Friendship in the Life of St. Josemaría: The Subject of a “ colloquium ” at the Ecclesiastical Schools During Founder’s Week
Historian Pablo Pérez López described how the founder of Opus Dei lived out his friendships with various colleagues from the " seminar " and with priests throughout his life
09 | 10 | 2026
As part of Founder’s Week, organized by the University of Navarra from October 5 to 9, students, faculty, and staff from the Ecclesiastical Schools s (Theology, Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophycolloquium ) participated in a seminar with historian Pablo Pérez from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, dedicated to the priest friends of St. Josemaría—the academic center’s first “ Chancellor .” During the event, a video was shown on the meaning of friendship in St. Josemaría’s life, and afterward, Professor Pérez shared some testimonies and anecdotes from the founder’s life to discuss the friendships he maintained with fellow members of the “ seminar,” particularly in Zaragoza, and with other priests he met over the years.
speaker began his remarks with a reflection by Cicero on friendship, which he considered one of humanity’s greatest gifts. He focused particularly on its nature as a living virtue—one that is put into practice—and on the trust between friends, which allows one to offer advice and even admonish when necessary. It was a description that, as he stated, seemed to him “very complete” in capturing the nature of St. Josemaría’s friendships.
From left to right: Santiago Collado, Joaquín Sedano, Pablo Pérez, Santiago Casas, and Gregorio Guitián.
“A friend is a treasure”
Among his friends from his years at the “ seminar ” in Zaragoza, “ speaker ” mentioned Jesús López Bello, who highlighted his openness and “ attention ” toward everyone; Agustín Callejas Tello, who recalled his spirit of camaraderie, understanding, and respect for freedom; and Francisco de Paula Moreno Monforte, with whom he maintained a close friendship that lasted over the years. Despite the difficulties their relationship faced when Moreno Monforte left the priesthood, his friend himself would recall years later that “their friendship never cooled.”
He also spoke of Father Pedro Cantero Cuadrado, whom St. Josemaría met in Madrid and with whom he established a relationship of trust from their very first “ meeting .” speaker recalled how St. Josemaría encouraged him in 1931 to think about what he personally could do in the service of the Church—a conversation that, as he explained, had a significant impact on his life. He also mentioned Enrique Jiménez Arnau, a classmate at the “ programs of study ” law school, to whom he gave private Latin lessons without charging him.
In conclusion, Fr. speaker recalled some words of St. Josemaría found in *The Way*: “A friend is a treasure.” He noted that, when it came to living out friendship with others, St. Josemaría’s reference letter was the friendship he himself shared with Jesus Christ.
