1934: Revolution in Spain

John Coverdale

Political tension and violence continued during 1933 and 1934. Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Spanish Civil War, Madrid, Politics, Spain, The DYA academy, Isidoro Zorzano, Juan Jimenez Vargas, Opus Dei members, Pedro Casciaro, Anti-clericalism, Spanish history, Republic

1935-1936: Political and social developments. Deteriorating Political and Social Situation

John Coverdale

Deteriorating Political and Social Situation. As 1935 progressed, the political and social situation in Spain deteriorated even further. Tags: Spanish Civil War, Youth, Opus Dei, Vocation, Isidoro Zorzano, Juan Jimenez Vargas, St Raphael work, Women of Opus Dei, first members

1936-1937: First stages of the civil war. Situation of Opus Dei

John Coverdale

The rapid division of the country into two zones, and the breakdown of communications within the Republican zone, separated the members of Opus Dei who were outside Madrid from Escrivá and the rest of the members in Madrid. The outbreak of violent class conflict and religious persecution throughout the Republican zone interrupted Opus Dei’s corporate apostolic activities and obstructed its members’ personal apostolate with their friends, colleagues, and relatives. Like many other Spaniards, a number of the members found their lives in danger and were forced to go into hiding. Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Spanish Civil War, Madrid, Franco, The DYA academy, Isidoro Zorzano, Juan Jimenez Vargas, The Legation of Honduras, Opus Dei members, first members, Spanish history

1937-1939: Later stages of the Spanish Civil War

John Coverdale

When peace finally returned to Spain, only fifteen men and one woman belonged to Opus Dei. Among them, however, were solid, tested people who possessed a deep interior life of prayer and sacrifice and were firmly committed to living their vocation. Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Sickness, Spanish Civil War, Poverty, Franco, Father, Penance, Burgos, Juan Jimenez Vargas, Pedro Casciaro, first members

January 1938, from Burgos, Spain: "If you need me, just call me"

Andrés Vázquez de Prada

After escaping to the other side of Spain and staying briefly in Pamplona, St Josemaria settled in Burgos. From there, in conditions of great deprivation, in a country devastated by war, he carried out an intense apostolate until March 27, the day on which he moved to Madrid. Tags: Spanish Civil War, Burgos

List of contents of St. Josemaria in the Spanish Civil War

John Coverdale

The early years of Opus Dei: Historical, political and social situation in Spain. Condensed from the book written by the history expert John F. Coverdale, Uncommon Faith: the early years of Opus Dei (1928-1943), Princeton: Scepter, 2002., chapters 1 and 3-18. Tags: Suffering, Spanish Civil War, History, Youth, Opus Dei

1936-1937: First Stages of the Spanish Civil War. Situation of Opus Dei

John Coverdale

The rapid division of the country into two zones, and the breakdown of communications within the Republican zone, separated the members of Opus Dei who were outside Madrid from Escrivá and the rest of the members in Madrid. Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Spanish Civil War, Madrid, Franco, The DYA academy, Isidoro Zorzano, Juan Jimenez Vargas, The Legation of Honduras, Opus Dei members, first members, Spanish history

1937-1939: Later Stages of the Spanish Civil War

John Coverdale

When peace finally returned to Spain, only fifteen men and one woman belonged to Opus Dei. Among them, however, were solid, tested people who possessed a deep interior life of prayer and sacrifice and were firmly committed to living their vocation. Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Sickness, Spanish Civil War, Poverty, Franco, Father, Penance, Burgos, Juan Jimenez Vargas, Pedro Casciaro, first members

Historical Notes Introduction

With the assistance of the Center for Documentation and Studies on Josemaria Escriva (CEDEJ), José M. Cejas provides the historical viewpoint on questions about the life of Opus Dei founder St Josemaria Escriva, his family, the origins of Opus Dei and the political and social background of the time, St Josemaria’s attitude to the Spanish Civil War and Franco, and many other questions. Tags: History

Was the Escriva family well off or short of money?

Both, at different times. Josemaria Escriva was born in 1902 into a comfortably-off middle-class family. Tags: The Escriva family, History