Were there any Opus Dei members on the Republican side?

Some young Opus Dei members fought on the Republican side because they were in the Republican zone when the war broke out. The best known of these was Rafael Calvo Serer, from Valencia, who was miliciano de la cultura (literally “cultural militiaman”, a sort of [...]
Tags: Spanish Civil War, Politics

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What did Father Josemaria think of Hitler and the Nazis?

In chapter 7 of her book El Hombre de Villa Tevere, Pilar Urbano records: José Orlandis recalls that in September 1939 (…), “I was alone with the Father in his office and without my asking him anything, he confided to me, ‘This morning I offered [...]
Tags: Opus Dei, Politics, Franco

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What did Father Josemaria say about the reprisals carried out by Franco’s followers during the Spanish Civil War?

All of the people who talked to hime, stress that his approach was a very unusual one at the time. Whenever the subject of war and war-related violence and atrocities came up, he always talked about forgiveness, and advised people to avoid revenge and seek [...]
Tags: Opus Dei, Politics

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Why Burgos?

After getting through the Pyrenees mountains and arriving in Andorra at the end of 1937, Father Josemaria went via France to Pamplona, in the opposite zone of Spain. There, after brief stay, he decided to go to Burgos, where he lived from January 8, 1938 [...]
Tags: Spanish Civil War, History, Freedom, Opus Dei, Politics

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What was Father Josemaria Escriva’s reaction to the attempted military coup of July 18, 1936?

Like most people in Spain, Father Josemaria knew nothing about the military conspiracy against the Republican Government which culminated in the attempted coup on July 18, 1936. The rebellion took him by surprise, and he immediately had to go into hiding as his life was [...]
Tags: Spanish Civil War, History, Freedom, Opus Dei, Politics, Franco

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What was Father Josemaria Escriva’s attitude towards the Second Spanish Republic?

Like many other people in Spain at the time, Father Josemaria initially had high hopes of the Second Spanish Republic, because it seemed to offer a remedy for the serious social problems of the day. However, also like many others, he was soon disillusioned as [...]
Tags: Spanish Civil War, History, Freedom, Politics

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1934: Revolution in Spain

- Revolution in Spain - DIY at DYA - Opus Dei and the DYA Academy: criticisms and relations with the Spanish hierarchy - New Members Revolution in Spain The immediate political roots of the October 1934 uprising in Spain are found in the elections held in the fall of 1933. [...]
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

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1931-1932: The Second Spanish Republic and Spanish anticlericalism

- The coming of the Second Republic, 1931 - Spanish anti-clericalism - The The burning of convents - Anti-clerical legislation of the Provisional Government - The Constituent Assembly and the Constitution - Father Josemaria’s reaction to growing anti-clericalism - Stoning with Hail Marys - From the Foundation for the sick to [...]
Tags: Alvaro del Portillo, Suffering, Sickness, Spanish Civil War, History, Madrid, Poverty, Politics, Women, Juan Jimenez Vargas, Maria Ignacia, Opus Dei members, Anti-clericalism, Spanish history

The adventure of freedom

St Josemaria’s teachings on freedom, says Moira Walsh, show how freedom combines with responsibility, real love, and respect for others, in bringing up children, in politics, and in daily living.
Tags: Formation, Freedom, Politics, Responsibility, Upbringing, family

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The influence of Opus Dei in Spain

Some people, precisely because of the presence of laymen of Opus Dei in influential positions in Spanish society [in 1967], speak of the influence of Opus Dei in Spain. Can you explain what this influence is? Opus Dei’s influence in civil society is not of a [...]
Tags: Apostolate, Citizenship, Opus Dei, Politics