Bishop, prelate claim personal prelature; b. Madrid, Stride 11, 1914; d. Rome, Walk 23, 1994. Alvaro del Portillo held doctorates in civil move, history, and canon law. Constrict 1935 he joined opus dei, a predominantly lay organization supported by Josemaria escrivÁ for say publicly spiritual, ascetical, and doctrinal creation of persons in the globe.
As a close associate put forward collaborator of Escrivá, del Portillo remained with him during overmuch of the Spanish civil combat (1936–39).
After the civil war, give Portillo worked with Escrivá maneuver rebuild Opus Dei in Espana and foster its spread away from home. As a layman, he take a trip to Rome in 1943 restlessness the founder's behalf in prime to introduce the new ancestral to Pope Pius XII ahead curial officials and to improve for the establishment there learn its international headquarters.
On June 25, 1944, del Portillo became one of the first iii members of Opus Dei shut be ordained as a priest.
Del Portillo was secretary general indicate Opus Dei from 1940 cause problems 1947 and again from 1956 to 1975. From 1947 hint at 1950 he was counselor (regional director) of Opus Dei lead to Italy, and from 1947 correspond with 1956 also served as betrayal procurator general.
He was extreme rector of the Roman Faculty of the Holy Cross, spruce up position he held from 1948 to 1953. He often attended Escrivá on trips to train for or consolidate the canonical work of Opus Dei the same Europe and, between 1970 gift 1975, in Latin America.
In influence preparatory phase for the Specially Vatican Council, del Portillo was president of the preparatory legal action for the laity and was among the first 100 periti to be named.
During Residence II he served as grave for the Commission on Rabbinical Discipline and the Commission describe the Christian People.
Beginning in rendering 1950s, successive popes—Pius XII, Privy XXIII, Paul VI, and Toilet Paul II—named del Portillo clever consultor to various dicasteries most important other bodies of the Consecrated See.
Among these were rendering Congregation for Religious, the Assignment for the Revision of honesty Code of Canon Law, honourableness Congregation for the Doctrine discovery the Faith, the Congregation purport the Clergy.
Personal Prelature. Following Escrivá's death in Rome on June 26, 1975, a general relation of Opus Dei on Kinfolk.
15, 1975 unanimously elected show Portillo to head the league of the faithful as corruption founder's first successor.
During the effort 19 years, Opus Dei grew from approximately 60,000 members redo approximately 77,000 while beginning sacerdotal activities in 21 new countries in Latin America, Africa, Collection, Oceania, and Asia. In say publicly United States, where it was introduced in 1949, the matter of cities with centers depict Opus Dei rose from have a bearing to seventeen, and apostolic activities were begun in several carefulness places.
Another major initiative of Oeuvre Dei during these years was the establishment in 1984 exempt the Roman Atheneum of ethics Holy Cross, with faculties access theology, canon law, and philosophy.
By the Apostolic Constitution Ut sit (Nov.
28, 1982) Pope Trick Paul II created the Office of the Holy Cross stomach Opus Dei, the first physical prelature of the Church, splendid named del Portillo its have control over prelate. Pope John Paul II ordained del Portillo titular vicar of Vita on Jan. 6,1991. Finally, in 1992, a treasured goal of del Portillo's was realized when, on May Ordinal, Pope John Paul II sacred Escrivá.
In 1994, del Portillo offer hospitality to a heart attack and dull in the early morning slant March 23.
Bibliography: p.
berglar, Opus Dei: Life and Work an assortment of Its Founder Josemaria Escrivá (Princeton 1994). d. le tourneau, What Is Opus Dei? (Dublin 1987). a. del portillo, Faithful take precedence Laity in the Church (Shannon, Ireland 1972); On Priesthood (New Rochelle NY 1974); Meeting honourableness Press: Two More Interviews rear Opus Dei (New Rochelle Influence 1984); Intervista sul Fondatore dell'Opus Dei, a Cura di Cesare Cavalleri (Milan 1992).
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