Romana

“Would you dare to go to Chile?” St. Josemaría asked a 29 year old Spanish priest, Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal, in 1950, suggesting the possibility of moving to Chile to start the apostolic work of Opus Dei in that country. A profile of his life, written by the priest Cristian Sahli, has this question as its title. The book was introduced on September 7 in the main auditorium of the University of the Andes.

The book covers the first steps of Opus Dei in Chile, seen through the life of Bishop Rodríguez Vidal, who was regional vicar from 1950 to 1959 and again from 1966 to 1988, the year when Saint John Paul II appointed him bishop of the diocese of Los Angeles in Chile. The publication is based on abundant written material, especially diaries and letters that the priest sent to St. Josemaría and to his parents and brothers and sisters.

The presentation of the book was attended by the vicar of the Prelature in Chile, Msgr. Sergio Boetsch, and Mónica Ruiz Tagle, one of the first faithful of Opus Dei in the country, who knew Fr. Adolfo Rodríguez personally and recounted stories about his apostolic work.

An audiovisual documentary by the Argentinean Juan Martín Ezratty was also shown. Entitled “He came to serve,” it provides accounts by 38 witnesses of Bishop Rodríguez Vidal’s service to the Church.