Opus Dei
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1928
2 October
During a retreat in Madrid, Josemaría Escrivá saw that God was calling him to found for all classpeople a way of sanctification of the professional workand of the ordinary duties of life. The name "Opus Dei" came later. Although he began to use it at the beginning of the 1930s, from the very beginning he spoke of the Work of God in his notes and in his conversations about what God was asking of him.
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1930
14 February
Also in Madrid, while he was celebrating Mass, God made him understand that Opus Dei was also addressed to women.
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1933
DYA Academy
The DYA Academy, the first Opus Dei centre specifically for students, opens, offering classes in law and architecture.
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1934
DYA becomes a university residency program. From there, the founder and the first members offer Christian trainingand spread the message of Opus Dei among young people. An important part of this work is the catechesisand the care of the poor and sick in the extreme neighbourhoods of Madrid. Consideraciones espirituales, the forerunner of The Way, is published in Cuenca.
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1936
Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War. The Catholic Church was persecuted and, in order to save his life, Josemaría Escrivá had to take refuge in various places. Circumstances imposed failhis plans to extend the apostolic work of Opus Dei to other countries.
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1937
Crossing the Pyrenees
The founder and some faithful of Opus Dei cross the Pyrenees via Andorra and enter the area of Spain where the Church is free.
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1938
Burgos
Recommencement of the apostolic workfrom the city of Burgos.
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1939
It returns to Madrid. Opus Dei expands to other Spanish cities. The outbreak of the Second World War prevents the beginning of Opus Dei in other countries.
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1941
19 March
The Bishop of Madrid, Leopoldo Eijo Garay, grants Opus Dei its first diocesan approval.
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1943
14 February
During the Mass, Josemaría Escrivá sees a juridical solution that will allow the ordination of Opus Dei priests: the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.
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1944
25 June
The Bishop of Madrid ordains three faithful of Opus Dei to the priesthood: Álvaro del Portillo, José María Hernández de Garnica and José Luis Múzquiz.
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1945
Expansion in Europe and America
Beginning of Opus Dei's expansion in Europe and America.
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1946
Transfer to Rome
The founder of Opus Dei moved to Rome, where he spent long periods of time alternating with Madrid. In the following years he travelled from Rome to prepare the establishment of Opus Dei's work in different countries.
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1947
24 February
The Holy See grants the first pontifical approval to Opus Dei.
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1948
29 June
The founder erects the Roman high schoolof the Holy Cross. Since then, many faithful of Opus Dei have received a solid spiritual and pastoral education at trainingand at the same time have attended programs of studyin various Roman pontifical athenaeums.
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1950
16 June
Pius XII gives the approval finalof Opus Dei, which allows married people to join Opus Dei and priests of the secular clergy of the dioceses to join the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross Admissions Office.
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1952
The Estudio General de Navarra
Creation in Pamplona (Spain) of the Estudio General de Navarra, which later became the University of Navarra.
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1953
12 December
Establishment of the Roman high schoolof Santa Maria, which provides an intense spiritual, theological and apostolic trainingto women of Opus Dei from all over the world.
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1957
Prelature of Yauyos
The Holy See entrusts the Prelature of Yauyos in Peru to Opus Dei.
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1958 onwards
Expansion in Asia and Africa
Opus Dei begins to expand in Asia and Africa.
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1965
21 November
Paul VI inaugurates the Elis Centre, an initiative for the professional trainingof young people, located on the outskirts of Rome, with a parish that the Holy See entrusts to Opus Dei.
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1969
congressExtraordinary General
congressThe General Council of Opus Dei in Rome to study its transformation into a prelature staff, a juridical figure foreseen by the Second Vatican Council and appropriate to the pastoral phenomenon of Opus Dei.
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1970
Travel to Mexico
The founder of Opus Dei travels to Mexico. He went to pray for nine days at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In several large gatherings he gave an intense Christian catechesis.
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1972
Travel in Spain and Portugal
St. Josemaría travels through Spain and Portugal on a two-month trip to catechesis.
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1974
Journey through South America
Trip of catechesisof the founder of Opus Dei to six South American countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.
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1975
Travel to Venezuela and Guatemala
Trip of catechesisof the founder of Opus Dei to Venezuela and Guatemala.
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1975
26 June
Josemaría Escrivá dies in Rome. At that time some 60,000 people belonged to Opus Dei.
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1975
Torreciudad
Inauguration of the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Torreciudad (Huesca, Spain).
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1975
15 September
Alvaro del Portillo is chosen to succeed the founder of Opus Dei.
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1982
28 November
John Paul II erected Opus Dei as a Prelature staff, a juridical figure appropriate to its theological and pastoral nature, and appointed Álvaro del Portillo as prelate.
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1983
19 March
Execution of the bull erecting Opus Dei as a Prelature staff.
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1985
Roman Academic Centre of the Holy Cross
The Roman Academic Centre of the Holy Cross is founded in Rome, which in 1998 becomes the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
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1991
6 January
John Paul II ordains Bishop del Portillo, prelate of Opus Dei.
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1992
17 May
Beatification of Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer at placeof St. Peter's (Rome).
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1994
23 March
Bishop Alvaro del Portillo dies in Rome. Alvaro del Portillo died in Rome, a few hours after returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
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1994
20 April
John Paul II appoints Javier Echevarría as Prelate of Opus Dei, confirming the election made at the elective General Meeting held in Rome, congress.
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1995
6 January
Bishop Echevarría is ordained bishop by John Paul II.
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2002
6 October
John Paul II canonises Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer in St. Peter's place(Rome).
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2003
Arrival in Slovenia and Croatia
In both countries, the work of Opus Dei began on a stable basis in 2003.
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2004
Work begins in Latvia
Some faithful of Opus Dei-priests and laity-of various nationalities reside in Riga, the capital of Latvia, where they have moved to begin the Prelature's stable apostolic work in the country.
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2007
Expansion in Russia
Ten years ago, José Antonio Senovilla received the assignment to be the Vicar of Opus Dei in Russia, and to work from there in Ukraine.
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2009
Work begins in Romania, Indonesia and Korea
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2011
First arrivals in Sri Lanka
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2014
27 September
Beatification of Alvaro del Portillo
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2016
12 December
Bishop Javier Echevarría dies in Rome.
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2017
January 23rd
After the conclusion of the third elective congress of the Prelature, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Fernando Ocáriz as Prelate of Opus Dei.
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2019
18 May
Guadalupe Ortiz de Landázuri was beatified.
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2021
Territorial reorganization of districts
The territorial reorganization of the circumscriptions of the Prelature of Opus Dei begins, defining 31 circumscriptions.
bibliographyrelated to Opus Dei
Ernst. Burkhart, Javier López Díaz
Ernst. Burkhart, Javier López Díaz
Ernst. Burkhart, Javier López Díaz
The sanctification of work, Madrid, Palabra, 2001.
Pedro Rodríguez, Fernando Ocáriz and José Luis Illanes
Lucas F. Mateo-Seco and Rafael Rodríguez-Ocaña
Sacerdotes en el Opus Dei: Secularidad, vocación y ministerio, Pamplona, Eunsa, 1994.
Fernando Ocáriz and Ignacio de Celaya
Vivir como hijos de Dios: programs of studyon Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, Pamplona, Eunsa, 1993.
Vocación, work, Contemplación, Pamplona, Eunsa, 1987.
Mons. Escrivá de Balaguer and Opus Dei. On the 50th anniversary of its foundation, Pamplona, 1985.
Valentín Gómez-Iglesias Casal, Antonio Viana and Jorge Miras
Opus Dei, Prelature staff. The Apostolic Constitution "Ut sit", Pamplona, Navarra Gráfica, 2000.
Amadeo de Fuenmayor, Valentín Gómez-Iglesias and José Luis Illanes
El pathwayjurídico del Opus Dei: historia y defensa de un carisma, Pamplona, Eunsa, 1990.
International expansion of Opus Dei
Year of the beginning of Opus Dei's stable work in various countries:
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1945 Portugal
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1946 Italy / Great Britain
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1949 Mexico / United States
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1951 Colombia / Venezuela
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1952 Germany
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1953 Guatemala / Peru
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1954 Ecuador
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1956 Uruguay / Switzerland
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1958 Japan / Kenya / El Salvador
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1959 Costa Rica
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1960 Netherlands
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1962 Paraguay
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1963 Australia
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1964 Philippines
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1969 Puerto Rico
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1978 Bolivia
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1981 Hong Kong
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1982 Singapore / Trinidad and Tobago
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1984 Sweden
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1985 Taiwan
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1987 Finland
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1989 Macao / New Zealand / Poland
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1990 Hungary / Czech Republic
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1992 Nicaragua
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1993 India and Israel
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1994 Lithuania
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1997 Kazakhstan
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1998 South Africa
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2003 Slovenia / Croatia
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2004 Latvia
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2007 Russia
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2008 Indonesia
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2009 South Korea / Romania
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2011 Sri Lanka