Fernando Ocáriz, accompanied by the Auxiliary Vicar, Monsignor Mariano Fazio, met with the Holy Father in an audience that lasted about thirty minutes. The audience coincided with the day of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Opus Dei as a personal prelature. The Work acquired this juridical status with the publication of the Apostolic Constitution "Ut sit", given in Rome on November 28, 1982, during the pontificate of St. John Paul II.
During this meeting, the Prelate informed Francis about the preparations being made for the Extraordinary General Congress to be held during the first half of 2023. This Extraordinary General Congress is in response to the publication of the motu proprio "Ad carisma tuendum". and aims to bring the statutes of the Prelature into line with the Pope's indications.
Bishop Fernando also spoke to the Pope about the various solidarity initiatives that the faithful of the Prelature are developing. All these projects, to which the "Be to Care" meeting was dedicated last September, have as their objective the realization of the message of Christian social action of which St. Josemaría Escrivá spoke. The Holy Father has asked that, through these solidarity initiatives, special efforts be made to bring the love of Christ to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable, as a way of confronting the crises that are unfolding throughout the world today.
Pope Francis has given his blessing to all the men and women of the Work, and to all those who participate in its apostolic activities.
