Álvaro del Portillo

Álvaro del Portillo ( born March 11, 1914 in Madrid, † 23 March 1994 in Rome) was a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church and nineteen years as a successor of Josemaria Escriva head of the Prelature of Opus Dei.

Life

Alvaro del Portillo was the third of eight children in Madrid and grew up in a Christian family. In 1935, he joined the Opus Dei. He was 40 years closest collaborator Josemaría Escrivá. With a doctorate in civil engineering, historians and canonists received on 25 June 1944, the priesthood and has since worked as a clergyman. In 1946 he moved with Escrivá in Rome. Here, the Holy See appointed him to the consultant to various papal congregations. Del Portillo took with various functions actively in the Second Vatican Council. On September 15, 1975, he was elected as the first successor of Josemaria Escriva as head of Opus Dei. With the establishment of Opus Dei as a personal prelature on November 28, 1982, Pope John Paul II it for the first prelate of Opus Dei.

On 6 January 1991, the Pope consecrated him bishop and appointed him Titular Bishop of Vita. His episcopal motto was: regnare Christ volumus! ( "We want that Christ rules " ). Bishop del Portillo died on the morning of 23 March 1994, a few hours after returning from a pilgrimage to Israel. Pope John Paul II prayed before his death on out body, which today in the Prelature Church "Our Lady of Peace " in Viale Bruno Buozzi rests in Rome, where already was the grave of his predecessor.

His successor as Prelate of Opus Dei Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez is.

Beatification process

On 5 March 2004 the diocese of Rome opened his beatification process. On June 28, 2012 Pope Benedict XVI concluded. the phase of the process for review of his life and work with a decree from explaining the heroic virtues of Alvaro del Portillo. 2013, a miracle through the intercession Portillos was recognized. He will be beatified in Madrid on 27 September 2014.

Writings

• Believers and laity in the Church. Ferdinand Schöningh, Paderborn 1972, ISBN 978-3506769503.
• The celibacy of the priest. Adamas -Verlag, Cologne 1973, ISBN 978-3920007120.
• Descubrimiento Exploraciones y en las costas de California ( 1532-1650 ). Rialp Ediciones, Madrid 1982, ISBN 978-8432121890.
• Una vida para Dios: Reflexiones en torno a la figura de Monsignor Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer. Rialp, Madrid 1992, ISBN 978-8432128639.
• About the Founder of Opus Dei. Adamas -Verlag, Cologne 1996, ISBN 978-3925746710.