From Bratislava to Pallerols

Santiago Fuertes, an Opus Dei priest who lives in Slovakia, and five seminarians from Bratislava, organized a retreat from August 6 to 10 with the idea of visiting Torreciudad and being able to build a stretch of the Pyrenees Pass that St. Josemaría traveled during the Spanish Civil War. They called it “Behind the Footsteps of St. Josemaría”.

The seminarians participate in the means of formation offered by Opus Dei in Bratislava.

We attach the Slovak commentary sent to us by Martin Uher, one of the seminarians:

Ubytovaní sme boli v Pallerols. Náš sprievodca Ramon nám ochotne a s radosťou vysvetlil dôležitosť tohto kostola pre sv. Josemaríu. Som povzbudený túžbou sv. Josemaría hľadať Božiu vôľu a po jej nájdení ju plniť v bežnom živote. Každý deň sa pýtať: „Pane Ježišu, čo mám robiť.”

Jeden deň bol venovaný túre v horách po stopách sv. Josemaría. Prešli sme určitý úsek cesty ako on, keď utekal do Andorry. Je mi vzorom ako prekonávať každodenné prekážky

Ramon nám pri rozlúčke zaželal: „Buďte dobrí a svätí kňazi.”

Som šťastný, že som mohol lepšie spoznať zakladateľa Opus Dei, sv. Josemaría Escrivu”.

Which translated into English would be:

We stayed in Pallerols. There we met Ramon who explained to us the importance of that place in St. Josemaría’s life.

For me it was an impact to see St. Josemaría’s desire to know God’s will: every day to ask oneself, “What do you want from me, Lord?” After making a stretch of the road that he traveled to Andorra, I understood better what it means to overcome the obstacles of each day. I am happy that I got to know St. Josemaría better and that I was more encouraged by his example to be a good and holy priest.