Opus Dei, (Latin for "The Work of God"), was founded in 1928 by the young Spanish priest Josemaria Escriva. Opus Dei calls people to a path of sanctity in the midst of ordinary life.

Pope John Paul II established Opus Dei as a personal prelature of the Catholic Church in 1982. This is a configuration within canon law that was desired by the founder, who lived with a reputation for sanctity. Six years after his death a process of canonization was begun which culminated in his beatification in the year 1992.

In our country the spirit of the Work had already arrived during the period of Communist rule. After the opening of the border, favorable conditions led to the establishment of centers of Opus Dei. There are now two in Bratislava. The beginnings involved some young people who were inspired by their meetings with members of Opus Dei in Vienna. We spoke to one of them, Dr. Penelope Coate, a graduate of the School of Philology and Literature of Oxford and asked her to speak about herself and her work in Slovakia.

What attracted you to Opus Dei and when did you decide to request admission to it?
I am from Britain and I became acquainted with the spirit of the Work through a catechist who prepared me for confirmation. I took part in a retreat and after that remained in contact with the Work. Later, during my studies of French and Spanish at the University of Oxford I took advantage of an opportunity to teach English in Spain.

I took part in a pilgrimage to Torreciudad, a shrine of the Blessed Virgin that was very dear to the Founder of Opus Dei himself. In this place of exceptional spiritual experiences and conversions, I felt the desire of living and spreading this spirit. I was particularly attracted by its method of doing apostolate: by living and giving example in the place where people work, in everyday life.

What brought you to our country, to Slovakia?
I was born on September 15, a special feast for the Slovaks. This was something symbolic. I arrived here by chance through an invitation to teach English in a month-long course organized as a way of "helping the countries of the East." I thought it would be interesting to get to know this country and its people. However the reality surpassed my expectations.

I found friends and a way of life here that impressed me very much. After finishing the course I came back to Slovakia on various occasions. In the year 1996 the possibility of starting some centers of Opus Dei in Bratislava arose. Together with friends from Austria and girls from this country we are trying to give spiritual formation to those persons who desire it.

Opus Dei is a divine call to be saints wherever we are. We can attract people to God with our own lives. He wants to act through us. He gives us means to unite ourselves to him in a closer way: in the Holy Mass, with personal prayer, through devotion to the Mother of God. The Personal Prelature of Opus Dei is not a type of mass movement; it is based on a personal call by God.

You speak of a personal prelature. Could you explain what that is?
The Second Vatican Council emphasized an important task of the Church: to announce the universal call to sanctity and offer the means to attain this end. One expression of this need was the figure of personal prelatures. As you know, most of the institutions of the Church are based on territorial circumscriptions such as dioceses for example. In a personal prelature, the individual becomes a part of its faithful in a different way.

It is based on a personal commitment to the prelature. Naturally, one's connection with one's own diocese remains intact. The prelature, under the direction of its prelate, is made up of priests and lay faithful of all social classes throughout the whole world.

One of its most attractive principles is respect for the personal freedom of man. How does it reach non-believers? Do you explain that the world has no meaning without God?
We don't try to change or persuade anyone by force. When a person discovers that to be a Christian means to fall in love with God and to find him everywhere, this is naturally reflected in the person's life. If our life is attractive to others they will begin to ask questions and we will establish a closer relationship. Our apostolate is not a matter of doing anything special, but of striving for holiness wherever we are. And in this way we also try to sanctify whatever is around us.