Vatican city: The prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocariz, has requested prayers from the Catholic institution’s members for the Pope Francis-ordered reform initiative, which started on August 4.

In a letter sent, the bishop urged readers to “continue to pray for the task that the pope has given to us to adapt the Statutes of the Work to what is stated in the motu proprio “Ad charisma tuendum.”

“We have already begun the proper investigations to carry it out,” he added, referring to the General Council and the Central Advisory.

“During the days spent in the Holy Land, I have kept you especially present in my prayer, knowing that I am accompanied by yours at the same time,” Ocariz wrote.

Reform of 'Opus Dei'
Pope Francis ordered a reform of Opus Dei in an apostolic letter that the Vatican released on July 22 under the title “Ad charisma tuendum” (To preserve the charism).

The pope’s directives include the following: Opus Dei will no longer be overseen by a bishop going forward; its laws must be updated; it must submit an annual report, and it will now report to the dicastery for clergy rather than the dicastery for bishops.

According to Opus Dei, the Holy See took the initiative and decided that the prelate could no longer serve as a bishop in order to strengthen the institution’s “charismatic character” rather than its hierarchical one.

Ocariz, 77, will not be ordained as a bishop since he is not one and because of the pontifical decree.

This does not “directly introduce changes in the structure of governance of the prelature, nor in the relations of the prelature’s authority with the bishops,” which implies that it will continue to operate as before, according to a question-and-answer section of Opus Dei’s website in Spain.

What is Opus Dei?
Opus Dei is a personal prelature, the only one in the Catholic Church. It was founded in Spain by St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer in 1928 and is present in 68 countries.

The overall head of the prelature is the prelate, who is appointed by the pope and who governs the institution as a jurisdiction, similar to a bishop who governs his diocese or assigned territory.

Opus Dei means “Work of God” in Latin, which is why its members usually refer to it as “The Work.” Its special emphasis or charism is sanctification through daily work.

In Opus Dei there are priests, celibate lay persons who are called numeraries and associates, and supernumeraries who are married members.