Romana

A statue in Caceres

On Saturday, February 14, in the Risen Christ Pastoral Center in Caceres, Spain, the blessing of a statue of St. Josemaría took place. Bishop Francisco Cerro Chaves of Coria-Caceres blessed the sculpture in a ceremony that brought together many families and that was followed by Holy Mass. The cedar wood statue was the work of the Sevillian sculptor Antonio Dubé.

Two streets named for him

Cabezo de Torres, Murcia, Spain

On March 28, the day marking the 90th anniversary of St. Josemaría’s priestly ordination, the municipal council of the Murcian community of Cabezo de Torres inaugurated a street dedicated to the founder of Opus Dei. By this gesture, the council wanted to thank St. Josemaría for “his apostolic efforts in the land of Murcia, and for fostering the Christian faith in all sectors of society,” Juan José Muñoz, the town’s mayor, said.

Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy

The city of Vibo Valentia has, since March 7, a street dedicated to St. Josemaría. The mayor, Giovanni Russo, presided over the inauguration ceremony. He was accompanied by the diocesan Archbishop Luigi Renzo and the director of the Alcantara University Residence in Catania, Aldo Capucci. Among those present were Most Rev. Vincenzo Rimedio, bishop emeritus of Lamezia Terme, and delegates from the civil and military authorities, as well as priests from the diocesan clergy and numerous citizens of Calabria.

A stained glass window in Sydney

In the Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Rouse Hill, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, a stained glass window was installed with St. Josemaría pictured against a background of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and a group of workers engaged in various

intellectual and manual professions. The newly built church was recently consecrated.

A chapel in Quinahue

On June 27, a new chapel dedicated to St. Josemaría was consecrated in Quinahue, Chile. It was constructed over the ruins of an old shrine, destroyed by the earthquake in Chile in 2010. The cure of a young man from the town, attributed to St. Josemaría, encouraged the neighborhood to work for five years on the reconstruction of the church and to name the Spanish priest as its patron. Bishop Alejandro Goic consecrated the new chapel and placed a relic of St. Josemaría in the base of the altar. During the ceremony he asked the community to especially pray to their new patron for the sanctity of bishops, priests and religious.

A new church in Burgos

On Friday, June 26th, the Archbishop of Burgos consecrated the new church for the parish of St. Josemaría Escrivá, upon the completion of the first phase of its construction. Archbishop Gil Hellin concelebrated with several priests from the diocese. He recalled that St. Josemaría often told lay people that the street was also their church: “We have to find God in daily life, in our home, in the office, on the playing fields, in the class room, etc.”