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Bishop Alvaro del Portillo to be beatified in Madrid, 27th September, 2014.

Who is Bishop Alvaro del Portillo?

Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, commonly referred to as Don Alvaro, was elected successor of St. Josemaria Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, on September 15th, 1975.

 

Before that, he had assisted St Josemaría in guiding Opus Dei for almost forty years. He was the Prelate of Opus Dei until his death on March 23rd, 1994.

Brief details about him.

Born: March 11th 1914

Died: March 23rd 1994, age 80 years

Joined Opus Dei: 1935

Graduated as a Civil engineer: July 1941

Ordained priest: June 1944

Moved to Rome: 1946

Participated in 2nd Vatican Council: 1962 – 1965

What is beatification ceremony all about?

The Catholic Church has laid down an elaborate and systematic way to acknowledge its faithful, who by their lives and example have lived a life of virtue to a heroic degree. This process is led by the Congregation for the Causes for Saints, and its aim is to inspire other members of the church to live their Christian life to the full. For more details on the steps of this process, see link:

https://www.ewtn.com/johnpaul2/cause/process.asp

 

What is Don Alvaro’s connection with Strathmore University and to Kenya?

Since Strathmore University was started under the inspiration of St. Josemaria, it is what is referred to as a corporate undertaking of Opus Dei, meaning that spiritual formation in Strathmore is undertaken through the chaplaincy services.

 

The Prelate of Opus Dei is by virtue of his position, the Chancellor of universities that are corporate undertakings of Opus Dei. While he was Prelate, Don Alvaro made a trip to Nairobi, Kenya in 1989, and met the faithful of Opus Dei in various gatherings.

 

For more information on Don Alvaro, see link attached: http://www.opusdei.or.ke/sec.php?s=1395

Trip to Madrid to witness the beatification process?

For those interested in travelling to Madrid to witness the beatification ceremony, various groups are organizing the trips. Packages are varied to suit different budgets for parents, professionals and students. For more details on the trip, click here.

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