St. Josemaria Institute

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St. Josemaria Institute

The St. Josemaria Institute was est. in 2006 to promote the life and teachings of St. Josemaria.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

This Labor Day, we turn to St. Joseph, the humble carpenter whose faithful work reminds us that every honest task can become a path to holiness.

“St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life.” -Christ is Passing By, no. 40
Whether you're serving in an office, teaching in a classroom, caring for your family at home, working with your hands, or simply enjoying a day of rest, your work has eternal value when it is offered to God with love.

St. Josemaria taught that holiness is found not apart from our daily responsibilities, but in the midst of them. Every task, no matter how ordinary, becomes an opportunity to serve others, glorify God, and grow in virtue.

This Labor Day, ask St. Joseph to help you discover the dignity of your work and to transform your daily labor into a meeting place with Christ.

St. Joseph, pray for us!

📸: Altarpiece at the Shrine of Our Lady of Torreciudad

09/06/2026

In today's Gospel, Matthew 18:15–20, Jesus gives us a beautiful promise: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Christ longs to be at the heart of our homes and relationships; not only when we gather for Mass, but also in the ordinary moments of daily life.

The Christian home is a place where faith is lived. We sanctify ordinary life through simple acts of love and devotion: praying before meals, keeping Sunday as the Lord’s Day, reading the Gospel together, praying the Rosary, making time for family, and ending the day with a prayer of thanksgiving.

As St. Josemaria Escriva explained:

“This is the way to ensure that God is not regarded as a stranger whom we go to see in the church once a week on Sunday. He will be seen and treated as He really is, not only in church but also at home, because our Lord has told us, 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them' (Mt 18:20)” (Conversations, no. 103).

These small acts help us remember a great truth: Jesus Christ is not simply part of our lives; He is the center.

Today, let us ask for the grace to make our homes and families places where Christ is welcomed, loved, and served.

09/05/2026

Ready to head back to school?

Join us in praying the Novena to Our Lady of Students!

As a new academic year begins, it's the perfect time to entrust every student, teacher, parent, and school community to the loving care of Our Lady.

St. Josemaria had a deep devotion to Our Lady and encouraged us to turn to her with childlike confidence in every need.

Whether you're beginning a new semester, preparing for important exams, discerning your vocation, or supporting a loved one through their studies, Mary accompanies every step with her maternal guidance. Through her intercession, may we seek not only knowledge, but the wisdom to know, love, and serve God in all we do.

Our Lady of Students, pray for us! 💙
https://stjosemaria.org/product/novena-to-our-lady-of-students/

09/04/2026

Every day, we carry many things with us: responsibilities, concerns, hopes, and challenges. But as we journey toward heaven, the Lord also gives us the spiritual resources we need to walk with Him.

Through prayer, the Sacraments, Sacred Scripture, and God's love, we receive the grace to persevere with faith and confidence. And, like a well-packed backpack, these gifts help sustain us in our everyday lives at home and school!

St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us that:

“We must seek Christ in the word and in the bread, in the Eucharist and in prayer. And we must treat him as a friend, as the real, living person he is - for he is risen… Christ, the risen Christ, is our companion and friend” (Christ is Passing By, no. 116).

🎒 What’s in your “spiritual backpack”?

Explore “A Spiritual Backpack: Inspiration for the School Year” for resources for students, parents, and educators: https://stjosemaria.org/a-spiritual-backpack/

09/03/2026

Every saint, from the greatest thinker to the commonest servant, has walked the same narrow road: the path of humility. It is the foundation of every virtue and the key to sanctity.

In our September Book of the Month, Catholic author Patrick O’Hearn unveils the hidden wisdom behind the profound Litany of Humility, and shows you how to live it through the example of the saints.

📚 Read an interview from this month's author! : https://stjosemaria.org/author-interview-patrick-ohearn/

Join the discussion in the comments and on social media
Invite a friend or your book club to read along and grow in faith together

Join the St. Josemaria Institute's Book of the Month today! Check out our reading list here: https://stjosemaria.org/book-of-the-month/

09/02/2026

The new school year is here!

This week on the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai shares a meditation on framing the academic year as a time of grace, encouraging us to view our daily work, studies, and conversations as opportunities to grow closer to Our Lord.

🎧Tune in here: https://stjosemaria.org/podcasts/framing-the-academic-year/

09/01/2026

September offers many new opportunities to deepen our faith and grow in our journey toward holiness.

Throughout the month, the Church invites us to reflect on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mystery of the Cross, and the witness of the saints who show us how to follow Christ with greater love and fidelity:

September 8 — The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 12 — The Most Holy Name of Mary
September 14 — The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14 — Pope Leo XIV’s Birthday
September 15 — Our Lady of Sorrows
September 21 — Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
September 29 — Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

Plan and inspire your prayer time in the month ahead with our “Month at a Glance”!

📅 Click here to follow along: https://mailchi.mp/stjosemaria/month-at-a-glance-september-2026

08/31/2026

“Understanding is real charity. When you really achieve it, you will have a great heart which is open to all without discrimination. Even with those who have treated you badly you will put into living practice that advice of Jesus: ‘Come to me all you that… are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’”

St. Josemaria Escriva
The Forge, no. 867

As August comes to an end, we reflect with St. Josemaria on one of the deepest expressions of Christian charity: understanding others with a generous heart.

It is easy to love those who think like us, act like us, or treat us well. But Christ calls us to a greater love-one that seeks to understand, forgive, and welcome others, even when relationships are difficult and even when we’re stressed and tired.

As the restful summer days begin to wind down, let us ask Our Lord to keep our hearts at rest in Him, and to enlarge our hearts to love each person with greater understanding and charity.

08/30/2026

In today’s Gospel (Luke 14:1, 7–14), Jesus teaches us the beauty of humility. While dining at the home of a Pharisee, He notices how guests choose places of honor and reminds them that true greatness is not found in seeking recognition, but in choosing the humble place.

The Christian life is not about being noticed; it is about imitating Christ in His love and humility. Jesus teaches us that very act of humble service offered to God has eternal value.

“The fact that Jesus grew up and lived just like us shows us that human existence and all the ordinary activity of men have a divine meaning. No matter how much we may have reflected on all this, we should always be surprised when we think of the thirty years of obscurity which made up the greater part of Jesus' life among men. He lived in obscurity, but, for us, that period is full of light. It illuminates our days and fills them with meaning, for we are ordinary Christians who lead an ordinary life, just like millions of other people all over the world.

That was the way Jesus lived for thirty years, as ‘the son of the carpenter.’ There followed three years of public life, spent among the crowds. People were surprised: ‘Who is this?’ they asked. ‘Where has he learned these things?’ For he was just like them: he had shared the life of ordinary people. He was ‘the carpenter, the son of Mary.’ And he was God; he was achieving the redemption of mankind and "drawing all things to himself” (Christ is Passing By, no. 14)

Where is Jesus inviting you to choose the “lower place” with a spirit of humility, generosity, and love?

08/29/2026

Have you ever wondered why the Rosary is repetitive?

The Rosary is repetitive because it needs to be. All prayer needs to be repetitive. We are repetitive creatures: our actions, our thought patterns, the images that return regularly in our imagination, the words we speak. Our heartbeat and breathing are repetitive.

The goal is to cultivate the right kind of repetition. St Josemaria justifies saying the same things by the logic of love: “But in the Rosary … we always say the same things! Always the same? And don’t people in love always say the same things to each other …?” (Holy Rosary, Preface). Ultimately, we want to overcome the “monotony” of our sins by the refreshing use of holy words and actions: “Blessed be that monotony of Hail Marys which purifies the monotony of your sins!” (Furrow, 475).

The Rosary brings us into the moments of Christ’s life, the joy of His Incarnation, the sorrow of His Passion, and the glory of His Resurrection. Mary takes us by the hand and teaches us to look at Jesus with a heart that is open, attentive, and full of love.

Address

4340 Cross Street Ste 1
Downers Grove, IL
60515

Telephone

+16305419742

Website

http://www.stjosemaria.org/

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