St. Josemaría Escrivá
Born: January 9, 1902
Died: June 26, 1975
Feast day: June 26
Patron saint of: Opus Dei, people with diabetes
St. Josemaría Escrivá, an esteemed Spanish priest and religious leader of the mid-20th century, is best known for founding Opus Dei, a lay spiritual organization within the Catholic Church that believes in the universal call of holiness. Escrivá ’s The Way, published in 1939, outlines his thoughts on the gospels and spirituality and serves as a basis of the now nearly 100,000-person religious group. While Opus Dei and Escrivá have been the target of criticism and scandal over the years, Pope John Paul II said Escrivá should be “counted among the great witnesses of Christianity” at his canonization in 2002. Escrivá ’s emphasis on a lay person’s call to holiness and union with God through everyday life can inspire us all to dig deeper into our own faith life.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Oficina de Información de la Prelatura del Opus Dei en España [CC BY SA 2.0]
