UK diocese opens Pedro Ballester's sainthood cause

(OSV News) -- The Diocese of Salford in northern England announced it has opened the sainthood cause of Pedro Ballester, a Manchester-born student known for his joy and selflessness until his death from cancer at age 21.

In a statement published May 13, the diocese said that since the young man's death in 2018, "his reputation for holiness has grown significantly," paving the way for an initial diocesan inquiry.

"The opening of this cause marks an important step in recognizing the life and witness of a young man whose example of faith, especially in the face of suffering, continues to resonate with many people today," the diocese said.

With the diocesan phase of Ballester's sainthood cause now open, Bishop John Arnold of Salford invited those who knew the young man "to assist the process by submitting any information that may help to build a full picture of Pedro's life, virtues and reputation for holiness."

"This includes personal testimonies, memories and any writings attributed to him, such as letters or diaries," the diocese said.

Born in Manchester in 1996 to Spanish parents who are both members of Opus Dei, Ballester was an academically gifted student who, at 18, also joined the personal prelature as a numerary.

In September 2014, he began studying chemical engineering at Imperial College London. But just months later, he developed severe back pain and was diagnosed with advanced pelvic cancer.

According to the edict declaring the opening of his cause, Ballester accepted his advanced pelvic cancer diagnosis "as a way of sharing in Christ's cross."

"He offered his sufferings for the pope, the Church and all souls, showing remarkable serenity and faith," the edict stated.

He returned to Manchester for treatment, hoping eventually to resume his studies. He endured continuous medical care over the next three years, alternating between the hospital and Greygarth Hall, an Opus Dei center in Manchester, where he lived with other numeraries.

In an interview with OSV News Feb. 11, Ballester's father, also named Pedro, recalled that despite intense pain and fatigue, his son remained focused on others.

"He was focusing on the other person," Ballester said. "He never showed (his suffering) to other people or tried to hide it."

Visitors often left uplifted, unaware of the extent of his pain. His father recalled that Pedro would sometimes delay taking morphine so he could remain alert while speaking with visitors.

After three years of treatment and suffering, Pedro died Jan. 13, 2018.

Among those who knew Ballester before his death was British Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Speaking with OSV News from his Vatican office March 17, Cardinal Roche, who first met Ballester and his family while serving as bishop of Leeds, said what defined Ballester most was not who he was before his illness, but how he lived after receiving his cancer diagnosis.

"Nothing changed with him; he didn't become depressed. The impishness that was part of his character remained there," the cardinal told OSV News. He had a "constant smile. You could be talking to him, and he suddenly smiled about something or other. You were left wondering what he was smiling about."

Cardinal Roche said Ballester's selflessness, as he suffered with cancer, will be "one of the most important testimonies that will be received when the documentation is finally complete."

He also said he believed the young man's life and example are a message that continues to draw young people today who are "disillusioned by the world in which we're living."

More young people who see "the inconsistency of leadership -- political leadership, national leadership -- the corruption that they see in public life and not engaging with it" are instead choosing "to go to Church and to discover God again."

"I think, to my mind, that it's the work of the Holy Spirit within those young people," Cardinal Roche said.