The feast day mass in honour of St. Josemaria Escriva was beautifully concelebrated in Vancouver’s Corpus Christi Church on June 26th, 2018. Monsignor Gregory Smith (Christ the Redeemer, West Vancouver) was the main celebrant, assisted by Fr. Julio Lagos of Opus Dei, Fr. John Tritschler and Fr. Anthony Ho.
The large church was filled with families and individuals from across the lower mainland. Every continent of the world was represented and one participant was reminded that each year at this feast day mass, the unity of the holy, catholic, apostolic and universal church is made palpable.
Monsignor Smith began his homily with the humorous observation that, had he remembered the Opus Dei demographic, he might have prepared a few children’s homilies.
Having attended the Jordan Peterson/Sam Harris “debate” at the Orpheum two nights previously, Monsignor Smith explained that the common notion that the Catholic Church is constrained by dogma and tradition was shown to be false by St. Josemaria’s life and teachings. His life was a living example of the great gift of freedom we have been given by God. Monsignor Smith quoted many passages from the books of the founder of Opus Dei showing how every situation in one’s life can become a means to find God and bring His love to those we live and work with.
The mass was accompanied by a choir of exceptional voices which added to the beauty and reverence of the evening; a testament to the significance of St. Josemaria Escriva in the lives of so many people around the world.
