What is Opus Dei?
Opus Dei is a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church that helps ordinary lay people seek holiness in and through their everyday activities, especially through work. It was founded in 1928 by a 26-year-old Catholic priest, Josemaría Escrivá, who died in 1975, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 6, 2002.
What is a personal Prelature?
A personal Prelature is a juridical entity within the Catholic Church's hierarchical structure, presided over by a prelate, answerable to the Sacred Congregation of Bishops, and to which laity and clergy can belong. It is established by the Holy See for specific pastoral or organizational purposes, and it is governed by statutes given to it by the Holy See. The word "personal" indicates that it is defined by persons, whereas, for example, dioceses and parishes are defined by geographical areas. The lay members of Opus Dei belong to the parishes and dioceses where they live.
What specific characteristics does Opus Dei have as a personal Prelature?
Opus Dei is a personal Prelature with an international scope, presided over by a Prelate, to which laity (men and women) and its own clergy belong. Clergy and laity cooperate organically in the mission of spreading the ideal of sanctity immersed in the world and to promote, specifically, the sanctification of work.
Is Opus Dei only for men or only for women?
Men and women have the same dignity as children of God, and they are equally called to heroic holiness by virtue of baptism. The women and men of the Prelature live by the same spirit and they promote similar apostolic activities; they work in many different professions; and they try to sanctify their work and family life in the same way. Besides this, the lay members, women and men, carry out the same tasks of formation and government in the Prelature.
What is holiness?
Being a saint means being like Jesus Christ in everything: thinking, feeling, words and actions. The most characteristic feature of holiness is charity (love God above everything else and your neighbor as yourself), which informs all the virtues: humility, justice, chastity, obedience, hard work and joy. It is a goal to which all those baptized are called, and which is only reached in Heaven, after a lifelong struggle, with the help of God.
What does sanctifying your work mean?
It means working with the spirit of Jesus Christ: working hard, ensuring that jobs are done well, according to justice, respecting the law, with the aim of loving God and serving other people. This is a way of sanctifying the world from the inside and making the Gospel present in every activity, from the most brilliant to the most humble. Human success is of no importance to God. What is important to Him is the love we put in our work.
What type of apostolate does Opus Dei carry out?
The primary apostolic work of Opus Dei is that carried out by each of its members, as free and responsible individuals acting on their own initiative. They do this in their own environment, individually, as a natural and spontaneous expression of their Christian commitment. Apostolate ennobles the bonds of friendship, and a good Christian makes efforts to be a good, sincere and loyal friend. Besides this, as a result of the wish to contribute to solving the problems that surround them and to help the poor, the faithful of Opus Dei, with many other people, promote educational and aid initiatives such as schools, hospitals, training centers and universities. The institutions linked to Opus Dei are very different depending on the culture of the country where they are based.
Does Opus Dei have its own political, social or religious doctrine?
Opus Dei has and spreads only Catholic doctrine. What is specific to Opus Dei is the effort to take the Gospel to all parts of society through the sanctification of work. In Opus Dei, the members live by freedom and pluralism regarding political, cultural, economic and social issues that are not defined by the Catholic Church.
