Romana

St. Josemaría Parish (Valencia, Spain): Assistance for Campanar Fire victims

On February 22, a fourteen-story building in the Campanar neighborhood of Valencia suffered a devastating fire that left ten people dead and fifteen injured. Through various civil and religious organizations, the city mobilized to assist the families who had to leave their homes.

In the parish of St. Josemaría, located in the nearby neighborhood of Sant Pau and staffed by priests of Opus Dei, the WhatsApp group Voluntarios San Josemaría was quickly formed: “Anyone who can come this afternoon to organize boxes will be welcome. A truck from the city has just picked up the almost 400 blankets that we had collected.” This was the message sent out by Mavi, the woman organizing the group, to its 70 members. Many people had arrived at the parish from the first moment with donations that were filling the large garage of the social center attached to the parish, and even more people continued to arrive in the following hours. The donations were quickly placed into vehicles and distributed among the hundreds of neighbors who had lost their homes.

“When these emergencies happen, the response is surprising,” Alvaro Koppers, head of the parish scout group, told the Madrid magazine Alfa y Omega. He said he had asked for and received help from all the scouts in Valencia,.

First Be Do Care Meeting of the France-Belgium Region

On March 23, about fifty women from different parts of France and Belgium gathered at the headquarters of the École du Service à la Personne in Paris to foster dialogue, listening and reflection that would contribute to making social concerns a personal and collective part of the life and apostolate of the faithful of the Prelature in the Franco-Belgian region.

With the upcoming centenary of Opus Dei on the horizon, the meeting thus takes up the challenge that the Prelate launched in September 2022 in Rome, in the framework of a meeting of social entrepreneurs from all over the world whose activity is inspired by the message of St. Josemaría.

Centro Educativo Altair: Talk by a Young Man with Down Syndrome to High School Students (Seville, Spain)

On March 14, the first and second year high school students at Altair school attended a talk by Fernando, a young man with Down syndrome, who told them about his daily life and his work in a cafeteria on Avenida de la Constitución. Fernando spends two weekends a month in a supervised apartment, where the residents do the shopping, cook, etc., under the supervision of a monitor. The aim is to help them to integrate into society and live as independently as possible.

As part of the event, information was provided about Corriendown, a solidarity race that would be held a week later (on March 21, World Down Syndrome Day) to benefit the Seville Down Syndrome Association.

The talk was an opportunity for Altair students to become aware of the need for inclusion and integration of these people and all those who have some kind of disability.

Fondazione Oikia: Learning to Care for People (Castelgandolfo, Italy)

Organized by the Fondazione Oikia, a conference for care professionals was held in Castelgandolfo, a few kilometers from Rome, from January 26 to 28. Women from various professions (doctors, physiotherapists, nurses, teachers, cooks, family assistants, administrative assistants, etc.) took part in the meeting, whose title was “Custodire la gente, avendo cura di ogni persona” (Taking care of people, taking care of each person).

The sessions were opened by sociologist Federica Colzani, president of an association active in the training of family caregivers and in the development of social advancement projects. She focused on the issue of caring for people from a relational point of view. Chiara Mastroianni, a nurse in a palliative care unit and mother of four children, invited the women to go out to encounter people who are lonely, of whom we often glimpse only the tip of the iceberg. Another talk that was also very well received was given by Paola Binetti, neuropsychiatrist, professor at the Campus Biomedico University and a strong promoter of family-friendly policies, especially in benefit of the most disadvantaged sectors of society.

In addition to the talks and working panels, there was also time for personal testimonies and an enriching exchange of experiences.

Church of Santa María de Montalegre (Barcelona, Spain): Talk by Auxiliary Bishop Javier Vilanova

“Hopeful Signs in the Diocese of Barcelona” was the title of the talk given on January 23 by Auxiliary Bishop Javier Vilanova in the assembly hall of Santa Maria de Montalegre, a church in the center of the Catalan capital whose pastoral care is entrusted to Opus Dei. Bishop Vilanova was introduced by Daniel Arasa, president of the Plataforma per la Família, an organization that assists in the organization of conferences in Montalegre.

In his talk, Vilanova spoke about some encouraging signs in the archdiocese of Barcelona, such as the recent Inspira congress for “parishes reaching out,” youth vocational discernment retreats, projects in family and social pastoral ministry, etc. But he stressed that “for these hopeful signs, for these green shoots to bear fruit, we are called to trust, to have faith, to work and to be grateful. It all depends on God. He is the one who gives the seed and the growth. Our job is to prepare the ground.”

In a secularized society like today’s, “people want to foster human values, but often they don’t want the source from which these values stem, which in many aspects is the Christian faith.” And he added: “It is in our hands that these values become real again.”

Spreading the faith, he said, is not a matter of pastoral plans, organizational structures or new techniques, but rather of returning to the origins with renewed enthusiasm. “Christians are called to reflect in the world God’s look of love. We need to make others envious when they see that we Christians are happy and joyful people.” We need to be men and women who evangelize because we personally live what we believe, he said. Before preaching the Gospel, “it first must be lived.”

The future passes through the life of parishes, Bishop Vilanova said, “because they are a community of communities.” He also stressed the need to foster the identity of the different ecclesial groups, while encouraging everyone to live their own charism in a non-self-referential way: that is, “with a global vision of the Church, in an atmosphere of communion, accepting and welcoming diversity, trusting in the Holy Spirit, who wants to create a work of art.”

Serving the Aeta Indigenous Community (Zambales, Philippines)

In Zambales province, the life of the indigenous Aeta community is filled with many hardships, which became even more burdensome during the scourge of Covid. Veronica “Bett” Esposo Ramirez, a professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UAP) who lives nearby and saw how impoverished their life was, decided to try to do something about it.

With the help of the Philippine Nurses Association of America and the social fund of a private company, in 2021 and 2022 she organized the installation of dozens of water pumps and solar panels to equip the homes of several hundred families in the community. She also oversaw that distribution of food items and material aid to those in need. In 2023, again thanks to external sponsors, the first hygienic facilities and a health center for prenatal consultations, vaccinations and basic medical care came into being.

Last year, sixteen young people connected with Opus Dei centers in Manila went to Zambales to bring food to the indigenous people, entertain the children and teach them English, thus reinforcing Bett’s initiatives.

Her husband and other relatives also assisted in setting up a training center where basic skills in reading and writing, hygiene, sewing, etc. are taught. In March 2024, new activities such as carpentry, masonry, cooking, mechanics, etc. have been incorporated into the training offered there.

The spiritual dimension is not absent from this project to help the Aeta community. For example, in the last year and a half, several dozen children have been baptized.

Work at Saint Mary Star of the Sea Church (Melbourne, Australia)

On May 9, the parishioners of Saint Mary Star of the Sea dedicated part of their time to cleaning and preparing a number of wooden slats and boards salvaged from previous uses that will be used to repair the roof. The volunteers who carried out this difficult and at times unpleasant job were thanked by the pastor and the other priests who look after the parish, entrusted to the Prelature of Opus Dei.

Francesco Angelicchio, First Italian Member of Opus Dei, as Seen by His Nephew

The journalist Fabio Angelicchio has published a biography of his uncle Francesco Angelicchio (1921-2009), the first Italian member of Opus Dei, and a priest since 1955. The title of the book is Il primo italiano dell’Opus Dei. Monsignor Francesco Angelicchio. In the weeks following the publication of the book, presentation events in various Italian cities took place.

On Wednesday, March 28, the book was presented at the Istituto Sturzo in Rome. The event was moderated by journalist Francesco Giorgino, a well-known radio and television personality. Also speaking, besides the author, were Paola Dalla Torre, professor of Communication Sciences at LUMSA (Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta, Rome), Liliana Cavani, and journalist and film critic Luigi Saitta. Liliana Cavani, a veteran filmmaker who has won numerous awards at film festivals, wrote the preface to the book. There she expresses her gratitude for the help she received from Angelicchio in one of her first film projects, back in the 1960s, and for the friendship he offered her, despite their very different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Lawyer, paratrooper in the Second World War, a worker for the Christian Democrats, a good friend of St. Josemaría and Blessed Alvaro, priest, delegate of the Italian bishops for matters related to cinema, pastor in a suburb of Rome for twenty-five years – the facets of Fr. Francesco’s life were many and varied. And in all of them one discovers the common thread of his kindness and good humor. His nephew Fabio gave several examples of the latter, which provoked loud laughter in the audience.

Fabio Angelicchio presented his book again on April 11 in Bari, at the Poggiolevante university residence, and on May 24 again in Rome, at the headquarters of the Associazione ICEF (Iniziative Culturali, Educative e Familiari). In Bari he was accompanied by the director of the residence, Michele Crudele, who lived with Fr. Francesco Angelicchio in Rome for many years, and the Archbishop Emeritus of the city, Monsignor Francesco Cacucci. In Rome, at the ICEF, taking part in the presentation were the journalist Andrea Acali and the historian Cosimo Di Fazio.

Pilgrimage to Torreciudad with Our Lady of Ngome (Johannesburg, South Africa)

The Archbishop of Johannesburg, Buti Joseph Tlhagale, presided over the pilgrimage of the parish of Mater Dolorosa, which on March 9 brought to Torreciudad an image of Our Lady of Ngome. It is the first South African image present in the collection of over 500 images of the Virgin Mary that faithful from all over the world have brought to the Aragonese sanctuary.

The trip, originally planned several years ago, had to be delayed because of Covid. Besides the stop in Torreciudad, it included visits to the Marian shrines of La Merced (Barcelona), Montserrat, El Pilar (Zaragoza) and Lourdes.

Devotion to Our Lady of Ngome began last century after apparitions to a German Benedictine nun in a mountainous area of the Kwazulu-Natal province in eastern South Africa.

Los Tilos School: Greenpower Project (Madrid, Spain)

The Sener Foundation and the Tajamar Foundation have joined forces in an agreement to promote the Greenpower project at Los Tilos School, located in the Vallecas neighborhood of Madrid.

Greenpower is an initiative that aims to awaken among high school girls an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the so-called STEM skills) through the construction of electric vehicles. The Sener Foundation has committed itself to finance a starter kit for this project worth 6,000 euros.

San Gioachimo Parish: Integration of Young immigrants (Milan, Italy)

Since 2014, the parish of San Gioachimo in Milan, staffed by priests of Opus Dei, has been running a tutoring program for Italian children and, increasingly, for immigrants from other countries. “In these ten years,” says Paolo, a volunteer, “the initiative has grown a lot, and today young people from all over the world come here to study: from Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China.” They are middle school students (13 to 15 years old), and also from the first years of secondary school, who need assistance in doing their homework.

There is no charge. Families are only asked to pay a small annual fee to cover the compulsory insurance. Most of the volunteers are young people, sometimes just out of school, but also some who are not so young (the oldest is a ninety-year-old chemical engineer). There are also people who find other ways to help. A married couple from the parish, for example, has set up a solidarity fund thanks to which several of the participants in the program have been able to buy the school supplies they needed, something that seemed impossible given their limited financial means.

As a complement to the tutoring program, which is currently held three days a week, cultural and recreational excursions are also organized to enable the students to visit sites in Milan, including museums and other places of interest.

Pause by IFFD, a Digital Platform for Education and Family Life

In April, IFFD (International Federation for Family Development) launched a digital platform that aims to be an international reference on family and education issues. Its name is Pause by IFFD.

Every two months a new module will be uploaded by experts on topics of concern to families. The first was on mental health and addictions. Personal testimonies from mothers and fathers and young people accompany the experts’ presentations. “We don’t want to share only the expert’s ideas,” explains Leticia Rodriguez, director of IFFD’s Family Enrichment division, “but also the practical solutions adopted by participants in our more than 800 courses a year. There are few universal rules when it comes to family and education. It is a prudential science that can involve many different solutions to the same problem.” In addition, Pause by IFFD will incorporate some written documents suggesting effective practices tested in different countries.

Finally, the platform also includes the content of the digital events organized by IFFD in 2022 and 2023, Love Talks 1 and 2, with over 60 talks on affectivity and sexuality and family-work integration.

IFFD provides services to numerous family, work, religious, etc. institutions. For many years now, many of the Prelature’s faithful and friends have relied on IFFD’s experience and knowledge to develop family orientation courses.

Brafa Sports School: Caritas Solidarity festival (Barcelona, Spain)

In recent years, the collaboration between Caritas and Brafa has become closer, with many practical results including giving children from families sheltered by Caritas the opportunity to practice sports. Since 2013, Cáritas and Fundació Brafa have also organized an annual family and solidarity festival. This year it was held on April 14 and brought together nearly a thousand people at the school’s facilities, located in the Nou Barris district of Barcelona.

The festival began at 10 a.m. with Holy Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, who thanked Caritas for its efforts (an institution he presides over)and Brafa for its outreach in social work. “Where there is love, God is present,” he said, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in care of the needy.

The purpose of the event is to enable families in vulnerable situations to spend a day of leisure and fun in a tranquil atmosphere. With this objective in mind, Brafa transformed its appearance that day: inflatables, a zip line and sports games soon filled the facilities with shouts of joy. Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona had about 400 people from their programs taking part, while Brafa mobilized around 460 young people from the sports school. Fathers and mothers of Brafa students, coaches and many athletes also helped out in organizing the activities. Other families contributed to the success of the festival by their participation and many others by donating to Caritas.

At day’s end, the director of Brafa, Ignasi Taló, said: “We are happy to collaborate with Cáritas by welcoming families at risk of social exclusion who send us their children so that they can play sports at Brafa. Every year we organize this festival together to help make better known the work of Cáritas and obtain financial resources for their social initiatives.” The best definition of the festival came from a mother assisted by Caritas who attended the event a few years ago. The next day she told the social worker: “It was the best day of my life here in Barcelona. It has been a long time since I was so happy.”

Catechism Classes in an Orphanage (Quezon City, Philippines)

Some students in the final year of high school who attend the means of formation at the Lantaka Youth Club in Quezon City, Metro Manila, go one day a month, accompanied by club monitors, to a home for orphaned children to teach them the catechism.

The experience has been very positive. It shows how, as St. Josemaría said, these classes benefit not only the children but also, and even more so, the catechists, who discover the joy of dedicating their time to others.

Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome): Recent Activities

Professors and students at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross have produced a series of short videos that, under the general title Imparare Roma, make known the artistic, cultural and religious treasures of the Eternal City and their relationship with the Church’s history. In less than a year a dozen videos have already been published. They can be viewed on the university’s YouTube channel: (https://www.youtube.com/santac...).

On April 10 and 11, the 28th Congress of the Faculty of Canon Law was held in the San Giovanni Paolo II Auditorium at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. On this occasion, the topic for study was penal justice in the Church. Professors from various universities (Barcelona, Cattolica of Milan, Gregoriana, Holy Cross, etc.) and lawyers and judges from some of the Church’s tribunals discussed and exchanged ideas on the protection of the rights of the victim and the legal principle of the presumption of innocence of the accused.

In collaboration with Ema-Roma (an association for giving blood), a blood donation day was organized on May 15 at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, as part of Vita Universitaria (an area of extra-academic projects organized by students), aimed at university professors, students and non-teaching staff. The blood collected was delivered by Ema-Roma to the Roman hospitals of San Filippo Neri and Santo Spirito.

Assistance to Flood victims (Porto Alegre, Brazil)

More than 100 people lost their lives in the floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul at the end of April and beginning of May. The young women who attend Porto Belo, an Opus Dei center in Porto Alegre, the state capital, mobilized to do what they could to help the needy population, for whom shelters had been improvised in sports centers, schools, etc.

In addition to bringing material of all kinds (mattresses, bedding, towels, personal hygiene supplies, medicines, flashlights, baby strollers, wheelchairs – and also cash) that they had collected directly or through social networks, they decided to help in the reconstruction of the homes of those who have lost everything, a task in which they have actively embarked once the waters have returned to their course.

Mothers in Dialogue on Mental Health in the Family (Valladolid, Spain)

On Sunday, April 14, about eighty women had a day of training and dialogue to discuss and deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by families in dealing with mental health issues, especially in the case of the most vulnerable: children and adolescents. Taking part were psychiatrists, educators, lawyers, representatives from the world of mental health associations, and also mothers, who have to deal with these problems on a daily basis in their own homes, with their children and family members.

The participants were able to share their concerns in an atmosphere that was, for many, healing and comforting. The lunch-time conversations confirmed the experience that, as several of the speakers pointed out, listening and good communication “heal.”

The psychological problems of young people, which are reflected in statistical data such as the increase in the number of suicides, received special attention in the course of the presentations and round tables that took place throughout the day, in which tools were offered to combat the various issues involved. In addition, the challenges and obstacles encountered by families with children with mental illnesses and disabilities were analyzed, and improvements and adaptations to be made by the educational system were discussed. Both speakers and participants agreed that the role of the family is key to confronting these realities.

Psychiatrist María Vicens Poveda, in charge of inaugurating the day, reflected on the role of the family and also on the crucial role of faith: “The presence of parents and an integral anthropological vision of the human being that takes into account the physical dimension, the mental dimension and the spiritual dimension of their children is key,” she said. And she added, in relation to faith, that a Christian vision of life “can reinforce other areas of formation and provide a much clearer vision of life that enables children and adolescents to have a more stable and secure life.” Jimena Martínez Quintana, adoptive mother of two young children with mental health problems, acknowledged that thanks to her faith it is a lot easier for her to take on these challenges: “Although it is a very difficult situation, I live it with great peace, as a moment of grace and dedication to others,” she said.

The conference, organized by the group Women in Dialogue, a Valladolid initiative that promotes meetings of this type, was held at the El Rincón formation and activity center in the town of Tordesillas.

Academic Assistance for Students in Need (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Three years ago, the Itaporã Cultural Center launched Projeto Pre-Vestibular Ponte, a free online initiative aimed at helping girls in Rio de Janeiro achieve their dream of going to the university by means of a direct connection (a Ponte or bridge) between public school girls and university students. It began amid the Covid crisis, when schools had to resort to distance learning and many students were falling prey to stress and discouragement. Given this situation, a group of volunteers organized by ADEC (Associação de Desenvolvimento Educativo Cultural) decided to help out, Beatriz Momesso, one of the project’s creators, explained.

Projeto Ponte is not limited to offering academic assistance to students. Besides tutoring in various school disciplines, it seeks to teach values such as resilience, perseverance and solidarity. It has also become a safe space for young women to privately express their concerns and receive emotional support. This can help them to cope with the anxiety common to this stage in life, and to develop the organizational skills needed to attain their goals.

The volunteers too have found this experience enriching. “St. Josemaría used to say that, for a modern apostle, an hour of study is an hour of prayer. These words resonate in the dedication of the volunteers who offer their time and talent to help others,” Isabela Britto, coordinator of the project, attests.

Alvaro del Portillo Social Project: Ten Years in Puente de Vallecas (Madrid, Spain)

Ten years ago, for the beatification of Alvaro del Portillo, the social work that bears his name was born. With the blessing of José Manuel Horcajo, pastor of San Ramón Nonato church in the Puente de Vallecas district of Madrid (where Blessed Alvaro had been a catechist in the 1930’s), a volunteering program was organized.

Over the years, 3,500 volunteers have provided their services at the Alvaro del Portillo social work, which annually serves some 22,000 diners. Donations from individuals and contributions from private entities covered the 140,000 euros needed to prepare and equip the new soup kitchen, in operation since 2017. Previously, a hall provided by the parish had been used. In addition, thanks to the help of the Madrid Food Bank and other entities, an average of 900 bags of food are distributed every month, benefiting 300 families.

Puente de Vallecas has a high immigrant population, many of whom come from Latin American countries. Among the volunteers there is no lack of lawyers and other professionals who provide legal assistance to the immigrants.

The Alvaro del Portillo social project has also undertaken initiatives aimed at facilitating training and job placement through courses in cooking, geriatrics, food handling and basic English, among others. Attention to families is another focus of concern, with programs for married couples, single mothers and single women, as well as family guidance provided by experts for couples undergoing difficulties. An effort is also made to assist children and young people with educational, family and economic deficiencies.

Meeting for Youth Clubs in Southwest Spain (Seville, Spain)

On Saturday, May 4, a meeting was held at San Telmo Business School (Seville) of the boards of directors of various youth clubs in Western Andalusia and Extremadura whose formation is entrusted to the Prelature of Opus Dei.

After a joint discussion of a case study entitled Navigating Change: the Management of a Youth Club, which the participants had previously studied, each board of directors presented a summary of what they considered to be their own strengths and weaknesses and the activities they carry out. Thus the experiences of all the clubs was shared: Viar, Tarfía and Arqueros (Seville), Trassierra and Alcorce (Cordoba), Puentenuevo (Badajoz), Altés (Algeciras), Andevalo (Huelva) and Gadir (with branches in Cádiz and Jerez).

Some of the communication tools that clubs commonly used to make themselves better known were also discussed: brochures, web pages, explanatory videos, etc.

The program continued with a discussion with Fr. Javier Yániz, Vicar of Opus Dei for Western Andalusia and Extremadura, in which the parents participated very actively. The main topic was the human and Christian formation given in the youth clubs. Group sessions were then held on five specific topics: the governance of the boards of directors, the formation plan for members, parent activities, ordinary activities and the promotion of the clubs. At the end, the conclusions of each committee were shared.