Opus Dei members await founder’s canonization

By JOHN HIGGINS

“Saints are not people who plan and map out for themselves a way of life and perfection, and carry it out to the letter by themselves. Saints are rather people who love and trust God so much that they are willing to let God lead and direct them to wherever He wishes them to go,” said Archbishop Adam Exner, OMI, as he preached during Mass on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei.

About 600 people attended the Mass in Holy Rosary Cathedral. The archbishop was assisted by Msgr. David Monroe, Opus Dei priest Father Joseph Soria, and several other priests. Commemorative Masses for the centennial were celebrated also in Edmonton, Kingston, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City.

Archbishop Exner described Blessed Josemaria’s early family life and how he came to found Opus Dei. He described how young Josemaria suffered the loss of each of his three younger sisters before he was 12 years old. At age 15, during the winter, he noticed frozen footprints left by a discalced Carmelite monk in the snow. He said to himself “if others are capable of such sacrifice for the love of God, what about me?”

He gave up his previous dream of becoming an architect and a year later entered the seminary to study for the priesthood. Throughout his seminary years, he would pray, “May that which You want, and I do not know, come about.”

On Oct. 2, 1928, he “saw” what God wanted. It was a call to promote the universal call to holiness and apostolate among ordinary Christians through their daily lives in the world.

Archbishop Exner stressed that the first priority for the archdiocesan synod now under way must be the pursuit of holiness, “otherwise we will be wasting precious time and precious resources.”

He concluded the homily with a tribute to Blessed Josemaria, calling him “a special gift to the Church and to the world of our times,” and asking that Blessed Josemaria help us pray as he did.

There was an air of expectation at the Mass in light of Pope John Paul’s recent announcement that a second miracle attributed to Blessed Josemaria has been approved, thus opening the way for his canonization in the near future.

Photographs on display in the cathedral showed Blessed Josemaria’s characteristically friendly, welcoming expression. There were many families with young children present, and priests were kept busy hearing confessions.

After the Mass, Father Soria thanked Archbishop Exner and mentioned the great privilege he had had of not only working for 20 years with the founder in Rome, but of having Blessed Josemaria die in his arms.

Visitors came from as far away as Vancouver Island and Whistler, some having heard of the Mass only a few days beforehand. Other attendees had never encountered Opus Dei and came for the first time.