On the morning of May 15, Ricard Estarriol Seseras died at the age of 84 at his home in Vienna, comforted by the Holy Sacraments.

He was born in Girona on February 27, 1937 and joined Opus Dei in his youth.

After having studied Journalism and Law, he moved to Austria in 1958 (at the age of 21) at the request of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, to support the beginning of the apostolic work of Opus Dei in that country.

For many decades he has been a fearless and tireless correspondent for "La Vanguardia" in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

The prestige and recognition acquired with his research and analysis far surpasses the environment of his colleagues and readers.

In his countless trips to the countries of the former Soviet bloc, he took advantage of all the opportunities offered to him to prepare there for the beginning of the Opus Dei apostolate as well. With his open and friendly nature and his proverbial tenacity, he was a good friend to countless people.

The burial took place on May 27 at 11:00 a.m., in the cemetery

Nußdorf (Nußberggasse 48, Wien XIX).

The Requiem Mass will also be celebrated at 6.30 pm. in St. Peter's Church (Petersplatz, Wien I).

He was an enthusiastic propagator of the devotion to Pallerols in the countries of Eastern Europe. Proof of his love for Pallerols was his participation in the "2009 Freedom Paths Conference" that took place in Lleida, with the title "The price of freedom in Europe: 1936-1990", in which a reflection was made and a tribute to the victims of the repressions that took place in Europe from 1936, with the start of the Spanish civil war, until 1990, with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In these Conference of 2009, Estarriol gave the inaugural conference with the title: "The fall of the Wall and the paths of freedom in Eastern Europe". As a first-hand historical witness he masterfully described the struggle for the freedom of conscience of the peoples of Eastern Europe. In his opinion, the search for freedom was linked to the reunion of the Christian roots of Europe. In this sense, he highlighted the role played in this process by the Second Vatican Council and the message of freedom spread by personalities of the Church, such as Saint John Paul II and also Saint Josemaría Escrivà himself.

You can read a summary of his conference in the 2009 website news.