PODCAST | Returning to Our Father’s House
As we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Lent, also referred to as Laetare Sunday, we are reminded to rejoice in the joy of the Lord as we approach the midway point of the Lenten season.
In today’s podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo draws inspiration from the parable of the prodigal son and reflects on the joy of returning to our Father’s house. During Lent, we are encouraged to look inward and reflect upon the everyday moments that provide opportunities for conversion. With the grace of God, we can turn these opportunities into moments of joy that lead us closer to the arms of our heavenly Father.
Rev. Javier del Castillo
Fr. Javier del Castillo is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei and currently serves as President of the St. Josemaria Institute. He earned a degree in electronic engineering and moved to Rome to complete his ecclesiastical studies, where he was ordained a priest in 2005 and earned a doctorate in Philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in 2007. He worked as a chaplain in high schools in the Washington, D.C. and Chicago areas for several years, offering spiritual accompaniment to students, parents, and teachers. From 2015 on, he served as the vicar of Opus Dei in the midwest; he was appointed regional vicar of the United States in 2022. He became vicar of the United States and Canada in 2024, following the restructuring of the regions, until his appointment as Vicar General in April 2025.
