November 2, 1948: Javier Echevarría, currently Opus Dei’s Prelate, met St Josemaría for the first time

“Javi!” And he added, in a much weaker voice, as Fr Javier came into the room, “I don’t feel well.” Those were the last words on earth of St Josemaría, founder of Opus Dei. It was mid-day on June 26, 1975, in Rome. Fr. Javier [...]
Tags: Love of God, Charity, Javier Echevarria, Madrid

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Close to the Pope

When Saint Josemaría Escrivá was very young he used to dream of getting close to the Pope even for only a few moments, to have the chance of showing him his love and readiness to serve him. Msgr Javier Echevarría says: “His joy when he [...]
Tags: Church, Javier Echevarria, Pope, Unity

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Saint Josemaría Escrivá, teacher of prayer in ordinary life

Saint Josemaría Escrivá has a place among the masters of spirituality in the history of the Church, for several reasons. Above all, because he is a saint for our times (he was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002), who spread the universal call [...]
Tags: Contemplation, Javier Echevarria, Prayer, Ordinary life

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Opus Dei Prelature

The following are some words by the present Prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echevarría, on the significance of the establishment of Opus Dei as a personal prelature of the Catholic Church. The pontifical act by which the Opus Dei prelature was established on November 28, [...]
Tags: Church, Javier Echevarria, Opus Dei prelature, Vatican II

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Opus Dei Prelate’s greeting to John Paul II, October 7 2002

At the end of the Thanksgiving Mass for the canonization of the Josemaria Escriva, the Holy Father John Paul II met with the participants of the canonization. The following is the greeting given by the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Javier Echevarría to the Holy [...]
Tags: Canonization, Javier Echevarria, Pope John Paul II, Pope

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A faithful man

Alvaro del Portillo, St Josemaría’s first successor at the head of Opus Dei, was born March 11, 1914. A “good and faithful servant” – words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, that Pope John Paul II applied to Bishop Alvaro del Portillo. Bishop Javier Echevarria says: [...]
Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Faith, Faithfulness, Javier Echevarria

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Loving the world in God and for God

Bishop Javier Echevarria’s contribution to a symposium on the history of the Church in Spain and Latin America, held in Seville, Spain, 2002 and entitled “Wtinesses of the 20th century, teachers of the 21st”. Bishop Echevarria, prelate of Opus Dei, said that the seed that [...]
Tags: Passionately Loving the World, Love of God, God’s glory, Javier Echevarria, Opus Dei prelate

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A Book of Fire

Before me, as I write, sits an old book that the author of The Way gave as a present to a young architect named Ricardo Fernández Vallespín in 1933. On the title page, one can make out, in St. Josemaría’s unmistakable handwriting, a simple three-line [...]
Tags: The Way, Javier Echevarria, Supernatural outlook

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Msgr. Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei. St. Peter Square, October 7, 2002

Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (Ps 116/117:1). Praise the Lord, all you nations. The invitation of the Responsorial Psalm, which resounded a few moments ago, constitutes an excellent summary of the sentiments that overflow from our hearts today: Deo omnis gloria! To God be [...]
Tags: Canonization, Javier Echevarria

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He put all his love into saying Holy Mass

Msgr Javier Echevarría saw from close at hand, from 1953 onwards, how St Josemaría prepared to celebrate Mass, how he said it, how he did his thanksgiving afterwards, and how he prolonged it throughout the day. The following is an extract from Msgr Echevarría’s book [...]
Tags: Gratitude, Eucharist, Faith, Javier Echevarria, Prayer, Piety, Priesthood