Rome – On June 11, 2025, in a letter to the members of Opus Dei, the Prelate announced the completion of an important step in the process of adapting the Prelature’s Statutes, officially submitting the proposed revision to the Holy See. This marks a significant milestone in a three-year journey undertaken in a spirit of filial obedience to the Church, with the intention of preserving the founding charism given by God to St. Josemaría Escrivá.

A Process Marked by Ideology

The need to revise the Statutes of Opus Dei did not arise from within the Prelature itself but was instead imposed from above, following the profound changes introduced by Pope Francis through the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium (2022). This document reshaped the structure of the Roman Curia.

One of the main contributors to this highly debated text is Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a Jesuit and prominent canon lawyer of the pontificate, whose approach to canon law has often appeared more ideological than juridical. Ghirlanda has shown a tendency to bend theology and canonical norms to his own personal views, sacrificing the systematic coherence of ecclesiastical law in favor of a vision detached from reality.

Within this new framework, it was the Dicastery for the Clergy – and no longer the one for Bishops – that assumed competence over personal prelatures (Praedicate Evangelium, no. 117), including Opus Dei. Although formally justified by the new curial configuration, this shift has been perceived by many as a true legal and symbolic repositioning of Opus Dei, with consequences far from secondary in terms of its autonomy and specific charism.

In July 2022, the motu proprio Ad charisma tuendum was published, in which the Holy Father requested that "the proper Statutes of the Prelature of Opus Dei be suitably adapted, on the proposal of the Prelature itself, for approval by the competent authorities of the Apostolic See." A second motu proprio, published in August 2023, modified canons 295–296 of the Code of Canon Law, thus reinforcing the request for an update.

Since then, the process has unfolded in two phases: the first, in 2023, involved a general consultation of all members of Opus Dei, followed by the drafting of a preliminary text presented at the extraordinary General Congress in April 2023. The second phase saw joint work between experts from the Dicastery for the Clergy and the Prelature to finalize the proposal in light of subsequent legislative changes.

The Congress and the Vacant See

The ordinary General Congress of April 2025 was supposed to formally conclude the study of the Statutes. However, the death of Pope Francis and the ensuing period of sede vacante led to a decision to limit the Congress to the renewal of positions in the Central Council and the Women's Advisory. Nevertheless, the delegates expressed their approval for the Prelate, together with the newly appointed governing bodies, to complete the process and submit the proposal to the Holy See.

This occurred on June 11, 2025, in a climate of trust in the figure of Leo XIV and of intense prayer, as encouraged by the Prelate in his letter: “I ask you to intensify it during this final stage.”

A Discernment in the Light of the Charism

The work of adaptation was guided by two main principles: on the one hand, respect for the instructions of the Church’s Magisterium; on the other, protection of the specific charism of Opus Dei, centered on the sanctification of work and ordinary commitments in life.

The updated text of the Statutes will be made public only after it is approved by the Pope, the sole competent legislator. Until then, the Prelature maintains the discretion appropriate to an ongoing canonical process. However, the adaptation of the Statutes does not affect the essence of the members' lives but aims to preserve and enhance their identity, so that the received charism can continue to bear fruit in new historical and cultural contexts.

In an era marked by rapid social and ecclesial change, Opus Dei is called, with renewed awareness, to embody the Gospel in the world, responding to the universal call to holiness in the concreteness of daily life. And it is precisely in this spirit – of fidelity, prayer, and discernment – that the importance of a moment such as the one the Prelature is now experiencing can be understood.

f.P.E.
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