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Christian customs

Novena to the Holy Spirit

The Novena to the Holy Spirit is a long-standing custom through which the Church encourages the faithful to prepare for the descent of the Holy Spirit in the best possible way. Some prayers to the Holy Spirit, in preparation for Pentecost, are downloadable here in PDF and EPUB format.

Foreword by Scott Hahn

Is Holiness for Everyone?

A new book by Eric Sammons asks, and answers this question. Read an excerpt from the Foreword by Scott Hahn, and some questions-and-answers with the author. "When Catholics hear mention of St. Josemaría, too many think, “Oh, he’s the Opus Dei saint,” and then relegate his life and teachings as applicable only to Opus Dei members. What a shame. As you will see in Holiness for Everyone, St. Josemaría developed over many years of work and prayer among laypeople a spirituality whose goal is the sanctity of everyone."

Readers write

I asked him for three things

I am thanking God for favors received through the intercession of St Josemaria Escriva. I asked him that everything would go well during my pregnancy and giving birth, and that there wouldn’t be any problems. Everything did go well, thank God...

The Ascension of Our Lord

A great task awaits us

"The feast of our Lord’s ascension also reminds us of another fact. The same Christ, who encourages us to carry out our task in the world, awaits us in heaven as well." Download here the Homily "The Ascension of Our Lord" by St Josemaria

Interview

About Personal Prelatures

Personal prelatures are in the news again – a good opportunity for Fr Eduardo Baura, Professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross,to elucidate the nature of personal prelatures in the Catholic Church.

Baytree Centre, London

A bright light on the Brixton Road

Lambeth is one of London’s most deprived and troubled areas and it’s also the home of the Baytree Centre, where for 20 years now 1,000s of women and girls who are local residents yet come from all over the globe, have been receiving help with a host of skills ranging from literacy and numeracy to parenting and ballet!

Opus Dei

Personal Prelature

Personal prelatures are institutions belonging to the hierarchical structure of the Church. Opus Dei was established by John Paul II as a personal prelature of international scope. The document effecting this was the apostolic constitution Ut sit, of 28 November 1982

Metro Achievement Center, Chicago

A Legacy of St. Josemaría

Metro is one example among many social initiatives inspired by St. Josemaría Escrivá where people with limited access to economic and educational opportunities receive academic support and an encouragement for their Christian life.

In the News

2012 Holds Multiple Anniversaries for Opus Dei

The beginning of each of the past 3 decades has brought about a significant event for Opus Dei: as a personal prelature and the 10th anniversary of St. Josemaria’s canonization. Opus Dei's mission is to promote holiness among laypeople as they go about their daily work.

Accounts

Sonsoles, May 1935: Why the pilgrimage?

The shrine of Sonsoles in Avila, Spain, was the setting for an event in the history of St Josemaria and Opus Dei, the “May pilgrimage”. How did this custom first take root in Opus Dei? A study published in Studia et Documenta

Testimonies

A book I’ll never forget

In Life and Living, a magazine for the elderly, readers wrote describing “the book I’ll never forget”. Esther, 86, wrote about The Way by Josemaria Escriva.