Cover of the fourth issue issue of the magazine. PHOTO:

The fourth issue of Studia et Documenta (2010), a scientific yearbook dedicated to the history of Opus Dei and its founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá, has just been published. The Issue, published by the Rome-based St. Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute, is aimed at the academic world.

Part of its contents is dedicated to a monographic topic : the initiatives promoted by Opus Dei in the field educational. Mercedes Montero, professor at the University of Navarra's School of Communication, deals with the beginnings of the first women's residency program promoted by St. Josemaría: the Zurbarán of Madrid. residency program Zurbarán de Madrid.

Constantino Ánchel, researcher of the Documentation Center and programs of study Josemaría Escrivá at the University of Navarra, offers in his article the existing documentary sources for the history of Opus Dei's first work of corporate apostolate: the DYA. residency program DYA. Ramón Pomar deals with high school Gaztelueta, an educational initiative that has inspired many others around the world. Finally, José Manuel Cerda dedicates a article to Warrane College in Sydney, the first apostolic work on Australian soil.

In the section programs of study and notes, two articles deal with the relationship between St. Josemaría and some important ecclesiastics. The first summarizes the correspondence between the founder of Opus Dei and Msgr. Juan Hervás Benet, promoter of the Cursillos in Christianity. Its author, Francisca Colomer, discovers the friendship that united these great promoters of the spiritual life of the laity. In another article, Aldo Capucci analyzes the relationship between St. Josemaría and Blessed Ildefonso Schuster, Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, an eminent figure of the Church in contemporary Italy.

John A. Gueguen offers a second part of article , already published in Studia et Documenta, on the early days of Opus Dei in Cambridge (USA), while Esteban Puig writes about the Prelature of Yauyos, in Peru. Completing this section of programs of study and Notes are biographical notes by Francisca R. Quiroga, a collaborator with the Documentation Center and programs of study Josemaría Escrivá, on Narcisa (Nisa) González Guzmán, one of the first women in Opus Dei.

Unpublished documents

In the Documentation section, where unpublished documents are published, we find two collections of letters. position One is that of St. Josemaría with Dolores Fisac (another of the first women of Opus Dei) during the Spanish Civil War, edited by Yolanda Cagigas, director of file General University. The second collection of letters, presented by Francisco Crosas, covers the epistolary relationship of the founder of Opus Dei with the Bishop of Vitoria, Msgr. Javier Lauzurica, in the years 1934-1940.

Finally, the section Notiziario(Chronicle) is dedicated to presenting the popular reception of the report of St. Josemaría in the Italian urban space. issue Its author, Aldo Capucci, reports on the considerable number of streets, squares, etc. dedicated to the founder of Opus Dei in Italian cities and towns.

This issue also offers a bibliographical section with reviews and summaries, and a new submission of the already monumental bibliographical list dedicated to the "bibliography General" on St. Josemaría and Opus Dei. The first three issues of Studia et Documenta have published exhaustive bibliographical lists on St. Josemaría up to the year 2002. This fourth issue offers the first submission of the "bibliography General on Opus Dei," which will be continued in the following volumes.