Opus Dei

Minette is from Canada. "One day at an Opus Dei Centre in Vancouver, I found a prayer card (similar to St. Josemaria's prayer card that I am familiar with), but with a different picture - a picture of a lady named 'Dora'. I read it, and certain phrases struck me... 'work at the same tasks as the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nazareth' and 'spread all around me the family warmth... cheerful, selfless work...'."

I met Dora in 1995, when domestic work was far from my life and even farther from my mind. Dora and I happened to coincide on two occasions in particular in a period of about two months time. This however was enough for me to realize how she was, how she lived, for whom and why she had spent her days giving of herself to the full. There was no need for long explanations to grasp the meaning of her existence. Dora knew the meaning of her life and the path to achieve it to the full.

In July of 2011, I began the process of renewing my passport which was to expire in October. For the first time, I was being asked for certain documents that could only be obtained in the country where I was born. But this only became clear after the passport had already expired, a fact which prevented me from traveling to obtain the documents I needed.

"Diligence is a virtue that especially characterized Dora," recalls Ma. Carmen Cominges, "She really knew how to maximize her time. It was typical to hear her say, 'As I have a few minutes to spare, I'm going to take advantage of them.'"

One morning, I went out shopping for some work tools at a shopping center where I expected to find everything. But after 3 hours, I had only found one of the items I was looking for.

Isabel Garcia Martin knew Dora and worked with her from 1991 until Dora's passing on January 10, 2004. “In life we get to know a lot of people, and we value and remember them. But there are some people who are unforgettable because, doing things that no one notices and without calling attention to themselves, they make a deep impression on us. We ask ourselves what it is about them...and we begin to discover the heroes of the world, the ones who know how to make us happy in little things."

I recently told Dora that if she could get me this one favor, I would write up all the other ones that she's gotten for me as well. Since Dora never lets me down, here I am following suit.

​"Dora: Rozpalony płomień" is the title of Dora del Hoyo's biography in Polish, recently published by Editorial Apostolicum. The book, originally in Spanish and written by Javier Medina Bayo, is now available in five languages. It tells the story of the first woman in Opus Dei to dedicate her life to the work of the home, a woman who is now in process of Canonization.

As a custom, I usually check the Opus Dei website to see if there is any new material I can pray with, or any piece of news to keep me informed. One day I read the news that the Prelate of Opus Dei was asking for testimonies of favors received through the intercession of Dora del Hoyo. I had no idea who Dora del Hoyo even was.

The first issue of the newsletter about the Servant of God Dora del Hoyo is now in print and available for download. Its title is "Dora del Hoyo: A Professional Homemaker."