St Josemaría Escrivá

Alvaro del Portillo’s beatification set

Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, first successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of the Prelature of Opus Dei, will be beatified on 27 September 27 2014, in Madrid, Spain, where he was born. The beatification will be celebrated by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, SDB.

Alvaro del Portillo was born on March 11, 1914, joined Opus Dei in 1935, served in various capacities, and ordained a bishop by John Paul on January 6, 1991. He died on 23 March 1994.

When the Church gives us a new person to follow at the Altar as way to adhere to Jesus more closely, we ought to do our best to know the person well. The Prelate of Opus Dei proposes that through del Portillo that this is a good time to gain to acquaint ourselves with his life, writings, witness, and by opening our heart “…to imitate his love for God and others, his desire to fulfill always and in everything the divine Will, his apostolic zeal and capacity to serve souls….”

Here is a video about the miracle received through the Bishop del Portillo’s intercession before the Holy Trinity. The story of the newborn Jose Ignacio Ureta Wilson is moving.

The latest news on the beatification may be found at: www.alvarodelportillo.org

Saint Josemaria Escriva

Saints are for the universal Church, not merely for a particular group. Making the universal call to holiness known seems to be one, among many, of the gifts Saint Josemaría Escrivá gave to us because he had first recognized this gift as coming from the Holy Trinity for the good of all of us.

The relevance and transcendence of this spiritual message, deeply rooted in the fruitfulness with which God has blessed the life of and work of Josemaría Escrivá. The land of his birth, Spain, is honored by this son of hers, an exemplary priest, who succeeded in opening up new apostolic horizons of missionary and evangelizing activity. May this joyful celebration be an auspicious occasion that will stimulate all the members of the Prelature of Opus Dei to greater commitment, in their response to the call to holiness and to a more generous participation in ecclesial life, being always witnesses of genuine evangelical values, and may this be expressed in an ardent apostolic dynamism, with particular attention to the poorest and most needy. […]

Beatification homily of Pope John Paul II

May 20, 1992

Saint Josemaria Escriva

Don’t let your life be barren. Be useful. Make yourself felt. Shine forth with the torch of your faith and your love…Don’t flutter around like a hen, when you can soar to the heights of an eagle!

Saint Josemaría Escrivá, The Way

Joseph Muzquiz, priest: possible saint

The Archdiocese of Boston announced on June 2 that it is taking to the next step in overseeing the study of the cause of canonization of Father Joseph Muzquiz (1912-1983).

In the summer of 2010 the initial steps with the Archdiocese and the Congregation for Saints took place. Now, the key task of this process is to see if, in fact, Father Joseph Muzquiz lived a life of heroic virtue.

Father Muzquiz, a priest of the Prelature of the Opus Dei, worked with two others in bringing Opus Dei to the USA. Saint Josemaría had admitted Joseph to Opus Dei in 1941 and had him ordained a priest in 1944 and sent him to the USA in 1949.

With the opening of the sainthood cause, Father Joseph is now referred to the Servant of God Father Joseph Muzquiz. Father Byran K. Parrish presided over the June 2nd ceremony in the name of Sean Cardinal O’Malley and the Most Reverend Emilio S. Allue, the episcopal delegate for the inquiry participated as well as the postulator of the cause, Father David Cavanagh of Opus Dei. About 150 people participated in this ceremony.

John F. Coverdale authored Putting Down Roots: Fr. Joseph Muzquiz and the Growth of Opus Dei (Scepter Publishers), the narrative of Muzquiz meeting Saint Josemaría and the story of early days of Opus Dei in the US. A brief piece on Putting Down Roots can be read here.

The prayer of petition for Muzquiz’s canonization

God, you helped your servant Joseph work with generosity and simplicity. He spread the message of sanctity in secular life to many people, teaching them to find joy and peace in their daily life. Help me to seek first the kingdom of God by sanctifying my everyday work and dedicating myself generously to the salvation of souls. Glorify your servant Joseph and through his intercession, grant me the favor I ask of you.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be to the Father.