“Fall in Love and you will not leave Him.”

Alvaro del Portillo was born in 1914 in Madrid, Spain as the 3rd of 8 children to a deeply Christian family. He studied as a civil engineer and worked briefly with the Bureau of Highways and Bridges.

In 1935 he joined Opus Dei, which had been founded in 1928 by Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, and strove to sanctify his professional work and daily duties.
Opus Dei (https://opusdei.org/en-us/) is an institution within the Catholic Church to help others find God in work and family. They are able to accept non-Catholics and even non-Christians as cooperators-persons to assist efforts and they launched professional schools, agricultural training centers, universities, hospitals and clinics that are open to all with a Christian inspiration.

He continued his studies and received a doctorate in philosophy, but gave up his career, and in 1944 he was ordained a priest. He dedicated himself exclusively to his pastoral ministry and in 1946, he moved to Rome to follow Saint Josemaria in his duties. He then earned a doctorate in canon law which he used to serve the Church and educate the faithful.

He lived a commendable life full of sacrifice, devotion, and charity with a good sense of humor. He served God by giving himself completely to Opus Dei. He became Joesemaria’s strongest support, and remained at his side almost 40 years as his closest collaborator and became the 1st successor after the founder’s passing in 1975.

He symbolized hope in the face of challenges and firmness in the face of obstacles as the organization grew quickly throughout the world. His life is a powerful example of submission to the Divine Will.

Early in the morning of March 23, 1994, just weeks after his 80th birthday, he died peacefully. He was Beatified in 2014 in Madrid bringing people together at a time when so many in other parts of the world are divided by difference.

“Before, by yourself, you couldn’t. Now you’ve turned to Our Lady, and with her, how easy!”

For God’s Glory.