Don Jose Maria Somoano died after two days of agony, he was probably poisoned. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1927 and in 1931 he was already chaplain of “King’s Hospital” (also known as the National Infectious Diseases Hospital). He had joined Opus Dei on January 2nd, 1932 - one of the first priests to join Opus Dei.
St. Josemaria was deeply hurt by his death, but was convinced that he had died a holy death - as a martyr - and that from Heaven he would help the Work even more. St. Josemaria wrote in his personal notes on the day he was buried: “July 18th, 1932: The Lord has taken one of ours: Jose Maria somoano, an admirable priest. He died, victim of charity, in the King’s Hospital (where he has been chaplain till the end, despite all the secular anger) on the night of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel whom he had a great devotion to, always wearing the scapular. and because this feast was celebrated on a Saturday, surely that same night he would be in God’s presence. Beautiful soul. His zealous life gained him the affection of whoever came accross him. Today, I farewell him joyfully to Our Lord. He is with Him and will be of great help. I had a lot of hope invested in his character, upright and energetic: God has wanted him for Himself: may he be blessed”.
St. Josemaria wrote an obituary: Admirable priest, his life, short and fruitful, he was a ripe fruit that the Lord wanted for Heaven. Just the thought that there were priests who dare to go to the Altar with lesser dispositions, would make him shed tears of reparation. Before knowing the Work of God, after the sacrilegious fires in May, at the start of the persecution (in spain) with official decrees, he was caught unaware in the chapel of the Hospital where he was chaplain, offering himself to Jesus, in loud voice, as a victim for this poor Spain. Our Lord accepted the holocaust, and with a double predilection -predilection for the Work and predilection for Jose Maria, he sent for him (...) so that the Work would have next to the Blessed Trinity and next to Immaculate Mary someone to continuously care for us. He heard with such enthusiasm, during our last priestly meeting, the Monday prior to his death, the projects to start our action! I know that his intentions will press on Our Lord’s Merciful Heart, when he asks for us and we well obtain the abundant graces that we will need to fulfill God’s will”. (+ 16-VII-1932).
With don Jose Maria’s death, st. josemaria felt eager to fill the void left in the chaplaincy of the King’s Hospital. Sr. Engracia Echevarria, superior of the religious who looked after the hospital later said: “don Josemaria Escriva came to me. at that time he was a young priest who would have barely been 30 years old, and told me not to worry about not having an official chaplain. that night and day, and at whatever time, and under my responsibility, I should call him if there was any terminal patient who required the Sacraments”. St. Josemaria -who was the chaplain of the Foundation of St. Isabel- had to make room in his schedule, which was more than tight, to be able to look after the hospital which, on top of that, made him cross the city from north to south and even walk a bit through a field - back then, given that St. Josemaria would always wear a cassock, was putting himself at the constant risk of insults and stone blows.
At the hospital, St. Josemaria was always at risk of contagion from the patients. In order to hear confessions in those common rooms it was necesary to be with his ear very close to the pillow, putting up with the infected breath and rhoncus of the dying and the cough of those with tuberculosis. With the increase of penitents and lengthening of visits, st. Josemaria didn’t have a choice but to go also on Saturdays to hear confessions. From then no, almost every Sunday and Feast days he would celebrate Mass and preach a homily for the whole hospital. It was in this hospital where he met Maria Ignacia Garcia, who was the first expiatory vocation. This was not the only hospital where st. Josemaria dedicated himself to look after the sick. He also dedicated a lot of time to the General Hospital, the King’s Hospital, the Princess Hospital, etc.
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