She sewed a prayer-card into the inside of our clothes to protect us

Hayat Hassan Ali, Ethiopia

Canada, November 2, 2009

I was born in Ethiopia and have lived in Quebec since 1985. I’m the youngest daughter of a large family of 18 children.
When my brothers and sisters and I had to escape from Ethiopia because of the war, my grandmother sewed a prayer-card of Msgr Josemaria Escriva into the inside of our clothes, to protect us from danger. We felt secure on the way to the border, as we knew our friend was with us. On our long journey on foot, we were terribly thirsty but there was no drinking-water. All we could find were dirty puddles. The guide knew our devotion to our “saint” and encouraged us to kneel down and pray to him. Afterwards we came to a fork in the path, and we saw a man dressed in white waving to us from some way off, as if to say “Over here! This way!” We decided to follow him, and found ourselves standing before a stream of clean water where we could all drink. We couldn’t see any sign of the “guardian angel” who had guided us to it.

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My heart missed a beat

Fr. Masaharu Muraoka, Nagasaki, Japan

October 20, 2009

I had been a priest for thirty years when in 1980 I was appointed to a parish in Nagasaki. A fellow-priest lost no time in introducing me to a priest of Opus Dei. We met a number of times.

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Finding in God the truth about himself

Marta Brancatisano, Writer. Rome, Italy

October 15, 2009

From an early age Josemaria Escriva wrote a lot, though he had no desire to be a literary figure. His first writings were what he called ‘Catalinas.’ These are a series of short thoughts expressing an interior experience. There is no stylistic pretension or vanity. The style is that of a diary. The ideas flow spontaneously and simply. They are the ideas of a person who is searching for the thread which will lead him to find in God the truth about himself and about the purpose of his life. The genuineness of his search is impressive to any reader.

I thought holiness was only for priests and religious

Roger Bissonnette, school bus driver, Quebec, Canada

October 15, 2009

I was practicing my faith, I was going to Mass every Sunday, but never had I thought that I could seek holiness. That, I thought, is only for priests and religious people. But when my wife gave me some of Saint Josemaria’s homilies to read, I realized that I myself could be a saint. It was a great discovery.

The miracle for the canonization

From the day I was given the prayer-card, from the moment I placed myself under the intercession of Josemaria Escriva, my hands began to improve

October 5, 2009

In November 1992, when I went to the Ministry of Agriculture, the fingers of both hands were very badly affected. On the left hand it was the index, middle and ring fingers, and on the right hand mainly the index and middle fingers. In particular I had hyperkeratotic plaques and ulcers of different sizes on those three fingers of my left hand. Some of them measured up to 2 centimeters in diameter at the widest point. There were more on the back of my left hand and on the proximal phalanxes and the back of my right hand.

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I was rushing about, but I didn’t know where I was going

Silvia Mas, classics teacher, Lérida, Spain

September 29, 2009

Thanks to the example of generosity and optimism that I found in the writings of Saint Josemaria, my life took a radically new turn. I was just over sixteen. I was leading a very stressful life in a country town – I was always looking at my watch so as to get from place to place more quickly, and timing my steps to see how fast I could go. One day a question arose which made a deep impression on me: what did I hope for from life? I had no answer: I was rushing about, but I didn’t know where I was going.

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A movie of a get-together

Vickie Amulega, mother of five, teacher/tutor and home-maker, Nairobi, Kenya

September 28, 2009

It’s 6.35 p.m., I am walking home pondering what I should write. I reach the gate and as I am about to rummage in my bag for the key, it suddenly hits me – the laundry is still on the line.

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Social integration is possible through treating others as children of God

Dr Florence Oloo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs at Strathmore College, Kenya

July 18, 2009

Within the African continent, there is a great variety: tribes, cultures, religions, races, and so on. How is it possible to integrate such different people and put them to work together?

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Pope John Paul II

An apostle to the laity in modern times

June 7, 2009

“In October 2002 I had the joy of canonizing Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, the founder of Opus Dei, a zealous priest, and an apostle to the laity in modern times.”

Pope John Paul II, Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, p. 117

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An ordinary man with an extraordinary challenge

Nicole Joseph Dookie, Trinidad

June 2, 2009

Nicole Joseph Dookie was born in Trinidad, in a Christian family. Moved by the example of her husband, Jerome Dookie, she was received into the Catholic Church in March 2002, and joined Opus Dei as a Supernumerary in October that same year. At about that time she was first diagnosed with cancer, which proved to be terminal. She prepared her children, who were still very young—ranging from 3 to 11—to accept her death serenely.

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I am a Hindu by religion

Nilisha Rao, New Delhi, India

June 1, 2009

I am Indian, a Hindu by religion, and I am interested in everything transcendental. My connection with Opus Dei goes back to the beginnings of its presence in New Delhi, and has helped me in my search for my own spiritual path. Hearing about Josemaria Escriva and his mission motivated me a great deal. I have read nearly all his books: The Way, The Forge, Friends of God, etc. I have a great respect for him and I pray to God through him to grant me his blessing and help me be a better person.

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I couldn’t keep this treasure to myself

Gianni Cuccuzzella, Hairdresser. Milan, Italy

May 2, 2009

When I discovered the greatness of God’s love for me, I realized I couldn’t keep this treasure to myself: I had to share it. I’ve discovered that it is possible to seek holiness in ordinary life. By putting into practice what I hear in the classes and talks, I draw closer to our Lord and his Mother, to God the Father, to the love of the Holy Spirit, and I become a better friend to my children and the people I know.