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St
Josemaria Escriva |
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Feast Day: June 26
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Also known as
- Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
Profile - One of six
children born to Jose and Dolores Escriva; three of his siblings
died in infancy. His
father was a small businessman, and when his business failed in
1915, the family moved to Logrono. 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 Logrono and
Zaragoza. 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 in
1927 to study law. Following a profound spiritual retreat, he
founded Opus Dei in
Madrid on
2 October
1928, which opened 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 him into hiding, and he ministered covertly
to his parishioners. He escaped across the Pyrenees to Burgos. 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. Moved to
Rome in
1946. Obtained 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.
By the time of his death, Opus Dei had spread to five continents
with over 60,000 members of 80 nationalities, and today has over 80,000
members, most
laymen.
In
1976 Carmelite sister Concepcion Boullon Rubio was at the point of
death when she was suddenly and completely cured of lipomatosis after
members of her family prayed to God for a cure through the intercession
of Saint Josemaria. His Cause for canonization was introduced in
Rome on
19 February
1981. On
9 April
1990,
Pope
John Paul II declared that he lived the Christian virtues to a
heroic degree. The cure of Sister Rubio was unanimously approved by the
Board of Physicians for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints
on
6 July
1991. On
20 December
2001 a second miracle attributed to Monsignor Escriva's intervention
was decreed by the Congregation and approved by
Pope
John Paul II.
Born -
9 January
1902 at
Barbastro,
Spain
Died -
26 June
1975 of natural causes in his office in Rome, Italy; body at
Prelatic Church of Our Lady of Peace at Viale Bruno Buozzi 75,
Rome,
Italy
Beatified -
17 May
1992 by
Pope
John Paul II
Canonized -
6 October
2002 by
Pope
John Paul II
Prayers - Prayer
by...
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- Readings
- With supernatural intuition, Blessed Josemaria untiringly preached
the universal call to holiness and apostolate. Christ calls everyone to
become holy in the realities of everyday life. Hence work too is a means
of personal holiness and apostolate, when it is done in union with Jesus
Christ.
-Pope
John Paul II in his homily at the beatification of Saint Josemaria
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