Josemaría Escrivá

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Image seen on the Official Prayer Card to St. Josemaria upon his canonization on 6 October 2002. On that day, Pope John Paul II called Opus Dei's founder "Saint of Ordinary Life"

Saint Josemaría Escrivá (January 9, 1902 – June 26, 1975), (also known as Jose María or Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albas) was a Spanish Catholic priest and founder of the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, popularly, Opus Dei. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II, who declared Saint Josemaria as "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity." [1] John Paul II's decree Christifideles omnes also states: "[B]y inviting Christians to seek union with God through their daily work - which confers dignity on human beings and is their lot as long as they exist on earth - his message is destined to endure as an inexhaustible source of spiritual light regardless of changing epochs and situations." [2]

1 Biography
2 Personality
3 Intercession
4 Canonization and legacy
5 Criticism
6 Further reading
7 External links

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Biography

St. Josemaria in his youth. He was described by relatives as "a normal boy with an outgoing personality"

One of the six children of José Escrivá and Dolores Alba, Josemaría Escrivá was born in the small town of Barbasto, in upper Aragon, Spain. Escrivá first felt that "he has been chosen for something," it is reported, when he saw footprints left in the snow by a monk walking barefoot.

He then decided that the best way to follow God's call is by becoming a priest. After obtaining the blessing and help of his father, he studied in both Logroño and Zaragoza and was ordained in Zaragoza on March 28, 1925. After a brief clerical appointment in a rural area he went to Madrid, the Spanish capital, in 1927 to study law. A prayerful retreat helped him to further discern what he considered to be God's will for him, and on October 2, 1928 he created Opus Dei (Latin for "Work of God") as a new lay movement through which Catholics might learn to sanctify themselves without abandoning secular life.

According to John Paul II's Christifideles omnes, a papal decree which contains a condensed biography of Escrivá, "[t]o this mission he gave himself totally. From the beginning his was a very wide-ranging apostolate in social environments of all kinds. He worked especially among the poor and the sick languishing in the slums and hospitals of Madrid."

During the Spanish Civil War, Escrivá went into hiding to escape persecution by anti-clerical elements, although he continued ministering to Catholics, potentially risking his life. When the war ended in 1939, he was able to resume his studies in Madrid and complete a doctorate in law.

The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, attached to Opus Dei, was founded in 1943, and Escrivá himself moved to Rome in 1946.

Christifideles omnes, the papal decree, states that "in 1947 and 1950, he obtained approval of Opus Dei as an institution of pontifical right. With tireless charity and operative hope he guided the development of Opus Dei throughout the world, activating a vast mobilization of lay people.... He gave life to numerous initiatives in the work of evangelization and human welfare; he fostered vocations to the priesthood and the religious life everywhere....Above all, he devoted himself tirelessly to the task of forming the members of Opus Dei."

Saint Josemaría addressing young Catholics

After earning a doctorate in theology from the Lateran University, he was appointed Consultor to two Vatican Congregations and made an honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. Pope Pius XII acknowledged Escrivá's work by making him a prelate of honor and by granting Opus Dei his official approval on June 16, 1950. After that, Escrivá worked to foster Opus Dei's work, so that when he died in 1975 Opus Dei covered five continents and had more than 60,000 members from eighty nationalities.

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Personality

John Paul II, during the thanksgiving Mass for the canonization of St. Josemaria said the following: "In the Founder of Opus Dei, there is an extraordinary love for the will of God. There exists a sure criterion of holiness: fidelity in accomplishing the divine will down to the last consequences. For each one of us the Lord has a plan, to each he entrusts a mission on earth. The saint could not even conceive of himself outside of God's plan. He lived only to achieve it. St Josemaría was chosen by the Lord to announce the universal call to holiness and to point out that daily life and ordinary activities are a path to holiness. One could say that he was the saint of ordinary life."

"Escrivá de Balaguer was a very human saint. All those who met him, whatever their culture or social status, felt he was a father, totally devoted to serving others, for he was convinced that every soul is a marvellous treasure; indeed, every person is worth all of Christ's Blood. This attitude of service is obvious in his dedication to his priestly ministry and in the magnanimity with which he launched so many works of evangelization and human advancement for the poorest persons." [3]

Dr. Viktor Frankl, Jewish psychologist and Nazi death camp survivor, author of Man's Search for Meaning, met Escrivá in Rome in 1970. Later he wrote of "the refreshing serenity which emanated from him and warmed the whole conversation", and "the unbelievable rhythm" with which his thought flowed, and finally "his amazing capacity" for getting into "immediate contact" with those he was speaking to. Frankl went on: "Escrivá evidently lived totally in the present moment, he opened out to it completely, and gave himself entirely to it." Frankl later described Escrivá as having "a real atomic bomb in his head". [4]

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Intercession

His cause for Canonization was introduced in Rome on February 19, 1981 on the strength of the apparently miraculous cure in 1976 of a rare disease, lipomatosis, suffered by Sister Concepción Boullón Rubio, whose family had prayed to Escrivá to help her. On April 9, 1990, Pope John Paul II declared that Escrivá possessed Christian virtues to a "heroic degree", and on July 6, 1991 the Board of Physicians for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints unanimously accepted the cure of Sister Rubio. A second reported miracle apparently brought about by Escrivá's intervention was ruled valid by the Congregation and approved by Pope John Paul II in December 2001.

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Canonization and legacy

During the canonization, there were 42 cardinals and 470 bishops from around the world, general superiors of many orders and religious congregations, and representatives of various Catholic groups. One-third of the world's bishops (an unprecedented number) petitioned for the canonization of Escrivá. (Messori 1997)

During the days of the canonization event, Church officials commented on the universal reach and validity of the message of the founder, echoing John Paul II's decree Christifideles Omnes on Escrivá's virtues which said that "by inviting Christians to be united to God through their daily work, which is something men will have to do and find their dignity in as long as the world lasts, the timeliness of this message is destined to endure as an inexhaustible source of spiritual light, regardless of changing epochs and situations."

St. Peter's Square on the day of St. Josemaria's canonization

John Paul II, who frequently expressed public support for Opus Dei and its work, canonized Escrivá on 6 October 2002. However, Opus Dei critics criticize Escrivá's lightning canonization. They argue that the whole process was plagued by irregularities. Kenneth Woodward, a journalist and an insider, found that the ‘Devil’s advocate’ system was bypassed and witnesses hostile to Opus were not called. Opus Dei claims that eleven critics of Escrivá’s canonization were heard, but Woodward says there was only one. The "consultors" were mainly Italian and members of Opus Dei. This stopped Escrivá’s many critical Spanish peers from upsetting the procedure. But it also broke the convention that "consultors" should be the fellow countrymen of the proposed saint. Opus argued that Escrivá was too "international" to need this. Furthermore, wealthy Opus is alleged to have pressured "hundreds" of Bishops, especially from the cash-hungry third world, to send favourable reports to Rome’s saintmakers. It is alleged that 1300 Bishops sent in glowing reports. Yet of these only 128 had personally met Escrivá. There are also allegations that Opus tightly restricted access to the Canonisation material, even within the Vatican.

On the other hand, supporters refer to Fr. Rafael Perez, an Augustinian, "one of the best experts" on canonization and who was the judge of Escrivá's Madrid Tribunal. He says that the process was fast because first, Escrivá's figure is "of the universal importance;" second, the Postulators "knew what they were doing;" third, in 1983 the procedures were simplified in order to present "models who lived in a world like ours." Fr. Flavio Cappucci, the Postulator also reported that the 6000 postulatory letters to the Vatican showed "earnestness." His team submitted 16 volumes on Escrivá's life including the published criticisms against him. The Tribunals listened to 92 witnesses, most of whom were non-members, much above the minimum. Among them were 11 ex-members. Of the 92, 66 were Spaniards who went to the Madrid court. Each one was asked 252 questions on Escrivá's life, 10 of which were based on the criticisms. Together with the investigative material, the 980 court sessions make this "the longest process to date." Perez also noted that the Tribunal's work is very rigorous and it "listens only to people who are credible" and not to those who "just want to cause harm." He also said that "money can never make a saint," but "genuine interest." Opus Dei supporters say that the other accusations including a slur against the bishops of the Catholic Church are baseless allegations which anyone can think up. Supporters also say that the attacks against the founder's beatification in 1992 have turned into acceptance and support by the time of the canonization in 2002. (Documentation Service Vol V, 3, March 1992)

Escrivá's canonization was one of the first to be processed after the 1983 Code of Canon Law streamlined the procedures for canonization, and so it moved more quickly than was typical before. Mother Teresa is on pace to be canonized even more quickly, having been beatified just 6 years after her death (Escrivá was beatified in 17 years). Even under the old procedures, the canonization of St. Therése of Lisieux made it through the process in 27 years, roughly the same as Escrivá’s.

Opus Dei's prelatic church, Our Lady of Peace, located in its central headquarters in Rome: Below the altar lie the mortal remains of St. Josemaría.

Escrivá's books, including Furrow, The Way, Christ is Passing By, and The Forge, continue to be read widely both by members of Opus Dei and by other Catholics attracted to his spirituality, which emphasises the laity's calling to daily sanctification (a message also to be found in the documents of Vatican II). Pope John Paul II made the following observation in his homily at the beatification of Escrivá:

"With supernatural intuition, Blessed Josemaría untiringly preached the universal call to holiness and apostolate. Christ calls everyone to become holy in the realities of everyday life. Hence work too is a means of personal holiness and apostolate, when it is done in union with Jesus Christ."

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Criticism

A vocal advocate in life of Catholic orthodoxy and devotion, Escrivá has attracted the attention of many critics.

He has been criticized for his attitudes towards women. On the other hand, his supporters says that through him Opus Dei have been able to raise the quality of life of many women. His biographers also refer to his utmost respect for women and his interest in improving their lot. The founding director of the Institute for Women's Studies, Prof. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Ph. D of Harvard University, says: "Opus Dei has an enviable record of educating the poor and supporting women, whether single or married, in any occupation they choose." Bishops have also been happy that Opus Dei has raised the dignity of women due to its teachings that marriage and the family are a vocation.

He has also been criticised for his enthusiasm for the practices of flagellation and mortification of the flesh: he is recorded as having whipped himself until the walls of a bathroom were splattered with blood. He once wrote: "Blessed be pain. Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain...Glorified be pain!" (The Way, #208). However, his supporters and a number of theologians think this is a healthy and holy virtue preached by Jesus Christ and St. Paul, and practised by many saints. John Paul II's Apostolic Letter on the Salvific Meaning of Suffering says: "Suffering, more than anything else, makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption" .

Accusations of right-wing tendencies, based largely on what his opponents say as Escrivá's criticisms of the crimes of Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War, are also common. Critics also point to an alleged Fascist link, saying that he was a supporter of Francisco Franco. Messori says that this is part of the black legend against Escriva and Opus Dei. Allen (2005) states that based on his research Escriva could not be said to be pro-Franco (for which he was criticized for not joining other Catholics in praising Franco) nor anti-Franco (for which he was criticized for not being pro-democracy). According to Allen, there is no statement from Escriva for or against Franco.

Escrivá's followers and some historians have emphasized his personal effort to avoid partiality in politics. Professor Peter Berglar, a German historian, asserts that Franco's falangists suspected Escrivá of "internationalism, anti-Spainism and freemasonry" and that during "the first decade of Franco's regime, Opus Dei and Escrivá were attacked with perseverance bordering on fanaticism, not by enemies but by supporters of the new Spanish state. Escrivá was even reported to the 'Tribunal for the Fight against Freemasonry.'" (Berglar, Opus Dei: Life and Works of Josemaria Escrivá 1994, p.180-181)

Although there is a letter from Escrivá to Francisco Franco which shows this supposed link, Escrivá admired Franco. He implicitly supported Francoism endorsement of National-Catholicism and the rise of Catholicism as the official religion of Spain. In the letter he also expresses some kind of Spanish patriotism. He actually said "Although alien to any political activity, I cannot help but rejoice as a priest and Spaniard" that Spain, through its Head of State, has officially accepted the law of God in accordance with the Catholic faith". However, his Catholic supporters understand that this stands for human rights, human dignity and freedom. Escrivá together with the Popes have preached that all citizens should practice patriotism and love for their country together with loving other nations.

Escrivá was legally registered as "Escriba Alba" when born. Critics say that he later changed "Escriba" (in Spanish "clerk") and added "de Balaguer y Alba" to nobilise his ancestors. For this he is portrayead as ambitious by historians: as a "mixture of misticism and ambition" (Blaye 1976:262). According to Vasquez de Prada, a writer who produced a three-volume biography of Escriva, the move has nothing to do with ambition but with fairness and loyalty to his family's real name, a loyalty which his father, Jose Escriva insisted on. The main problem is that in Spanish the letters b and v are pronounced in the same way, thus, many bureaucrats and clerics have made a mistake in transcribing the Escriva family name in some official documents throughout the generations. The addition of "de Balaguer" was also a necessity felt by many Spanish families to distinguish their family names from others with the same name but who proceed from other regions, especially if the other families have histories which are peculiar and entirely different from one's own.

Many theologians see Escrivá as a modern-day sign of contradiction, a "sign that is spoken against," like many saints and the Catholic Church itself throughout its history.

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