Diocesan approval for Opus Dei as a pious union

March 19th, 1941 

On this date, Msgr. Leopoldo Eijo y Garay (Bishop of Madrid) gave the diocesan approval to Opus Dei as pious union, in Madrid. Don Leopoldo wanted also that with this, all the slander against the Work would stop. He followed the development of the Work step by step. By that time, the Archbishop of Toledo had died, and the most probable candidate to follow would be the Bishop of Madrid. Our father thought “if he takes our side, it’s over [meaning he wouldn’t be given the seat of Toledo]”. With loyalty, he told don Leopoldo to let it go and not to help the Work: “Bishop, ditch me! Or at least make it look for now like you're ditching me, and then pick me up later. Because otherwise you stand to lose the mitre of Toledo." Bishop Leopoldo became very serious and said, "I am not going to ditch you father Josemaria. Because it's not the mitre of Toledo that's at risk - it's my soul!".

"Some time later, -the founder recalled- he let me know that he had indeed been excluded from the list".

St. Josemaria with Bishop Eijo y Garay