Romana

The Torreciudad Shrine has reached its half-century mark. It was opened for worship on July 7, 1975, a few days after the death of St. Josemaría. On the fiftieth anniversary of that moment, a Mass was celebrated at the shrine, with a large congregation of the faithful in attendance. It was concelebrated by the rector, Ángel Lasheras, the episcopal vicar for pastoral care of the diocese of Barbastro-Monzón, Francisco Cabrero, the moderator of the pastoral unit of Graus, Juan Ignacio Cardona, and the vicar of Opus Dei in Catalonia, Ignasi Pujol. In the afternoon, after praying the rosary and receiving the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament, the audience attended a concert of Spanish guitar and organ performed by Guillem Pérez-Quer and Maite Aranzábal.

The bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, Bishop Ángel Pérez-Pueyo, anticipated the anniversary and presided over another Eucharist on July 5. Torreciudad, he said in his homily, “a sublime architectural complex, born from the Marian heart of St. Josemaría Escrivá, is a place where God’s grace has been poured out incessantly for half a century, welcoming pilgrims, families, priests, young people, the elderly, people of all walks of life, who find here peace, reconciliation, and the maternal gaze of Mary.” Bishop Ángel Pérez Pueyo also spoke about the need for a spirit of unity in the Church: “The strength of the Church lies in communion, in charity, in the confidence of knowing that we are children of the same Father and brothers and sisters in the same faith.” Therefore, he concluded, “today we want to renew together our commitment to continue walking in unity, in communion, valuing what unites us, without fear or suspicion, because in the Church we are all necessary, and because Our Lady of Torreciudad extends her maternal hand to us to continue making this place a spiritual home open to all.”

At the end of the Eucharist, the bishop of Barbastro presented a skullcap and a rosary given by Pope Leo XIV to be placed at the feet of Our Lady of Torreciudad as a sign of this 50th anniversary.

The day was also an act of homage and gratitude to all those who, through their prayers and work, have made this half-century of pastoral work possible through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.