Santiago Martínez has just published a new book in the Collection of monographs of the Istituto Storico San Josemaría Escrivá, titled “Párrocos, obispos y Opus Dei. Historia y entorno de la Sociedad sacerdotal de la Santa Cruz en España, 1928-1965.”
The work examines the interest of popes, bishops, and presbyters in holiness and the associationism of the clergy until the Second Vatican Council. During that period, many diocesan priests, driven by ideals such as holiness and service, became involved in various initiatives—mostly associative—in order to better carry out their ministry. In this context, Opus Dei also provided support to the priests. With the approval of the Holy See, from 1950 onward diocesan priests were able to affiliate with Opus Dei and its Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.
For the first time, this book studies in depth what led Escrivá de Balaguer to take an interest in the diocesan clergy, who his collaborators were in this endeavor, and what motivated the thousands of priests who, since then, have become part of this institution or benefited from its charisma. Likewise, the book analyzes the reasons behind the acceptance or rejection that this initiative elicited among Spanish priests and bishops.
Attuned to the pastoral concerns present in the Catholic world during the first half of the 20th century, the author seeks to clarify who these priests were, which dioceses they belonged to, what role the bishops played in their admission process, and how Opus Dei influenced their life and ministry, as well as the imprint they left on the work.
Santiago Martínez Sánchez, a specialist in the history of the religious phenomenon in 20th-century Spain, is a history professor at the University of Navarra and director of the Centro de Estudios Josemaría Escrivá at that university. He has been a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Madrid, Rialp, 2025
716 pages. 160 x 240 mm
ISBN: 978-84-321-6950-2
