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Saxum - Uma Biografia de Álvaro del Portillo
«Saxum! Confio na fortaleza da minha rocha [...]. Sei que é isso que és. Vejo que o Senhor te concede fortaleza, tornando operativa esta minha palavra: saxum! Graças Lhe sejam dadas por isso [...]. Que claro vejo o caminho - o longo caminho - que ainda tens pela frente! Branco e fecundo, como um campo maduro. Abençoada fecundidade do apóstolo, mais bela que todas as coisas belas do mundo.» (São Josemaría Escrivá, fundador do Opus Dei, em correspondência endereçada a D. Álvaro del Portillo em 1939) Saxum - Uma Biografia de Álvaro del Portillo dá conta da vida e da obra de uma das figuras cimeiras da história do Opus Dei e da Igreja Católica no século XX: D. Álvaro del Portillo, o primeiro sucessor de São Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, fundador do Opus Dei. Num estilo simples e apelativo, a biografia de John F. Coverdale percorre a vida exemplar deste engenheiro que se propôs servir acima de tudo a Deus na sua vida quotidiana e que a Igreja Católica beatificou em 2014. Uma vida que se pautou sempre por um grande dinamismo apostólico e uma fidelidade corajosa à Igreja e ao carisma que o fundador do Opus Dei lhe legou e que se dedicou a servir com a maior humildade. Dizia D. Álvaro del Portillo que «a essência do espírito do Opus Dei é a conversão do trabalho em oração, numa oferta que é agradável a Deus porque se une ao sacrifício do altar numa realidade santificada e santificadora». E foi essa a atitude que mais exemplarmente testemunhou com a sua própria vida.
- GenresCatholicNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 12, 2018
This was the second book on Blessed Alvero del Portillo that I have read in the last few weeks. The other one was a short introduction and overview of the man, his life and his work. This one goes into much greater depth. Reading this book, you cannot but grow in appreciation of this man, who is now beatified and will likely be canonized in our lifetime. There are not many books about Don Alvaro in English, and even fewer of his own works are available in English. But this book is a great addition to information about this saintly man that is available to English readers. Coverdale in his note on sources states that the most important sources for this book are four Spanish biographies and extensive interviews with the now deceased Bishop Javier Echeverría. He also did extensive research in the Opus Dei Prelature archives. In reading this book and 40 Years with a Saint: Blessed Alvaro del Portillo on St. Josemara Escriva by Cesare Cavalleri, It seems impossible to look at the life of Don Alvaro outside of his friendship with saint Josemaira Escriva and his lifelong role in Opus Dei. In fact, in this volume after a brief summary of his early life and overview of the times the fourth chapter begins looking at his early involvement with the work. The chapters in this book are as follows:
Note on Sources
Introduction
1. Finding the Meaning of His Life
2. Early Life
3. Political and Social Background
4. First Steps in Opus Dei
5. Fugitive and Prisoner
6. Refugee
7. Engineering Officer
8. Saxum
9. A Priest of Opus Dei
10. Winning Vatican Approval
11. Building Opus Dei in and from Rome
12. The Second Vatican Council
13. The Post-Conciliar Decade
14. Succeeding the Founder
15. A Man of Prayer and a Father
16. Serving Opus Dei and the Church
17. Reaching Out to Crowds
18. Friend of Gardeners and Popes
19. Finding a Safe Harbor
20. Beatification of the Founder
21. Final Days
Epilogue
Over half of the book focuses on his life with Escriva, and then the final third on his life after Escriva passed away and he became the prelate of Opus Dei. But as you read this book you will realize that his work, his service was so much more than just that single focus. He was involved greatly with preparation for and contributing to documents from Vatican II. He had close relationships with pope, many bishops and cardinals. But he was also dedicated to the members of the work. Some of the stories in this book come from ordinary laymen who had personal encounters with Alvaro that had deep and lasting impact on their lives. And reading this book you will encounter the man in a similar personal way.
His service will amaze you. His dedication and focus will inspire you. And his devotion to Our Lady will challenge you. But it was his personal touch that encouraged so many in their life and faith.
"Don Alvaro's love for the Church and his theological appreciation for the role of bishops led him to pray for them and try to support them. A few months before the assassination of Bishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, del Portillo wrote to him: "I assure you that I will pray for you daily at holy Mass, for you and for all the work of souls you carry out." When visiting cathedrals and shrines of Our Lady, he often sent postcards to friends in the hierarchy assuring them of his prayer and affection. Many recipients commented on how much good this simple token of friendship had done them."
He left an impact on all who met him. And most considered his as a friend. He was sought out for advice and guidance by people from all walks of life. Don Alvaro's simple and intense piety is an inspiration. This was one of the simple prayers he learned in childhood that he prayed all his life:
Sweet Mother, never go away.
Keep watch over me both night and day.
Accompany me wherever I go,
And never, ever leave me alone.
Since you protect me so carefully
As my true mother,
Win for me the blessing of God
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
His devotion to Our Lady is an inspiration to me and to my children. Saxum means rock in Latin, and Don Alvaro was a rock for everyone he encountered. And through this book he can continue to be a rock for us and our faith. This book does a wonderful job of providing us with a greater glimpse into the life of Don Alvaro. It is very well written and extensively researched. I believe that anyone who read this book will be challenged in their faith, but also will be greatly inspired and encouraged!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by from the Scepter Publishing.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
Note on Sources
Introduction
1. Finding the Meaning of His Life
2. Early Life
3. Political and Social Background
4. First Steps in Opus Dei
5. Fugitive and Prisoner
6. Refugee
7. Engineering Officer
8. Saxum
9. A Priest of Opus Dei
10. Winning Vatican Approval
11. Building Opus Dei in and from Rome
12. The Second Vatican Council
13. The Post-Conciliar Decade
14. Succeeding the Founder
15. A Man of Prayer and a Father
16. Serving Opus Dei and the Church
17. Reaching Out to Crowds
18. Friend of Gardeners and Popes
19. Finding a Safe Harbor
20. Beatification of the Founder
21. Final Days
Epilogue
Over half of the book focuses on his life with Escriva, and then the final third on his life after Escriva passed away and he became the prelate of Opus Dei. But as you read this book you will realize that his work, his service was so much more than just that single focus. He was involved greatly with preparation for and contributing to documents from Vatican II. He had close relationships with pope, many bishops and cardinals. But he was also dedicated to the members of the work. Some of the stories in this book come from ordinary laymen who had personal encounters with Alvaro that had deep and lasting impact on their lives. And reading this book you will encounter the man in a similar personal way.
His service will amaze you. His dedication and focus will inspire you. And his devotion to Our Lady will challenge you. But it was his personal touch that encouraged so many in their life and faith.
"Don Alvaro's love for the Church and his theological appreciation for the role of bishops led him to pray for them and try to support them. A few months before the assassination of Bishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, del Portillo wrote to him: "I assure you that I will pray for you daily at holy Mass, for you and for all the work of souls you carry out." When visiting cathedrals and shrines of Our Lady, he often sent postcards to friends in the hierarchy assuring them of his prayer and affection. Many recipients commented on how much good this simple token of friendship had done them."
He left an impact on all who met him. And most considered his as a friend. He was sought out for advice and guidance by people from all walks of life. Don Alvaro's simple and intense piety is an inspiration. This was one of the simple prayers he learned in childhood that he prayed all his life:
Sweet Mother, never go away.
Keep watch over me both night and day.
Accompany me wherever I go,
And never, ever leave me alone.
Since you protect me so carefully
As my true mother,
Win for me the blessing of God
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
His devotion to Our Lady is an inspiration to me and to my children. Saxum means rock in Latin, and Don Alvaro was a rock for everyone he encountered. And through this book he can continue to be a rock for us and our faith. This book does a wonderful job of providing us with a greater glimpse into the life of Don Alvaro. It is very well written and extensively researched. I believe that anyone who read this book will be challenged in their faith, but also will be greatly inspired and encouraged!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by from the Scepter Publishing.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
November 29, 2018
It's always inspiring to read about the life of a saint. Blessed Alvaro Portillo is no different. A man who faced the hardship of war and a regime that murdered anyone who belonged to the Catholic faith, he courageously battled the day-to-day difficulty of being honest, simple, and kind without any selfish ambitions. It is no wonder his life was spared so many times or that he inspired many others to live a life with goodness.
November 14, 2018
I liked this book very much, an easy read
Don Alvaro del Portillo is a great man of God
His life story and absolute faithfulness to St Josemaria Escriva and the papacy touched me a lot.
Don Alvaro del Portillo is a great man of God
His life story and absolute faithfulness to St Josemaria Escriva and the papacy touched me a lot.
May 22, 2022
A very comprehensive biography of the life of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo. For those familiar with his life, all the best stories are in there along with more details that make it well worth reading.
September 29, 2014
The organization Opus Dei received a lot of negative attention the past decade thanks to the likes of Dan Brown misinformation and flat out lies in The Da Vinci Code. Real Catholics know the truth about this organization and its great founder - St. Josemaria Escriva. Who many Catholics don't know is Alvaro del Portillo. He was the head of Opus Dei after Escriva passed away. Escriva referred to del Portillo as Saxum, which is the Latin for rock. That is where the book gets its title.
The book doesn't start like most biographies, which is to say at the beginning of his life, but instead gives us a glimpse of how Alvaro del Portillo met Josemaria Escriva. It is instead in the second chapter where we get a brief look at his early life. However, unlike most biographies, which spend at least one chapter devoted to a figure's birth and parents, this book only gives a few pages of details. In those few pages, we see that even at an early age, Alvaro is different than other boys. Much focus is then given to his teen years, where we see him discerning schooling and a career. He waffled between law (like his father) and engineering, but ultimately rejected the idea of law, because he didn't like to speak in front of people and thought he'd be better suited to a job he could perform alone. Despite eventually becoming an engineer, little did he know that his ultimate vocation would be quite the opposite.
Chapter Four proved to be one of the most interesting ones to me. It is here that we see del Portillo's beginnings in Opus Dei. We learn that he was a very vocal proponent and recruiter for Opus Dei. We also learn that he chose a life of celibacy as part of his mission with Opus Dei. Most fascinating to me was reading about the pillars of his "plan of life." These pillars included such devotions as daily Mass, mental prayer, and daily recitation of the Rosary. He learned from Josemaria Escriva that we are not to see these as separate activities from work and rest, but to turn every aspect of our lives into prayer. This is the heart of Opus Dei's message.
In addition to the aforementioned chapter, this book teaches us about the social climate and wars which shaped Alvaro del Portillo. We see him become a priest for Opus Dei and later a bishop. We see the members of Opus Dei seek and gain approval from the Vatican, because like present day, the organization was under attack by certain groups. Also covered in this book is del Portillo's work at the Second Vatican Council and what life was like after the council. The reader gets to see some of the inner workings of Opus Dei, what the core teachings are, and the impact Josemaria Escriva had not only on del Portillo's life but on the lives of all those around him.
This was a very interesting and easy to read biography about a Blessed man, so many people don't know about, including myself before this book. Alvaro del Portillo's life was inspiring and made me strive to live a better life. If you want to know more about him, Josemaria Escriva, and Opus Dei, I highly recommend this book. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you pick up this book, you should also pick up Like Salt and Like Light, which contains a selection of del Portillo's writings and talks.
The book doesn't start like most biographies, which is to say at the beginning of his life, but instead gives us a glimpse of how Alvaro del Portillo met Josemaria Escriva. It is instead in the second chapter where we get a brief look at his early life. However, unlike most biographies, which spend at least one chapter devoted to a figure's birth and parents, this book only gives a few pages of details. In those few pages, we see that even at an early age, Alvaro is different than other boys. Much focus is then given to his teen years, where we see him discerning schooling and a career. He waffled between law (like his father) and engineering, but ultimately rejected the idea of law, because he didn't like to speak in front of people and thought he'd be better suited to a job he could perform alone. Despite eventually becoming an engineer, little did he know that his ultimate vocation would be quite the opposite.
Chapter Four proved to be one of the most interesting ones to me. It is here that we see del Portillo's beginnings in Opus Dei. We learn that he was a very vocal proponent and recruiter for Opus Dei. We also learn that he chose a life of celibacy as part of his mission with Opus Dei. Most fascinating to me was reading about the pillars of his "plan of life." These pillars included such devotions as daily Mass, mental prayer, and daily recitation of the Rosary. He learned from Josemaria Escriva that we are not to see these as separate activities from work and rest, but to turn every aspect of our lives into prayer. This is the heart of Opus Dei's message.
In addition to the aforementioned chapter, this book teaches us about the social climate and wars which shaped Alvaro del Portillo. We see him become a priest for Opus Dei and later a bishop. We see the members of Opus Dei seek and gain approval from the Vatican, because like present day, the organization was under attack by certain groups. Also covered in this book is del Portillo's work at the Second Vatican Council and what life was like after the council. The reader gets to see some of the inner workings of Opus Dei, what the core teachings are, and the impact Josemaria Escriva had not only on del Portillo's life but on the lives of all those around him.
This was a very interesting and easy to read biography about a Blessed man, so many people don't know about, including myself before this book. Alvaro del Portillo's life was inspiring and made me strive to live a better life. If you want to know more about him, Josemaria Escriva, and Opus Dei, I highly recommend this book. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you pick up this book, you should also pick up Like Salt and Like Light, which contains a selection of del Portillo's writings and talks.
February 3, 2016
A true saint
The life of Don Alvaro is an inspirational adventure. Anyone looking for a role model of intelligence, work, dedication, loyalty, honesty and love can find no better modern example. English language readers will benefit from this life of someone well known and loved in the Spanish speaking world.
The life of Don Alvaro is an inspirational adventure. Anyone looking for a role model of intelligence, work, dedication, loyalty, honesty and love can find no better modern example. English language readers will benefit from this life of someone well known and loved in the Spanish speaking world.
February 8, 2015
Coverdale's biographies read like family histories-- full of warmth and familiarity. It might help a reader to have read some of his other books, but I think it would still engage anyone interested in this new Blessed of the Church and this time in church history.
October 14, 2014
Profile of the recently Beatified Alvaro del Portillo.
Vir fidelis multum laudabitur.
Vir fidelis multum laudabitur.
October 17, 2014
Well written and well researched. A fantastic story! Blessed Alvaro, pray for us!
February 4, 2017
A nice Biography
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews