On Wednesday, November 28 (10:45, Giovanni Paolo II "Magna" Hall) an Informative Session about the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei will took place.

Chronicle

After viewing a small film called Meetings with St. Josemaría Escrivá: Caracas (Venezuela), February 11. 1975, the Rev. Prof. Carlos Errázuriz spoke about Opus Dei: Charism and Institution. 

Program

On Wednesday, November 28 the Holy Cross held its annual Informative Session about the University and Opus Dei. Designed specifically for students, it was an opportunity to more closely understand the characteristics of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei, which promotes the University.

Professor Norberto González Gaitano, Vice Rector of Communications, started the event by briefly describing the reasons for holding the Session. He also drew from the personal stories of two University alumni who do not belong to Opus Dei, highlighting in this way the need for this informative initiative.

After his introduction, a video of St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei and inspirer of the Holy Cross, was played. It showed the Saint's meeting with a great crowd of Opus Dei faithful, Cooperators, and their friends in Caracas, Venezuela on February 11, 1975.

In Caracas, as in so many other places throughout his years of preaching, St. Josemaría answered the questions he was asked with a familial style that was both simple and direct. This gave rise to dialog on different topics about the Christian life, all from a profoundly priestly perspective that allowed his personality and spiritual message to penetrate through.

The Session ended with a speech by the Rev. Prof. Carlos Errázuriz from the School of Canon Law. He spoke about Opus Dei: Charism and Institution. Above all Professor Errázuriz highlighted four characteristics of Opus Dei's charism: first "the perception of a universal call to holiness in every vocation, and the concrete possibility that this extends not only to priests and religious but also to all lay people." Second, "the perception of the universal vocation to apostolate, with the sense of participating in the one mission of Christ and the Church, each one according to their own state in the Church and in the world;" Third, "the consciousness of being able to sanctify oneself and to be an apostle in the midst of the world, in one's own place, above all in professional work and in all ordinary human realities, within which the family has a prominent place."  Finally, "a personal relationship with God that places emphasis on divine filiation in Christ and the need to place the Eucharist at the center of one's life, always practicing prayer and having an intense, permanent formation."

The institution (a personal prelature) is  "profoundly united to its charism," said Prof. Errázuriz. It is a spiritual "family, that participates by being a family of the Church." Opus Dei as institution is "exclusively ecclesial, and not temporal." It promotes "formational and sacramental" activities that nevertheless leave the faithful with "freedom in temporal matters."

Most of Opus Dei's faithful are lay people, women and men, celibate and married, from every social and economic condition. They participate "actively in the life of the institution, in both formative tasks and collaboration in governance." There are also priests in the prelature that rise from among the lay faithful. No matter their state however, all members remain "fundamentally equal due to their baptism and their vocation to the Work," and enjoy a relationship of "organic cooperation, which is essential for understanding the prelature's mission with its own faithful and with all those who want to take part in their activities." Finally, Opus Dei is an institution where "membership changes neither the faithful's state in the world nor their relationship with ordinary ecclesial and pastoral institutions."

The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, added Prof. Errázuriz, "is an academic community that is closely united to the charism and the institution of Opus Dei." At the same time it is clear that "a distinction must be made between Opus Dei and the University; it is enough to consider that most of the students and administrative personnel are not part of the prelature."

In any case, "apart from the convenience of having a university where her own members, especially future priests, can study, Opus Dei offers a service to the whole Church that allows many others to be served and know their charism."  What is more: the University "is certainly not the kind of apostolic initiative typically connected to Opus Dei, because it is not in the civil sphere but the ecclesial. It is an initiative however that by its specificity, enters fully within the scope of the charism, which has great relevance within the Church." On the other hand, he concluded, "the link with Opus Dei guarantees and promotes the Catholic identity of the university and helps to ensure vital communion with the Church, the Holy Father, and the Bishops. It offers pastoral assistance to those who desire it, while respecting the freedom of everyone who works within her."

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