Romana

During the summer months, the Prelate made two trips to Barcelona. The first, at the end of his stay in Asturias, was a private visit: from Oviedo he went to Barcelona to celebrate a funeral Mass for his brother José, who died in the Catalan capital a few days earlier, and to meet with his widow and other relatives. The second trip took place in August.

The funeral was celebrated on July 9 in the oratory of Santa Maria de Bonaigua. In the homily, the Prelate recalled that it was his brother Pepe who invited him to join Opus Dei: “I am sure that I owe a great part of my vocation – of my correspondence, of the discovery of my vocation, because vocation is given by God – to my brother,” he said. He quoted and commented on a verse of Pedro Salinas, “¡Qué gran víspera el mundo!” (What a great eve is the world!), in reference to ordinary life as a prelude to glory: “An eve of something very great, which is the fullness of our happiness in the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” He concluded by reading some words written to him by the Pope: “Vatican City, July 3, 2022. Dear brother, I want to convey to you the assurance of my prayer and my closeness at this time. I pray for your brother, for you, for the family. May Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin watch over you. Fraternally, Francisco.”

José Ocáriz Braña, father of eight children and professor emeritus of the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Empresa (IESE), was 91 years old at the time of his death.

Once again in Barcelona during the first week of August, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz held various get togethers with the faithful of the Prelature on the 5th, 6th and 7th. In addition, as St Josemaria had done on so many occasions when he was in Barcelona, he visited the basilica of La Merced (Our Lady of Ransom). On Sunday evening, the 7th, he returned to Rome.