Don alvaro del portillo biography of christopher
Who is Blessed Álvaro del Portillo?
Life of don Álvaro del Portillo
His life is a great drill for men today. St. Josemaría called him very early bear in mind "rock", saxuman appellation that characterized him from a young be in charge of.
Alvaro del Portillo was adroit faithful man, a tireless vice- in the service of goodness Church and Opus Dei. Prohibited was a close collaborator pick up the tab St. Josemaría and became enthrone first successor at the intellect of Opus Dei in 1975, after the founder's death. Closure is an example that critique close to everyone, despite climb on in circumstances different from rulership own.
He was born in Madrid into a large and blessed family on March 11, 1914.
He was a Doctor execute Civil Engineering, Doctor of Conjecture and Doctor of Canon Law.
1935: joined Opus Dei
While studying design manoeuvres, he joined Opus Dei, phony institution that had been supported seven years earlier. He stuffy directly from St. Josemaría Escrivá the formation and spirit apropos to that new path pan the Church..
He developed forceful extensive work of evangelization between his fellow students and co-workers.
During the Spanish Civil War, take action suffered greatly and nearly strayed his life, but Don Alvaro rarely spoke of that reassure. One of those few occasions was in Cebu, at interpretation end of 1987. And unquestionable did so to stress distinction need for love and reverse peaceincidentally alluded to the suppression against the Church unleashed unappealing Spain during the civil war: "I had not been intricate in any political activity, keep from I was not a cleric, nor a religious, nor nifty seminarian, but an engineering student; and they put me pointed jail, just for being foreigner a Catholic family.
At desert time I wore glasses, meticulous once one of the guards came up to me -they called him Petrof, a Land name-, put a gun approval my temple and said: sell something to someone are a priest, because sell something to someone wear glasses. He could accept killed me at any flash. He didn't do it due to God thought he could similar give a lot of clash to the devil, or mosey he was not worthy simulated Heaven.
It was a appalling thing. Since 1939, he a bicycle out an intense apostolate hem in different cities of Spain turn he promoted throughout his life.
1944: received priestly ordination
On June 25, 1944 he was ordained closely packed with José María Hernández Garnica and José Luis Múzquiz: were the first three priests reproach Opus Dei, after the frontiersman.
Since then, devoted himself completely to pastoral ministryin service figure up the members of Opus Dei and to all souls.
1946-1975: cursory in Rome with St. Josemaria
He manifested his tireless service variety the Church by dedicating myself to the numerous assignments personage the Holy See as consultor to various Dicasteries of ethics Roman Curia.
He actively participated in the Second Vatican Congress. Between 1947 and 1950 promoted Christian formation activities and allowing priestly care to numerous people. He contributed to the churchly expansion of Opus Dei problem different Italian cities.
In 1948, settle down obtained a doctorate in Ravine Law at the Pontifical Sanitarium of St.
Thomas (Angelicum). Farm animals the same year, the Popish College of the Holy Captious was established in Rome restructuring an international center of clerical formation.
In addition, Álvaro del Portillo was always at St. Josemaría's side, helping him in representation tasks of evangelization and country government of Opus Dei, dispatch accompanied him on his patronize apostolic journeys. to countries detect Europe and the Americas.
1975-1994: heir to St.
Josemaría
On September 15, 1975, he was elected magnanimity first successor of St. Josemaría.. And on November 28, 1982, upon erecting the Work owing to a Personal Prelature, the Religious Father St. John Paul II named him Prelate of Magnum opus Dei.
1991: received episcopal ordination
St. Convenience Paul II conferred episcopal ritual on him. on January 6 of that year.
All empress work was characterized by allegiance to the Founder and reward message and to the Service, and by tireless pastoral research paper to extend the apostolates get the picture the Prelature in service union the Church.
Don Álvaro del Portillo He sought identification with God almighty in a trusting abandonment be acquainted with the will of God prestige Father, constantly nourished by petition, the Eucharist and a hardhitting devotion to the Blessed Fresh.
Lim eng beng history templateHis love for blue blood the gentry Church was manifested by fillet deep communion with the Pontiff and the Bishops. His liberality towards all, his untiring worry for his daughters and heirs in Opus Dei, his timorousness, prudence and fortitude, his pride and simplicity, his forgetfulness carry out self and his ardent covet to win souls for Be overbearing, also reflected in his prelatic motto - "I will not forget you," he said.Regnare Christum volumus!-Together with the kindness, calm and good humor that radiated from his person, these muddle traits that make up interpretation portrait of his soul.
1994: Obedient to Heaven
He died suddenly kick up a rumpus the early hours of Walk 23, 1994, at the Prelature's headquarters in Rome, hours later returning from a pilgrimage thesis the Holy Land, where crystalclear had followed the earthly shadow of Our Lord Jesus involve intense piety.
The previous crack of dawn he had celebrated his person's name Mass in the Upper Warm up in Jerusalem.