Josemaria Escriva and the Origins of Opus Dei, by William Keenan

Saint Josemaria Escriva and the Origins of Opus Dei. St Josemaría Escrivá, canonized by Pope John Paul II in October 2002, was born in 1902 in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees. His inspiration has now spread throughout the world and this new compelling biography, covering the early years of the life of St Josemaría, reads like a thriller, however, it is more than a breathtaking adventure. Here is the story of a fugitive priest at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War who was caught up in the bloodbath of the religious persecution in which bishops, priests and nuns were slaughtered. Amongst the chaos and horror there are vivid glimpses into the soul of a man striving for sanctity in a world that has gone mad. All the while, St Josemaría, after receiving a vision from God, was slowly, but surely, spreading one of the most important spiritual messages for our time: that holiness is not just for priests and nuns, but for everyone. For an ordinary man or woman a way to holiness can be found through daily work and the everyday duties of a Christian. A major contributor to the rediscovery of the apostolate of the laity in the Church, this is the fascinating story of his work and the founding of Opus Dei in 1928.