Opus Dei

Andy is from Santa and studied gastronomy. After many years living and working in Buenos Aires, she recently decided to return to her hometown to look after her nephew: "I realised that it was necessary and that I couldn't fail to react when I had the chance to help."

Laura, a doctor in Barcelona, was a numerary member of Opus Dei for 25 years. In 2020, after a long process of reflection, she decided to leave the Work. "The overall experience was positive, without a doubt; I don't consider those years to have been wasted at all," she says, highlighting the formation she received, the people she met, and the way she learned to live the virtues naturally.

Mariana is from the province of Buenos Aires, but over the course of 13 years, she lived in three European countries: "I met a lot of people with very different mentalities and ways of being," she says. "This allowed me to learn about other ways of life and to expand my perspective." Her own choice of life as an assistant numerary in Opus Dei has allowed her to meet more people and give many others a place in her heart.

María José was an associate of Opus Dei for 20 years and about 5 years ago, at the age of 35, she left the Work. "Even though it was a very painful decision, it was definitely one where I was supported, and absolutely one where I was free," she says. "It’s beautiful to think that every vocation has a mission that transcends time."

Andyara shares her inspiring life story: from her childhood in Campinas to her experience in Lebanon, through the challenges of illness and war. In this video, she tells us how her love of literature, her faith in Opus Dei and her courage in the face of adversity have led her to a life full of adventure, learning and profound growth.

Luli is 38 years old and originally from Corrientes, Argentina. Throughout her career, she has cultivated a deep relationship with people, highlighting her passion for listening, sharing and learning from the experiences of others. This facet of her life, which was not so prominent before, has become one of the most enriching aspects of her vocation to the Work as an assistant numerary.

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.

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.

Caroline, 37 years old and originally from Osasco, comes from a family where her father is a hairdresser and her mother a maths teacher. She studied hospitality and did a specialisation course in the service sector. She says that her vocation to the Work as an assistant numerary makes her "a mother within Opus Dei," which means caring for people in every aspect of their being. "It has a spiritual impact as well, not just a material one."

Abi grew up in Perth, in western Australia. There she studied Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and developed a lot of hobbies, which, however, did not fulfil her completely: “So, I had all this time and had all this money and all these opportunities. But I felt like I was wasting my time... Well, not wasting my time, but wasting my life!”