Josemaría Escrivá
Saint Josemaría Escrivá is the patron of ordinary life and of working professionals because that is precisely the message God gave him to proclaim: that holiness is not reserved for priests and monks, but is found in the faithful, loving fulfillment of one’s daily work and duties — the office desk, the kitchen, the workshop sanctified and offered to God. To carry this teaching he founded Opus Dei (“the Work of God”) in 1928, of which he is naturally patron, and wrote “The Way,” a book of short maxims that has guided millions of lay people to seek God in the midst of the world. His patronage, in short, is the universal call to holiness made concrete in the most everyday tasks.
Saint Josemaría Escrivá was a Spanish priest who founded Opus Dei in 1928, a Catholic institution that emphasizes the universal call to holiness in everyday life. Born in 1902, he taught that ordinary work and daily activities can be paths to sanctity. His book “The Way” has sold millions of copies worldwide.
