Opus Dei postponed the adoption of new statutes in its general congress

The Catholic Personal Prelature of Opus Dei has significantly reduced the scope of its general congress, which began this week and will run until next time, due to the death of Pope Francis two days before the scheduled start date of the Assembly.

Opus Dei had planned to review its statutes to adapt them to motu proprio To make a charisma of Pope Francis. In essence, the Pontiff’s directive submitted Opus Dei to the direction of Dicastery for the clergy, instead of the dicastery for the bishops, and ended the practice of elevating the prelate of Opus Dei to the category of Bishop.

The Pope had also ordered Opus Dei to review his statutes to reflect this new structure, which should be completed during the General Congress. This review would have been presented to the Holy See for approval, after its adoption by the Assembly.

Mons. FERNANDO OCÁRI, prelate del Opus Dei, announced April 21 that these statutory reviews will be delayed and that the General Congress will focus solely on the administrative renewal tasks of the positions of the General Council and the central advice, which are designated or renewed every eight years.

“The other issues that were going to be addressed in Congress (…) will be studied later,” said Mons. Ocáriz in a statement. “Now it’s time for mourning, prayer and unity with the whole church,” he added.

Mons. Ocáriz wrote that he decided not to delay the renewal of the management positions because many of the participants had already arrived in Rome. However, the Congress will be “minimized essential.”

“We will take advantage of these days to live in communion with the whole Church the duel and the funeral rites for the Holy Father,” said Mons. Ocáriz.

In addition, the prelate issued a separate statement To commemorate Francisco’s life and papacy, saying: “In these moments of pain, together with the whole Church we direct our prayer to the Lord for the soul of our beloved Pope Francis.”

“The Pope had great faith in the mercy of God and one of the main orientations of his pontificate has been precisely to announce it to the men and women of today. With his example, he has promoted us to welcome and experience the mercy of God, who does not get tired of forgiving us; and, on the other hand, to be merciful to others, as he has tirelessly made with so many gestures of tenderness. Testimonial, ”he added.

Opus Dei also planned to study how to boost his apostolic work in the light of the conclusions of the regional assemblies, but this will also be postponed.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.