Pope Francis decided with a Motu Proprio, a papal document, to reform the influential Catholic organization Opus Dei. The document, under the title ‘Ad charisma tuendum’ (‘To protect the charisma’), effective as of this Thursday and released last July, “reduces power and independence” from the powerful organization within the Catholic Church, according to experts. in religious matters.
“Some have interpreted the Holy See’s provisions in terms of ‘demotion’ or ‘loss of power.’ We are not interested in this type of dialectic, because for a Catholic the use of categories of power or worldly makes no sense,” Manuel Sánchez, from the Opus Dei press office, assured AFP, reiterating the official position of that prelature.
(Interested in: Pope Francis leaves “the door open” to resignation: “It would not be something strange”)
The Argentine pontiff, who since assuming the papacy in 2013 has vowed to reform the Roman Curia, the church’s central government mired in a series of scandals, has approved several measures to modernize and ensure greater transparency within the institution.
On this occasion, the pope’s provisions affect the powerful religious organization, which the pope and now saint John Paul II elevated at the beginning of his pontificate, in 1982, to the degree of “personal prelature.”
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The loss of some privileges?
It is also the only existing prelature, a true privilege, since it was equated to a diocese with all the power of decision that that means.
“Forty years later, Francis seeks to put an end to an excessively hierarchical structure and ‘rescue’ the charismatic values of an institution marked by power struggles and singularity, which makes it unique [por el momento]in the world”, commented Jesús Bastante, from the specialized website Religión Digital.
Accused by its detractors of being a kind of secret sect to pull the strings of power inside and outside the Vatican, which it promptly denies, Opus Dei is present in more than 60 countries and is made up of some 90,000 lay members, including personalities political or business, and more than 2,000 priests, especially in Europe and Latin America.
Founded in 1928 by the Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, who died in Rome in 1975 at the age of 73, his canonization in 2002 by John Paul II sparked controversy due to his closeness to the dictatorship in Spain of Francisco Franco.
According to some of the modifications decided by the Argentine pope, that prelature becomes “depending on the Dicastery [o ministerio] of the Clergy” and every year, instead of every five, the prelate must present to that body a report on the internal situation and the development of his apostolic work.
It “welcomes what comes from the Holy Father, with the desire to delve into what is essential,” Sánchez stressed. 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 robes.
Opus Dei’s form of government will be “based more on charisma than on hierarchical authority,” Pope Francis stressed in his document.
In Colombia, according to information from El Espectador from 2008 and another from Las 2 costas from last year (curiously coincident), Opus Dei has these institutions and social programs: Universidad de la Sabana, Instituto de Alta Dirección Empresarial, in Chía (Cundinamarca); Priestly Meeting Center with activities in Medellin, Manizales, Cartagena, Barranquilla and Cali.
Also, the Gymnasium de los Cerros and Gymnasium Iragua schools, in Bogotá; Colegio Tacurrí for girls and Juanambú for boys in Cali; Los Alcázares y Pinares Gymnasium, in Medellín; Social Secretariat of Soacha and Tundama in Bogotá, among others.
In addition, the Delta, Yari and Monte Verde youth clubs, in Bogotá; Timonel in Medellín, and Quimbaya in Manizales. For workers and employees: La Cantera Sports Center, in Bogotá; social promotion brigades in Navarro (Cali) and Lomarena (Barranquilla), among others. For peasants and women: the Association for Rural Promotion in Machetá (Cundinamarca), the Tenza Valley Agricultural Family School, the La Casona Training Center for Women in Silvania (Cundinamarca) and the Alto in La Ceja (Antioquia).
For women in domestic service: North Training Center in Bogotá, Cuest in Medellín, Guicarí in Barranquilla, Piedralar in Manizales and Sué in Cali.