MANILA, Nov. 3, 2016 – A novel initiative of a group of young entrepreneurs shows that devotion to the saints is lived not only in “sacred” places or through “holy” objects but can be expressed right in the middle of the workplace and with the use of ordinary office devices.
On the occasion of “All Saints’ Day”, Elaine Reyes, account manager at Gift Solutions Specialists Philippines, described in an interview with CBCPNews how “pen drives”, a popular data storage device used with computers, could also foster the devotion to the saints.
“Through the pen drives with the images of of St. Josemaria and Blessed Alvaro we would like to convey to the people who use these devices the message of these two saints who proclaimed to the entire world the Gospel value of work done out of love,” she said.
Saintly pen drives
“An office mate of mine, who during the Papal visit to the Philippines in 2015 worked on a project of producing pen drives with the image of Pope Francis, thought of coming up with a similar product but, this time, adorned with the images of saints,” revealed Reyes.
According to the young professional, knowing about the devotion of some of her colleagues to St. Josemaria Escriva and Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, her friend initiated their company’s production of pen drives with the images of these two holy men. As a work of mercy, the “holy USB” initiative was linked to a fund-raising project for the benefit of an NGO engaged in women’s empowerment through personal, professional, family, and home-enrichment programs.
Spreading saints’ teachings
“Little did we know that this project would spark interest not only among devotees of St. Josemaria and Blessed Alvaro but also to those who had not yet heard of these two saints,” said Reyes.
“My friends initially posted the products on social media a week before their release. Inquiries came in immediately from both friends and new contacts here and abroad.”
Reyes also recounted how a friend of hers posted a picture of the pen drives in Instagram and Facebook before she slept. She woke up the next day receiving many inquiries.
“A student who collaborated with the project instantly got ten inquiries from her classmates. A faculty member from the same school also received inquiries of the same quantity in an instant,” revealed Reyes.
Sanctify ordinary work
“Among all the activities that we are called to sanctify, work holds a primordial place in St. Josemaría’s teaching. He constantly stressed that the sanctification of work ‘is the hinge of true spirituality’ for people who, like us, have decided to come close to God while being at the same time fully involved in temporal affairs”.
“Blessed Alvaro, St. Josemaria’s first successor as the head of Opus Dei, said ‘Striving to turn work into prayer, and offering it to God, is the secret’,” affirmed the young entrepreneur.
For inquiries, interested parties may send an email to info@giftsolutions.ph.
(Fr. Mickey Cardenas/CBCP News)