Alessandra Borghese, Journalist, Italy

A New Kind of Contemplation

January 1, 2009

Another saint for whom I feel great affection, and to whom I am indebted for significant guidance in my spiritual life, is Josemaria Escriva, the Founder of Opus Dei. I don’t belong to Opus Dei, but I feel very attracted by the spirit behind it, which was proposed by Saint Josemaria. We generally think that to become saints we have to do something quite out of the ordinary. Saint Josemaria taught us, instead, that all we have to do is fulfil our duties, our job, our calling in life, with love.

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Father, I’m Jewish…

Roberto Ackerman, Venezuela

January 1, 2009

I was invited by a friend in the Work to meet “the Father” (Saint Josemaria). I felt a healthy curiosity about him, and now I always carry a picture of him with me, and sometimes I talk to him. I don’t pray to him, because I don’t belong to the same religion, but I think he must be in the same heaven, with our Father God.

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A little book I always carry with me

Emily Mwangi, Kenya

January 1, 2009

I met Opus Dei in Kibondeni College (Nairobi), where I was happy and studied enthusiastically. While I was there I achieved the National Certificate in Hospitality and Catering. Now I realise that as well as the professional training I received a good dose of cultural and Christian formation, that not only helps me to behave well and honestly, but enables me to help other people to do the same.

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Do you believe that God is the Lord of history?

Peter Berglar

June 26, 2008

Peter Berglar, a German Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, was also a well-known biographer of key historical characters: men and women who lived in times of change and realized the fact. Towards the end of his life he wrote the biographies of three Saints who were charismatic figures in the Chuch: St Peter, St Thomas More, and St Josemaria. In the following passage Berglar relates how he met Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei.

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St Josemaria for a patron saint

Jennifer G. Miller

June 25, 2008

A mother blogs about her small son’s devotion to his patron saint, Josemaria.

Thursday is the Optional Memorial of St. Josemaria Escriva. This is one of my son’s patron saints. We named him after this saint in thanksgiving to St. Josemaria. In 2002 we made a pilgrimage to Rome for the canonization of Josemaria with the intention of having a child, as we were having difficulties getting pregnant. The next year our son was born, so in thanksgiving his middle name is a form of Josemaria.

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We all belong to the race of the children of God

Willo Indakuli, caterer, Kenya

May 19, 2008

Interviewer: How did you discover Opus Dei?
Willo Indakuli: I got to know about Opus Dei after I decided to do a training course in catering work at what is now known as Kibondeni College. A Dutch lady called Ria, who was a teacher at Mukumu Girls Secondary School, where I was a student suggested that I apply and helped me with my application. That was in 1966 October. While I was doing my Course, I lived with members of Opus Dei. Along the way, I came to realize that maybe God might be calling me to serve him in Opus Dei and I joined in May, 1967.

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Within the family, a joy shared is a joy doubled, a trouble shared is a trouble halved

Rafael Pich, Spain

March 31, 2008

Rafael Pich*, father of 16 children, engineer and entrepreneur, is a founding member of the Fondation Internationale de la Famille and vice-chairman of the International Federation for Family Development (IFFD), an NGO with consultative status at the UN.

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Point 42 of The Way

William Keenan, writer, investigative journalist and TV critic, England

March 29, 2008

I first came into contact with Opus Dei when a doctor in my parish began holding monthly social gatherings for parishioners at his home. One day he invited a priest of Opus Dei to give a talk. I seem to recall, that the talk wasn’t received too well by many of the liberal Catholics at the meeting. But I found the idea of finding holiness in everyday life and ordinary work fascinating.

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Lebanon, a country in continual reconstruction

Juliana Aljure, architect

March 3, 2008

My grandparents emigrated from Kfour El Arabi in Lebanon to Colombia at the beginning of the twentieth century. My parents taught us to love their former homeland, and I decided to return to the country of my forefathers in 1997.

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Our family has gone through very difficult moments

Mary Bernadette Odero, Nairobi, Kenya

January 24, 2008

I’m a teacher, but at present I work for a big airline in Nairobi. In Kenya where even mothers with small children have to work full time to make ends meet, many families suffer very much. There is no question of staying home to look after the children. We were not spared from this social problem. For us, the solution was to hire a “house help” and work full time.

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A mother blogs about The Way

A British mother of four talks about The Way on her blog and answers questions posted by a reader.

UK, January 21, 2008

I’ve been reading The Way recently (I thought it was about time) and finding it very helpful, whilst at the same time finding myself being thankful that Escriva was not my parish priest (mine takes no prisoners either, but in a very gentle manner). There are several pearls that have jumped out at me on this reading and no doubt many more to come. Take, for example, the following: “The heroic minute. It’s time to get up, on the dot! Without hesitation, a supernatural thought and... up! The heroic minute; here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does not weaken your body” (The Way, 206).

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My daughter, don’t take any more photos of me – pray for me!

Helena Serrano, Roma

January 11, 2008

Helena Serrano is from Cordoba, Spain. She lived and worked in Rome for over twenty years, very close to St Josemaria. During that time, with his encouragement, she developed a special aptitude for photography, and recorded part of the history of Opus Dei with her photographs.

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