Christians in the encounter between faith and cultures

What does the Gospel message have to do with cultures? What light does the life of Christ offer us on this? What criteria can be deduced from this for the mission of the Church and the apostolate of Christians?

We are in the midst of a profound and vertiginous cultural change, accompanied by a great technological development and no lesser conflicts for political, economic and ideological reasons. This challenges us as Christians, called to participate in the shaping of the world, while at the same time announcing the Gospel message as a seed of light and definitive life.

In this context, we will dwell on an important message of Leo XIV on the Guadalupe event (in 2031 we will celebrate 500 years), as well as in the Pope's teachings during some pastoral visits to Roman parishes. 

Christians, Gospel and cultures

Leo XIV describes the Guadalupian event as “sign of perfect inculturation”.” of the Gospel (cfr. Message to a congress on the Guadalupan event, 5-II-2026). And he stops to explain what this inculturation consists of.

This is the the way the history of salvation has taken place, across cultures, The Covenant with the Chosen People, as recorded in the Sacred Scriptures, beginning with the Old Testament. Little by little, God manifested himself as he accompanied the vicissitudes of the People of Israel. Then, «God revealed Himself fully in Jesus Christ, in whom He not only communicates a message, but communicates Himself». And, therefore, he teaches St. John of the Cross that after Christ there is no more word to be expected, there is nothing more to be said, for everything has been said in Him (cf. Ascent of Mount Carmel, II, 22, 3-5).

It is clear that to evangelize, as the term itself expresses, is to bring the “good news” (Gospel) of salvation through Jesus. However, the proclamation of the Gospel message always takes place within a history and a concrete experience. This began with Jesus of Nazareth, in whom the Son of God took on our flesh (we speak of his "Gospel"). Encarnacion): he took on our human condition with all that it entails, also through a specific culture.

Evangelization must continue to do the same: «it follows then that the cultural reality of those who receive the proclamation cannot be ignored, and it is understood that inculturation is not a secondary concession or a mere pastoral strategy, but rather an intrinsic requirement of the mission of the Church». While it is true that the Gospel does not identify with any particular culture, it is able to permeate (illumine and purify) them with the truth and life that come from God.

«To inculturate the Gospel," explains Leo XIV, "is, from this conviction, to follow the same path that God has walked: to enter with respect and love into the concrete history of peoples so that Christ can be truly known, loved and welcomed from within their own human and cultural experience». And he observes: «this implies to assume the languages, the symbols, the ways of thinking, feeling and expressing themselves of each people, not only as external vehicles of proclamation, but as real places where grace wishes to dwell and act».

That said, he adds what inculturation “is not”: is not a «sacralization of cultures or their adoption as the decisive interpretative framework of the Gospel message»; nor is it a «relativistic accommodation or a superficial adaptation of the Christian message». It is not, therefore, a matter of «legitimizing everything culturally given or justifying practices, worldviews or structures that contradict the Gospel and the dignity of the person». This would be tantamount to «ignoring the fact that every culture - like every human reality - must be enlightened and transformed by the grace that flows from the paschal mystery of Christ».

Therefore and in condensed synthesis: «inculturation is, rather, a demanding and purifying process, by which the Gospel, while remaining integral in its truth, recognizes, discerns and assumes the semina Verbi present in the cultures, and at the same time purifies and elevates their authentic values, freeing them from that which obscures or disfigures them. These seeds of the Word, as traces of the prior action of the Spirit, find in Jesus Christ their criterion of authenticity and their fullness».

Guadalupe, a lesson in divine pedagogy

In this perspective, the Pope points out: «Saint Mary of Guadalupe is a lesson of divine pedagogy on the inculturation of salvific truth.». It does not canonize a culture, but neither does it ignore it; rather, it assumes it, purifies it and transfigures it, making it a “place” of encounter with Christ.

"The ‘Morenita’ manifests God's way of approaching his people; respectful in its point of departure, intelligible in its language and firm and delicate in leading her to the encounter with the full Truth, with the blessed Fruit of her womb».

What happened at Tepeyac, assures Pope Leo XIV, is neither a theory nor a tactic; rather, «it presents itself as a permanent criterion for discernment of the evangelizing mission of the Church, called to proclaim the True God through whom we live without imposing him, but also without diluting the radical newness of his saving presence».

Turning to the present situation, the Pope observes that today the transmission of the faith can no longer be taken for granted. We live in pluralistic societies with visions of man and life that tend to dispense with God. In this context, it is necessary «an inculturation capable of dialoguing with these complex cultural and anthropological realities, without assuming them uncritically...., The aim is to foster an adult and mature faith, sustained in demanding and often adverse contexts».

This implies that the faith should not be transmitted «as a fragmentary repetition of content or as a merely functional preparation for the sacraments, but as a true path of discipleship», so that «a living relationship with Christ may form the basis of the faith. believers capable of discernment, of giving a reason for their hope and of living the Gospel with freedom and coherence".

Pope Leo XIV concludes by restating the priority of catechesis for all ages and in all places: «Catechesis becomes an inalienable priority for all pastors (cf. CELAM, Aparecida Document, 295-300)». Catechesis -he insists- «is called to occupy a central place in the action of the Church, to accompany in a continuous and profound way the process of maturation that leads to a faith that is truly understood, assumed and lived in a personal and conscious manner., even when it means going against the current of the dominant cultural discourses».

The gaze of faith

This approach to faith is lived by Leo XIV in his own ministry, as evidenced by his pastoral visits during the past few weeks. On the second Sunday of Lent, he appeared at the parish of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Quarticciolo (Rome). In his homily (1-III-2026) he showed the power of faith starting from the journey of Abraham (cfr. Genesis 12, 1-4) and the scene of the transfiguration of Jesus (cfr. Mt 17, 1-9). 

From Abraham we learn trust in the Word of God who calls him and sometimes asks him to leave everything. We too «will cease to fear losing anything, because we will feel that we are growing in a richness that no one can rob us of». The apostles were also reluctant to go up with Jesus to Jerusalem, especially because he had announced to them that he would suffer and die there, although he would also rise again. But they were afraid, and even Peter tried to dissuade him. But Jesus encouraged them by allowing them to contemplate his Transfiguration, which dispelled the inner darkness in their hearts. «Peter becomes the spokesman for our old world and its desperate need to stop things, to control things.».

In the midst of the vicissitudes of daily life with its difficulties, darkness and discouragements - the Pope addresses the faithful of the parish - we too can count on «the pedagogy of the gaze of faith, which transforms everything into hope, spreading passion, sharing and creativity as a remedy for the many wounds of this neighborhood». 

Thirst for living water

The following Sunday, the Pope visited the Roman parish of St. Mary of the Presentation. In his homily (cf. 8-III-2026) he contemplated the Gospel passage of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4:1-42), insofar as it helps us to improve our relationship with God. 

We too have a “thirst for life and love”. Deep down, a desire for God. «We seek him like water, even without realizing it, every time we wonder about the meaning of events, every time we feel how much we miss the good we desire for ourselves and for those around us.». 

bautismo

It is in this context that we find Jesus, like the Samaritan woman. «He wants to give her this new, living water, capable of quenching every thirst and calming every restlessness, because this water flows from the heart of God, the inexhaustible fullness of all hope». And he promises her a gift from God that will make her, herself, a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. In fact, that woman accepts what Jesus offers her and becomes a missionary. 

We Christians must continue with the proposal of Jesus: a true and full just life, starting from the Eucharist. We must be «a sign of a Church that, like a mother, cares for her children, without condemning them, but rather welcoming them, listening to them and supporting them in the face of danger. Pope Leo XIV ended by encouraging those present: »Go forward in faith!«.

The face of God

A week later, the successor of Peter visited the parish of the Sacred Heart in Ponte Mammolo, where he celebrated Laetare Sunday (15-III-2026). In the current context of violent conflicts, the Pope's message was clear: «Beyond any abyss into which human beings may fall because of their sins, Christ comes to bring a stronger clarity, capable of freeing them from the blindness of evil, so that they may begin a new life».

Jesus« encounter with the man born blind (cf. 9:1-41) prompted the Pope to consider how we too must recover our sight. This »means first of all overcoming the prejudices of those who, when faced with a man who suffers, see only an outcast to be despised or a problem to be avoided, shutting themselves up in the armored tower of a selfish individualism". 

Jesus« attitude is quite different: »He looks at the blind man with love, not as an inferior being or an annoying presence, but as a beloved person in need of help. Thus, his encounter becomes an occasion for God's work to be manifested in everyone". In the miracle, Jesus reveals himself with his divine power and the blind man, on regaining his sight, becomes a witness to the light. 

In contrast, there is the blindness of those who resist accepting the miracle. And further, to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. They refuse to see the face of God as he appears before them, clinging to «the sterile security offered to them by the legalistic observance of a formal norm. Perhaps, at times,» the Pope observes, "we too can be blind in this sense, when we fail to notice others and their problems.

Leo XIV concluded with a reference to St. Augustine. In preaching to the Christians of his time, he asks what the face of God is like, to tell them that they, who are the Church, are the face of God if they live charity: «What face does love have? What form, what stature, what feet, what hands? [...] It has feet, which lead the Church; it has hands, which give to the poor; it has eyes, with which one recognizes the needy» (Commentary on the First Letter of John, 7, 10).

Full message of the Holy Father Leo XIV to the participants in the Pastoral Theological Congress on the Guadalupan event, 24.02.2026

Dear brothers and sisters:

I cordially greet you and thank you for your work of reflection on the sign of perfect inculturation that, in St. Mary of Guadalupe, the Lord wanted to give to his people. In reflecting on the inculturation of the Gospel, it is appropriate to recognize the way in which God himself has manifested himself and offered us salvation.

He wanted to reveal Himself not as an abstract entity nor as a truth imposed from outside, but by entering progressively into history and dialoguing with man's freedom. «After having spoken of old to our fathers by the Prophets, on many occasions and in various ways» (Hb 1:1), God revealed Himself fully in Jesus Christ, in whom He not only communicates a message, but communicates Himself; therefore, as St. John of the Cross teaches, after Christ there is no more word to be expected, there is nothing more to be said, for everything has been said in Him (cf. Climbing Mount Carmel, II, 22, 3-5).

Evangelization consists, above all, in making Jesus Christ present and accessible. Every action of the Church must seek to introduce the human being into a living relationship with Him, who enlightens existence, challenges freedom and opens a path of conversion, disposing us to accept the gift of faith as a response to the Love that gives meaning and sustains life in all its dimensions.

However, the proclamation of the Good News always takes place within a concrete experience. To keep this in mind is to recognize and imitate the logic of the mystery of the Incarnation, through which Christ «became flesh and dwelt among us» (Jn 1:14), assuming our human condition, with all that it entails in its temporal configuration.

It follows then that the cultural reality of those who receive the proclamation cannot be ignored and it is understood that inculturation is not a secondary concession or a mere pastoral strategy, but an intrinsic requirement of the Church's mission. As St. Paul VI pointed out, the Gospel - and therefore evangelization - is not identified with any particular culture, but is capable of permeating all of them without being subject to any one of them (Apostolic Exhortation, "The Gospel is a gift of God"). Evangelii nuntiandi, 20).

To inculturate the Gospel is, from this conviction, to follow the same path that God has traveled: to enter with respect and love into the concrete history of peoples so that Christ can be truly known, loved and welcomed from within their own human and cultural experience. This implies taking on the languages, symbols, ways of thinking, feeling and expressing oneself of each people, not only as external vehicles of proclamation, but as real places where grace wishes to dwell and act.

However, it is necessary to clarify that inculturation is not equivalent to a sacralization of cultures or to their adoption as the decisive interpretative framework of the Gospel message, nor can it be reduced to a relativistic accommodation or a superficial adaptation of the Christian message, since no culture, however valuable it may be, can be identified with Revelation without further ado or become the ultimate criterion of faith.

To legitimize everything culturally given or to justify practices, worldviews or structures that contradict the Gospel and the dignity of the person would be to ignore the fact that every culture - like every human reality - must be enlightened and transformed by the grace that flows from the paschal mystery of Christ.

Rather, inculturation is a demanding and purifying process by which the Gospel, while remaining intact in its truth, recognizes, discerns, and assumes the semina Verbi present in cultures, and at the same time purifies and elevates their authentic values, freeing them from that which obscures or disfigures them. These seeds of the Word, as traces of the prior action of the Spirit, find in Jesus Christ their criterion of authenticity and their fullness.

From this perspective, St. Mary of Guadalupe is a lesson of divine pedagogy on the inculturation of salvific truth. In her, a culture is not canonized nor are its categories absolutized, but neither are they ignored or despised: they are assumed, purified and transfigured to become a place of encounter with Christ. The Morenita manifests God's way of approaching his people; respectful in its starting point, intelligible in its language and firm and delicate in its leading to the encounter with the full Truth, with the blessed Fruit of her womb. 

In the tilma, among painted roses, The Good News enters the symbolic world of a people and makes its closeness visible, offering its novelty without violence or coercion. Thus, what happened at Tepeyac is not presented as a theory or a tactic, but as a permanent criterion for the discernment of the evangelizing mission of the Church, called to proclaim the Good News without violence or coercion. True God for whom one lives without imposing it, but also without diluting the radical novelty of its saving presence.

Today, in many regions of the American continent and the world, the transmission of the faith can no longer be taken for granted, particularly in large urban centers and in pluralistic societies marked by visions of man and life that tend to relegate God to the private sphere or to do without Him. In this context, strengthening pastoral processes requires an inculturation capable of dialoguing with these complex cultural and anthropological realities, without assuming them uncritically, in such a way as to awaken an adult and mature faith, sustained in demanding and often adverse contexts.

This implies conceiving the transmission of the faith not as a fragmentary repetition of content or as a merely functional preparation for the sacraments, but as a true path of discipleship, in which a living relationship with Christ forms believers capable of discernment, of giving a reason for their hope and of living the Gospel with freedom and coherence.

Therefore, catechesis becomes an indispensable priority for all pastors (cf. CELAM, Aparecida Document, 295-300). It is called to occupy a central place in the action of the Church, to accompany in a continuous and profound way the process of maturation that leads to a faith that is truly understood, assumed and lived in a personal and conscious way, even when this means going against the current of the dominant cultural discourses.

In this Congress, you wanted to rediscover and understand how to adequately disseminate the theological content of the Guadalupan event and, therefore, of the Gospel itself. May the example and intercession of so many holy evangelizers and pastors who faced this same challenge in their time -Toribio de Mogrovejo, Junípero Serra, Sebastián de Aparicio, Mamá Antula, José de Anchieta, Juan de Palafox, Pedro de San José de Betancur, Roque González, Mariana de Jesús, Francisco Solano, among so many others- grant you light and strength to continue the proclamation today. And may Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization, accompany and inspire every initiative towards the 500th anniversary of her apparition. From my heart I impart to you my Blessing.

Vatican City, February 5, 2026. Memorial of St. Philip of Jesus, Mexican Protomartyr.

Mr. Ramiro Pellitero IglesiasProfessor of Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra.

Published in Church and new evangelization.

The Ascension of the Lord: the triumph of Christ

The Ascension of the Lord is more than a farewell farewell; it is the crowning of Easter and the beginning of the Church's mission. Forty days after his Resurrection, Jesus ascends to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, reminding us that our final destiny is not this earth, but eternity and the joy of heaven with the Trinity.

What do we celebrate on the feast of the Ascension into heaven?

The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord commemorates the entrance of the humanity of Jesus Christ into the glory of God. As the catechism explains well in point 665: «The Ascension of Jesus Christ marks the definitive entrance of the humanity of Jesus into the heavenly dominion of God from which he is to return (cf. Acts 1:11), although in the meantime he hides it from the eyes of men (cf. Col 3:3).» This mystery constitutes the second moment of the glorification of the Son, which began with the Resurrection.

The meaning of yes to heaven

Christ does not leave the world to disengage himself from us. As he ascends to heaven with his glorious body, he takes our own nature with him. As I mentioned St. Josemaría in one of his homilies: «The Lord responds to us by ascending to heaven. Like the Apostles, we are both amazed and saddened to see him leave us.

It is not easy, in fact, to get used to the physical absence of Jesus. I am moved to remember that, in a display of love, he has gone and stayed; he has gone to Heaven and is given to us as nourishment in the Holy Host. We miss, however, his human word, his way of acting, of looking, of smiling, of doing good. We would like to look at him again, when he sits by the well, weary from the hard journey, when he weeps for Lazarus, when he prays at length, when he pities the crowd.

It has always seemed logical to me and has filled me with joy that the Most Holy Humanity of Jesus Christ ascends to the glory of the Father, but I also think that this sadness, peculiar to Ascension Day, is a sign of the love we feel for Jesus, Our Lord. He, being perfect God, became man, perfect man, flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood. How can we not miss him? Jesus is the guarantee that where He is, we will also be.

The promise of the Holy Spirit

Before leaving, Jesus leaves a clear mission to his disciples: «Go into all the world and preach the Gospel». But he does not leave them alone. The Ascension of the Lord to heaven is the necessary prelude to Pentecost. Christ ascends so that the Paraclete can come and dwell in the hearts of the faithful, allowing the Church to be, from then on, his mystical body on earth.

Strengths and spiritual keys to Ascension

To understand the magnitude of the march to heaven, we must analyze three pillars that stand out in this festivity:

  1. The exaltation of Christ: Jesus is recognized as King of the Universe. By sitting at the right hand of the Father, his power over history and time is manifested.
  2. Our citizenship in heaven: St. Paul reminds us that our true homeland is in heaven. Ascension acts as a compass that reorients our daily goals toward the eternal.
  3. The invisible presence of God: Jesus ceases to be present in a physical and limited way to be present through the Eucharist and the action of his ministers.

The members, benefactors and friends of the CARF Foundation, The priests of our parishes know that, for this presence of Christ to reach every corner of the world, the solid and integral formation of priests who strive to be saints is vital. A well-formed priest is the link that unites Christ with the faithful in parishes around the world.

When is the Ascension of the Lord celebrated?

According to the account in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (1:3-12), the Ascension occurs 40 days after Easter Sunday. Traditionally, this date falls on a Thursday. However, in the vast majority of dioceses, in order to facilitate the participation of the faithful, the liturgical celebration is moved to the following Sunday (the VII Sunday of Easter).

This time of waiting between Ascension and Pentecost is lived by the Church as an intense prayer, asking for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The tradition of the Decennial to the Holy Spirit begins ten days before (May 15) and will end on Sunday 24 with the celebration of Pentecost.

From contemplation to action

It might be common to think that the disciples remained gazing longingly at heaven, blocked, not knowing what to do. The Gospel account is clear: two angels appear to tell them: «As they were gazing into heaven, while he was going away, two men in white stood by them and said to them, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand there gazing into heaven? The same Jesus who was taken up from among you and carried up to heaven will return as you have seen him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem, from the mountain which is called the Mount of Olives, which is as far from Jerusalem as it is permitted to walk on the Sabbath.».

A few verses later, we find the reaction of Peter and the other apostles. «On one of those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (there were about one hundred and twenty people gathered together) and said, »Brethren, what the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of David, had foretold in the Scripture, must be fulfilled.'" As we read, he launches into evangelization.

For this reason, the Ascension could be considered the starting signal for the universal mission. From that moment on, the Church set out to transmit the good news to the whole world. Today, this mission continues through the work of tens of thousands of seminarians and priests, religious men and women, not forgetting all the laity, who, supported by institutions such as the CARF Foundation, They dedicate their lives to bringing the love of Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit to the geographic and existential peripheries.

The joy of return

St. Luke relates in Acts that the disciples, after seeing Jesus ascend, returned to Jerusalem with great joy. How is it possible to be joyful at such a farewell? The answer lies in faith. They knew that Christ was not abandoning them, but was inaugurating a new form of closeness. From heaven, He intercedes for us as our High and Eternal Priest.

The Christian before this mystery of heaven

According to St. Josemaría: «The feast of our Lord's Ascension also suggests another reality to us: the Christ who encourages us in this task in the world is waiting for us in heaven. In other words: life on earth, which we love, is not definitive; we do not have a permanent city here, but we are in search of a future one. (Heb XIII, 14) immutable city». (Christ is passing by, 126).

And the Ascension of the Lord could be considered a feast of priestly hope. Christ ascends to intercede for us. And the priests act on earth in persona Christi. In the CARF Foundation we are convinced that helping a seminarian or a diocesan or religious priest to be formed in Rome or Pamplona is to perpetuate the presence of Jesus, perfect God and perfect man.

Through our social networks (@fundacioncarf), we share testimonies of young people who have seen that call to go around the world to preach the Gospel. And for this they strive to prepare themselves humanly, intellectually and spiritually to be the feet and hands of Christ on earth. A theological training quality is essential for the message of Ascension to be transmitted with fidelity and ardor. The contents and articles that are published and promoted in media such as Omnes help lay and consecrated people to improve their formation.

Why is your collaboration important?

Every time a person collaborates with the CARF Foundation, he or she is participating in a metaphorical and real way in the mandate of the Ascension.

«He said to them, »It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father has set by His own authority; instead, you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit who is to come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' When he had said this, in their sight he was lifted up to heaven, until a cloud took him out of their sight.".

Not all of us can go to distant missions, but we can ensure that those who live there are prepared. The formation of a priest is an investment for the salvation of many souls of both believers and non-practicing people.

Christ's Ascension has opened the way to heaven. Our task now is to travel it with joy, sanctifying our daily work and human relationships, knowing that every small act of love brings us closer to that glory which Jesus already possesses.

Donate now

Are we looking too much to the ground, concerned only with the immediate, or do we raise our eyes hopefully to heaven? Ascension invites us to do so.

On this feast of the Ascension, we invite you to be part of the evangelizing mission of the Church. Your tax-deductible donation to the CARF Foundation enables priests from all over the world to receive the necessary education to better serve their brothers.

Blessed Álvaro del Portillo: a man faithful to the Church

The history of the 20th century could not be fully understood without figures who, through discretion and efficiency, transformed institutions and mentalities. Álvaro del Portillo (1914-1994) is one of them. Doctor of Civil Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy and Letters (History section), and Doctor of Canon Law, his life was a bridge between the rigor of technique and the humble depth of faith. This blog entry looks at some of the outstanding and essential elements of his career, marked by an unwavering loyalty to the Church, to St. Josemaría, to Opus Dei and a prodigious capacity for work: the good and faithful servant.

Álvaro, the engineer who looked at the sky

He was born in Madrid on March 11, 1914 into a family with deep Christian roots. Álvaro stood out from a young age for his brilliant intelligence and natural serenity. His initial training as a Civil engineer marked his mental structure: logical, orderly and oriented to the resolution of complex problems.

This technical mentality would be, years later, fundamental for his work in the Church. Those who lived with him in his youth emphasized his capacity for sacrifice. During the Spanish Civil War, his faith was put to the test in situations of extreme precariousness, forging a temperate character in adversity and a peace that, according to many testimonies, was contagious to those around him.

Encounter with St. Josemaría: the fidelity and solidity of a rock

In 1935, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo met St. Josemaría Escrivá. That encounter transformed his life. He became the strongest supporter of the founder of the Opus Dei, The relationship was inseparable for almost forty years.

In the biography Mission accomplished, by Hugo de Azevedo, details how Álvaro became the rock (saxum) on which St. Josemaría relied. His role was not merely that of a secretary, but that of a confidant, confessor, and necessary collaborator in spreading a revolutionary message in his time: the universal call to holiness in the midst of the world through the sanctification of professional work.

Some key points in the life of Blessed Álvaro del Portillo

A decisive role in the Second Vatican Council

Perhaps one of the milestones least known by the general public, but most valued by ecclesiastical historians, is the contribution of Blessed Álvaro del Portillo to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

His work in Rome was enormous. He was the secretary of the Commission that drafted the decree Presbyterorum Ordinis, but his influence extended to other vital documents. His ability to mediate and his profound juridical knowledge were key to articulating the role of the laity in the Church. He did not seek the limelight; his style was one of quiet effectiveness in the corridors and commissions of Vatican II, where he earned the respect of cardinals and theologians of all sensibilities in the Church.

Álvaro del Portillo junto a san Josemaría
St. Josemaría with Blessed Álvaro del Portillo.

Álvaro del Portillo's responsibilities at Vatican Council II and subsequent

During the pontificate of Pius XII he collaborated in various pontifical dicasteries and was appointed Consultor of the Sacred Congregation for Religious (1954-66). St. John XXIII appointed him consultor to the Sacred Congregation of the Council (1959-1966), and qualifier (1960) and judge (1964) of the Supreme Congregation of the Holy Office. In the stages leading up to the Second Vatican Council, he was president of the Antepreparatory Commission for the Laity and was also a member of other preparatory commissions. He was later appointed among the first one hundred experts of the Council.

In the years of development of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), he was Secretary of the Commission on the Discipline of the Clergy and the Christian People and Consultor to other Conciliar Commissions: that of Bishops, Religious, Doctrine of the Faith, etc. In 1963 he was appointed, also by John XXIII, consultant to the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law.

Later, St. Paul VI appointed him consultor to the Post-Conciliar Commission on Bishops and the Regime of Dioceses (1966), to the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1966-1983) and to the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy (1966).

St. John Paul II appointed him consultor to the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints (1982) and to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (1984) and member of the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops (1983). Since 1982, he has also been a member of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops (1983). ad honorem of the Pontifical Roman Theological Academy. He participated, at the express wish of Pope John Paul II, in the Ordinary General Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops on the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world (1987) and on the formation of priests in the present situation (1990).

Successor and faithful and creative continuity

Upon the death of St. Josemaría in 1975, Álvaro del Portillo was unanimously elected to succeed him. He faced the most difficult challenge for anyone who must lead: to succeed a charismatic figure of world stature who was already recognized in private circles as a saint.

His administration was characterized by what today could be called "faithful and creative continuity". He did not limit himself to repeating the past, but consolidated the juridical structure of Opus Dei as a Personal Prelature in 1982, a historic milestone that gave the institution a definitive place within Canon Law. During his mandate, the apostolic work was extended to twenty new countries, demonstrating a global vision and an extraordinary capacity for execution.

Photo taken in Austria at Lake Wolfgangsee (near Salzburg) in May 1955. St. Josemaría visited various Marian sites and cities in Austria and Germany accompanied by Alvaro del Portillo.

A man of peace and joy: his personality traits

The book Remembrance of Álvaro del Portillo, by Salvador Bernal, collects hundreds of testimonies that coincide in one distinctive feature: his peace. In a turbulent world, he emanated a tranquility that was not the result of the absence of problems, but of a deep inner life and joy.

The last years and the trip to the Holy Land

The end of his life was a summary of his existence. In March 1994, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Those who accompanied him remember his deep emotion when he prayed in the holy places.

He returned to Rome on March 22 and, a few hours later, in the early hours of the 23rd, he died of a heart attack. Just a few hours earlier, he had celebrated his last Holy Mass in the Church of the Cenacle in Jerusalem. It was a symbolic farewell: the engineer who had built spiritual bridges all over the world was ending his journey in the cradle of his faith.

On September 27, 2014, the beatification of Don Álvaro in Madrid was a multitudinous event that confirmed what many already knew: his life had been a "mission accomplished". And we review the homily delivered that day by Cardinal Angelo Amato.

"1. «Pastor after Christ's own heart, zealous minister of the Church.» [1]. This is the portrait that Pope Francis offers of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, a good shepherd who, like Jesus, knows and loves his sheep, leads those who are lost to the fold, binds up the wounds of the sick and offers his life for them. [2].

The new Blessed was called as a young man to follow Christ, to be later a diligent minister of the Church and to proclaim throughout the world the glorious richness of his saving mystery: «We proclaim this Christ; we admonish all, we teach all, with all the resources of wisdom, to present them all perfect in Christ.

For this reason I fight hard with his strength, which acts powerfully in me.» [3]. And this proclamation of Christ the Savior was made with absolute fidelity to the cross and, at the same time, with exemplary evangelical joy in the midst of difficulties. For this reason, the Liturgy applies to him today the words of the Apostle: «Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake: thus I complete in my flesh what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for the sake of his body, which is the Church».» [4].

Serene happiness in the face of pain and suffering is a characteristic of the saints. Moreover, the beatitudes - even the more arduous ones, such as persecutions - are nothing but a hymn to joy.

2. Blessed Alvaro lived the virtues of faith, hope and charity in a heroic way. He practiced these virtuous habits in the light of the beatitudes of meekness, mercy and purity of heart. The testimonies are unanimous. Besides standing out for his total spiritual and apostolic harmony with the holy Founder, he also distinguished himself as a figure of great humanity.

Witnesses affirm that, since he was a child, Álvaro was «a boy with a very cheerful and studious character, who never gave any trouble»; «he was affectionate, simple, cheerful, responsible, good...» [5].

He inherited from his mother, Doña Clementina, a proverbial serenity, gentleness, a smile, understanding, speaking well of others, and weight in judging. He was a true gentleman. He was not loquacious. His training as an engineer gave him the mental rigor, conciseness and precision to get to the heart of problems and solve them. He inspired respect and admiration.

3. His gentleness in his dealings went hand in hand with an exceptional spiritual richness, in which the grace of unity between interior life and untiring apostolic zeal stood out. The writer Salvador Bernal affirms that he transformed the humble prose of daily work into poetry.

He was a living example of fidelity to the Gospel, to the Church, to the Magisterium of the Pope. Whenever he went to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, he used to recite the Creed before the tomb of the Apostle and a Salve before the image of St. Mary, Mater Ecclesiae.

He shunned all personalism, because he transmitted the truth of the Gospel and the integrity of tradition, not his own opinions. Eucharistic piety, Marian devotion and veneration for the Saints nourished his spiritual life.

He kept God's presence alive with frequent ejaculatory and vocal prayers. Among the most common were: Cor Iesu Sacratissimum et Misericors, dona nobis pacem!, y Cor Mariae Dulcissimum, iter para tutum; as well as the Marian invocation: Holy Mary, our Hope, Handmaid of the Lord, Seat of Wisdom, our Hope..

4. A decisive moment in his life was the call to Opus Dei. At the age of 21, in 1935, after meeting St. Josemaría Escrivá, then a young priest of 33, he responded generously to our Lord's call to holiness and apostolate.

He had a deep sense of filial, affective and effective communion with the Holy Father. He welcomed his teaching with gratitude and made it known to all the faithful of Opus Dei. In the last years of his life, he often kissed the Prelate's ring given to him by the Pope to reaffirm his full adherence to the Roman Pontiff's wishes. In particular, he seconded his requests for prayer and fasting for peace, for Christian unity and for the evangelization of Europe.

He stood out for his prudence and rectitude in evaluating events and persons; his justice in respecting the honor and freedom of others; his fortitude in resisting physical and moral setbacks; and his temperance, lived as sobriety, interior and exterior mortification. Blessed Alvaro transmitted the good odor of Christ.bonus odor Christi- [6], which is the aroma of authentic holiness.

5. However, there is one virtue that Bishop Alvaro del Portillo lived in a particularly extraordinary way, considering it an indispensable instrument for holiness and the apostolate: the virtue of humility, which is imitation and identification with Christ, meek and humble of heart [7]. He loved the hidden life of Jesus and did not despise the simple gestures of popular devotion, such as, for example, going up on one's knees the Scala Santa in Rome.

Álvaro del Portillo at La Santa Mass of thanksgiving celebrated one day after the beatification of Josemaría Escrivá, on May 12, 1992.

A member of the Prelature, who had visited the same place but had climbed up the hill on foot, was Scala Santa, Blessed Alvaro replied with a smile, and added that he had brought her up on his knees, even though the atmosphere was somewhat stuffy because of the crowd of people and the poor ventilation. [8]. It was a great lesson in simplicity and piety.

Monsignor del Portillo was, in fact, beneficially “infected” by the behavior of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not come to the Church in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. to be served, but to serve [9]. For this reason, he often prayed and meditated on the Eucharistic hymn Adoro Te devote, latens deitas. In the same way, he considered the life of Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord.

Sometimes I remembered a phrase of Cervantes, from the Exemplary Novelswithout humility, there is no virtue that is«.» [10]. And he often recited a frequent ejaculation among the faithful of the Work: «....«Cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies" [11]; You will not despise, O God, a contrite and humbled heart.

For him, as for St. Augustine, humility was the charity home [12]. He repeated a piece of advice that the Founder of Opus Dei used to give, quoting some words of St. Joseph Calasanz: «If you want to be holy, be humble; if you want to be more holy, be more humble; if you want to be very holy, be very humble».» [13].

Nor did he forget that a donkey was Jesus“ throne at the entrance to Jerusalem. Even his fellow students, in addition to highlighting his extraordinary intelligence, emphasized his simplicity, the serene innocence of one who does not consider himself better than others. He thought that his worst enemy was pride. A witness affirms that he was ”humility in person".” [14].

His humility was not harsh, flashy, exasperated; but affectionate, joyful. His joy derived from the conviction of his low personal worth. In early 1994, the last year of his life on earth, in a meeting with his daughters, he said: «I say it to you, and I say it to myself. We have to struggle all our lives to become humble.

We have the marvelous school of humility of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Let us learn. We are going to fight against our own self that is constantly rising up like a viper, to bite. But we are safe if we are close to Jesus, who is of the lineage of Mary, and is the one who will crush the head of the serpent.» [15].

For Don Alvaro, humility was «the key that opens the door to enter the house of holiness,» while pride was the greatest obstacle to seeing and loving God. He said: «humility strips us of the ridiculous cardboard mask that presumptuous, self-conceited people wear».»[16].

Humility is the recognition of our limitations, but also of our dignity as children of God. The best praise for his humility was expressed by a woman of Opus Dei, after the death of the Founder: «Don Álvaro died, because our Father continues to live in his successor».» [17].

A cardinal testifies that when he read about humility in the Rule of St. Benedict or in the Spiritual Exercises Ignatius of Loyola, it seemed to him that he was contemplating a lofty ideal, but one that was unattainable for human beings. But when he met and got to know Blessed Alvaro, he understood that it was possible to live humility in a total way.

6. The words that Cardinal Ratzinger pronounced in 2002, on the occasion of the canonization of the Founder of Opus Dei, can be applied to the Blessed. Speaking of heroic virtue, the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said: «Heroic virtue does not exactly mean that one has accomplished great things on his own, but that in his life there appear realities that he has not done himself, because he has shown himself transparent and available for God to act [...]. This is sanctity».» [18].

This is the message that Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, «pastor according to the heart of Jesus, zealous minister of the Church», delivers to us today.» [19]. He invites us to be saints like him, living a kind, merciful, gentle, meek and humble holiness.

The Church and the world need the great spectacle of holiness to purify, with its pleasant aroma, the miasmas of the many vices flaunted with arrogant insistence.

Now more than ever we need an ecology of holiness to counteract the contamination of immorality and corruption. The saints invite us to bring into the bosom of the Church and society the pure air of God's grace, which renews the face of the earth.

May Mary, Help of Christians and Mother of Saints, help and protect us.

Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, pray for us. Amen".

Blessed Álvaro del Portillo leaves behind the legacy of a man who knew how to combine the professional excellence with a deep personal humility. His life demonstrates that it is possible to be at the center of great historical events while always keeping one's heart on the essential: service to others and fidelity to one's principles.

Pope Leo XIV prays for priests in crisis

At the beginning of Easter, the Pope Leo XIV announced its prayer intention for the month of April, dedicated to priests in crisis, opening a space for reflection on the need to care for them, listen to them and accompany them.  

Through the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network - with the support of campaign Pray with the Pope- the Holy Father invited the faithful and people of good will to pause for a moment in prayer, to recognize and deepen their awareness that behind every ministry there is a life that also needs closeness and listening.

In his prayer, the Holy Father addressed a profound plea for priests who are going through difficult times: «when loneliness weighs heavy, doubts darken the heart and weariness seems stronger than hope». Pope Leo XIV recalled that priests «are neither officials nor solitary heroes, but beloved sons, humble and beloved disciples, and shepherds sustained by the prayers of their people».

Furthermore, Pope Leo XIV stressed the importance of rediscovering the communitarian dimension of the priestly ministry. In particular, he invited the faithful to «listen without judging, thank without demanding perfection and accompany with closeness and sincere prayer,» recognizing that the care of priests is a responsibility shared by the entire People of God.

In his prayer, the Pope asked especially that priests may be able to count on «healthy friendships, networks of fraternal support» and the grace to rediscover the beauty of their vocation.

Pope Leo XIV asks to support those who sustain

The international director of the Pope's World Prayer Network, Father Cristobal Fones, noted that this prayer intention was particularly close to his heart: «The Pope reminds us that we need to fraternally support those who support. I myself feel it very closely, for so many of my fellow priests and friends who are going through difficult times. It is essential to remember the importance of human accompaniment, of sincere friendship and, above all, of prayerful support. Priests need to know that they are not alone».

In the light of the recent magisterium of the Church - from the Second Vatican Council to the teachings of recent popes - it is emphasized that the priest is a fragile man in need of mercy, closeness and understanding. 

For this reason, it is insisted that they should not face moments of discouragement alone, but allow themselves to be accompanied and sustained by the community. The priestly fraternity, the shared life and prayer of the people of God thus appear as essential sources of grace, capable of renewing their vocation and sustaining them in their daily mission.

«Do not fear your frailty: the Lord does not seek perfect priests.»

A synodal Church is also one that cares for and sustains the vocation of priests, helping them to be better pastors, better brothers, better people. Pope Francis, in The Pope's Video of July 2018, already showed his concern for his brother priests, beginning his speech with, «the weariness of priests... Do you know how often I think about that?».

On June 27, 2025, Pope Leo XIV himself, on the occasion of the Day of Priestly Sanctification, addressed priests with the words: «do not be afraid of your fragility: the Lord does not seek perfect priests, but humble hearts, available to conversion and ready to love as he himself has loved us». 

Leo XIV himself, on June 26, 2025, also appealed to the participants in the international meeting Happy priests-I call them friends (Jn 15:15), promoted by the Dicastery for the Clergy during the Jubilee of Priests, said to them: «in the heart of the Holy Year, together we want to bear witness that it is possible to be happy priests, because Christ has called us; Christ has made us his friends. (cf. Jn 15:15); it is a grace that we want to welcome with gratitude and responsibility».

The Pope's World Network of Prayer emphasizes that this intention is not only an invitation to pray, but also to act: to promote spaces for listening, to foster welcoming communities, to avoid destructive criticism, and to strengthen bonds as a community.

Priests in crisis and the mystery of vocation

The call to the vocation of the priesthood asks the man who receives it to dedicate his life to helping his brothers and sisters live closer to God.

What is a priestly vocation? Vocation is a mystery of love between God, who calls man with love, and a man who responds to him freely and out of love. However, the vocation to the priesthood is not simply a feeling. Rather, it is an inner certainty born of God's grace, which touches the soul and calls for a free response.

If God calls, the certainty will grow as the response becomes more generous. The call to the priesthood asks the man who receives it to dedicate his life to helping his brothers and sisters live closer to God. He has been called to perform a humble service on behalf of all humanity in the name and on behalf of Christ himself.

When he is ordained a priest, he receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders and is prepared to lend his body and spirit, that is, his whole being, to the Lord. He will make use of it especially in those moments in which he performs the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ and when, in the name of God, in sacramental Confession, he forgives sins.

How do I know if I have a vocation to the priesthood?

God calls everyone and some with a specific mission, designed personally for them: «each one on his own way», says the Second Vatican Council with its universal call to holiness.

Each believer must discern his own path, make the decision to follow it and bring out the best, that which is so personal that God has placed in him, and not allow him to wear himself out by trying to imitate something else that was not intended for him.

The tool we Christians have to discover our vocation, whether it is marriage, priesthood or apostolic celibacy, is prayer. Prayer is absolutely necessary for the life of the soul. This dialogue with God allows the spirit to develop. «If you say enough, you are lost,» St. Augustine reminds us. Take note.

Prayer for vocational discernment

In prayer, faith in the presence of God and his love is actualized. It fosters the hope that leads us to direct our lives towards him and to trust in his providence. And the heart is enlarged by responding with one's own love to divine Love.

Our example is Jesus, who prays before the decisive moments of his mission. With his prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, to discover the will of our Father God and to identify ourselves with it. Moreover, as the Catechism recommends, at the moment of vocational discernment, the figure of a spiritual director can be of great help, that is, a person to whom we can entrust ourselves and who helps us to discover the will of God.

Vocational signs

The duty to awaken vocations is incumbent upon the entire Christian community. At the CARF Foundation we support this commitment.

In the formation of a priestly vocation, one can take into account some general aspects or traits that help discern whether a man is being called by God to the priesthood. Canon Law describes some details. Point 257 states: «the formation of students should be carried out in such a way that they feel concerned not only for the particular Church in whose service they are incardinated, but also for the universal Church, and are ready to dedicate themselves to those particular Churches which are in grave need».

Love for the Church, the Eucharist, our Blessed Mother Mary, frequent Confession, the Liturgy of the Hours, are the clear signs of the call to the priesthood. The taste for the things of God, can come suddenly as a magnificent discovery from an encounter with Christ, or having felt it all our lives since we were little, instilled by our family. You, pray for vocations!

Clothed in Christ: the cassock and the Catholic habit

From the earliest centuries of the Church, the manner of dress has been an outward sign of an inner reality. The word cassock comes from Italian sottana, which means "under", referring to the tunic worn under other garments. However, its theological meaning goes much further: it is a sign of "death to the world" in order to be born to a new life in Christ. Almost the same could be said of the habit of the religious.

Biblical references: the divine mandate

The distinction in the dress of the consecrated is not a medieval invention. Already in the Old Testament, God instructs Moses in detail about the garments of Aaron and his sons:

"And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for honor and for beauty." (Exodus 28:2).

In the New Testament, The robe of Christ, "seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom" (Jn. 19:23), becomes the model of unity and simplicity for the priest. St. Paul also exhorts us to "put on the new human condition" (Eph 4:24), something that the religious habit symbolizes in a physical and constant way.

History and evolution: from the Roman tunic to the cassock

In the early centuries, clergymen did not dress very differently from laymen, but they did dress with more sobriety and modesty. After the fall of the Roman Empire, while civil fashion evolved towards short garments, the Church kept the long Roman tunic as a sign of stability and rejection of passing fashions.

Parts and symbolism of the catholic cassock

The classic cassock, the talar suit, is more than just a piece of black cloth; every detail has a reason:

ElementMeaning
Black colorIt symbolizes poverty and renunciation of vanities and death to the world. The Pope, and in warm and tropical areas, uses the color white.
The myth of the 33 buttonsAlthough it could represent the 33 years of Jesus' earthly life. Almost no cassock wears them for a question of the priest's stature.
The collarIt could be a reminder of purity. It is also associated with the ring worn by married couples. It becomes common in the Church in the 18th century.
The girdleIt would symbolize the yoke of readiness for service. Its colors vary according to the rank of the clergyman.

Cardinals usually wear a sundress (round skullcap to cover the head; from the Latin word for "cardinal"). soli Deo, The bishops wear a red (scarlet) girdle and sash, while the bishops wear a purple (violet) sash and noodle, as do the archbishops and monsignors. The pope is reserved the white sash and solideo. There are religious priests and seminarians who wear the black sash. But different are the choir habits that wear almost completely the colors of the rank of each clergyman.

The religious habit

Unlike the cassock (proper of the secular clergy), the habits of the religious orders (such as Dominicans, Franciscans or Carmelites) include elements such as the scapular -The hood or cord, reflecting the specific charism of each community, is a sign of the Virgin Mary's protection.

White: purity and resurrection

White symbolizes Easter joy, purity of life and total surrender to the Virgin Mary.

The black habit: penitence and death to the world

Traditionally, black has been the color of mourning and renunciation. By wearing black, the religious indicates that he has "died to the world" and lives only for God.

The brown habit: the humility of the earth

The brown color is closely linked to the earth (humus), from which the word humility.

The gray habit: renunciation and simplicity

The gray, often called the "ash habit", symbolizes constant conversion.

Bicolor or special habits

There are orders that combine colors to express mixed charisms:

Here's a thought for you: the habit does not make the monk, but it helps him. The vestment is a constant reminder to the consecrated person of who she belongs to. It also helps her to distinguish herself among all people, to be a wake-up call to transcendence and to be able to ask for their help and service since it is easy to locate them. In the CARF Foundation, We support seminarians and priests and religious throughout the world so that, whatever the color of their habit or cassock, they may always be the light of Christ in the midst of society.

The importance of the priest's image today

As we often reflect at the CARF Foundation, the priest is a "bridge" between God and mankind. Seeing a priest in his cassock on the street is often an opportunity of grace for those who look at him: it provokes a question, a prayer or even a spontaneous confession. It is a sacramental that sanctifies the public space.

[Curiosity]

Did you know? The color of the buttons and piping indicates the hierarchy: black for priests, purple for bishops, prelates and monsignors; red for cardinals and total white for the Pope (tradition initiated by the Dominican Pope St. Pius V around 1566, the beginning of his pontificate).

Priestly dignity in the words of St. Josemaria

St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, lived with a constant passion for the figure of the priest, whom he called «the priest of Opus Dei".«Alter Christus, another Christ, the same Christ». These quotations underscore why the presbyter's bearing and identity are so relevant:

  1. Christocentric identity: "The priest is not a psychologist, nor a sociologist, nor an anthropologist: he is another Christ, Christ himself, to attend to the souls of his brothers."" (It is Christ who passes, point 79).
  2. Love for the Church: «Some are anxious to seek, as they say, the identity of the priest. How clear are these words of the Saint of Siena! What is the identity of the priest? That of Christ. All Christians can and must be no longer alter Christus but ipse Christus other Christs, Christ himself! But in the priest this is given immediately, in a sacramental way» (Loving the Church, 38).
  3. Dignity in service: «This is why the priest must be exclusively a man of God, rejecting the thought of wanting to shine in fields in which other Christians have no need of him» (Christ Is Passing By, 79).
  4. Public presence: «I would emphasize a feature of priestly existence that does not belong precisely to the category of changeable and perishable elements. I am referring to the perfect union that must be given - and the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis He repeatedly reminds us - between consecration and the priest's mission: or, in other words, between a personal life of piety and the exercise of the ministerial priesthood, between the priest's filial relationship with God and his pastoral and fraternal relationship with men. I do not believe in the ministerial efficacy of a priest who is not a man of prayer» (Conversations, 3).
  5. The mission: «Moreover, the priestly ministry - and even more so in these times of such a shortage of clergy - is a terribly absorbing work, which leaves no time for the dual use. The souls need us so much, although many do not know it, that there is never enough. There is a lack of arms, time, strength. That is why I usually tell my priest sons that, if one of them were to notice one day that he had too much time, that day he could be completely sure that he had not lived his priesthood well» (Conversations, 4).

Church Instructions

The Holy See has insisted that the priest must be recognizable as such, not out of pride, but in order to be a sign of hope for the people of God:

  1. Sign: «The presbyter must be recognizable above all by his behavior, but also by a manner of dress, which makes his identity and his presence to God and the Church immediately perceptible to every member of the faithful, indeed, to every person» (Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests, 61).
  2. Identity in a secular world: "Moreover, the talar habit - also in form, color and dignity - is especially appropriate, because it clearly distinguishes priests from the laity and gives a better understanding of the sacred character of their ministry, reminding the priest himself that he is always and at all times a priest, ordained to serve, to teach, to guide and to sanctify souls, principally through the celebration of the sacraments and the preaching of the Word of God. Wearing the clerical habit also serves as a safeguard of poverty and chastity» (Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests, 61). «Clerics are to wear a dignified ecclesiastical dress, according to the norms given by the Episcopal Conference and the legitimate customs of the place» (Code of Canon Law, 28).
  3. The Priest as sacrament: «This is what the Church expresses when she says that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona.... Christi CapitisIt is Christ Jesus himself, the Priest, whose sacred person the minister represents. Indeed, thanks to the priestly consecration he has received, the minister is assimilated to the High Priest and enjoys the power to act by the power of Christ himself (whom he represents)« (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1548).
  4. Call for responsibility: «We must maintain the meaning of our unique vocation, and this uniqueness must also be manifested in the way we dress. Let us not be ashamed of it! Yes, we are in the world, but we are not the world!» (John Paul II, Address to the Clergy of Rome, November 9, 1978).

As we have seen from a number of sources, the cassock and habit are much more than a tradition; they are a tool of apostolate and a wake-up call. An identified priest is a constant invitation to prayer and a refuge for those seeking spiritual comfort.

In the CARF Foundation, We work so that no seminarian is left without the human, theological and spiritual formation necessary to carry out this sacred ministry with dignity.

Do you want to be part of this mission? Your prayer is vital, but your financial support allows thousands of priests in needy countries to be formed and serve their communities with the excellence that God deserves.

If the world is to continue to have shepherds who put on Christ and carry his Word to every corner of the world, their good formation is essential. Many seminarians and diocesan and religious priests from around the world count on the support of the partners, benefactors and friends of the CARF Foundation to carry out their studies and receive a solid and integral formation in Rome or Pamplona.

Your donation makes it possible for the habit and the cassock to continue to be signs of hope in our streets.

Donate here and support

For more content about the life of the Church and the formation of priests, follow us on our social networks: @fundacioncarf.

May 1, St. Joseph the Worker: Who was the father of Jesus?

St. Joseph has several feast days on our calendar. In May, on the first day of the month, we celebrate St. Joseph the Worker, patron saint of workers. He was the one who supported and cared for Jesus and Mary with his carpentry skills. On his feast of March 19, Pope Leo XIV invited us to pay special attention to the figure of St. Joseph. To this end, he pointed out the two unique virtues that define the father of Jesus: «Joseph shows us that presence and guardianship are inseparable dimensions.» y «In it we recognize that to welcome, in addition to being present, is also to take care. To be a guardian means to be attentive to others, to respect their choices and to take care of them».

«Love St. Joseph very much, love him with all your soul, because he is the person who, with Jesus, has loved St. Mary the most and the one who has treated God the most: the one who has loved Him the most, after our Mother. He deserves your affection, and it is good for you to treat him, because he is a Master of interior life, and he can do much before the Lord and before the Mother of God», Forge, 554.

Biography of St. Joseph the Worker of Nazareth

Both St. Matthew and St. Luke speak of St. Joseph as a man descended from an illustrious lineage: that of David and Solomon, kings of Israel. The details of this ancestry are historically somewhat confusing: we do not know which of the two genealogies, which the evangelists bring, corresponds to Mary and which to St. Joseph, who was her father according to Jewish law. We do not know if his hometown was Bethlehem, where he went to register, or Nazareth, where he lived and worked.

We know, however, that he was not a rich person: he was a worker, like millions of other men throughout the world; he exercised the laborious and humble office that God had chosen for himself, by taking our flesh and wanting to live thirty years as one more among us.

Sacred Scripture says that Joseph was a craftsman. Several Fathers add that he was a carpenter. St. Justin, speaking of Jesus' life of work, affirms that he made plows and yokes. (St. Justin, Dialogus cum Tryphone, 88, 2, 8 (PG 6, 687).Perhaps, based on these words, St. Isidore of Seville concludes that Joseph was a blacksmith. In any case, a worker who worked in the service of his fellow citizens, who had a manual skill, the fruit of years of effort and sweat.

Joseph's great human personality is evident from the Gospel narratives: at no time does he appear to us as a man who is timid or afraid of life; on the contrary, knows how to deal with problems, to get ahead in difficult situations, to assume with responsibility and initiative the tasks entrusted to him/her.

Siete domingos de san José

Who was St. Joseph the Worker in the Catholic Church?

The whole Church recognizes in St. Joseph her protector and patron. Throughout the centuries he has been spoken of, highlighting various aspects of his life, continually faithful to the mission entrusted to him by God.

In the words of St. Josemaría, St. Joseph is really Father and Lord, who protects and accompanies on his earthly journey those who venerate him, as he protected and accompanied Jesus as he grew and became man. In dealing with him, we discover that the Holy Patriarch is also a Master of interior life: because teaches us to know Jesus, to live together with Himto know that we are part of the family of God. This Saint gives us these lessons being, as he was, an ordinary man, a father of a family, a worker who earned his living with the effort of his hands.

The virtues of Joseph of Nazareth

Who is St. Joseph the Worker? He was a craftsman from Galilee, a man like so many others. In his day he had only parenting and workevery day, always with the same effort. And, at the end of the day, a poor and small house, to regain strength and start again.

But Joseph's name means, in Hebrew, God will add. God adds, to the holy life of those who fulfill his will, unsuspected dimensions: what is important, what gives value to everything, the divine. God, to the humble and holy life of Joseph, added the life of the Virgin Mary and that of Jesus, our Lord.

To live by faith, these words were fully realized in St. Joseph. Its fulfillment of God's will is spontaneous and profound..

For the story of the Holy Patriarch was a simple life, but not an easy life. After anguishing moments, he knows that the Son of Mary has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And that Child, Son of God, descendant of David according to the flesh, is born in a cave. Angels celebrate his birth and personalities from distant lands come to adore him, but the King of Judea desires his death and it becomes necessary to flee. The son of God is, in appearance, a helpless child, who will live in Egypt.

In his Gospel, St. Matthew constantly emphasizes Joseph's faithfulness, who fulfills God's commands without hesitation, even though at times the meaning of these mandates might seem obscure or their connection to the rest of the divine plans might be hidden from him.

Faith and hope

On many occasions the Fathers of the Church emphasize the firmness of St. Joseph's faith. Joseph's faith does not waver, his obedience is always strict and prompt.

In order to better understand this lesson given to us here by the Holy Patriarch, it is good to consider that their faith is active. Because the Christian faith is the opposite of conformism, or lack of inner activity and energy.

In the various circumstances of his life, the Patriarch does not give up thinking, nor does he abandon his responsibility. On the contrary, it places all its human experience at the service of faith..

Faith, love, hope: these are the axes of the Saint's life and those of every Christian life.. Joseph of Nazareth's dedication appears woven from this interweaving of faithful love, loving faith and confident hope.

This is what St. Joseph's life teaches us: simple, normal and ordinary, made up of years of work, always the same, of humanly monotonous days that follow one after the other.

Siete domingos de san José

St. Joseph the father of Jesus

«Treat Joseph and you will find Jesus.», saint Josemaría Escriva de Balaguer.

 Through the angel, God himself confides to Joseph what his plans are and how he is counting on him to carry them out. Joseph is called to be the father of Jesus; that will be his vocation, his mission.

Joseph has been, in the human aspect, Jesus' teacher; he has treated Him daily, with delicate affection, and has cared for Him with joyful abnegation.

With St. Joseph, we learn what it is to belong to God and to be fully among men, sanctifying the world. Treat Joseph and you will find Jesus. Treat Joseph and you will find Mary, who always filled the kindly workshop of Nazareth with peace.

Joseph of Nazareth took care of the Son of God and, as a man, introduced him to the hope of the people of Israel. And that is what he does with us: with his powerful intercession he brings us to Jesus. St. Josemaría, whose devotion to St. Joseph grew throughout his life, said that he is truly Father and Lord, who protects and accompanies those who venerate him on their earthly journey, just as he protected and accompanied Jesus as he grew and became man.

God continually demands more, and His ways are not our human ways. St. Joseph, like no man before or after him, learned from Jesus to be attentive to recognize the wonders of God, to have an open heart and soul.

The Feast of St. Joseph

On March 19, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Patriarch, patron of the Church and of the Work, a date on which we in Opus Dei renew the commitment of love that unites us to our Lord. But throughout the world we also celebrate on May 1 the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, patron of all workers.

The feast of St. Joseph brings before our eyes the beauty of a faithful life. Joseph trusted God: that is why he was able to be his trusted man on earth to take care of Mary and Jesus, and from heaven he is a good father who takes care of Christian fidelity.

The seven Sundays of St. Joseph

They are a custom of the Church to prepare for the feast of March 19. Dedicating to the Holy Patriarch the seven Sundays prior to that feast in memory of the main joys and sorrows of his life.

The meditation of the Sorrows and joys of St. Joseph helps to get to know the holy Patriarch better and to remember that he too faced joys and difficulties.

It was Pope Gregory XVI who encouraged the devotion of the seven Sundays of St. Joseph, granting him many indulgences; but Pius IX gave them perennial topicality with his desire that the saint should be called upon to alleviate the then afflictive situation of the universal Church.

One day, someone asked St. Josemaría how to get closer to Jesus: "Think of that wonderful man, chosen by God to be his father on earth; think of his sorrows and his joys. Do you do the seven Sundays? If not, I advise you to do them.

How great is the silent and hidden figure of St. Joseph," said St. John XXIII, "because of the spirit with which he fulfilled the mission entrusted to him by God. For the true dignity of man is not measured by the tinsel of showy results, but by the interior dispositions of order and good will."

Curiosities of St. Joseph the Worker

Devotion of Pope Leo XIV

«Joseph leaves behind his human securities and abandons himself completely to God, sailing “out to sea” towards a future entrusted entirely to Providence. St. Augustine describes his consent thus: "«"To the piety and charity of Joseph a son was born of the Virgin Mary, the Son of God at the same time" (Sermon 51, 30)».

Devotion of Pope Francis

"I would also like to tell you something very personal. I love St. Joseph very much. Because he is a strong and silent man. And I have a picture of St. Joseph sleeping on my desk. And while he sleeps he takes care of the Church. Yes, he can do it. We can't. And when I have a problem, a difficulty. And when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little piece of paper and I put it under the figure of the Saint so that he will dream it. This means to pray for that problem".

Devotion of St. Josemaría

St. Joseph is the patron of this family that is the Work. In the early years, St. Josemaría had special recourse to him so that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament could be present in the first center of Opus Dei. Through his intercession, in March 1935 it was possible to have our Lord reserved in the oratory of the DYA Academy-Residence on Ferraz Street in Madrid.

Since then, the founder of the Work wanted the key of the tabernacles of the centers of Opus Dei to have a small medal of St. Joseph with the inscription Ite ad IosephThe reason is to remember that, in a similar way as the Joseph of the Old Testament does with his people, the holy patriarch had provided us with the most precious food: the Eucharist.

St. Joseph the Worker, the saint of silence, the protector

We do not know words expressed by him, we only know his works, his acts of faith, love and protection. He protected the Immaculate Mother of God and was the father of Jesus on earth. However, there is no mention of him in the Gospels. Rather, he was a quiet and humble servant of God who played his role to the full. Working hard to support the Holy Family.

One of the first titles they used to honor him was Nutritor DominiThe "Lord's feeder" dates back to at least the ninth century.

Celebrations in his honor

The Solemnity of St. Joseph is on March 19 and the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker (International Labor Day) is on May 1. It is also included in the Feast of the Holy Family (December 30) and is certainly part of the Christmas story.

St. Joseph has multiple patronages

He is the patron of the Universal Church, the good death, families, parents, pregnant women, travelers, immigrants, artisans, engineers and workers. He is also the patron of the Americas, Canada, China, Croatia, Mexico, Korea, Austria, Belgium, Peru, Philippines and Vietnam.

Let us ask St. Joseph the Worker to continue helping us to draw closer to Jesus in the Sacrament, who is the nourishment that nourishes the Church. This is what he did with Mary in Nazareth, and this is what he will do with her in our homes.