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| The Saint |
Saint Josemaria Escriva
Also known as
Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
memorial
26 June
Profile
Our Saint today is the priest that founded the Opus Dei movement. A religious organization that helps ordinary folk find their own path to holiness in their every day lives. I always thought he looked a little like my father.
While a youngster in Spain, our saint today found his calling when he discovered the bare footprints left in the snow by a monk; this sight made him ask the question, “how does one treat frostbite?” But it further spurred him on to seek the
religious life, albeit while wearing shoes.
After ordination he got a degree in Law from the University of Madrid. He went into hiding and ministered to his flock secretly during the persecutions of Catholics in the Spanish Civil war.
Opus Dei was given final Catholic Church approval in 1950 by Pope Pius XII. In 1982, by decision of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic Church made it into a personal prelature—that is, the jurisdiction of its own bishop covers the persons in Opus Dei wherever they are, rather than geographical dioceses. By the time of his death, it had spread to five continents with over 60,000 members of 80 nationalities, and today has over 80,000 members, mostly laymen. It is controversial because some feel it is a secret society, like the Elks or the Order of the Arrow….but it has approval and has called many to holiness, my bishop is a member of Opus Dei in fact.
Josemarie died in his office in Rome of natural causes in 1975. He was declared venerable, beatified and canonized all by John Paul II.
Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
memorial
26 June
Profile
Our Saint today is the priest that founded the Opus Dei movement. A religious organization that helps ordinary folk find their own path to holiness in their every day lives. I always thought he looked a little like my father.
While a youngster in Spain, our saint today found his calling when he discovered the bare footprints left in the snow by a monk; this sight made him ask the question, “how does one treat frostbite?” But it further spurred him on to seek the
religious life, albeit while wearing shoes.
After ordination he got a degree in Law from the University of Madrid. He went into hiding and ministered to his flock secretly during the persecutions of Catholics in the Spanish Civil war.
Opus Dei was given final Catholic Church approval in 1950 by Pope Pius XII. In 1982, by decision of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic Church made it into a personal prelature—that is, the jurisdiction of its own bishop covers the persons in Opus Dei wherever they are, rather than geographical dioceses. By the time of his death, it had spread to five continents with over 60,000 members of 80 nationalities, and today has over 80,000 members, mostly laymen. It is controversial because some feel it is a secret society, like the Elks or the Order of the Arrow….but it has approval and has called many to holiness, my bishop is a member of Opus Dei in fact.
Josemarie died in his office in Rome of natural causes in 1975. He was declared venerable, beatified and canonized all by John Paul II.
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