SORIA, Jose Luis (Fr. Joe), passed away peacefully at home on October 3rd, 2022, in Vancouver, at the age of 90. He received the last rites. Predeceased by his father Gregorio Soria Rodriguez, his mother Maria Dolores Saiz Ascarate-Ascasua, and his sister Maria Teresa. He is survived and will be missed by his sisters Maria Dolores and Maria Isabel and by his brother Carlos, as well as by many nephews and nieces.
Fr. Joe was born on April 17, 1932 in Valladolid, Spain. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on November 18, 1956 and was incardinated in the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei. He went to Medical School at the University of Valladolid and graduated in 1955. He obtained a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome in 1956. From 1960 to 1973 he taught Pastoral Medicine at the Pastoral Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, and from 1960 to 1976 he taught Catholicae Doctrinae Expositio at the Institute Utriusque Iuris of the Pontifical Lateran University. From 1970 to 1976 he was Apostolic Examiner of the Clergy for the Roman Vicariate. Fr. Joe was Spiritual Director and Postulator General of Opus Dei and is the author of several books and booklets on Moral and Spiritual Theology. While in Rome, he worked closely with St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei and also with Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the founder’s first successor. Fr. Joe was the founder’s physician until the saint’s death. Blessed Alvaro asked him to move to Canada in 1976 and appointed him Regional Vicar of the Prelature of Opus Dei in Canada from 1977 to 1985. He carried out his pastoral work for Opus Dei mainly in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. In February of 1997, after over a decade of frequent pastoral trips to the West Coast from Montreal and Toronto, Fr. Joe moved to Vancouver. His priestly service made him well known and much loved as a wise, prudent, and gifted preacher and spiritual director - of young and old, women and men, of all social strata. He was also very dedicated to helping diocesan clergy.
Fr. Joe was an example of order and hard work. He was very demanding on himself, while truly affectionate and understanding with others. In recognition of his fruitful years of pastoral work in the Vancouver archdiocese, in 2020, Pope Francis awarded him the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.
Prayers will be offered on Thursday, October 13th from 4 to 6 pm and 8 pm to 7:30 am on Friday, October 14th, at St. John the Apostle Parish (5457 Trafalgar Street). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for the repose of his soul on Friday, October 14th at 10 am at Holy Rosary Cathedral (646 Richards Street), Archbishop J. Michael Miller CSB, to preside. Interment to follow at the Gardens of Gethsemani (15694 32 Ave, Surrey). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Westbrook Education Fund (donations@westbrookedufund.ca), 4050 Osler Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 2W9