Opus Dei brought to heel: Pope Francis' decree reforming the influential and conservative Catholic organization, sometimes criticized for its opaque and "
sectarian
" functioning, came into force on Thursday 4 August.
Especially present in Europe and South America, "
The Work of God
" - translation of its Latin name - was granted in 1982 by John Paul II the - unique - status of "
personal prelature
".
The Work thus became a kind of super-diocese without territory, governed both by canon law and its own statutes, and answerable to the pope.
Concretely, in his “
Motu Proprio
”, a personal decree of the sovereign pontiff, Francis reduces the power and the independence of the powerful organization, and operates a real distancing between Opus Dei and him, observe certain Vaticanists.
The pontifical document, titled "
Ad charisma tuendum
(To Protect the Charisma), in effect from Thursday and released in July, indicates that papal prerogatives over the personal prelature are entrusted to the Dicastery – the equivalent of a ministry – for the Clergy.
Every year, instead of every five at present, Opus Dei will have to present to this organ a report on the internal situation and the progress of its apostolic work.
"
Some have interpreted the provisions of the Holy See in terms of + demotion + or '' loss of power ''
", admitted to AFP Manuel Sanchez, of the press office of Opus Dei.
“
This type of dialectic does not interest us, because for a Catholic, the use of power or worldly categories does not make sense
,” he assured.
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Jorge Bergoglio, who since coming to the papacy in 2013 has been committed to reforming the Roman Curia, the central government of the Church, has approved several measures to modernize and ensure greater transparency within the institution.
For Jesús Bastante, of the specialized Spanish site Religión Digital, 40 years after the elevation of Opus Dei to the title of personal prelature by John Paul II, “
Francis seeks to put an end to an excessively hierarchical structure
”.
According to some interpretations of the text, the leader of Opus Dei will no longer be considered a bishop and will not be able to wear episcopal vestments.
The leader of Opus Dei, Fernando Ocariz, had indicated in July on the website of the Work that his title of bishop "
was not and is not necessary for the conduct of the affairs of Opus Dei
".
Opus Dei's form of government will be “
based more on charisma than on hierarchical authority
,” Francis stressed in his document.
Founded in 1928 in Spain by a young priest, Josémaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975), the organization has nearly 90,000 members from 80 countries, mainly in Europe and America - including 1,900 priests.
His stronghold remains Spain, where his role under Franco remains controversial.