I am a numerary priest of Opus Dei and I really wanted to celebrate Mass at the Shrine for my whole family. That was what my mother had asked me to do. Afterwards, all forty of us would go out for a family lunch.
Five days earlier, however, I began to notice the first symptoms that I was going to lose my voice. I went to the doctor the next day, who gave me an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. He told me that on my mother's birthday I would be able to speak, but with a weak voice. I began to ask Pedro for a voice so that I could celebrate Mass. I also asked other people to pray to Pedro, including my mother. But inside, I needed someone to help me get through the days of ‘loneliness’ with confidence, during which I feared the uncertainty of not being able to celebrate Mass and speak to my mother and family on that day. I could only pray in silence, unable to share my fear, except for a WhatsApp message I sent. The truth is that Pedro accompanied me.
The day arrived and I didn't know exactly what state my voice was in, as I had remained silent in the previous days to save my voice. I only knew that I could speak loudly, because that morning I read Pedro's prayer card aloud and was happy. The Mass was the first time I had spoken at length in several days. Until the consecration, my voice was hoarse. At that moment, right in the middle of the consecration, my throat went dry, but I managed to pronounce it with effort. Afterwards, my voice stabilised. By the end of Mass, my voice had recovered its normal tone. I also find it remarkable that my voice recovered immediately after Mass and remained that way until evening. The next day, I no longer had a hoarse voice, just a slight impression that passed quickly.
Fr AAM (Oporto, Portugal)
27 January 2026

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