EDC promotes Christian values in Entrepreneurship in an atmosphere of freedom and respect for the religious beliefs and opinions of others. The fundamental inspiration is provided by the Christian conception of man and society. The Prelature of Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church, takes responsibility for ensuring that this conception actually informs all activities of the Centre. It helps further by providing the necessary means (pastoral and spiritual) to advance its Christian identity.
Pan-Atlantic University owes its continued development to many individuals, some who belong to Opus Dei and some who do not.
Opus Dei and Its Mission
Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church, seeks to spread the message that everyone is called to a life of holiness in the midst of the ordinary activities of their lives regardless of their state in life, occupation, sex, race etc. This teaching became central to the message of the Church’s Second Vatican Council. Formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, Opus Dei is Latin for ‘Work of God’.
Opus Dei traces its foundation to a period in 1928 in Madrid, Spain when a young Spanish priest (St Josemaría Escrivá) was making a spiritual retreat. Precisely on 2 October 1928, according to him, he ‘saw’ Opus Dei and thereafter, began the foundational activities of the organisation which would bring to the whole world the message that everyone had been called individually, by God, to live a life of sanctity in the midst of their everyday affairs. Later on, in 1950, Opus Dei received its final approval from the Vatican from Pope Pius XII. Again in 1982, Pope John Paul II established it as a personal prelature thus making it an intrinsic part of the universal Church.
The Founder
Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (1902-1975) was born in Barbastro in the Aragonese part of Spain on 9 January 1902. He was ordained a priest in Zaragoza, on Saturday, 28 March 1925. During a prayerful retreat, on 2 October 1928, he "saw" Opus Dei. St Josemaría earned two doctorate degrees, one in civil law and one in theology. His life’s work was the establishment and nurturing of Opus Dei until the time of his death. St Josemaría was the author of many publications such as The Way, Furrow, The Forge, Conversations with Monsignor Josemaría Escrivá, Friends of God, Christ Is Passing by, In Love with the Church, Holy Rosary most of which were aimed at nurturing the spiritual growth of Christians from all works of life. The best-known known of these, The Way, has sold several million copies and has been translated into 43 languages. He died on 26 June 1975 in Rome.
Even during his lifetime he had a reputation for holiness, which continued to grow around the world after his death. Pope John Paul II declared him blessed in 1992 and a saint in 2002. Saint Josemaría’s feast day is June 26.
