Saint Josemaría Escrivá was born on January 9, 1902. His parents raised him, his sister, and his brother in Barbastro, Spain and always taught their children to be followers of the Catholic religion.
Saint Josemaría Escrivá and his family had to move to the town of Logrono when he was just a teenager. This was due to his father’s need for a new job. Around this time in Josemaría’s life was when he realized that God intended for him to lead a religious life.
After he came to terms with his realization he decided that he had to become a priest. He also took up studies at a local university, at his father’s advice. Josemaría took the place of head of his family after his father passed away in 1924. The next year was when Saint Josemaría Escrivá was ordained a priest.
Josemaría took over a local parish and began his life as a priest. A few years later, he decided to move to Madrid and work on another degree, this time in the field of law. In Madrid, Josemaría realized what God had been intending for him to do with his life. Saint Josemaría founded the Opus Dei.
When civil war broke out in Spain, Josemaría was forced to leave. He came back after the war was to continue his work with Opus Dei, and continue earning his degree.
Josemaría was not content with his two degrees, so he moved to Rome in 1946. He was appointed as a consult to several Vatican Congregations, while he gained a degree in theology. Saint Josemaría traveled often at this point in his life. He was often traveling in attempts to expand the Opus Dei and it’s works. He went to Britain, Ireland, Portugal, South America, and Mexico, and saw great success from his efforts.
Saint Josemaría Escrivá passed away on June 26, 1975 in Rome. Pope John Paul II canonized Josemaría a saint on October 6, 2002, and his feast falls on June 26th each year.
