Blessed Alvaro del Portillo Newsletter No 7 (2020)

A newsletter of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo on promoting social initiatives.

Download Newsletter No 7 here.

When Blessed Alvaro was 19, he became involved in the activities of the Conferences of Saint Vincent de Paul in the poorest neighbourhoods of Madrid. They provided donations and food, gave catechism classes and helped young people in disadvantaged areas. He helped with activities in the parish of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, in the Bridge of Vallecas district of Madrid.

In Opus Dei, prompted by Saint Josemaría, he continued this type of activity in the DYA Academy. The love he felt towards those in need, that emerged from his university experience, remained with him for the rest of his life. In 1981 he wrote: “All of us have to make contact with those who are suffering, who are sick, who are destitute, who are alone, who have been forsaken by all.”

During the 198 trips and pastoral visits that he carried out while he was head of the Work, he took every opportunity to encourage social and educational initiatives. Don Alvaro inspired everyone to have wide horizons and set up projects to provide help and to remedy the many evils in the world. He carried in his heart a passion to help others and bring them close to the kind and merciful face of Christ.

He inspired and promoted more than forty social initiatives throughout the world, with different goals such as the advancement of women, development, education or medical research and health.

This newsletter contains information on some of them as well as some favours obtained through his intercession and testimonies from people who knew him.