Pope Confirms Fernando Ocariz Braña as the New Prelate of Opus Dei

(Rome) Pope Francis confirmed the election of Msgr. Fernando Ocariz Braña the new prelate of Opus Dei .

Ocariz, who had served as a vicar general of the Personal Prelature for many years, had been appointed deputy by his predecessor, Javier Echevarria, in 2014. With the death of Echevarria last December, Ocariz took over the leadership of the prelacy until the election of a new prelate.

The election of Ocariz aA the third successor of the Opus Dei founder, Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer y Albas, and the third prelate of the personal prelature, had been expected.

The Pope is granted the right of appointment of the prelate by confirming the election. The 1982 Prelacy, established by Pope John Paul II. as Praelatura Sanctae Crucis et Operis Dei is so far the only personal prelature of the Catholic Church. For several years this has been discussed formally about the Society of St. Pius X to grant it canonical status, but a corresponding agreement has not been previously concluded. Ocariz is a member of the three-member Vatican delegation, who leads doctrinal talks with the Society of St. Pius X. He is regarded as a key author of the important Declaration Dominus Iesus in 2000.

About 95,000 members, including 2,100 priests

According to the latest information, Opus Dei numbers around 95,000 members throughout the world, who, in ecclesiastical matters and in their religious life, are not subject to their respective diocesan bishops, but to the prelate. About 2,100 priests are incardinated in the personal prelature. There are also an additional 2,000 diocesan priests, who are the priestly members of the Holy Cross Community, but are not incardinated.

Prelate Fernando Ocariz was born in Paris in 1944 as the son of Spanish exiles, who had left Spain during the Civil War. In 1971 he earned the doctorate of theology and was ordained a priest in the same year. After several years in the youth and student chaplaincy, he was called to Rome in 1986 as a consultor to the Congregation of Doctrine and the Faith. 2003 followed, working in same capacity for the Congregation for the Clergy and  in 2011 for the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization .

Since 1989 he has been a member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. He was a full professor of dogmatic theology at Opus' Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Ocariz has published numerous books on theological and philosophical topics, including a comprehensive presentation and criticism of Marxism.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Opusdei.it (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
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Important Strategic Course in Selecting the Head of Opus Dei

Right of Pope Francis is Prelate Echevarria, Left
Msgr. Ocariz

(Rome) Prelate Javier Echevarría, who has been at the head of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei since   1994,  has engaged an important personnel decision and thus undertook a strategic course in naming  his successor at the head of a Personal Prelature.

Echevarria, who has the rank of bishop, is the second successor of Opus Dei founder Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albas (1902-1975). Escrivà was canonized  in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, and his first successor, Monsignor Álvaro del Portillo (1914-1994) was beatified by Pope Francis on September 27, 2014.

Monsignor Javier Echevarría has now appointed a deputy.The decision was justified with the proliferating  global tasks and his advanced age. Echevarría, born in 1932 who reached his 82nd birthday last June 14, had appointed the former Vicar General of the Prelature, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz as his deputy.

Msgr. Fernando Ocariz Coadjutor Prelate 

In Dec. 9 came the appointment came into force transmitting to  Msgr. Ocáriz all that is necessary for the responsibility  the management of the Prelature, including the prelate's reserved decision-making powers. The only exceptions are the responsibilities associated with the episcopal office of the prelate.

The appointment was made ​​in accordance with Article 134, paragraph 1, and Article 125 of the Codex iuris particularis Operis Dei ,   which  John Paul II. approved with the Apostolic Constitution Ut sit on 28 November 1982.

In contrast to countervailing tendencies to  bureaucratize ministries occupied for life in the church and to limit their time, the prelate of Opus Dei continues its life in accordance with statutes. For this reason, the statutes provide for the possibility that the prelate may freely appoint a deputy  in the form of a coadjutor. The General Council of the Prelature can also recommend such an appointment.

Msgr. Ocariz was Co-author of the Declaration Dominus Iesus

Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz was born in 1944 in Paris. He studied physics at the University of Barcelona and then theology at the Lateran University in Rome. At the University of Navarra, he received his doctorate in the New Evangelization. In 1971 he was ordained a priest and later taught Fundamental Theology as Professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Since 1986 he has been Consultant of the Congregation and since 1989 a member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology . Since 1994, he exercised the office of Vicar General of the Prelature. He is regarded as one of the principal authors of the Declaration Dominus Iesus on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church in 2000.

Opus Dei, canonically erected in 1943,  is the only personal prelature of the Catholic Church. The prelate has the rank of bishop. Already, Msgr. Echevarria held  the Office of the Vicar General in Opus Dei before his appointment as  Prelate.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Osservatore Romano

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link Katholisches...

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