154-520: Opus Dei (English: Work of God) is an institution of the Catholic Church which was founded in Spain in 1928 by Josemaría Escrivá . Its stated mission is to help its lay and clerical members to seek Christian perfection in their everyday occupations and within their societies. Opus Dei is officially recognized within the Catholic Church, although its status has evolved. It received final approval by
308-880: A cult by the Belgian government after an investigation, allthough some aspects were found to be cultlike. The organisation has parallels, but also very strong differences with Scientology . Critics assert that Escrivá and the organization supported radical right-wing governments, such as those of Franco, Augusto Pinochet and Alberto Fujimori of Peru during the 1990s. Both Pinochet's and Fujimori's ministries and prominent supporters allegedly included members of Opus Dei, but there are also prominent Opus Dei members in parties that opposed those governments. Likewise, among Opus Dei members there were also strong detractors of Franco, such as Antonio Fontán. There have also been allegations that Escrivá expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler . One former Opus Dei priest, Vladimir Felzmann, who has become
462-811: A priest of the Catholic Church . He studied first in Logroño and then in Zaragoza , where he was ordained as deacon on Saturday, 20 December 1924. He was ordained a priest , also in Zaragoza, on Saturday, 28 March 1925. After a brief appointment to a rural parish in Perdiguera , he went to Madrid , the Spanish capital, in 1927 to study law at the Central University . In Madrid, Escrivá
616-582: A sign of contradiction , in reference to the biblical quote of Jesus as a "sign that is spoken against". John Carmel Heenan , Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster , said: "One of the proofs of God's favor is to be a sign of contradiction. Almost all founders of societies in the Church have suffered. Monsignor Escrivá de Balaguer is no exception. Opus Dei has been attacked, and its motives misunderstood. In this country and elsewhere, an inquiry has always vindicated Opus Dei." One of Opus Dei's most prominent supporters
770-542: A "great affection for the aristocracy", and that, when Escrivá was a chaplain at the Foundation of Santa Isabel in Madrid, he would often meet aristocratic visitors who would ask, upon learning that his name was Escrivá, whether he belonged to the noble Escrivá de Romaní family, only to ignore him when they learned that he did not. According to Vásquez de Prada, a writer, Opus Dei member, and official biographer who produced
924-469: A "mixture of mysticism and ambition". On the centennial of Escrivá's birthday, Cardinal Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedict XVI ) commented: "I have always been impressed by Josemaría Escrivá's explanation of the name 'Opus Dei': an explanation ... gives us an idea of the founder's spiritual profile. Escrivá knew he had to found something, but he was also conscious that what he was founding was not his own work, that he himself did not invent anything and that
1078-413: A "polarizing" figure. Criticism of Opus Dei has centered on allegations of secretiveness, controversial and aggressive recruiting methods , strict rules governing members, elitism and misogyny , and support of or participation in authoritarian or right-wing governments, including Francisco Franco's regime which governed in Spain until 1978. The mortification of the flesh practiced by some of its members
1232-533: A carpenter in a small town. Escrivá also points to the gospel account that Jesus "has done everything well" (Mark 7:37). The foundation of the Christian life, as stressed by Escrivá, is divine filiation : Christians are children of God, identified with Christ's life and mission. Other main ideals of Opus Dei, according to its official literature, are freedom, respecting choice, taking personal responsibility, charity, and love of God above all and love of others. At
1386-647: A communication from God. Persecuted during the Spanish Civil War and narrowly escaping death several times, in 1939 Escrivá was able to return to Madrid after three years of hiding. In 1939, Escrivá published The Way , a collection of 999 maxims concerning spirituality for people involved in secular affairs. Opus Dei rapidly grew during the years of the Franquismo , spreading first throughout Spain, and after 1945, expanding internationally. Escrivá had to overcome many obstacles. He later recounted that it
1540-465: A father, totally devoted to serving others, for he was convinced that every soul is a marvellous treasure; indeed, every person is worth all of Christ's Blood. This attitude of service is obvious in his dedication to his priestly ministry and in the magnanimity with which he started so many works of evangelization and human advancement for the poorest persons." Former numerary María del Carmen Tapia (born 1925), who worked with Escrivá for 18 years inside
1694-468: A few years before his election, wrote that Escrivá was more radical than other saints who taught about the universal call to holiness . While others emphasized monastic spirituality applied to lay people, Escrivá "it is the material work itself which must be turned into prayer and sanctity", thus providing a lay spirituality. Criticisms against Opus Dei have prompted Catholic scholars and writers like Piers Paul Read and Vittorio Messori to call Opus Dei
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#17327727700391848-479: A former Jesuit priest, he also adopted the use of the conjunction y ("and") joining his father's and mother's surnames ("Escrivá y Albás"), a usage which he says is associated with aristocratic families, even though that has been the legal naming format in Spain since 1870 . On 16 June 1940, the Spanish Boletín Oficial del Estado ("Official State Bulletin") records that Escrivá requested of
2002-457: A journalist who specializes in articles about the Catholic Church, "to judge by his writings alone, Escrivá's was an unexceptional spirit, derivative and often banal in his thoughts, personally inspiring, perhaps, but devoid of original insights", whose book The Way reveals "a remarkable narrowness of mind, weariness of human sexuality, and artlessness of expression." Escrivá conceived the Mass as
2156-549: A member who helped Tapia send letters. She was kept prisoner in the headquarters of Opus Dei in Rome from November 1965 until March 1966. "I was held completely deprived of any outside contact with the absolute prohibition to go out for any reason or receive or make telephone calls or to write or receive letters. Nor could I go out for the so-called weekly walk or the monthly excursion. I was a prisoner." However, some of his devotees say that, through him, Opus Dei has been able to better
2310-469: A newly installed statue of Josemaría Escrivá placed in an outside wall niche of St Peter's Basilica, a place for founders of Catholic organizations. During that same year, Opus Dei received attention due to the success of the novel The Da Vinci Code , in which both Opus Dei and the Catholic Church itself work against the protagonists. The film version was released globally in May 2006, further polarizing views on
2464-443: A particularly strong supporter of Opus Dei and of Escrivá. Pointing to the name "Work of God", Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) wrote that "The Lord simply made use of [Escrivá] who allowed God to work." Ratzinger cited Escrivá for correcting the mistaken idea that holiness is reserved for some extraordinary people who are completely different from ordinary sinners: Even if he can be very weak, with many mistakes in his life,
2618-452: A picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe giving a rose to San Juan Diego , he commented: "I would like to die that way." On 26 June 1975, after entering his work room, which had a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe , he slumped on the floor and died. "Escrivá de Balaguer was a very human saint", preached John Paul II. "All those who met him, whatever their culture or social status, felt he was
2772-607: A priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster and an aide to Cardinal Basil Hume , sent several letters to Flavio Capucci, the postulator (i.e., chief promoter) of Escrivá's cause. In his letters, Felzmann wrote that in 1967 or 1968, during the intermission to a World War II movie, Escrivá had said to him, "Vlad, Hitler couldn't have been such a bad person. He couldn't have killed six million. It couldn't have been more than four million". Felzmann later explained that those remarks should be regarded in
2926-565: A priest who worked as Escrivá's personal assistant before quitting Opus Dei in 1981, stated in an interview for Newsweek that Escrivá was so distraught by the reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council that he and his deputy, Álvaro del Portillo , "went to Greece in 1967 to see if [they] could bring Opus Dei into the Greek Orthodox Church . Escrivá thought the [Catholic] church was a shambles and that
3080-409: A religious organization and that the book was hardly more than "a little Spanish manual for advanced Boy Scouts ". Von Balthasar also questioned the attitudes towards prayer described by The Way , declaring that Escrivá's use of prayer moves almost exclusively within the circle of the self, of a self that must be great and strong, equipped with pagan virtues, apostolic and Napoleonic . That which
3234-483: A renewal, a force for good was born in the world even if human weaknesses will always remain." In his canonization homily, Pope John Paul II described Escrivá as "a master in the practice of prayer, which he considered to be an extraordinary 'weapon' to redeem the world...It is not a paradox but a perennial truth; the fruitfulness of the apostolate lies above all in prayer and in intense and constant sacramental life." In John Paul II's Decree of Canonization , he refers to
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#17327727700393388-502: A report headlined "Opus Dei prelate responds to those who consider group 'conservative powerful and secretive. ' " The prelate pointed out in the article; "the main contribution of Opus Dei is to accompany the laity [98% of its members] so that they can be protagonists of the evangelizing mission of the Church in the midst of the world, one by one." In Pope John Paul II's 1982 decree known as the Apostolic constitution Ut Sit , Opus Dei
3542-475: A saint is nothing other than to speak with God as a friend speaks with a friend, allowing God to work, the Only One who can really make the world both good and happy. Ratzinger spoke of Opus Dei's "surprising union of absolute fidelity to the Church's great tradition, to its faith, and unconditional openness to all the challenges of this world, whether in the academic world, in the field of work, or in matters of
3696-465: A specific country, a specific epoch, a specific church. These are the Spain of General Franco and the church of Pope Pius X . If Opus Dei had "never seen the need to bring itself up to date", as Escrivá maintained, Opus would today be a paramilitary , pro- fascist , antimodernist , integralist (reactionary) organization. If it is not, it is because it has evolved over time, just as the Catholic Church,
3850-624: A teenage Catalan student who died of cancer; Toni Zweifel , a Swiss engineer; Tomás Alvira and wife, Paquita Domínguez, a Spanish married couple; Isidoro Zorzano Ledesma , an Argentinian engineer; Dora del Hoyo , a domestic worker; Fr. José María Hernández Garnica; and Father José Luis Múzquiz de Miguel, a Spanish priest who began Opus Dei in the United States. During the pontificate of John Paul II, two members of Opus Dei, Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne and Julián Herranz Casado , were made cardinals . In September 2005, Pope Benedict XVI blessed
4004-479: A three-volume biography of Escrivá, the act had nothing to do with ambition but was motivated rather by fairness and loyalty to his family. The main problem is that in Spanish the letters b and v are pronounced in the same way and therefore bureaucrats and clerics had made mistakes in transcribing the Escrivá family name in some official documents throughout the generations. Defenders of Escrivá have also argued that
4158-481: A true saint, a man sent by God for our times". Pius XII gave Opus Dei the canonical status of " pontifical right ", an institution depending directly and exclusively on the Vatican in its internal governance. In 1960, Pope John XXIII commented that Opus Dei opens up "unsuspected horizons of apostolate ". Furthermore, in 1964, Pope Paul VI praised the organization in a handwritten letter to Escrivá, saying: Opus Dei
4312-491: A very different description of Escrivá as a pious but vain, secretive, and ambitious man, given to private displays of violent temper, and who demonstrated little charity towards others or genuine concern for the poor. According to British journalist Giles Tremlett , "biographies of Escrivá have produced conflicting visions of the saint as either a loving, caring charismatic person or a mean-spirited, manipulative egoist". French historian Édouard de Blaye has referred to Escrivá as
4466-517: A very solid spiritual and doctrinal formation." Eijo y Garay told an officer of the Falange that "[T]o think that Fr. Josemaría Escrivá is capable of creating anything secret is absurd. He is as frank and open as a child!" Viktor Frankl , an Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist, founder of " logotherapy ", and a Nazi concentration camp survivor, met Escrivá in Rome in 1970 and later wrote of "the refreshing serenity which emanated from him and warmed
4620-478: A vocal Opus Dei critic, says that Escrivá once remarked that Hitler had been "badly treated" by the world and he further declared that "Hitler couldn't have been such a bad person. He couldn't have killed six million [Jews]. It couldn't have been more than four million." Opus Dei has also been accused of elitism through targeting of "the intellectual elite, the well-to-do, and the socially prominent". As members of Opus Dei are Catholics, Opus Dei has been subjected to
4774-524: A walk with his younger brother, acting like a father towards him. When the family transferred to Madrid, he obeyed the instructions of their father that he obtain a doctorate in Law. "Thanks to his docility to this advice", says Santiago, "he was able to support the family by giving classes in Law, and with this he acquired a juridical mentality ... which would later be so necessary to do Opus Dei." Escrivá also modified his first name. From José María, he changed it to
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4928-1249: A writer on religious matters and former Jesuit. Critics state that Opus Dei is "intensely secretive." However, members make their affiliations public, and in fact host activates for all ages. This practice has led to much speculation about who may be a member. Due in part to its secrecy, the Jesuit-run magazine America referred to it as "the most controversial group in the Catholic Church today". Opus Dei has been accused of deceptive and aggressive recruitment practices, such as showering potential members with intense praise (" love bombing "), and instructing numeraries to form friendships and attend social gatherings explicitly for recruiting purposes. Critics allege that Opus Dei maintains an extremely high degree of control over its members—for instance, past rules required numeraries to submit their incoming and outgoing mail to their superiors for inspection, and members are forbidden to read certain books without permission from their superiors. Critics charge that Opus Dei pressures numeraries to sever contact with non-members, including their own families. Exit counselor David Clark has described Opus Dei as "very cult-like". Opus Dei has not been declared
5082-525: A year after Escrivá moved the organization's headquarters to Rome, Opus Dei received a decree of praise and approval from Pope Pius XII, making it an institute of "pontifical right", i.e. under the direct governance of the Pope. In 1950, Pius XII granted definitive approval to Opus Dei, thereby allowing married people to join the organization, and secular clergy to be admitted to the Priestly Society of
5236-501: Is Fernando Ocáriz Braña , who became the third prelate of Opus Dei on 23 January 2017. The first prelate of Opus Dei was Álvaro del Portillo , who held the position from 1982 until his death in 1994. Strathmore College (now university) was the first in Pre-independence Kenya to accommodate all races, religions, and social standing. Saint Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, inspired and encouraged them to start
5390-399: Is "a vigorous expression of the perennial youth of the Church, fully open to the demands of a modern apostolate ... We look with paternal satisfaction on all that Opus Dei has achieved and is achieving for the kingdom of God, the desire of doing good that guides it, the burning love for the Church and its visible head that distinguishes it, and the ardent zeal for souls that impels it along
5544-615: Is "intended to confirm the Prelature of Opus Dei in the authentically charismatic sphere of the Church, specifying its organization in keeping with the witness of the Founder." Among other things, the new disposition decrees that the head of the Opus Dei can no longer become a bishop, but "is granted, by reason of his office, the use of the title of Supernumerary Apostolic Protonotary with the title of Reverend Monsignor and therefore may use
5698-450: Is "the first Pope who has dealt with Opus Dei closely as a bishop", and, according to fellow Jesuit James V. Schall, is a "friend of Opus Dei". Pope Francis himself said that "I am very close friend of the Opus Dei, I love them a lot." Francis referred to St. Josemaria as "a precursor of Vatican II in proposing the universal call to holiness". In the analysis of John Allen, Pope Francis' strong dislike for clericalism , which he calls "one of
5852-553: Is also criticized. Opus Dei has also been criticized for allegedly seeking independence and more influence within the Catholic Church; however, according to several journalists who have researched Opus Dei separately, many criticisms against Opus Dei are based on fabrications by opponents. In the 21st century, Opus Dei has received international attention due to the novel The Da Vinci Code and its film version of 2006 , both of which prominent Christians and others criticized as misleading, inaccurate and anti-Catholic . Critics such as
6006-473: Is an ordinary jurisdictional structure of the Catholic Church. The prelate is a presbyter nominated by the Pope and governs the prelature with ordinary power . In order to de-emphasize the importance of hierarchy in the governance of the personal prelature Pope Francis decreed in 2022 that the prelate should not be consecrated bishop. The prelate has the right to erect a national or international seminary , and to promote students to holy orders , in service to
6160-406: Is assured. Opus Dei does not have monks or nuns, and only a minority of its members are priests. Opus Dei emphasizes uniting spiritual life with professional, social, and family life. Members of Opus Dei lead ordinary lives, with traditional families and secular careers, and strive to "sanctify ordinary life". Pope John Paul II called Escrivá "the saint of ordinary life". Similarly, Opus Dei stresses
6314-542: Is most necessary, which is the contemplative rooting of the Word "on good soil" (Matthew 13:8), that which constitutes the aim of the prayers of the saints, of the great founders, the prayer of a Foucauld , is something one will search for in vain here. Von Balthasar repeated his negative evaluation of The Way in a television interview from 1984. Similar criticism of Escrivá's spirituality has been stated by other commentators: for instance, according to Kenneth L. Woodward ,
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6468-651: Is reported that he declared that "he has most who needs least" and that it took only 10 minutes to gather his possessions after his death. In addition to the questions raised about the depth of Escrivá's spirituality and theological thinking, his purported habits of secretiveness and elitism (although for the most part, Opus Dei faithful belong to the middle-to-low levels of society, in terms of education, income and social status), his alleged bad temper and ambition for social status and worldly luxuries, several other specific aspects of Escrivá's life and work have generated some criticism, particularly regarding his canonization by
6622-508: Is the lives of the Catholic laypeople . Opus Dei emphasizes the " universal call to holiness ": the belief that everyone should aspire to be a saint, as per Jesus' commandment to "Love God with all your heart" (Matthew 22:37) and "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) Opus Dei also teaches that sanctity is within the reach of everyone, given Jesus' teaching that his demands are "easy" and "light," as his divine assistance
6776-522: The Pardo Palace (Franco's official residence) in April 1946. Vittorio Messori says that the ties between Escrivá and Francoism are part of a black legend propagated against Escrivá and Opus Dei. Allen states that based on his research Escrivá could not be said to be pro-Franco (for which he was criticized for not joining other Catholics in openly praising Franco) nor anti-Franco (for which he
6930-481: The universal call to holiness , the role of the laity , and the sanctifying effect of ordinary work. According to Allen, among Catholics, Escrivá is "reviled by some and venerated by millions more". José María Mariano Escriva y Albás was born to José Escriva y Corzán and his wife, María de los Dolores Albás y Blanc on 9 January 1902, in the small town of Barbastro , in Huesca, Spain , the second of six children and
7084-532: The "Source and summit of the Christian's interior life," a terminology which was later used by the Second Vatican Council . Escrivá strove to obey whatever was indicated by the competent authority regarding the celebration of Mass and "[h]e took all necessary steps to ensure that the prescriptions of Vatican II, notably in the area of the liturgy, were applied within Opus Dei." As his prayer was much integrated with traditional liturgy, Escrivá found
7238-650: The Aragonese locals venerated a statue of the Virgin Mary (as "Our Lady of the Angels"), thought to date from the 11th century. Escrivá recovered and, as the director of Opus Dei during the 1960s and 1970s, promoted and oversaw the design and construction of a major shrine at Torreciudad. The new shrine was inaugurated on 7 July 1975, soon after Escrivá's death, and to this day remains the spiritual center of Opus Dei, as well as an important destination for pilgrimage. By
7392-784: The Austral University in Buenos Aires, Argentina, are both examples of the corporate work of Opus Dei. These universities usually perform very high in international rankings. IESE, the University of Navarra's Business School, was adjudged one of the best in the world by the Financial Times and the Economist Intelligence Unit . The total assets of non-profits connected to Opus Dei are worth at least $ 2.8 billion. Leopoldo Eijo y Garay,
7546-408: The Catholic Church in 1950 by Pope Pius XII . Pope John Paul II made it a personal prelature in 1982 by the apostolic constitution Ut sit . While Opus Dei has met controversies , it has strong support from Catholic leadership . Lay people make up the majority of its membership; the remainder are secular priests under the governance of a prelate elected by specific members and appointed by
7700-535: The Catholic Church's general law, Opus Dei is governed by the church's Particular Law concerning Opus Dei, otherwise known as Opus Dei's statutes. This specifies the objectives and workings of the prelature. The prelature is under the Congregation for Bishops . Opus Dei's highest assembled bodies are the General Congresses, which are convened once every eight years. There are separate congresses for
7854-610: The Catholic Church. The sources of criticism include his alleged private statements in defence of Adolf Hitler , collaboration by members of Opus Dei with right-wing political causes (especially during General Francisco Franco 's dictatorship in Spain ), Escrivá's request for the rehabilitation in his favour of an aristocratic title and allegations that he maintained bad relations with other Catholic officials, of whom he could be very critical in private. During Escrivá's beatification process, Vladimir Felzmann, who had been Escrivá's personal assistant before Felzmann quit Opus Dei and became
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#17327727700398008-418: The Catholic faith. Josemar%C3%ADa Escriv%C3%A1 Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás , born Jose María Escribá Albás, (9 January 1902 – 26 June 1975) was a Spanish Catholic priest who founded Opus Dei , an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the principle of everyday holiness. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II , who declared Josemaría should be "counted among
8162-580: The Christian faith into practice in their daily lives. Spiritual direction , one-on-one coaching with a more experienced lay person or priest, is considered the "paramount means" of training. Through these activities, they provide religious instruction (doctrinal formation), coaching in spirituality for lay people (spiritual formation), character and moral education (human formation), lessons in sanctifying one's work (professional formation), and know-how in evangelizing one's family and workplace (apostolic formation). The official Catholic document, which established
8316-611: The Church hierarchy -- one very special hallmark of his priestly work is the way he fosters, in speech and in writing, in public and in private, love for Holy Mother Church and for the Roman Pontiff." Bishop Eijo y Garay wrote to the Jesuit Provincial of Toledo, Carlos Gomez Martinho, S.J. in 1941: "Fr. Escrivá is an exemplary priest, chosen by God for apostolic enterprises; humble, prudent, self-sacrificing in work, docile to his bishop, of outstanding intelligence and with
8470-535: The College. In eras with prevelant racial prejudice and discrimination, people have experienced the student residences as a place where they were not judged and where they felt safe. As of 2018, the faithful of the Opus Dei Prelature numbered 95,318 members, of which 93,203 are lay persons, men and women, and 2,115 priests. These figures do not include the priest members of Opus Dei's Priestly Society of
8624-1049: The Collegium Romanum Sanctae Crucis ( Roman College of the Holy Cross ), Opus Dei's educational center for men, in Rome. In 1953 he founded the Collegium Romanum Sanctae Mariae (Roman College of Saint Mary) to serve the women's section (these institutions are now joined into the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross .) Escrivá also established the University of Navarre , in Pamplona , and the University of Piura (in Peru ), as secular institutions affiliated with Opus Dei. Escrivá died of cardiac arrest on 26 June 1975, aged 73. Three years after Escrivá died,
8778-468: The Founder of Opus Dei, there is an extraordinary love for the will of God. There exists a sure criterion of holiness: fidelity in accomplishing the divine will down to the last consequences. For each one of us the Lord has a plan, to each he entrusts a mission on earth. The saint could not even conceive of himself outside of God's plan. He lived only to achieve it. St Josemaría was chosen by the Lord to announce
8932-702: The Franco regime, and Msgr. Escrivá himself evolved. Estruch cites, for instance, the fact that the first edition of Escrivá's The Way , finished in Burgos and published in Valencia in 1939, had the dateline Año de la Victoria ("Year of the Victory"), referring to Franco's military triumph over the Republican forces in the civil war, as well as a prologue by a pro-Franco bishop, Xavier Lauzurica, which ended with
9086-554: The Holy Cross , estimated to number 2,000 in the year 2005. About 60 percent of Opus Dei faithful reside in Europe, and 35 percent reside in the Americas. Women comprise 57% of the total membership. According to the study of John Allen, for the most part, Opus Dei faithful belong to the middle to low levels in society in terms of education, income, and social status. Opus Dei is made up of several different types of faithful. According to
9240-400: The Holy Cross . Several Opus Dei members such as Alberto Ullastres were ministers under the dictator Franco in Spain ( Opus Dei and politics ). In 1975, Escrivá died and was succeeded by Álvaro del Portillo . In 1982, Opus Dei was made into a personal prelature . This means that Opus Dei is part of the Catholic Church, and the apostolate of the members falls under the direct jurisdiction of
9394-473: The Holy Cross, affiliated with Opus Dei, was founded on Sunday, 14 February 1943. Escrivá relocated to Rome in 1946. The decree declaring Escrivá "Venerable" states that "in 1947 and on Monday, 16 June 1950, he obtained approval of Opus Dei as an institution of pontifical right. With tireless charity and operative hope he guided the development of Opus Dei throughout the world, activating a vast mobilization of lay people ... He gave life to numerous initiatives in
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#17327727700399548-496: The Jesuit Wladimir Ledóchowski refer to Opus Dei as a Catholic, Christian, or white form of Freemasonry . Critics of Opus Dei include María del Carmen Tapia, an ex-member who was a high-ranking officer of Opus Dei for many years; liberal Catholic theologians such as Fr. James Martin , a Jesuit writer and editor; and supporters of liberation theology , such as journalist Penny Lernoux and Michael Walsh,
9702-949: The Jews, Hitler against the Slavs, means Hitler against Communism". Álvaro del Portillo , who succeeded Escrivá as the director of Opus Dei, declared that any claims that Escrivá endorsed Hitler were "a patent falsehood" and part of "a slanderous campaign". He and others have stated that Escrivá regarded Hitler as a "pagan", a "racist" and a "tyrant" (see Opus Dei and politics ). Personal prelature Jus novum ( c. 1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c. 1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of
9856-509: The Lord was merely making use of him. So it was not his work, but Opus Dei (God's Work). [This] gives us to understand that he was in a permanent dialogue, a real contact with the One who created us and works for us and with us... If therefore St Josemaría speaks of the common vocation to holiness, it seems to me that he is basically drawing on his own personal experience, not of having done incredible things himself, but of having let God work. Therefore
10010-925: The Opus Dei prelature—priests who fall under the jurisdiction of the Opus Dei prelature are automatically members of the Priestly Society. Other members in the society are diocesan priests—clergymen who remain under the jurisdiction of a geographically defined diocese. These priests are considered full members of Opus Dei who are given its spiritual training. They do not, however, report to the Opus Dei prelate but to their own diocesan bishop. As of 2005, there were roughly two thousand of these priests. The Cooperators of Opus Dei are non-members who collaborate in some way with Opus Dei—usually through praying, charitable contributions, or by providing some other assistance. Cooperators are not required to be celibate or to adhere to any other special requirements, and are not even required to be Christian. There were 164,000 cooperators in
10164-499: The Orthodox might be the salvation of himself and of Opus Dei as the faithful remnant." Felzmann says that Escrivá soon abandoned those plans as impracticable. Flavio Capucci, a member of Opus Dei and the postulator of the cause for Escrivá's canonization , denies that Escrivá ever contemplated quitting the Catholic Church. This was also denied by the information office of Opus Dei, which stated that Escrivá's visit to Greece in 1966
10318-768: The Pope. As Opus Dei is Latin for "Work of God", the organization is often referred to by members and supporters as "the Work". Members are located in more than 90 countries. About 70% of Opus Dei members live in their own homes, leading family lives with secular careers, while the other 30% are celibate, of whom the majority live in Opus Dei centers. Aside from their personal charity and social work, Opus Dei members organize training in Catholic spirituality applied to daily life; members are involved in running universities, university residences, schools, publishing houses, hospitals, and technical and agricultural training centers. Opus Dei
10472-432: The Prelature in giving doctrinal and ascetical formation and/or coordinating activities. They differ from numeraries in not making themselves "fully" available to staff the official undertakings of the Prelature, instead giving themselves in additional social realities, such as through their profession or to their own families. Because of this difference in availability for the official activities of Opus Dei, unlike numeraries
10626-453: The Prelature is organically structured." According to the website Prelaturas Personales. John Paul II, speaking about the Prelature of Opus Dei, affirmed: 'First of all, I wish to emphasize that the membership of the lay faithful in their own particular Churches and in the Prelature, into which they are incorporated, enables the special mission of the Prelature to converge with the evangelizing efforts of each particular Church, as envisaged by
10780-478: The Prelature. A study comparing Scientology and Opus Dei found some similarities as well as strong differences. This includes full availability for giving doctrinal and ascetical formation to other members, for staffing the internal government of Opus Dei if asked by the regional directors, and for moving to other countries to start or help with apostolic activities if asked by the prelate. Numeraries are expected to live in gender-specific centers run by Opus Dei, and
10934-506: The Prelature. The majority of numerary income is contributed to the organization. Numerary assistants are a type of numerary that exists in the Women's Branch of Opus Dei. They are responsible for the "domestic tasks in the Centres of Opus Dei, which they willingly undertake as their professional work." Associates are celibate faithful who take on one or more apostolic assignment(s) from
11088-502: The Second Vatican Council in desiring the figure of personal prelatures.' (Discourse, October 17, 2001). " Philippine clergy proposes personal prelatures for the pastoral care of Filipino migrants. This canonical set-up can help the Filipino migrants integrate better into their local church and help spread best practices in integration from other places where Filipinos have migrated. A prelature rather than an ordinariate can better serve
11242-560: The Spanish Civil War he personally experienced the fury of anti-religious persecution and gave daily proof of heroism in a constant priestly activity seasoned with abundant prayer and penance. It did not take long before many came to consider him a saint. When the war was over many bishops invited him to preach retreats to their clergy, thereby greatly contributing to the renewal of Christian life in Spain. Many religious orders and congregations also requested his pastoral services. At
11396-660: The Statutes of Opus Dei, the distinction derives from the degree to which they make themselves available for the official activities of the Prelature and for giving formation according to the spirit of Opus Dei. Supernumeraries , the largest type, currently account for about 70% of the total membership. Typically, supernumeraries are married men and women with careers. Supernumeraries devote a portion of their day to prayer, in addition to attending regular meetings and taking part in activities such as retreats. Due to their career and family obligations, supernumeraries are not as available to
11550-532: The US, against C. John McCloskey , was settled for $ 977,000. Opus Dei publicly acknowledged a sexual abuse case within the organisation for the first time in its history in July 2020, this one involving priest Manuel Cociña in Spain. On 22 July 2022, Pope Francis issued the apostolic letter in the form of a motu proprio Ad charisma tuendum , which seeks to "safeguard the charism", or original foundational spirit; it
11704-517: The Virgin Mother of God. Regnare Christum volumus! We want Christ to reign!: these words aptly express his constant pastoral concern to spread among all men and women the call to share, through Christ, in the dignity of God's children. God's sons and daughters should live for the purpose, to serve Him alone: Deo omnis gloria! All the glory to God!" During the thanksgiving Mass for the canonization of St. Josemaría, John Paul II , said: "In
11858-596: The addition of "de Balaguer" corresponded to a practice adopted by many Spanish families that felt a need to distinguish themselves from others with the same surname but proceeding from different regions and consequently having different histories. Escrivá's younger brother Santiago stated that his brother "loved the members of his family" and took good care of them. When their father died, he says, Escrivá told their mother that "she should stay calm, because he will always take care of us. And he fulfilled this promise." Escrivá would find time in his busy schedule to chat and take
12012-514: The administration of the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops , but since 4 August 2022, personal prelatures have been placed in the Dicastery for the Clergy . Unlike dioceses , which cover territories, personal prelatures—like military ordinariates —minister to persons as regards some objectives regardless of where they live. The first personal prelature is Opus Dei . In the Catholic Church ,
12166-418: The admonition to the reader to "always stay vigilant and alert, because the enemy does not sleep. If you make these maxims your life, you will be a perfect imitator of Jesus Christ and a gentleman without blemish. And with Christs like you Spain will return to the old grandeur of its saints, wise men, and heroes." Escrivá preached personally to General Franco and his family during a week-long spiritual retreat at
12320-404: The arduous and difficult paths of the apostolate of presence and witness in every sector of contemporary life." The relationship between Paul VI and Opus Dei, according to Alberto Moncada, a doctor of sociology and ex-member, was "stormy". After the Second Vatican Council concluded in 1965, Pope Paul VI denied Opus Dei's petition to become a personal prelature, Moncada stated. Pope John Paul I ,
12474-400: The associates do not live in Opus Dei centers but maintain their own abodes. The Clergy of the Opus Dei Prelature are priests who are under the jurisdiction of the prelate of Opus Dei. They are a minority in Opus Dei that makes up about 2% of Opus Dei members. The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross consists of priests associated with Opus Dei. Part of the society is made up of the clergy of
12628-444: The bishop of Madrid, where Opus Dei was born, supported Opus Dei and defended it in the 1940s by saying that "this opus is truly Dei " (this work is truly God's). Contrary to attacks of secrecy and heresy, the bishop described Opus Dei's founder as someone who was "open as a child" and "most obedient to the Church hierarchy". In the 1950s, Pope Pius XII told the most senior Australian bishop, Cardinal Norman Gilroy , that Escrivá "is
12782-404: The bottom of Escrivá's understanding of the "universal call to holiness" are two dimensions, subjective and objective, according to Fernando Ocariz , a Catholic theologian and prelate of Opus Dei since 2017. The subjective is the call given to each person to become a saint, regardless of their place in society. The objective refers to what Escrivá calls Christian materialism : all of creation, even
12936-440: The church records of the cathedral at Barbastro, he appears as having been baptized four days after birth with the name José María Julián Mariano, and his surname was spelled Escriba. As early as his school days, José Escrivá had "adopted the rather more distinguished version spelled with a "v" rather than a "b." His name is spelled Escrivá in the memento of his first Mass. According to critics like Luis Carandell and Michael Walsh
13090-580: The context of Catholic anticommunism in Spain, emphasizing that in 1941 all of the male members of Opus Dei, who then numbered about fifty, offered to join the " Blue Division ", a group of Spaniard volunteers who joined the German forces in their fight against the Soviet Army , along the Eastern Front . Another phrase that has been attributed to Escrivá by some of his critics is "Hitler against
13244-419: The current Opus Dei personal prelature. A major difference between an ordinariate and a prelature is the ordinariates (both personal and military) may erect parishes and those who inscribe themselves in the apposite register effectively become transients in their geographic diocese (no accumulative membership). The personal ordinariates for former Anglicans were also authorized to use a unique liturgy developed by
13398-450: The day when this is compatible with family or professional duties. Mortification has a long history in many world religions, including the Catholic Church. It has been endorsed by popes as a way of 'following Christ', who died of crucifixion and who, speaking of anybody that sought to be his disciple, said: "let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). The Catholic News Agency website published on 26 August 2024,
13552-466: The decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints , which contains a condensed biography of Escrivá, "[t]o this mission he gave himself totally. From the beginning his was a very wide-ranging apostolate in social environments of all kinds. He worked especially among the poor and the sick languishing in the slums and hospitals of Madrid." During the Spanish Civil War , Escrivá fled from Madrid, which
13706-431: The economy, etc." He further explained: the theocentrism of Escrivá ... means this confidence in the fact that God is working now and we ought only to put ourselves at his disposal ... This, for me, is a message of greatest importance. It is a message that leads to overcoming what could be considered the great temptation of our times: the pretense that after the ' Big Bang ' God retired from history. Pope Francis
13860-472: The fact that, in contrast with previous canonical use for ecclesiastical institutions, the jurisdiction of the prelate is not linked to a territory but over persons wherever they happen to be. The establishment of personal prelatures is an exercise of the theologically inherent power of self-organization which the Church has to pursue its mission, though a personal prelature is not a particular church as dioceses and eparchies are. A personal prelature
14014-615: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life A personal prelature is a canonical structure of the Catholic Church which comprises clergy and laity under the jurisdiction of a prelate who undertake specific pastoral activities. Along with dioceses and military ordinariates, personal prelatures, were originally under
14168-483: The first of two sons. José Escrivá was a merchant and a partner in a textile company that eventually went bankrupt, forcing the family to relocate in 1915 to the city of Logroño , in the northern province of La Rioja , where he worked as a clerk in a clothing store. Young Josemaría first felt that "he had been chosen for something", it is reported, when he saw footprints left in the snow by a monk walking barefoot. With his father's blessing, Escrivá prepared to become
14322-413: The five brief prayers or aspirations of Escrivá through which "one can trace the entire life story of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá. He was barely sixteen when he began to recite the first two aspirations [ Domine, ut videam! , Lord, that I might see! and Domina, ut sit! , Lady, that it might be!], as soon as he had the first inklings of God's call. They expressed the burning desire of his heart: to see what God
14476-462: The founder of Opus Dei in 2005, "is his effervescence, his keen sense of humor. He cracks jokes, makes faces, roams the stage, and generally leaves his audience in stitches in off-the-cuff responses to questions from people in the crowd." Critics, such as Spanish architect Miguel Fisac , who was one of the earliest members of Opus Dei and who associated with Escrivá for nearly twenty years before ending his relation with Escrivá and Opus Dei, have given
14630-479: The founding of Opus Dei had a supernatural character. Escrivá summarized Opus Dei's mission as a way of helping ordinary Christians "to understand that their life ... is a way of holiness and evangelization ... And to those who grasp this ideal of holiness, the Work offers the spiritual assistance and training they need to put it into practice." Initially, Opus Dei was open only to men, but in 1930, Escrivá started to admit women, based on what he believed to be
14784-549: The government that he be permitted to change his "first surname so that it will be written Escrivá de Balaguer". He justified the petition on the grounds that "the name Escrivá is common in the east coast and in Catalonia , leading to harmful and annoying confusion". On 20 June 1943, when he was 41 years old, the registry book of the Barbastro cathedral and the baptismal certificate of José María were annotated to represent "that
14938-649: The great witnesses of Christianity." Escrivá gained a doctorate in civil law at the Complutense University of Madrid and a doctorate in theology at the Lateran University in Rome. His principal work was the initiation, government and expansion of Opus Dei. Escrivá's best-known publication is The Way , which has been translated into 43 languages and has sold several million copies. After his death, his canonization attracted considerable attention and controversy among some Catholics and
15092-406: The ideology of "National Catholicism", particularly during the Spanish Civil War and the years immediately after it, and that they were therefore also closely associated with the authoritarian regime of General Franco . According to Catalan sociologist Joan Estruch: More than "a classic of the spirituality of all time", Escrivá de Balaguer is at bottom a child of his time : he is the product of
15246-457: The importance of work and professional competence. Opus Dei exhorts its members and all lay Catholics to "find God in daily life" and to perform their work as a service to society and as an offering to God. Opus Dei teaches that work not only contributes to social progress but is a "path to holiness". The biblical roots of this Catholic doctrine, according to the founder, are in the phrase "God created man to work" (Genesis 2:15) and Jesus ' time as
15400-487: The insignia [including heraldic devices ] corresponding to this title". It also transfers responsibility for the personal prelature Opus Dei from the Dicastery for Bishops to the Dicastery for the Clergy , conforming to the apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium , and mandates revision of the statutes of the personal prelature to bring them into conformity with these reforms. This reform became effective on 4 August 2022, and Pope Francis explained that this action
15554-531: The insignia of the Grand Cross of Charles III to be made from gold, only to have Escrivá angrily reject it and demand instead one encrusted with diamonds . Carandell holds that this episode was part of a larger pattern in Escrivá's life of ambition for social prestige and the trappings of wealth. Sympathetic biographers, however, insist that Escrivá taught that material things are good, but that people should not get attached to them and should serve only God. It
15708-404: The jurisdiction of the prelate does not impede their being under the authority of the diocesan bishop or pertaining to other ecclesiastical jurisdictions (accumulative jurisdiction). The statutes likewise are to define the relations of the personal prelature with the diocesan bishops in whose dioceses the prelature exercises its pastoral or missionary works (can. 297). The first, and thus far
15862-419: The life of Josemaría Escrivá and is an eminent part of the legacy that he left to his spiritual sons and daughters." The Pope also said that "St. Josemaría wrote a beautiful small book called The Holy Rosary which presents spiritual childhood, a real disposition of spirit of those who wish to attain total abandonment to the divine will". When Escrivá was 10 or 11 years old, he already had the habit of carrying
16016-640: The liturgy through the new rite", commented Echevarría. However, when Annibale Bugnini , Secretary of the Consilium for the Implementation of the Constitution on the Liturgy, learned of Escrivá's difficulties, he granted Escrivá the possibility of celebrating the Mass using the old rite. Whenever Escrivá celebrated this rite, he did so only in the presence of one Mass server. Vladimir Felzmann,
16170-424: The men's and women's branches of Opus Dei. The General Congresses are made up of members appointed by the prelate and are responsible for advising him about the prelature's future. The men's General Congress also elects the prelate from a list of candidates chosen by their female counterparts. After the death of a prelate, a special elective General Congress is convened. The women nominate their preferred candidates for
16324-613: The most material situation, is a meeting place with God, and leads to union with him. All members – whether married or unmarried, priests or laypeople – are trained to follow a 'plan of life', or 'the norms of piety', which are traditional Catholic devotions . This is in order to follow the teaching of the Catholic Catechism: "pray at specific times...to nourish continual prayer". Public attention has focused on Opus Dei's practice of mortification or self-harm . Examples include fasting, remaining silent for certain hours during
16478-596: The new Spanish State . Escrivá was even reported to the Tribunal for the Fight against Freemasonry ". Escrivá received several awards: Some biographers have said that Escrivá did not seek these awards, that they were nevertheless granted to him, that he accepted them due to charity to those who were granting these, and that he did not give the slightest importance to these awards. Journalist Luis Carandell, however, recounts testimonies about how members of Opus Dei paid for
16632-414: The only, personal prelature is Opus Dei , which was established as a personal prelature by Pope John Paul II in 1982 through the Apostolic constitution Ut sit . In the case of Opus Dei, the prelate is elected by members of the prelature and confirmed by the Pope. According to John Paul II, the priests and lay faithful (both men and women) in the Prelature of the Holy Cross are "the components by which
16786-400: The organization as the other types of faithful, but typically contribute financially and lend other types of assistance as their circumstances permit. Numeraries , the second largest type of the faithful of Opus Dei, comprise about 20% of the total membership. Numeraries are celibate members who give themselves in "full availability" ( plena disponibilitas ) for the official undertakings of
16940-452: The organization, John Paul II said: [Opus Dei] has as its aim the sanctification of one's life, while remaining within the world at one's place of work and profession: to live the Gospel in the world, while living immersed in the world, but in order to transform it, and to redeem it with one's personal love for Christ. This is truly a great ideal, which right from the beginning has anticipated
17094-501: The organization, seven as his secretary, wrote in her book, Beyond the Threshold: A Life in Opus Dei , that Escrivá often became angry, and that as secretary in charge of recording his words and actions, she was not allowed to record anything negative that she witnessed. She stated she was subjected to abusive words from Escrivá, who called her filthy names, and then screamed during this meeting with both men and women present, upbraiding
17248-415: The organization. In 2014, Pope Francis through a delegate beatified Álvaro del Portillo and said that "he teaches us that in the simplicity and ordinariness of our life we can find a sure path to holiness". At the end of 2014, the prelature has spread to 69 countries, while its members are present in 90 countries. Javier Echevarría Rodríguez , the second prelate of Opus Dei, died on 12 December 2016, and
17402-487: The original Josemaría. Biographers state, that around 1935 [age 33], "he joined his first two names because his single love for the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were equally inseparable". Many of his contemporaries recount the tendency of Escrivá to preach about patriotism as opposed to nationalism. Critics have alleged that Escrivá personally, as well as the organization of Opus Dei, were associated originally with
17556-442: The pastoral mission is intended, or the express inscription in an apposite register , as is the case in other personal ecclesiastical circumscriptions. It is also possible that, through a mutual agreement or convention , lay faithful can pursue the specific mission of the prelature in organic cooperation with the prelate and his presbyterium, by the terms established in its statutes (can. 296). The fact that these lay persons are under
17710-475: The pastoral mission of the prelature (can. 295). The lay faithful of a prelature are determined by a personal criteria , which is established in each case by the Apostolic See, in the constitutional documents of the prelature, or in its statutes. Diverse organizational models are possible, according to a variety of possible missions: for example, the determination a iure of those lay faithful for whom
17864-449: The personal prelature was conceived during the sessions of the Second Vatican Council in no. 10 of the decree Presbyterorum ordinis and was later enacted into law by Paul VI in his motu proprio Ecclesiae sanctae . The institution was later reaffirmed in the 1983 Code of Canon Law . A personal prelature is an institution having clergy and lay members which carry out specific pastoral activities. The adjective personal refers to
18018-528: The practice of self- flagellation has attracted controversy, with critics quoting testimonies about Escrivá whipping himself furiously until the walls of his cubicle were speckled with blood. Both the practice of self-mortification as a form of penance, and the conviction that suffering can help a person to acquire sanctity, have ample precedent in Catholic teaching and practice. Referring to Escrivá, John Paul II stated in Christifideles omnes : During
18172-546: The prelate and is voted upon by the men to become the next prelate—an appointment that must be confirmed by the Pope. The head of the Opus Dei prelature is known as the prelate. The prelate is the primary governing authority and is assisted by two councils—the General Council (made up of men) and the Central Advisory (made up of women). The prelate holds his position for life. The current prelate of Opus Dei
18326-408: The prelate of Opus Dei wherever they are. As to "what the law lays down for all the ordinary faithful", the lay members of Opus Dei, being no different from other Catholics, "continue to be ... under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop", in the words of John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution, Ut Sit . One-third of the world's bishops sent letters petitioning for the canonization of Escrivá. Escrivá
18480-500: The prelature, states that Opus Dei strives "to put into practice the teaching of the universal call to sanctity, and to promote at all levels of society the sanctification of ordinary work, and by means of ordinary work." Thus, the founder and his followers describe members of Opus Dei as resembling the members of the early Christian Church—ordinary workers who seriously sought holiness with nothing exterior to distinguish them from other citizens. Opus Dei runs residential centers throughout
18634-540: The purpose since it will not have to provide all the pastoral services and the migrants will continue to be faithful of their specific dioceses. The Society of Saint Pius X has been offered a canonical restructuring as a personal prelature by Rome. On October 20, 2009, it was announced that the Holy See would create personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church, a formula inspired by existing military ordinariates , in ways that are comparable to
18788-407: The quality of life of many women, and refer to his respect for women and his interest in improving their lives. Historian Elizabeth Fox-Genovese , a Catholic convert, asserted that "Opus Dei has an enviable record of educating the poor and supporting women, whether single or married, in any occupation they choose." Opus Dei's founder modified his name in several ways over the course of his life. In
18942-526: The question of which particular center a numerary will live in depends upon the regional needs. "Numerary" is a general term for persons who form part of the permanent staff of an organization. It is considered very important for numeraries to participate in daily meals and "get-togethers" in which the sharing of news and conversation takes place. Numeraries generally have jobs outside of Opus Dei, although some are asked to work internally full-time, and thus change their professional goals in order to be available for
19096-630: The rapid canonization of Escrivá , which some considered to be irregular (27 years). In contrast, Catholic officials say that church authorities have even greater control of Opus Dei now that its head is a prelate appointed by the Pope, and its status as a prelature "precisely means dependence". Allen says that Escrivá's relatively quick canonization does not have anything to do with power but with improvements in procedures and John Paul II's decision to make Escrivá's sanctity and message known. The canonizations of John Paul II himself and Mother Teresa were much faster than Escrivá's. Pope Benedict XVI has been
19250-559: The rosary in his pocket. As a priest, he would ordinarily end his homilies and his personal prayer with a conversation with the Blessed Virgin. He instructed that all rooms in the offices of Opus Dei should have an image of the Virgin. He encouraged his spiritual children to greet these images when they entered a room. He encouraged a Marian apostolate, preaching that "To Jesus we go and to Him we return through Mary" . While looking at
19404-504: The same criticisms targeted to Catholicism in general. For example, Opus Dei's position has been "to oppose sexual freedoms and promote conservative morals", according to an investigative report produced by Catholics for Choice , a group which dissents from many church teachings, notably abortion. The report further cites a study from sociologist Marco Burgos alleging Opus Dei interference in sex education programs in Honduras that contradict
19558-522: The same time, God allowed him to suffer public attacks. He responded invariably with pardon, to the point of considering his detractors as benefactors. But this Cross was such a source of blessings from heaven that the Servant of God's apostolate spread with astonishing speed. Pope John Paul II stated on Sunday, 6 October 2002, after the Angelus greetings: "Love for our Lady is a constant characteristic of
19712-505: The successor of Escrivá. Bergoglio said that what he most liked about Opus Dei was the work done for the poor by one of its schools in Buenos Aires. He thanked Opus Dei for its work to further the holiness of priests in the Roman Curia. Throughout its history, Opus Dei has been criticized from many quarters, prompting journalists to describe Opus Dei as "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church" and founder Josemaría Escrivá as
19866-463: The surname Escriba was changed to Escrivá de Balaguer". Balaguer is the name of the town in Catalonia from which Escrivá's paternal family derived. One of the earliest members of Opus Dei, and a friend for many years, the architect Miguel Fisac, who later quit Opus Dei, said that Escrivá found it embarrassing to have his father's family name since his father's company became bankrupt, that he had
20020-648: The then Cardinal Albino Luciani (later Pope John Paul I ) celebrated the originality of his contribution to Christian spirituality. One of the persons who knew Escrivá best was the Bishop of Madrid, where Opus Dei was initiated, Bishop Leopoldo Eijo y Garay, for Escrivá would visit and report to him quite frequently and the two established a very strong friendship. In a 1943 report to Rome, the bishop stated: "The distinctive notes of his character are his energy and his capacity for organization and government; with an ability to pass unnoticed. He has shown himself most obedient to
20174-429: The theology of the lay state of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar period. Concerning the group's role in the Catholic Church, critics have argued that Opus Dei's unique status as a personal prelature gives it too much independence, making it essentially a "church within a church" and that Opus Dei exerts a disproportionately large influence within the Catholic Church itself, as illustrated, for example, by
20328-518: The time of Escrivá's death in 1975, the members of Opus Dei numbered some 60,000 in 80 countries. As an adult, Escrivá suffered from type 1 diabetes and, according to some sources, also epilepsy. In 1950, Escrivá was appointed an Honorary Domestic Prelate by Pope Pius XII , which allowed him to use the title of Monsignor . In 1955, he received a doctorate of theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He
20482-436: The transition difficult and asked Echevarría to help him with respect to the new rites. Although he missed the practices of the old rites, especially some gestures such as the kissing of the paten (a small plate, usually made of silver or gold, used to hold Eucharistic bread), he prohibited his devotees to ask for any dispensation for him "out of a spirit of obedience to ecclesiastical norms... He has decided to show his love for
20636-478: The universal call to holiness and to point out that daily life and ordinary activities are a path to holiness. One could say that he was the saint of ordinary life." Not all Catholic commentators, however, were impressed equally by Escrivá's spirituality. For instance, the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote in an article of 1963 that Escrivá's The Way provided an "insufficient spirituality" to sustain
20790-434: The whole conversation", and "the unbelievable rhythm" with which his thought flowed, and finally "his amazing capacity" for getting into "immediate contact" with those with whom he was speaking. Frankl went on: "Escrivá evidently lived totally in the present moment, he opened out to it completely, and gave himself entirely to it." According to Álvaro del Portillo , who was Escrivá's closest collaborator for many years, there
20944-416: The work of evangelization and human welfare; he fostered vocations to the priesthood and the religious life everywhere... Above all, he devoted himself tirelessly to the task of forming the members of Opus Dei." According to some accounts, at the age of two he suffered from a disease (perhaps epilepsy ) so severe that the doctors expected him to die soon, but his mother had taken him to Torreciudad , where
21098-611: The world. These centers provide residential housing for celibate members and provide doctrinal and theological education. Opus Dei is also responsible for a variety of non-profit institutions called " Corporate Works of Opus Dei ." A study of the year 2005 showed that members have cooperated with other people in setting up a total of 608 social initiatives: schools and university residences (68%), technical or agricultural training centers (26%), universities, business schools, and hospitals (6%). The University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, and
21252-474: The worldwide press. Several journalists who have investigated the history of Opus Dei, among them Vatican analyst John L. Allen Jr. , have argued that many of these accusations are unproven or have grown from allegations by enemies of Escrivá and his organization. Cardinal Albino Luciani (later Pope John Paul I ), Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI , Pope Francis , Óscar Romero , and many other Catholic leaders have endorsed Escrivá's teaching concerning
21406-410: The worst evils" in the church, is a key factor for "what Francis admires about Opus Dei since Escrivá's emphasis on the dignity of the laity was a challenge to the ultra-clerical ethos of Spanish Catholicism in the late 1920s." He has a devotion to St. Josemaria, and he prayed before his relics for 45 minutes when he once visited the church of the prelature in Rome. Francis beatified Alvaro del Portillo ,
21560-575: The year 2005. In accordance with Catholic theology, membership is granted when a vocation or divine calling is presumed to have occurred. Leaders of Opus Dei describe the organization as a teaching entity whose main activity is to train Catholics to assume personal responsibility in sanctifying the secular world from within. Others describe it as a cult . This teaching is done by means of theory and practice. Its lay people and priests organize seminars, workshops, retreats, and classes to help people put
21714-515: Was beatified in 1992 in the midst of controversy prompted by questions about his suitability for sainthood. In 2002, approximately 300,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square on the day Pope John Paul II canonized him. There are other members whose process of beatification has been opened: Ernesto Cofiño , a father of five children and a pioneer in pediatric research in Guatemala; Montserrat Grases ,
21868-454: Was Pope John Paul II . John Paul II cited Opus Dei's aim of sanctifying secular activities as a "great ideal". He emphasized that Escrivá's founding of Opus Dei was ductus divina inspiratione , led by divine inspiration, and he granted the organization its status as a personal prelature. Stating that Escrivá is "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity", John Paul II canonized him in 2002 and called him "the saint of ordinary life". Of
22022-774: Was a consultor to two Vatican congregations (the Congregation for Seminaries and Universities and the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law ) and an honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. The Second Vatican Council (1962–65) confirmed the importance of the universal call to holiness , the role of the laity, and the Mass as the basis of Christian life. In 1948 Escrivá founded
22176-411: Was asking of him, so that he might do it without delay, lovingly fulfilling the Lord's will. The third aspiration [ Omnes cum Petro ad Iesum per Mariam! , All together with Peter to Jesus through Mary!] appears frequently in his writings as a young priest and shows how his zeal to win souls for God went hand in hand with both a firm determination to be faithful to the Church and an ardent devotion to Mary,
22330-652: Was carried out in consultation with canon lawyers of Opus Dei and had no negative connotation for he has very positive sentiments for Opus Dei. On 8 August 2023, Pope Francis issued a new motu proprio which stated that personal prelatures such as Opus Dei, are "similar to public clerical associations of pontifical law", such as the Community of Saint Martin and the Family of Mary , while not being identified with them. Opus Dei places emphasis on certain aspects of Catholic doctrine. A central point of focus in Opus Dei's theology
22484-517: Was controlled by the anti-clerical Republicans , via Andorra and France , to the city of Burgos , which was the headquarters of General Francisco Franco 's Nationalist forces. After the war ended in 1939 with Franco's victory, Escrivá was able to resume his studies in Madrid and complete a doctorate in law, for which he submitted a thesis on the historical jurisdiction of the Abbess of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas . The Priestly Society of
22638-555: Was criticized for not being "pro-democracy"). According to Allen, there is no statement from Escrivá for or against Franco. Escrivá's devotees and some historians have emphasized his personal effort to avoid partiality in politics. Professor Peter Berglar , a German historian, asserts that Franco's falangists suspected Escrivá of "internationalism, anti-Spainism and Freemasonry" and that during "the first decade of Franco's regime, Opus Dei and Escrivá were attacked with perseverance bordering on fanaticism, not by enemies, but by supporters of
22792-646: Was done in order to analyze the convenience of organizing Opus Dei in that country, and that Escrivá even brought back icons as presents for Pope Paul VI and Angelo Dell'Acqua (then the substitute to the Vatican Secretary of State ), whom he had informed of the visit beforehand. Escrivá taught that "joy has its roots in the form of a cross", and that "suffering is the touchstone of love", convictions which were represented in his own life. He practiced corporal mortification personally and recommended it to others in Opus Dei. In particular, his enthusiasm for
22946-665: Was employed as a private tutor and as a chaplain to the Foundation of Santa Isabel, which comprised the royal Convent of Santa Isabel and a school managed by the Little Sisters of the Assumption . A prayerful retreat helped him to discern more definitely what he considered to be God's will for him, and, on 2 October 1928, he "saw" Opus Dei (English: Work of God ), a way by which Catholics might learn to sanctify themselves by their secular work. He founded it in 1928, and Pius XII gave it final approval in 1950. According to
23100-465: Was established as a personal prelature, an official structure of the Catholic Church , similar to a diocese in that it contains lay people and secular priests led by a bishop. However, whereas a bishop normally has a territory or diocese, the prelate of Opus Dei is pastor to the members and priests of Opus Dei worldwide, no matter what diocese they are in. Opus Dei is the only personal prelature in existence. In addition to being governed by Ut Sit and by
23254-454: Was founded by Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer on 2 October 1928 in Madrid, Spain. According to Escrivá, on that day he experienced a vision in which he "saw Opus Dei". He gave the organization the name "Opus Dei", which in Latin means "Work of God", in order to underscore the belief that the organization was not his (Escrivá's) work, but was rather God's work. Throughout his life, Escrivá held that
23408-556: Was in Spain where Opus Dei found "the greatest difficulties" because of "enemies of personal freedom", and traditionalists who he felt misunderstood Opus Dei's ideas. In the 1940s, Opus Dei found an early critic in the Jesuit Superior General Wlodimir Ledóchowski , who told the Vatican that he considered Opus Dei "very dangerous for the Church in Spain", citing its "secretive character" and calling it "a form of Christian Masonry ". In 1947,
23562-554: Was one basic quality of Escrivá "that pervaded everything else: his dedication to God, and to all souls for God's sake; his constant readiness to correspond generously to the will of God." Pope Paul VI summarized his opinion of what he termed the "extraordinariness" of Escrivá's sanctity in this way: "He is one of those men who has received the most charisms (supernatural gifts) and have corresponded most generously to them." "The first impression one gets from watching Escrivá 'live'", John L. Allen Jr. writes after watching some movies on
23716-406: Was succeeded by Fernando Ocáriz . He was elected the new prelate of Opus Dei on 23 January 2017, and on the same day was appointed by Pope Francis as such. In 2019, Guadalupe Ortiz de Landázuri , one of the first women who joined Opus Dei, was beatified in Madrid, Spain. She is the first woman of the group to be beatified. Earlier in 2005, the first publicly-known sexual abuse case of Opus Dei in
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