Opus Dei

This divine locution gave rise to n. 933 in ‘The Way’: "There is a story of a soul who, on saying to our Lord in prayer, ‘Jesus, I love you,’ heard this reply from heaven: ‘Love means deeds, not sweet words.’ "Think if you also could deserve this gentle reproach".

The Seven Sundays of St. Joseph is a devotion to the patron of the universal Church. On the seven Sundays preceding his feast, March 19, the faithful have traditionally contemplated seven sorrows and joys in his life. Illustrated leaflet downloadable in pdf.

For Saint Josemaria's birthday on January 9, we offer some excerpts from an article published by "Real Clear Religion" entitled "The Tweetable Saint."

The founder of Opus Dei first visited London in 1958. He stayed from the beginning of August to the middle of September. He returned in each of the following years until 1962. In 1958, he arrived on August 4 and the following day wrote on the back of a holy picture, ‘Sancta Maria, Sedes Sapientiae, filios tuos adiuva (Holy Mary, Seat of Wisdom, help your children); Oxford, Cambridge, 5-VIII-58. ’

St. Josemaria tell us that when we fight to overcome our selfishness we are helping everyone in the Church, through the Communion of Saints.

The following extracts are taken from ‘The Man of Villa Tevere ’by Pilar Urbano, a book about the founder of Opus Dei. The author highlights St Josemaría’s capacity for getting through to everyone without distinction, making friends with them and putting them in direct contact with God.

St Josemaría had very fond memories connected with the family’s Christmas celebrations. Together with Carmen, he would help his father put up the Nativity scene. And the whole family sang Christmas carols together.

At the beginning of 1933 St Josemaria gave the first of what would afterwards be called "St Raphael circles". The St Raphael circles or classes are the axis of all the other Christian formational activities for young people on the human, spiritual, and religious-doctrinal levels. They include a preparatory course and a professional course.

April 23 is the 100th anniversary of St. Josemaria's First Holy Communion. A brief video about this anniversary, with words from Benedict XVI recalling his own First Holy Communion 69 years ago.

During the recent Holy Week gathering in Rome, a young girl from Brazil who was about to make her First Holy Communion asked the Prelate about St. Josemaria's devotion to the Blessed Eucharist