Madrid and St Josemaria

August 1, 2011

Tags: Youth, Madrid, Josemaria Escriva

Preparations for Madrid, WYD 2011

For St Josemaria, Madrid was the place where he found God’s will for his life. Below are the summaries of four suggested tours, which focus on significant episodes in his life and message, including divine sonship, the sanctification of work, and apostolate. Finally there is a selection of texts around the same themes. The tours are close to where Pope Benedict XVI will be during the WYD.

“In a way, you could say that each WYD is for many young people an opportunity to re-live the episode of Damascus,” – when St Paul met our Lord personally, and his whole life was turned around – said Bishop Javier Echevarria, prelate of Opus Dei, recently. “Benedict XVI will speak to those who have come, and provoke a new conversion, perhaps a radical change of life, in those who are well disposed.”

For St Josemaria, Madrid was “a place of conversion, and encounter with God’s will.”

Below are the summaries of four suggested visits to places connected with St Josemaria, close to where Pope Benedict XVI will be during the WYD. The visits focus on significant episodes in his life and message: divine sonship, prayer, the sanctification of work, and apostolate. At the end of each description, there is a selection of passages from St Josemaria’s works, around the same themes.

Thursday 18 August
19:15: Benedict XVI passes through the Puerta de Alcala, Plaza de la Independencia, with some young people.
19:30: Welcome celebration for young people in Plaza Cibeles.

TOUR 1: Founding Opus Dei
1. No. 45 Garcia de Paredes Street: The founding of Opus Dei
2. No. 58 Alcala Street: “The Sotanillo”
3. Alcala Gate and Retiro Park: plans in the open air
Download the tour with map (pdf format)
Download passages from St Josemaria’s works on the calling to holiness (pdf format)

Friday 19 August
19:30: Benedict XVI follows the Stations of the Cross with young people from Plaza Cibeles to Plaza Colon.

TOUR 2: Opus Dei’s first steps in Madrid
1. No. 21a Garcia de Paredes Street: Porta Caeli Home: Opus Dei’s first circle of Christian formation
2. No. 4, Martinez Campos Street: the Escriva family’s house
3. Chamberi Square: Keep quiet when people insult me; pelt them with Hail Mary’s
4. No. 33 Luchana Street. The DYA Academy - God and Daring!
5. No. 11, Santa Engracia Street. Foundation for the Sick: among Madrid’s poor
6. No. 24, Nicasio Gallego Street. The Church of the Foundation for the Sick. Prayer “without feeling like it”. “Jesus, I’m here to please you.”
7. No. 1, Alcala Galiano Street: Women in Opus Dei
Download the tour with map (pdf format)
Download passages from St Josemaria’s works on prayer (pdf format)

Saturday 20 August
09:00: Confessions with young people in Buen Retiro Park

TOUR 3: God is my father!
1. Emperor Charles V Square (“Glorieta de Atocha”): A profound experience of divine sonship while on a tram
2. No. 52, St Elizabeth Square. Former General Hospital. Visiting the sick
3. No. 48, St Elizabeth’s Street. Writing Holy Rosary. John the milkman
Download the tour with map (pdf format)
Download passages from St Josemaria’s works on divine sonship (pdf format)

Saturday 20 August
10:00 Holy Mass with seminarians in Almudena Cathedral. Homily by the Holy Father

TOUR 4: A real passion for making Jesus Christ known
1. No. 4 San Justo Street. St Michael’s Basilica: St Josemaria’s first Masses in Madrid
2. No. 2 San Justo Street. Bishop’s palace. The first three priests of Opus Dei
3. Nos. 8-10 Bailen Street. Almudena Cathedral: brief history. Cathedral visit. St Josemaria in Almudena Cathedral. The Holy Family stained-glass window. The name Almudena.

Download the tour with map (pdf format)
Download passages from St Josemaria’s works on apostolate (pdf format)

Video

World Youth Day Madrid 2011 kicks off in Madrid

It's official. World Youth Day is finally here. The big event kicked off Tuesday night with an opening Mass in Madrid's Plaza de Cibeles, one of the city's main monuments. It was surrounded by thousands of young people, who traveled from every corner of the world.

Video

Pope asks for prayers for World Youth Day Madrid 2011

During the Angelus, in the pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, Benedict XVI asked all faithful to pray for the upcoming World Youth Day in Madrid, to be held from August 18th to 21st.