When St. Josemaría visited the ‘Capelinha de Fátima’ for the first time, the sanctuary was still under construction. He hadn’t yet been to greet Msgr. López Ortiz (at that time bishop of Tuy) who was a good friend of his. When the bishop told him he could meet Sr. Lucía, who back then was living in that city, st. Josemaría answered he would certainly love to. That encounter had a big impact in the expansion of the Work. st. Josemaría had planned to start in France, but understood, at Sr. Lucía’s request, that Opus Dei had to go first to Portugal. It was Sr. Lucía herself who resolved the immigration issue - st. Josemaría would recall on one occasion:
“I was in a Galician city and Sr. Lucía, one of the seers of Fátima, came to see me. I was somewhat distant with her, as I knew she was a very holy person. She wasn’t bothered by that - moerover, she came back to tell me that Opus Dei had to go to Portugal. I answered that we didn’t have a passport, but she said: “I will take care of that immediately”. She called Lisbon and got a document for us to cross the border. We didn’t speak at all of Our Lady’s apparitions, never have I. Every time I see her, I remind her that she owns a big part of the beginnings of the Work in Portugal”.
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| St. Josemaria praying on the esplanade at Fatima |
In that first encounter with Sr. Lucía, st. Josemaría, quite directly told her: “Sister Lucía, if you, who received so many graces from God, like me, who also receive so many graces from God, are not faithful, what a problem! We could not make it to heaven!” and Sr. Lucía answered “I have thought of that as well, many times”. St. Josemaría returned to Fátima twice more that year, in June and September. On February 5th, 1946 the first ones arrived in Coimbra to stay. There is where the first tabernacle was set.
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