Description
Would you dare to go to Chile?
Book Summary
This book chronicles the beginnings of Opus Dei in Chile through the figure of Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal, the priest chosen by Saint Josemaría to undertake this apostolic work. The reader will discover the process of an early vocation, the academic and spiritual formation of a young naval engineer, and his decisive dedication as a priest. The work offers a documented testimony regarding the challenges and expansion of the Work in a new country, from the solitary arrival of Rodríguez Vidal in 1950 to his subsequent episcopal ministry. It is a read that combines history, spirituality, and biography, showing the impact of a life dedicated to service.
What is it about?
The work recounts the story of Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal, from his youth as a Naval Engineering student in Madrid, where he discovered his divine calling in 1940. Ten years later, already ordained as a priest and holding a degree in Exact Sciences, he was sent by Saint Josemaría Escrivá to Chile to begin the apostolic work of Opus Dei, arriving initially alone in 1950. The book details his work leading the Work in the country during two key periods (1950-1962 and 1965-1988), his appointment as Bishop of Santa María de los Ángeles by Saint John Paul II in 1988, and his final years until his passing in 2003 after a difficult illness. Through this biographical journey, the author, Cristián Sahli Lecaros, offers an analysis of the beginnings and consolidation of Opus Dei in Chilean society.
Main themes
- Biography of Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal, the first promoter of Opus Dei in Chile.
- History of the beginnings and expansion of Opus Dei in Chile (1950-1988).
- Priestly vocation and the process of spiritual discernment in the 20th century.
- Apostolic and pastoral work in a specific geographic and cultural context.
- Relationship between academic training (engineering and sciences) and religious service.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the contemporary history of the Catholic Church, particularly in the expansion of Opus Dei outside of Spain. It will also be of great interest to those seeking edifying biographies of 20th-century religious figures, as well as to members and supporters of the Work who wish to learn about its origins in Chile. Likewise, it may appeal to scholars of the social and religious history of Chile in the second half of the 20th century.
What this book offers
- A detailed and documented account of the first steps of Opus Dei in Chile, based on the trajectory of its main protagonist.
- An understanding of the vocational process and the life of service of a priest who combined a solid technical background with intense pastoral work.
- A historical perspective on how an ecclesial institution was established and developed in a new country for nearly four decades.
- The testimony of a life of dedication, from youth to the episcopate, illustrating the values of Opus Dei spirituality.
Technical specifications
- Author: Sahli Lecaros, Cristián
- Publisher: Ediciones Rialp, S.A.
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: CHRISTIANITY
- Collection: BOOKS ON OPUS DEI
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2017
- Number of pages: 372
- Weight: 480 g
Editorial review
We are presented with a historical-biographical work that achieves the goal of documenting the origins of Opus Dei in Chile in a rigorous and accessible way. The author, with academic training in Law and Theology, offers a narrative that contextualizes the figure of Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal within the history of the Work. For the reader interested in 20th-century ecclesial history, this book represents a reliable and detailed source, providing a concrete vision of the expansion of Saint Josemaría's foundational charism into a new territory. Its primary value lies in the combination of personal biography and institutional chronicle, offering a human and documented perspective on a process of great relevance for the Church in Chile.