus Dei

João Carlos is an architect, professor of archaeology, and comparative history researcher. "We have to have great love for people's freedom, because without freedom, it's impossible to love God," he says.

No two people are the same, nor are there any identical lives. Opus Dei is every person who embodies its charism, as the Prelate often reminds us. "One by One" is a mosaic of faces from around the world, telling the stories of their lives and their encounters with the Work.

Malina learned to get along with Muslims, atheists and Christians in her own family. "My family is an example of the mix of cultures and religions that exist in my country, Malaysia," she says. Her father is an atheist, her mother is Catholic, and her sisters converted to Islam. She decided to be baptised at the age of 16. That was the beginning of a search that would eventually lead her to Opus Dei as an assistant numerary.

“My name is Manuel Lozano Salamanca. I have a slight disability from birth on the left side of my body, due to cerebral palsy. I’m the eldest of three siblings, and I had to set an example… I had to be, well, not just normal, but a step beyond." Thus begins the story of a fighter.

A priest from an island—the eighth of the Canary Islands—with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. He is currently the parish priest in Arrecife (Lanzarote), where he oversees two parishes and strives to spread the Gospel everywhere with a smile.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”