1914
Boca de Huergano, Leon, Spain
January 11. Salvadora (Dora) del Hoyo Alonso was born in Boca de Huergano, Leon, Spain, to Demetrio del Hoyo and Carmen Alonso. Her brothers and sisters were Alfonso, Palmira, Nieves, Isabel, and Dimas.
January 16. Dora was baptized in the parish church of San Vicente.
1930s
As a young girl Dora helped her family with farm work. Later she worked in domestic service.
1940
Dora moved to Madrid, and sought work through the Daughters of Mary Immaculate for Domestic Service. She found a position with a diplomatic family. Later, she worked in the household of the Duke and Duchess of Najera.
Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
This superior professional training and experience made her a highly valued employee.
1944
January: Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, the founder of Opus Dei, asked Mother Carmen Barrasa, superior of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate for Domestic Service, for someone who could help set up the domestic
administration of La Moncloa, a new college residence in Madrid. Mother Carmen contacted Dora while she was on vacation, and Dora agreed to help on a temporary basis. She ended up remaining at La Moncloa until September, 1945.
1945
Moncloa Residence
Dora spent part of the summer at home with her parents, and there received a letter from Nisa Gonzales Guzman, whom she had met at La Moncloa, asking her to relocate with her in order to work in Abando, a recently opened college residence in Bilbao.
1946
March 14: Dora, hearing God’s call to turn her profession of domestic service into a means of sanctification and apostolate, asked to join Opus Dei as the first numerary assistant.
May: She moved to Madrid to begin a period of intense spiritual and doctrinal formation, while still continuing her professional work.
September: Saint Josemaria asks her if she would like to live in Rome in order to help in the development and expansion of Opus Dei.
Leonine City Square
December 27: Dora traveled to Rome with four other women in Opus Dei: Encarnita Ortega, Dorita Calvo, Julia Bustillo, and Rosalia Lopez. Alongside the Founder, she lived for several years in serious material poverty, which she always bore with a supernatural outlook, human dignity, and cheerfulness. She remained in the Eternal City until her death in 2004.
1947
July: She moved to Villa Tevere, the headquarters of Opus Dei, to set up the household, work which would last until January of 1960. During those years Dora, with heroic self denial, undertook the domestic care of those who lived with the Founder. By means of her example and her hard work she contributed to the human and spiritual training of many women in Opus Dei.
1948
March 30 Her father died.
April 28 Her mother died.
1958
August 9-19: Dora traveled to London to take charge of the domestic administration in the house where Saint Josemaria stayed during this period, and to help in the development of the apostolic work of Opus Dei in that city.
1959
Big Ben London
July 15-September 10: Dora again resided in London.
1960
July 14 to August 31: Dora again resided in the British capital city.
1962
July 30 to September 7: Her last stay in England.
1966-1974
During these summers she accompanied Saint Josemaria to several different locations in France (Avrainville) and Italy ( Il Trebbio, Gagliano Aterno, Premeno, Caglio, Guello de Civenna). These were times of special spiritual growth for her.
1974
Gagliano Aterno
March 8: She moved to Albarosa in order to help in the domestic administration of the Roman College of the Holy Cross, an international center for the formation of women in Opus Dei. As always, she put her whole heart into this undertaking. Her professional competence, her experience and, above all, her spirit of service proved to be a great help for the hundreds of women who came to Albarosa from all over the world during these years.
1975
June 26: Saint Josemaria, the founder of Opus Dei, died.
1978
Dora attended Holy Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II and received Holy Communion from his hands.
1987
July 27: She suffered a heart attack, and remained in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome until August 21.
1988
February 17: She underwent surgery to remove gallstones. When she recovered she returned to the intense demands of her work.
1992
Beatification of St. Josemaría, St Peter's Square
May 17: Full of joy and gratitude to God, Dora took part in the beatification ceremony of Saint Josemaria.
1994
January 11: Dora celebrated her 80th birthday, surrounded by the affection of Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the Prelate of Opus Dei, and of all the women in the Work.
March 23: The Servant of God Alvaro del Portillo died.
2002
October 5: She broke a toe and was unable to attend the canonization ceremony of Saint Josemaria the following day.
2003
Beginning in September her heath steadily declined.
Crypt of the Church of the Prelature
2004
January 10: Dora died early in the morning on the eve of her ninetieth birthday, on a Saturday, the day dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bishop Javier Echevarria, the Prelate of Opus Dei, celebrated a solemn funeral Mass in the Basilica of San Eugenio a Valle Giulia. Her mortal remains rest in the crypt of the Church of the Prelature, Viale Bruno Buozzi, 75, in Rome.
