Cartas III, a new volume of the critical edition of the Letters of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, has been published by Rialp as part of the Complete Works Collection. The book has been prepared by Luis Cano, researcher at the Saint Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute.
The volume brings together five previously unpublished texts—Letters 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14—which occupy a place of primary importance within Saint Josemaría’s spiritual and literary legacy. These are substantial and carefully crafted writings in which the founder of Opus Dei sought to transmit, with particular depth, essential aspects of the spirit he received from God.
The first two letters in the volume, numbered 9 and 10, are dedicated to the priesthood in Opus Dei. In them, Saint Josemaría explains the need for priests in fulfilling the Work’s ecclesial mission and the distinctive way in which they carry out their pastoral ministry. These priests come from among the lay faithful of Opus Dei; they have exercised a secular profession and are closely acquainted with the ordinary realities of the world.
Letter 11 addresses the various dimensions of the formation of the members of the Work: human, spiritual, doctrinal-religious, apostolic, and professional. Letter 12 deals with a particularly timely subject: Christian witness in culture, public opinion, and the media. Finally, Letter 14 focuses on one of the central themes of Saint Josemaría’s message: work as a path to holiness, evangelization, and the Christian transformation of the world.
One of the most notable features of these letters is their profound love for the world and for human realities. Saint Josemaría invites Christians to bring Christ into every environment in which they live and work: the family, culture, science, communication, professional life, and social coexistence. The goal is not to flee from the world or regard it with suspicion, but rather to love it and transform it from within, through personal responsibility and a spirit of service.
At the same time, these pages remind us that Christian commitment cannot be reduced to activism or mere external action. To make Christ known, it is necessary to live with a supernatural outlook and to cultivate a deep interior life. Saint Josemaría speaks of having a “supernatural point of view in all activities” (Letter 11, no. 25), so that ordinary life may become a place of encounter with God and service to others.
In this regard, the letters contain a strong call to a contemplative life in the midst of the world. The founder of Opus Dei writes that it is necessary to “unite one’s soul and spirit to God our Father through prayer, through contemplation with an uninterrupted love: with the senses, the imagination, and the faculties of the soul immersed in God” (Letter 11, no. 28a). This union with God does not distance us from temporal responsibilities; rather, it enables us to carry them out with greater Christian depth.
Another particularly significant aspect is the evangelizing impulse that runs throughout the volume. Saint Josemaría encourages readers to take an interest in every person, to discover their spiritual needs, and to help facilitate their encounter with God. In one of the letters he refers to the “lament of so many barren hearts” that seem to say: “I have no one to give me a hand and bring me closer to the light and warmth of Christ” (Letter 11, no. 40). These words reveal the pastoral and apostolic depth of texts which, although written decades ago, retain remarkable relevance today.
Indeed, many of the issues addressed in these letters continue to challenge today’s reader: how to live the faith in a secularized and technological society; how to communicate the Gospel in the field of media and communication; how to work for peace, justice, and the dignity of the human person; and how to be fully present in earthly realities while remaining deeply united to God.
Saint Josemaría was aware that the spirit he transmitted was not tied to specific historical circumstances. For this reason, he wrote that this spirit “is not limited by particular circumstances of place and time, but will always respond to the most diverse changes and situations that, throughout the centuries, arise within human society” (Letter 11, no. 19b). This statement helps explain the enduring relevance of these pages and their ability to shed light on the challenges of the present day.
The publication of Letters III marks a new step in the work of editing and studying this important body of writings by Saint Josemaría. To date, fourteen Letters and one Instruction have been published as part of an editorial project that will continue in the coming years. With this new volume, readers are given deeper access to a spiritual legacy that constitutes a true treasure for the Church.
