JOHN PAUL BISHOP
SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD
FOR A PERMANENT RECORD OF THE
MATTER
With very great hope, the Church
directs its attention and maternal care to Opus Dei, which -- by divine
inspiration --the Servant of God Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer founded in
Madrid on October 2, 1928, so that it may always be an apt and effective instrument
of the salvific mission which the Church carries out for the life of the world.
From its beginnings, this
Institution has in fact striven, not only to illuminate with new lights the
mission of the laity in the Church and in society, but also to put it into
practice; it has also endeavored 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. Furthermore,
through the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, it has helped diocesan priests
to live this teaching, in the exercise of their sacred ministry.
Since Opus Dei has grown,
with the help of divine grace, to the extent that it has spread and works in a
large number of dioceses throughout the world, as an apostolic organism made up
of priests and laity, both men and women, which is at the same time organic and
undivided -- that is to say, as an institution endowed with a unity of spirit,
of aims, of government and of formation -- it has become necessary to give it a
juridical configuration which is suited to its specific characteristics. It was
the Founder of Opus Dei himself who, in 1962, in a humble and trusting
petition, asked the Holy See to grant an appropriate ecclesial configuration to
the Institution, bearing in mind its true nature and theological
characteristics, and with a view to a greater apostolic effectiveness.
From the time when the Second
Vatican Ecumenical Council introduced into the legislation of the Church, by
means of the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis, n. 10--which was made effective by
the Motu proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae, I, n. 4--, the figure of the personal
Prelatures, to carry out specific pastoral activities, it was seen clearly that
this juridical figure was perfectly suited to Opus Dei. Therefore, in
1969, Our Predecessor Paul VI, of beloved memory, graciously accepting the
petition of the Servant of God Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, authorized him to
convoke a special General Congress to begin, under his guidance, the study
necessary for a transformation of Opus Dei, in keeping with its nature and
with the norms of the Second Vatican Council.
We ourselves expressly ordered
that this study should continue, and in 1979, We requested the Sacred
Congregation for Bishops, which was the competent Congregation, by virtue of
the matter involved, to examine the formal petition presented by Opus Dei,
following a careful study of all the relevant facts and legal data.
In carrying out the task
entrusted to it, the Sacred Congregation carefully examined the matter, taking
into account the historical, and also the juridical and pastoral aspects. Thus,
having completely eliminated all doubts about the basis, and the possibility,
and the specific manner of granting the petition, it became abundantly clear
that the desired transformation of Opus Dei into a personal Prelature was
opportune and useful.
Therefore, We, with the plenitude
of Our apostolic power, having accepted the opinion which Our Venerable Brother
the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation
for Bishops had expressed to Us, and making good, in so far as it is necessary,
the consent of those who have, or think they have some competence in this
matter, command and desire the following to be put into practice.
I
Opus Dei is erected as a
personal Prelature, international in ambit, with the name of the Holy Cross and
Opus Dei, or, in abbreviated form, Opus Dei. The Sacerdotal Society
of the Holy Cross is erected as a clerical Association intrinsically united to
the Prelature.
II
The Prelature is governed by the
norms of general law, by those of this Constitution, and by its own Statutes,
which receive the name "Code of particular law of Opus Dei".
III
The jurisdiction of the personal
Prelature extends to the clergy incardinated in it, and also only in what
refers to the fulfillment of the specific obligations undertaken through the
juridical bond, by means of a contract with the Prelature to the laity who
dedicate themselves to the apostolic activities of the Prelature: both clergy
and laity are under the authority of the Prelate in carrying out the pastoral
task of the Prelature, as established in the preceding article.
IV
The Ordinary of the Prelature
Opus Dei is its Prelate, whose election, which has to be carried out as
established in general and particular law, has to be confirmed by the Roman
Pontiff.
Vn
In
accordance with Art. 117 of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium,
the Prelature depends on the Dicastery for the Clergy, which, according to the
subject matter, shall evaluate the relative questions with the other
Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. The Dicastery for the Clergy, in dealing with
the various questions, shall make use of the competencies of the other
Dicasteries through appropriate consultation or transfer of files.
VIn
Each year the Prelate shall
submit to the Dicastery for the Clergy a report on the state of the Prelature
and on the fulfilment of its apostolic work.
VII
The central Government of the Prelature
has its offices in Rome. The oratory of Our Lady of Peace, which is in the
central offices of the Prelature, is erected as a prelatic church.
The Most Reverend Monsignor
Alvaro del Portillo, canonically elected President General of Opus Dei on
September 15, 1975, is confirmed and is appointed Prelate of the personal
Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, which has been erected.
Finally, We designate the
Venerable Brother Romolo Carboni, Titular Archbishop of Sidone and Apostolic
Nuncio in Italy, for the opportune execution of all the above, and confer on
him the necessary and opportune faculties, including that of subdelegating--in
the matter in question -- in any ecclesiastical dignitary, with the obligation
of sending, as soon as possible, to the Sacred Congregation for Bishops, an
authentic copy of the act which testifies to the fact that the mandate has been
carried out.
All things to the contrary
notwithstanding.
Given in Rome at Saint Peter's,
on the 28th of November, 1982, the fifth of Our Pontificate.
AUGUSTINUS Card. CASAROLI
Secretary of State
+ SEBASTIANUS Card. BAGGIO
Prefect of the Sacred
Congregation for Bishops
Iosephus Del Ton, Protonotary
Apostolic
Marcellus Rossetti, Protonotary
Apostolic
Loco + Plumbi
(n Indicates that the text has been updated)
Original
wording of the articles modified by His Holiness Pope Francis (cf. Apostolic
Letter issued "Motu Proprio" Ad charisma tuendum, July
14, 2022, effective August 4, 2022):
V
The Prelature is under the Sacred
Congregation for Bishops, and will also deal directly with the other
Congregations or Departments of the Roman Curia, according to the nature of the
matter involved.
VI
Through the Sacred Congregation for Bishops, the
Prelate will present to the Roman Pontiff, every five years, a report on the
state of the Prelature, and on the development of its apostolic work.
Note: Recently this Prelature will report to the
Congregation for the Clergy, and his report will be every year. This acordingly
to the Reform of the Roman Curia.
Comment: The most important things about OPUS DEI are its carismas,
they are identical, there is no change at all, it is a matter of administration
in the Reform of the Roman Curia, so there is no need of being worried.
Compiled by, Jorge Casas.
