Be Silent

This is a meditation by Fr Tom Dowd for the Feast day of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the first successor of St Josemaria. He was a very bright engineer and later on theologian and canon lawyer, courageous, brave, and conscientious person and was a wonderful support to St Josemaría over many years.He had a marked devotion to our Lady and gave great example of unity with and love for the Pope.

With the Resurrection of Jesus we begin the 50 days of Eastertide. These days offer us a time to think about the joy of heaven that Christ has won for us with his Passion, Death and Resurrection. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

Our Lord is tested by some Scribes and Pharisees who bring to him a women caught in compromising circumstances (ref John 8:1-11). In his response he acts with great mercy while not forgetting the needs of Justice. His way of acting reminds us how often charity consist more in understanding that in giving. A Meditation for the Fifth Sunday of Lent by Fr Tom Dowd.

Laetare Sunday allows us to glimpse the mystery of our new life at Easter and hasten towards it in hope. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

In the Annunciation we see how the Blessed Virgin delights in the will of God. We can learn this lesson from her. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

The personality of St Joseph is very rich. We can pray here about the fact that he is a 'good and faithful' servant. In this, St Joseph is identified with Christ the Servant and comes to share in the joy of God. This identity and joy is also offered to all of us. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha

The 17th March is the Feast of St Patrick, Patron of Ireland. A meditation by Fr Andrew Black.

Ash Wednesday is a favourable time to join the Lenten ‘campaign' and to let God into our lives anew, so that in Christ we may become the goodness of God. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

When we attend Mass we should remember three things: that we should participate actively in the Mass, we must try to appreciate the mystery of the Mass, and ensure that we do not turn up empty handed.  A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

The Feast of the Chair of St Peter on Feb 22 celebrates a precious chair kept in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, and which tradition holds  to have been used by St Peter himself. That chair is a precious relic of St Peter and as a symbol of Jesus entrusting supremacy in the Church to Peter and his successors. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

On 14th February, anniversary of the founding of the women's branch of the Work and of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, we rediscover the beauty of living with Christ in and through the ordinary and we give joyful thanks to God. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

The feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple and the custom of contemplating the Joys and Sorrows of St Joseph over these seven Sundays leading up to the feast of St Joseph on 19 March. Deepening our knowledge of and love for St Joseph deepens our knowledge of and love for Jesus. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd.

The anniversary of the election of Fr Fernando Ocariz and his appointment as Prelate of Opus Dei in 2017 by Pope Francis occurs during the Octave of prayer for Christian Unity. This can lead us to pray about the unity of Opus Dei within the unity of the Church. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

On the anniversary of the birth of St Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, Fr Paul O'Callaghan shares some reflections on why we can be grateful for the faithfulness, dedication and love....for being such a good father to us in sharing the spirit of the Work with us. St Josemaria is affectionately known by faithful of Opus Dei as "our Father" , and with good reason. This year we will mark the 50th anniversary of his death in 1975; his message and life has so much to offer us today, as it did during his life.

The Epiphany brings the whole world to the stable and offers a way to bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives during the year to come. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Greater than she, none but God. 'The Blessed Virgin from the fact that she is the Mother of God has a certain infinite dignity which comes from the infinite good, which is God.' There is no danger of exaggerating. We can never hope to fathom this inexpressible mystery; nor will we ever be able to give sufficient thanks to our Mother for bringing us into such intimacy with the Blessed Trinity. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings. •⁠ ⁠Text from point 276 of chapter Mother of God and Our Mother of Josemaría Escrivá's book Friends of God. Link: https://escriva.org/en/amigos-de-dios/276/

How wonderful it is that the Lord Christ chose to come among us as part of a family coming into this world in the same way that we all came. That is a clear sign of how much our Lord wishes to unite with us, truly becoming like us in all things but sin. That is a great honour for our human nature and for marriage and family and shows that the joys and sorrows of family life are an important part of the path to holiness. On this feast day the consecration of the families of all who form part of Opus Dei is renewed, a consecration first made by St Josemaria in 1951. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd

The infant Jesus shows us the almighty humility of God. He invites us to approach the mystery of his Nativity with humility so as to receive all the graces he wants to give us. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha for Christmas Day

The feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary helps us see God's love at work in our Mother and open our hearts to his grace. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

Advent is a time to stay awake and not allow passing things to hypnotise us. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

Jesus Christ reigns by being the Suffering Servant. Let us savour his immense love for us, and let us deepen in our call to share in his kingly service to everyone. Moreover, we discover that we are the first beneficiaries of living a very apostolic life. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

During the month of November the Church turns our attention towards the Last Things. In this month it is good to contemplate our own death, but not to look at dying as something that happens only at the very end of our life on earth; it is already present in the process of living. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

 To be a Christian is to brought into the fellowship or communion of God's own life, where there are no individuals, but persons who live lives intensely immersed in the lives of others. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

October is dedicated to the Rosary and this month gives us an opportunity to pray the Rosary not just more, but more deeply. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

At the Canonization of St Josemaria, St John Paul II said that "in the Founder of Opus Dei, there is an extraordinary love for the will of God". This can be a source of joy and an inspiration for us. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

On the feast of the Guardian Angels, Fr James Hurley meditates on devotion to angels.

Our Lady's birthday, the holy Name of Mary and our Lady of Sorrows, three Marian feasts this week which help us celebrate and imitate our Mother. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Beginning back to ordinary life after the summer holidays can be difficult, but we should delight in returning to the God-given task of transforming this world, and also deepen our sense of solidarity with our fellow workers. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

On 23 August 1982, Pope St John Paul II announced his decision to erect Opus Dei as a Personal Prelature. It was a decision preceded by much prayer. The anniversary reminds us of the great value of a good stubbornness when it comes to prayer of petition. The virtue of stubbornness is also important in our effects to grow, with the help of God's grace, in holiness, that is in love of God and others. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd.

Our Lady as our most loving Mother always goes ahead of us. She is always early and prepares the way for her Son Jesus and for all of us who are her children. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha for the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady

The little boy who offers the Apostles his five barley loaves and two small fish has no idea of that part that tiny offering will play in the plans of God. Like we don't realise the great power of our Yes to God. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

Many of the Jews pursue Jesus eagerly with apparent fervour for his teaching, when in fact what all they really want is his bread. We too have to examine our motivations in following Jesus, and purify out false motivations.  A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

Our Lady and Our Lord's childhood experiences can inspire us to create a warm environment for the transmission of the faith through charity. A meditation by Fr James Hurley .

The scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel speaks of our Mother's protection. With her, our weakness becomes great strength. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

St Benedict, patron of Europe, sought and found God in prayer and work. This quest was at the heart of the new culture he ushered in: seek first the kingdom of God and the rest shall be added… A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

In touching Jesus' wounds St Thomas is cured of his doubt and also discovers more deeply God's love for him. His words "My Lord and my God!" are an act of love as well as an act of faith. We too need to rediscover God's love for us through touching him, in particular in the Eucharist. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

The feast of St Josemaria, the saint of the ordinary. The 26th June his "dies natalis", a day to celebrate. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd.

Pope Francis has dedicated the Holy Year 2025 to the virtue of hope. We are saved by hope, a hope that does not disappoint, for God's love has been poured out. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

The Feast of Corpus Christi gives us a special opportunity to reflect on how great Christ's love for us must be to give us this perfect gift of love. It is also a special day of thanksgiving to Jesus for his unimaginable generosity towards us. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

The Ascension tells us of Christ at the right hand of the Father and also by our side, in the apostolic thrust of the Church. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

In the Gospel Jesus tells us that He is the Vine and we are the branches. We share in the life of the divine Vine above all through Holy Communion. We ask St Josemaria, the anniversary of whose first Holy Communion we marked on 23rd April, to intercede for us so that we receive Jesus with as much love as we can. A meditation for the 5th Sunday of Easter by Fr Donncha O hAodha

The figure of the shepherd who looks after the flock has deep roots in the Old Testament and is fulfilled in the New Testament in Christ, the Good Shepherd. A meditation by Fr James Hurley

Second Sunday of Easter reminds us of Thomas' doubt turning into faith and of Divine Mercy, displayed in Christ's wounds. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. This is a meditation on Divine Mercy by Fr Gavan Jennings

"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would” (Mt 28:5-6). That is the wonderful news that we celebrate today, that Christ is risen. And that is a reason too for a new joy. As the news of the resurrection spreads we contemplate the altogether special appearance of Jesus to Mary his mother and also his appearance to the holy women. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd.

Today we thank God for the gift of the priesthood as we pray very especially for all priests. We consider the common priesthood all the faithful share and the treasure of the Eucharist. A Meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

St Patrick and St Joseph both put their lives at the service of the great task God has given them. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Laetare Sunday allows us to reflect on the fact that Lent is really a joyful time as we discover that the deepest and most lasting joy is only to be found in God and not in creatures. A Meditation from Fr Gavan Jennings for Fourth Sunday of Lent.

In the great season of Lent our Lord encourages us to give him our whole heart. We can do this only because He has given his whole Heart to us in the first place. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

On 14 February 1930 St Josemaria grasped that God wished the calling to Opus Dei to be open to women as well as men. The feast day (transferred this year to 12 February because of Ash Wednesday) is one of thanksgiving and faithfulness to the charism received by countless women and men during a span of over 90 years. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

In this meditation we look at the events of the Presentation and marvel at the fortitude of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We think also how God needs us also to be "strong and courageous souls who can enter all kinds of environments with a sure step" (St Josemaria Escriva).