FRANCISCO S. TATAD
FOR the past 52 years, everyone simply called him “Father Joe.” Born and bred in Alicante, Spain, and ordained priest in Rome after obtaining a doctorate in canon law at the Angelicum and a licentiate in civil law at the Central University of Madrid, he came to the Philippines after working in Chicago with the regional government of Opus Dei in the United States. That’s where he picked up his particular Yankee accent. He was sent by the founder of Opus Dei, Saint Josemaria Escriva, to help two Filipino economists, who had met the Work at Harvard, begin the apostolate in the country.