The Life

Josemaria Escriva was a happy, naughty and funny child. Josemaria had a sister called Carmen, who was two years older than him. Their mother Doña Dolores was a housewife, and Don José worked in a shop which sold cloth and chocolate. Tags: Barbastro, The Escriva family, Footprints in the Snow

The First Years of Opus Dei

As soon as he could, Father Josemaria set up an apartment for university students to live in. This meant that he could talk to them about God and help them to be better Christians. Tags: Founding of Opus Dei, Madrid

Prayers for children

When Josemaría was very little, his mother and father taught him to pray short and simple prayers to Jesus, Mary and his Guardian Angel. Tags: Education, Children, For younger readers

Prayer

Children’s prayer through Saint Josemaría’s intercession
Dear God, Saint Josemaría loved you a lot and he also loved children. I would like to love you as much as he did and to please you always. Tags: Prayer, For younger readers

Favours

Favours granted to children by Saint Josemaría Tags: Prayer, For younger readers

The life of saint Josemaria for children

Paulina Mönckeberg

Paulina Monckeberg, author and illustrator of the book “Life and adventures of a water-wheel donkey... and his little watch-mender” tells how the book came to be written. Tags: Donkey, The Escriva family, Logroño, For younger readers

Josemaria’s Christening

On January 13, 1902, everyone in St Josemaria’s house got up early and put on their best clothes. The little family was going to gather at the baptismal font in Barbastro Cathedral that morning. Tags: Barbastro, Baptism

Our Lady’s love

The Little Watch-mender was not worried because he knew God’s will. But he was sorry to see the little boy looking so poorly, and his parents’ distress. Tags: Sickness, The Escriva family, For younger readers, Torreciudad

Fried potatoes and peppers

Pero el trabajo del Relojerico no terminaba ahí. Se diría que recién comenzaba. Al volver del colegio, Josemaría entraba corriendo a casa. Tags: Education, The Escriva family, For younger readers, Character, Discipline

Family History: Recipe for Crespillos

Every year, on the feast-day of Mrs Dolores Escrivá, Saint Josemaría’s mother, the whole family waited in joyous anticipation for the dessert they always had that day. Tags: The Escriva family, For younger readers

Carmen, Chon and Lolita

Carmen had long plaits. She was a very lovable child, kind and devout. But she was also a little bit bossy... This got her nowhere, and the minute he got the chance Josemaria pulled the ribbons off her plaits... Poor Carmen had to go and re-plait her hair for the second or third time that day. Tags: The Escriva family, Spiritual childhood, For younger readers

And finally… there was a castle!

Mr Jose Escriva was a good friend to his son Josemaria. Ever since he was very small, Mr Escriva played with him as if he had nothing else to do. Tags: The Escriva family, books, For younger readers

Best friends with Dad

In autumn the chestnut-sellers appeared. Mr Escriva used to buy a handful of hot roasted chestnuts and put them in his pocket. The minute his footsteps and the sound of the front door were heard, Josemaria rushed to greet him. Tags: books, For younger readers

Josemaria’s First Holy Communion

When he was 10, Josemaria received Jesus into his soul for the first time. It was April 23. From early in the morning his Guardian Angel had been whispering in his ear, prompting him to say the prayer he had learned beforehand to prepare for his first Holy Communion. Tags: The Escriva family, For younger readers, Holy Communion

Josemaria becomes a Priest

The long-awaited day arrived. March 28, 1925, in the church of St Charles Seminary, Josemaria, aged 23, received ordination to the priesthood. His little family, in their best clothes, witnessed the ceremony from the front bench Tags: The Escriva family, Order, For younger readers, Priesthood, Saragossa