One of six children born to Jose and Dolores Escriva; three of his siblings died in infancy. His fatherwas a small businessman, and when his business failed in 1915, the family moved to Logroño, Spain. As a young man, Josemaria saw the bare footprints left in the snow by a monk; the sight moved him, [...]
One of six children born to Jose and Dolores Escriva; three of his siblings died in infancy. His fatherwas a small businessman, and when his business failed in 1915, the family moved to Logroño, Spain. As a young man, Josemaria saw the bare footprints left in the snow by a monk; the sight moved him, and kindled a desire for religious vocation. He studied for the priesthood in Logroño and Zaragoza,Spain. His father died in 1924, and Josemaria had to simultaneously support the family while studying.Ordained in Zaragoza on 28 March 1925.
Assigned for a while to a rural parish, and then in Zaragoza. Moved to Madrid, Spain in 1927 to studylaw. Following a profound spiritual retreat, Josemaria founded Opus Dei in Madrid on 2 October 1928, opening a new way for the faithful to sanctify themselves in the midst of the world through their work and fulfillment of their personal, family and social duties. The next few years were spent studying at the University of Madrid, teaching to support his mother and siblings, ministering to the poor and sick, and working to build the foundation of Opus Dei.
Religious persecution in the Spanish Civil War forced Josemaria into hiding, and he ministered covertly to his parishioners. He escaped across the Pyrenees to Burgos, Spain. At the end of the war in 1939, he returned to his studies in Madrid. Doctor of law. Retreat master for laity, priests, and religious.
On 14 February 1943 he founded the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, united to Opus Dei. Josemaria moved to Rome, Italy in 1946, and earned a doctorate in theology from the Lateran University. Consultor to two Vatican Congregations. Honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. Named a prelate of honor by Pope Pius XII.
Opus Dei received the approval of the Holy See on 16 June 1950. Josemaria travelled frequently throughout Europe and Latin America to work for the growth of Opus Dei, and 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, most laymen.
2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36 Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11 Matthew 7:6, 12-14 2 Kings 19: 9 – 11, 14 – 21, 31 – 36 9 And when the king heard concerning Tirha’kah king of Ethiopia, “Behold, he has set out to fight against you,” he sent messengers again to Hezeki’ah, saying, 10 “Thus shall you speak to [...]
2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36
Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11
Matthew 7:6, 12-14
2 Kings 19: 9 – 11, 14 – 21, 31 – 36
9 And when the king heard concerning Tirha’kah king of Ethiopia, “Behold, he has set out to fight against you,” he sent messengers again to Hezeki’ah, saying, 10 “Thus shall you speak to Hezeki’ah king of Judah: `Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly. And shall you be delivered?
14 Hezeki’ah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezeki’ah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezeki’ah prayed before the LORD, and said: “O LORD the God of Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, thou art the God, thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 Incline thy ear, O LORD, and hear; open thy eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennach’erib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Of a truth, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O LORD our God, save us, I beseech thee, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou, O LORD, art God alone.”
20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezeki’ah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennach’erib king of Assyria I have heard.
21 This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him: “She despises you, she scorns you — the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you — the daughter of Jerusalem. 31 for out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD will do this.
32 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, says the LORD. 34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”
35 And that night the angel of the LORD went forth, and slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36 Then Sennach’erib king of Assyria departed, and went home, and dwelt at Nin’eveh.
Psalms 48: 2 – 4, 10 – 11
2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.
4 For lo, the kings assembled, they came on together.
10 As thy name, O God, so thy praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Thy right hand is filled with victory;
11 let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of thy judgments!
Matthew 7: 6, 12 – 14
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.
12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
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1553 “In the name of the whole Church” does not mean that priests are the delegates of the community. the prayer and offering of the Church are inseparable from the prayer and offering of Christ, her head; it is always the case that Christ worships in and through his Church. the whole Church, the Body [...]
1553 “In the name of the whole Church” does not mean that priests are the delegates of the community. the prayer and offering of the Church are inseparable from the prayer and offering of Christ, her head; it is always the case that Christ worships in and through his Church. the whole Church, the Body of Christ, prays and offers herself “through him, with him, in him,” in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to God the Father. the whole Body, caput et membra, prays and offers itself, and therefore those who in the Body are especially his ministers are called ministers not only of Christ, but also of the Church. It is because the ministerial priesthood represents Christ that it can represent the Church.
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Please feel free to leave your Prayer petitions and know that members of this online Catholic community will pray for your intentions. Also, please remember to pray for the intentions of others, the forgotten holy souls in purgatory, and for the Holy Father’s Intentions! LORD, hear our Prayers! . .
Please feel free to leave your Prayer petitions and know that members of this online Catholic community will pray for your intentions. Also, please remember to pray for the intentions of others, the forgotten holy souls in purgatory, and for the Holy Father’s Intentions!
LORD, hear our Prayers!
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