Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer

Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975)
priest and founder of Opus Dei

Feast Day: June 26

Josemaría Escrivá (his full name is: Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer) was born on January 9, 1902 in Barbastro (Huesca, Spain). His parents were called José and Dolores. He had five siblings: Carmen (1899-1957), Santiago (1919-1994) and three younger sisters who died as children. The Escriva couple gave the children a profound Christian upbringing.

At the age of sixteen he felt a calling and became a priest, after which he went to study law. Although he graduated in civil law, he was full of attention to the sick, the poor and children of all classes, especially in the slums of Madrid.

In 1928 he founded Opus Dei, a lay organization in which it is central that every believer is called to become holy in daily life, by serving God and his neighbors in the best possible way and to function as well as possible. He wrote several books about this, of which the book “The Way” with spiritual considerations became the most popular: this book, which has sold millions, has been published in 45 languages.

Despite the Spanish Civil War, in which he had to go into hiding because of religious persecution (to the point that he himself had to flee through the Pyrenees) and the subsequent Second World War, he managed to keep his Work of God alive and worked from Rome from 1946. From here, Opus Dei quickly expanded over thirty countries in thirty years: as far as Mexico and South America.

In the 1950s, Josemaría Escrivá promotes social initiatives in various areas: vocational training for men and women; training centers for farmers, universities and schools, hospitals, medical posts, and so on. These activities breathe a Christian spirit. The projects come about on the initiative and under the personal responsibility of the believers of Opus Dei in collaboration with others. They are open to people of all races, religions and social backgrounds. They are handled professionally, radiate a love for freedom and possess a Christian spirit that is compatible with the respect for the freedom of everyone's conscience.

Opus Dei is still active in all kinds of social areas: from vocational training and universities to hospitals. Escrivá mainly led many retreats and catechesis meetings in his own training centers, such as the Zonnewende conference center in the Netherlands in Moergestel. He also influenced Vatican II (1962-1965).

Josemaría Escrivá  died in Rome on June 26, 1975. Countless people have come closer to Christ and the Church through his priestly work, his example and his writings.

Escrivá was known for being very conservative, but thanks to the hard work of Opus Dei and because he was also admired by Pope John Paul II, he was beatified on May 17, 1992 in Rome by John Paul II in 1992 and on October 6, 2002 in Rome. canonized by John Paul II. More than 400,000 people attended on St. Pieterplein, which was a sign of its popularity. Escrivá is called the Saint of the Ordinary because of his spirituality.

In the Netherlands, Opus Dei is mainly active in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Maastricht. The Opus Dei conference center Zonnewende is located in Moergestel.

Sources and more information: https://www.kenteringen.nl/heil.../06-heiligen-juni/26-juni/

Prayer For The Intercession
of Sant Josemaria Escriva

O God, through the mediation of Mary our Mother,
you granted your priest Saint Josemaria countless graces,
choosing him as a most faithful instrument to found Opus Dei,
a way of sanctification in daily work and in the fulfillment
of the Christian’s ordinary duties.

Grant that I too may learn to turn all the circumstances
and events of my life into occasions of loving you
and serving the Church, the Pope and all souls
with joy and simplicity, lighting up the pathways
of this earth with faith and love.

Deign to grant me, through the intercession of Saint Josemaria,
the favor of … (mention your request here…). Amen.

Say: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.