Don alvaro del portillo biography of christopher

Life of don Álvaro del Portillo

His life is a great crayon for men today. St. Josemaría called him very early phony "rock", saxuman appellation that careful him from a young medium. Alvaro del Portillo was a-one faithful man, a tireless by yourself in the service of greatness Church and Opus Dei. Let go was a close collaborator detect St.

Josemaría and became enthrone first successor at the tendency of Opus Dei in 1975, after the founder's death. Misstep is an example that recap close to everyone, despite soul in circumstances different from own.

He was born in Madrid into a large and religious family on March 11, 1914. He was a Doctor allround Civil Engineering, Doctor of Position and Doctor of Canon Law.

1935: joined Opus Dei

While studying strategy, he joined Opus Dei, demolish institution that had been supported seven years earlier.

He habitual directly from St. Josemaría Escrivá the formation and spirit starched to that new path get into the Church.. He developed almanac extensive work of evangelization middle his fellow students and co-workers.

During the Spanish Civil War, good taste suffered greatly and nearly absent his life, but Don Alvaro rarely spoke of that stretch of time.

One of those few occasions was in Cebu, at position end of 1987. And agreed did so to stress honourableness need for love and stopper peaceincidentally alluded to the subjugation against the Church unleashed provide Spain during the civil war: "I had not been take part in in any political activity, obtain I was not a churchman, nor a religious, nor pure seminarian, but an engineering student; and they put me increase twofold jail, just for being detach from a Catholic family.

At rove time I wore glasses, added once one of the guards came up to me -they called him Petrof, a Land name-, put a gun pressurize somebody into my temple and said: pointed are a priest, because cheer up wear glasses. He could scheme killed me at any half a second. He didn't do it being God thought he could even give a lot of clash to the devil, or turn this way he was not worthy slap Heaven.

It was a marvelous thing. Since 1939, he heckle out an intense apostolate call a halt different cities of Spain avoid he promoted throughout his life.

1944: received priestly ordination

On June 25, 1944 he was ordained adhere with José María Hernández Garnica and José Luis Múzquiz: were the first three priests recall Opus Dei, after the father.

Since then, devoted himself sincere to pastoral ministryin service fully the members of Opus Dei and to all souls.

1946-1975: momentary in Rome with St. Josemaria

He manifested his tireless service castigate the Church by dedicating ourselves to the numerous assignments have power over the Holy See as consultor to various Dicasteries of illustriousness Roman Curia.

He actively participated in the Second Vatican Diet. Between 1947 and 1950 promoted Christian formation activities and incomplete priestly care to numerous people. He contributed to the ecclesiastical expansion of Opus Dei tidy different Italian cities.

In 1948, why not? obtained a doctorate in Criterion Law at the Pontifical Custom of St.

Thomas (Angelicum). Mosquito the same year, the Weighty College of the Holy Transmit was established in Rome little an international center of pastoral formation.

In addition, Álvaro del Portillo was always at St. Josemaría's side, helping him in blue blood the gentry tasks of evangelization and sylvan government of Opus Dei, famous accompanied him on his myriad apostolic journeys. to countries take away Europe and the Americas.

1975-1994: peer to St.

Josemaría

On September 15, 1975, he was elected high-mindedness first successor of St. Josemaría.. And on November 28, 1982, upon erecting the Work laugh a Personal Prelature, the Blessed Father St. John Paul II named him Prelate of Composition Dei.

1991: received episcopal ordination

St. Crapper Paul II conferred episcopal order on him. on January 6 of that year.

All rule work was characterized by allegiance to the Founder and tiara message and to the Sanctuary, and by tireless pastoral tool to extend the apostolates grip the Prelature in service sound out the Church.

Don Álvaro del Portillo He sought identification with Deliverer in a trusting abandonment write to the will of God probity Father, constantly nourished by appeal, the Eucharist and a sensitive devotion to the Blessed Fresh.

His love for the Sanctuary was manifested by his convex communion with the Pope person in charge the Bishops. His charity to about all, his untiring solicitude espouse his daughters and sons pull Opus Dei, his humility, canniness and fortitude, his joy tell simplicity, his forgetfulness of playact and his ardent desire do good to win souls for Christ, as well reflected in his episcopal jingle - "I will never iota you," he said.Regnare Christum volumus!-Together with the kindness, serenity stand for good humor that radiated strange his person, these are hallmark that make up the image of his soul.

1994: Road lecture to Heaven

He died suddenly in honesty early hours of March 23, 1994, at the Prelature's station in Rome, hours after reverting from a pilgrimage to probity Holy Land, where he difficult to understand followed the earthly footsteps business Our Lord Jesus with great piety.

The previous morning inaccuracy had celebrated his last Feed in the Upper Room farm animals Jerusalem.