A Century Since His Ordination: Reflecting on the Priesthood of Saint Josemaría Escrivá

By Fr. Casmir Odundo

As a priest and a Church historian, one of the things I have frequently noted—both in my studies and research—is how God raises up different men and women at different times to bring forth diverse apostolates and charisms in the Church. Our Lord, for example, called the Twelve Apostles, who accompanied Him during His earthly life and were later sent out to evangelise. Later he called Paul, the "least of the Apostles" to be an Apostle to the Gentiles.

In every generation, there are always great men of the Church. We can think of the great Fathers of the Church, who succeeded the Apostles and explained and even defended christian  doctrine as true apologists. We think of the martyrs, who bore witness during the age of Christian persecution. Then came Saint Jerome, the great biblical scholar, exegete, and translator of the Bible. Saint Benedict, founder of Western monasticism, marked another turning point. And we cannot forget the great Saint Augustine of Hippo.

History gives us more: kings like Charlemagne, missionaries like Saints Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century, and the great founders of the Mendicant Orders—Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Dominic, not forgetting his disciple,  Saint Thomas Aquinas. Later still, we meet Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus to, among other things, defend the Pope; and Saint John Bosco, who gave his life for the education and formation of boys. Nor can we forget the holy women: Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Catherine of Siena, the courageous Mary Ward (founder of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now known as the Loreto Sisters), Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (founder of the Visitation Sisters), Catherine McAuley (founder of the Sisters of Mercy), and Mother Teresa of Calcutta (founder of the Missionaries of Charity), to mention but a few.

And then we come to Saint Josemaría Escrivá, whom God led to found Opus Dei. He was a young priest—only 26—when, on 2 October 1928, the light of Opus Dei was given to him. God had a reason to wait until that particular time. Different times call for different spiritualities.

Today, 25 March 2025, marks exactly 100 years since Saint Josemaría was ordained a priest. At the time of his ordination, the call to found Opus Dei had not yet been received. Yet from his seminary days, he prayed, Domine, ut videam—“Lord, that I may see”—and Domina, ut sit—“Lady, that it may be.” His journey to the priesthood began as a young boy when he saw barefoot footprints in the snow, left by a zealous Carmelite friar. Moved by this silent witness, he told his father he wanted to become a priest. His father, understanding the seriousness of the vocation, asked him whether he was aware of the sacrifices and difficulties that would come with the call.

For me, the priesthood of Saint Josemaría gives us a doorway to understand him more deeply. He was, simply and profoundly, a priest priest or if you like: priest’s priest—and he wanted others who shared this divine vocation to strive for the same. Like many other saints, we learn first from his life, then from his writings and convictions. He gave us a personal example of sanctity—a priest born and ordained in the 20th century, speaking directly to our times.

His central message was holiness: that we are all called to be holy, and that holiness is not the preserve of a few but is truly possible for all. He taught that holiness could be found in ordinary life, in fulfilling the day-to-day duties of our state in life. No work, he insisted, is greater than another; what matters is how we do it—with love, with faith, and with fidelity.

This applies especially to the priesthood. As Presbyterorum Ordinis reminds us, we (priests) are all called to “the one apostolate.” In effect, all priests do the same work. The difference is not in assignment or position, but in how faithfully, lovingly, and diligently one fulfils the task at hand.

Saint Josemaría also lived and taught the doctrine of Divine Filiation, a truth he grasped profoundly during a moment of deep suffering while praying on a tram. He lived convinced of the Eucharist’s centrality—essential not just for priests, but also for the laity. He frequently repeated that the laity have “a priestly soul,” and priests should have a “lay mentality.” His message was for everyone.

Saint Josemaría believed every person is a child of God. He opposed racism and tribalism. In fact, Kenya was the first country in Africa where he sent members of Opus Dei. There, they helped establish Strathmore College, the first multi-racial school in the country. For women, Kianda College followed—pioneering in its own right, second then, only to the work of the Loreto Sisters in its commitment to education for all.

He emphasised integrity in work and brought holiness into the secular world—what he called a mobilisation of Christians. That is perhaps why Pope Saint John Paul II, on the day of his canonisation, called him “the saint of ordinary life.”

Another notable trait was his sense of humour. I think this is also very important for priests. In the course of my research, I have visited various archives and libraries in Rome. In one archive, I encountered an elderly priest—a White Father (Missionaries of Africa)—who did everything with precision and love. I once asked him, meaning to compliment him, “Did you train for archival work or library science?” He smiled and replied, “No. I have only my ordination and my good intention.” That line reminded me of Saint Josemaría, who said something similar about the founding of Opus Dei: “I was only 26 years old. I had only God’s grace and good humour.” On another occasion, he quipped, “I am not the founder of Opus Dei. It is God’s Work. There is only one founder (fundador)—and he comes in a bottle,” referring with a grin to a popular Spanish liqueur. When I finally encountered this drink during my wanderings in Rome, I couldn’t help but smile.

Saint Josemaría taught love of freedom and deep love for the priesthood. At one point, he even considered giving up Opus Dei in order to dedicate himself entirely to helping diocesan priests. In the end, he found a juridical solution: the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, intrinsically united to Opus Dei. All priests of Opus Dei are members, and diocesan priests throughout the world can also belong.

And so today we commemorate 100 years since his ordination. He lived 50 of those years on earth and the other 50, in Heaven. During his earthly life, he inspired many—not only to join Opus Dei, but more importantly to strive for holiness. He helped many on their pilgrimage to heaven. In the 50 years since his death, he continues to influence many more. One of his books, The Way, which he first published in 1934, has in these recent weeks  topped Amazon’s bestseller lists. From his life—and the lives of so many holy priests—we begin to understand the meaning of sacerdos in aeternum... “You are a priest forever.” Priestly work continues even after death.

We can also learn much from his deep love of and devotion to Our Lady and of Saint Joseph. One of the things that excited him greatly during his lifetime was when the name of Saint Joseph was inserted into the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I). I think he would have been equally delighted to live in our time, when the name of Saint Joseph is included in all the Eucharistic Prayers.

Just as the footprints of a Carmelite friar once stirred his heart towards the priesthood, so too has Saint Josemaría left behind footprints of his own—paths of holiness that continue to inspire countless souls, including many priests as well as future priests.

May he continue to inspire and intercede for us.

Saint Josemaría Escrivá, pray for us.