Conversations With Josemaria Escriva

by Josemaría Escrivá

These interviews, given during the lifetime of Josemaria Escriva, explain the nature of Opus Dei and describe some basic aspects of its spirit and organization. The replies of Opus Dei's founder, despite the awkwardness of the inadequate juridical terminology at the time, explain its aim to spread in all spheres of society a deep awareness of the universal call to holiness and apostolate, in the fulfillment of one's ordinary professional work. Josemaria Escriva also addresses issues of family life, education, society, and the Church. Freedom of the individual, love of the Church, and his own supernatural outlook and human warmth are features that permeate these Conversations. This edition of Conversations with Josemaria Escriva is part of the The Centennial Edition set which collects together St. Josemaria Escriva's complete published works -- in honor of his canonization and the one hundredth anniversary of his birth. The set is essential for libraries and perfect for individuals seeking trustworthy guidance on how to follow Christ in every detail of their daily lives.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Catholic, Spirituality, Christianity, Nonfiction

201 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (9 January 1902 – 26 June 1975) was a Roman Catholic priest from Spain who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Saint Josemaría should be "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity."

Josemaría’s father’s textile business failed in 1915, so the family relocated to Logroño, where José found other work. It was in Logroño that Josemaría sensed his vocation for the first time. After seeing some bare footprints left in the snow by a friar who had walked that way a short time earlier, he felt that God wanted something from him, though he did not know exactly what. He thought that he could more easily discover what it was if he became a priest, so he began to prepare for the priesthood, first in Logroño and later in Saragossa. Following his father’s advice, he also studied for a law degree at the University of Saragossa. His father died in 1924 and Josemaría was left as head of the family. Ordained on March 28, 1925, he began his ministry in a rural parish, and afterwards in Saragossa.

In 1927, with the permission of his bishop, Fr. Josemaría moved to Madrid to work on his doctorate in law. There, on October 2, 1928, God showed him clearly the mission he had been hinting to him for several years; and he founded Opus Dei. From that day on he worked with all his energies to develop the foundation that God asked of him, while he continued to fulfill the various priestly responsibilities he had at that time. These brought him into daily contact with sickness and poverty in the hospitals and the poor districts of Madrid.

When the civil war broke out in 1936, Josemaría was in Madrid. The religious persecution forced him to take refuge in a variety of places. He exercised his priestly ministry in a clandestine fashion until he was finally able to leave Madrid. After escaping across the Pyrenees to southern France, he took up residence in Burgos.

At the end of the war in 1939 he returned to Madrid. In the years that followed he gave many retreats to lay people, priests, and members of religious orders. In the same year, 1939, he completed his doctorate in law.

In 1946 he took up residence in Rome. There he obtained a doctorate in theology from the Lateran University and was named consultor to two Vatican Congregations, as well as honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, and prelate of honor to His Holiness. He followed closely the preparations for the Second Vatican Council and its various sessions (1962-1965), keeping in touch with many of the council fathers. From Rome he frequently went to different countries in Europe, including Britain and Ireland, to spur on the apostolic work of Opus Dei. It was with the same objective that, between 1970 and 1975, he made long trips to Mexico, Spain, Portugal, South America, and Guatemala, holding catechetical gatherings which large numbers of men and women attended.

He died in Rome on June 26, 1975. Thousands of people, including many bishops (a third of all the bishops in the world), requested that the Holy See open his cause of beatification and canonization.

On May 17, 1992, Pope John Paul II beatified Josemaría Escrivá. He proclaimed him a saint ten years later, on October 6, 2002, in St. Peter’s Square, in Rome, before a great multitude. In his homily on that occasion, the Pope said: “Following in his footsteps, spread in society the awareness that we are called to holiness, without distinction of race, class, culture or age."

Reviews

[Václav Kubíček · Rating 5 out of 5]

The spiritual works of Saint Josemaria might partly unveil the bright intelligence of their author, but they are meant to direct its reader towards God, not the writer. Exclusively, in this set of interviews one obtains broader notion how well-educated and competent Monsignor Escrivá was.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Opus Dei before reading this book, except the crazy fanatical character in Dan Brown's book. This book compiles interviews and writings by the founder of Opus Dei, and that fictional portrayal by Brown couldn't be further from the truth. This movement and Saint Josemaria Escriva's goals are all about the holiness of the average individual -- how we are all equal, and in striving to make each thing we do, no matter how inconsequential in the world's eye, valued any God by doing it in love, with clear intent as an offering to God. I'm sure I haven't portrayed it accurately in this review. Pick up this book, read an interview or two and get a sense of the real movement of Opus Dei. Toss out all your misconceptions. Hear it from the founder's mouth.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The super synthesis of this book: a must read for Catholics, a must read for people with horrible already made judgements -or just unfounded fears- about the Opus Dei. A must read for anyone who's interested in the Opus Dei as a faithful Catholic or person of good will, a must read for universitary students, women and men with a marriage vocation in course. What the Opus Dei is and isn't, what does it promote and what it doesn't promote. And for the last time, no, the Jesuits did not not and do not, and will not hate the Opus Dei or the other way around. I am admired of Josemaría's eloquency and patience while trying to answer all these questions from the media, and that surely the journalists did not ask with malice, they seemed to be floating in the air, about whether the Opus Dei is political, an order, mason, etc.
A worthwhile, engaging read which also clarifies Josemaría's thoughts on the Vatican II which are sadly warped by some people with interests that don't seem too clear. It's uh, the second St. Josemaría book I read this year. Gonna go for more. It's a shame I had to delay the reading this much.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

his is a great book, a collection of interviews with Josemaria Escriva. The interviews were written at different time's and for different publications.

Pedro Rodriguez for Parabra
Peter Forbarth for Time Magazine
Jacques Guilleme-Brulon for Le Figaro
Tad Szulc for the New York Times
Enrico Zuppi & Antonio Fugardi for L’Osservatore della Domenica
Andres Garrigo for Gaceta Universitaria
Pilar Salcedo for Teva
And a homily given by Escriva October 8th 1967

These articles will give you a very clear view of Josemaria’s vision and mission for members of Opus Dei, for how they can sanctify work, be sanctified and sanctify others through their work.

This collection will be a great introduction to Escriva’s though and the work.

[Andrea L]

Me encantó leer las respuestas de San Josemaría a las preguntas que tantas veces nos hacen. Han pasado muchos años, y las respuestas siguen siendo las mismas: es la verdad, la verdad que vivimos.

[Jason Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is nice to see this side of St. Josemaria where he is speaking to the wider public.

[Nasbly Kalinina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro muy hermoso que nos acerca a la vida y a la obra del Padre Josemaría. Entre algunas de sus enseñanzas están las siguientes:
- No podrá hacer nunca recto uso de la inteligencia y de la libertad -para obedecer, lo mismo que para opinar- quien carezca de suficiente formación cristiana.
- Todo trabajo humano honesto, intelectual o manual, debe ser realizado por el cristiano con la mayor perfección posible: con perfección humana (competencia profesional) y con perfección cristiana (por amor a la voluntad de Dios y en servicio de los hombres)... Se eleva así el trabajo al orden de la gracia, se santifica, se convierte en obra de Dios, operatio Dei, Opus Dei.
- El trabajo... es un medio de perfección, una camino a la santidad.
- El objeto del Opus Dei ha sido siempre contribuir a que haya en medio del mundo, de las realidades y de afanes seculares, hombres y mujeres de todas las razas y condiciones sociales, que procuren amar y servir a Dios y a los demás hombres en y a través de su trabajo ordinario.

[Francesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vote: 4,50
Class: P-A1

Avevo letto questo libro di interviste forse trent'anni fa e ho avuto occasione di rileggerlo (stavolta in lingua originale) quest'estate e vi ho riscoperto tutta la freschezza del messaggio del Fondatore dell'Opus Dei con la chiarezza delle sue stesse parole.
Alcune delle domande sono certamente legate al contesto storico in cui sono state fatte, ma le risposte riescono sempre a trascendere dalle specifficità storiche e politiche per offrire un messaggio rivolto a tutto il mondo e a tutti i tempi.
Totalmente fantastica l'omelia con cui si conlude il libro, che è disponibile online (https://opusdei.org/it-it/article/ama...), e che consiglio a tutti di leggere.