It is not difficult to deduce that the priest who has become famous because he intervened in the sudden bullfighter Juan Ortega’s resignation from marrying cardiologist Carmen Otte, an hour and a half before the ceremony that, apparently, he was supposed to officiate himself, belongs to Opus Dei. Just look at the name. Those who are called José María and call themselves Josemaría (all together) are all from the Opus, in memory of that Josemaría (all together) Escrivá de Balaguer who founded the Work and who became a saint thanks to the decisive intervention of Juan Pablo II.
From the rumors that reach me, it seems that the bullfighter and the doctor have reconciled, a few days after the fiasco, and it could still be that the wedding would take place, unless Josepmaria Quintana intervenes again in the couple’s relationship. Only they know what happened that day. They say that the bullfighter uttered a historic phrase (“I don’t see it, I just don’t see it!”) and that The priest told him that, if he didn’t see it clearly, the best thing was to stop.. Instead, he intervened in the reconciliation of Tamara Falcó and a certain Iñigo Onieva, after the confirmation of that boy’s emotional imbalances. The thing is that Josepmaria Quintana is what we could call a court priesta man of trust in the faith, at least, of this small universe of ridiculous characters from the gossip press.
I don’t think I imagined this ending when it was ordained priest on May 14, 2011, at the age of 31, in a Roman ceremony presided over by the then prelate bishop of Opus, Javier Echevarría, in the church of Santa María de la Paz (not to be confused with the delicate baroque jewel of Santa Maria della Pace), which is a rather ugly building, from 1950, where Escrivá is buried and where his baptismal font is preserved. The ‘Diari de Girona’ was echoed, in a brief where it talked about the act in which 34 deacons received the sacrament of the priestly order and where reference was made to the origins of the new priest, from Banyolesand his activity as Physical Education teacher in schools belonging to the Opus. There was also talk of the thesis he was writing, to become a doctor in Theology (in addition to having a degree in sports and Pedagogy) from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, a center (need it be emphasized?) also linked to the Work. We will talk about the thesis later. It is an “anthropological, social and moral reflection on physical education based on the teachings of John Paul II.”
Josepmaria Quintana was born in Banyoles, yes, but she was there for a short time. He is the son of a family with deep Christian convictions, with 10 children (need it be noted who they took communion with?) who moved to Girona. The father was a teacher at Bell-lloch (Girund school of Opus Dei) and he is the grandson, on his mother’s side (Domínguez) of a civil guard. According to information from ecclesiastical friends, It has little relationship (if not none) with the Catalan diocesebut, yes, he retains a notable accent from the eastern regions, especially when he speaks in Spanish, which is most of the time.
Macrofestivals of the rosary
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With the same rhetorical and ‘humorous’ skill that Escrivá de Balaguer exhibited, with a very weak theological consistency and with a language that wanted to get closer to the language of the plebs, he uses technology to transmit the evangelical message. During the pandemic he promoted a YouTube channel called ConFEnados (little joke, trademark of the house) and also organizes live broadcasts on Instagram (‘Macrofiestas del rosary’) where a group of posh acolytes pray and explain anecdotes. Their motto is “always talking and circulating” (sic), and also says things like that Advent commemorates the circumstance that “the Virgin Mary was eight months old.” It’s his way of being nice. It is. Or she represents him. Always happy, with white teeth like the Virgin of Joywhom he venerates, with features drawn with a chisel, like her hairstyle, Mosén Quintana says that “God called me to be a starter on his team and I responded with a total yes.”
I forgot about the thesis, by the way. Is a avalanche of commonplaces from a hundred addresses by John Paul II to footballers, skiers and athletes in general. The values of the spirit and “the formation of the person through the virtues” are praised. The core idea is that “man should not live only by practicing sports, but there are aspects of greater importance.” Maybe that’s what the priest told the bullfighter in private.