Fiftieth Anniversary of St. Josemaría’s first visit to England
On August 15, a Mass was celebrated at the shrine of Our Lady of Willesden in London, in commemoration of the first visit of St. Josemaría to this church in 1958. The principal celebrant was the Regional Vicar of Opus Dei in England, Msgr. Nicholas Morrish. On Wednesday, October 8, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, celebrated the Eucharist in Westminster Cathedral on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Opus Dei and the 50th anniversary of St. Josemaría’s first visit to Great Britain. In his homily, the Cardinal said: “What is so attractive about the teaching of St. Josemaría Escrivá is that quite simply it is so familiar, because he taught and lived those realities of our Catholic faith for which we can never be sufficiently thankful: God as Father; the Church as family; Mary as Mother of all believers; all humanity as brothers and sisters, and all the baptized as God’s children.” Thanksgiving Masses for these anniversaries were also celebrated in Glasgow and Manchester.
Romana, n. 47, July-December 2008, p. 320-321.