The Collected Letters: On the Work of St. Gabriel in Opus Dei

After the death of St Josemarí a, his successor, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, had an Audience with Pope St Paul VI. Referring to the teachings of the founder of Opus Dei, St Paul VI asked that all these be carefully collected “ because they are now already a treasure which belongs to the whole Church” .

This volume contains Letter 29, one of some 38 of a foundational nature which St Josemarí a Escrivá wrote. Although they are addressed to all members of Opus Dei, they are valuable resources for everyone in the Church.

Letter 29, dated January 9, 1959, is also designated by the first words Dei amore, and is on the work of St. Gabriel. It deals with the vocation of supernumeraries: a call to personal holiness through the sanctification of their work, their married and family life. This leads, as a consequence of personal action, to illuminating temporal realities and structures with the life and light of Christ, to contributing effectively to solving the great problems of mankind.

St.  Josemarí a  Escrivá was born in Barbastro, Spain on January 9th 1902. He was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 23 and at the age of 26, by divine inspiration  founded Opus Dei. Through his apostolic endeavors, a path within the Church was being broadened and deepened. He promoted among people of all social classes, the search for holiness and the practice of evangelization, through the sanctification  of ordinary work, in the midst  of the world and without changing one's state in life. On June 26th 1975,  St.  Josemarí a died unexpectedly in Rome in the room where he worked.Among his published works, are the following books of spirituality:  The Way, Holy Rosary, Christ is passing by, Friends of God, The way of the Cross, Furrow, The Forge,  and  In Love with the Church.St. John Paul the Great had this to say about St.  Josemarí a:"St.  Josemarí a was chosen by the Lord to announce the universal call to holiness and to point out that daily life and ordinary activities are a path to holiness. One could say that he was the saint of ordinary life."