The deadlock over the appointment of a new bishop in the historic Swiss diocese of Chur has been ended by Pope Francis. The Holy See press office said on Feb. 15 that the pope had named Msgr. Joseph Marie Bonnemain as bishop of Chur in eastern Switzerland. Bonnemain, a 72-year-old member of Opus Dei, previously Read more
Pope Francis has appointed Fr Richard Umbers to be an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney. Originally from Papatoetoe in Auckland, New Zealand Umbers was ordained a priest by Bishop Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei. He has served as a priest in Sydney for the past 13 years. Umbers is one of two Read more
Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the first successor to St Josemaria Escriva as leader of Opus Dei, is to be beatified in Madrid on September 27. The ceremony is expected to attract 100,000 people from at least 50 countries. Some 3000 families will open their homes to those travelling to Madrid from abroad and 2000 young Read more
Opus Dei is suing a Danish publisher that has trademarked its name for a card game titled “Opus Dei. Existence After Religion”. The game, the brainchild of a philosophy student, is described as philosophy-themed and strategy-based. Opus Dei is demanding that its trademark be revoked and financial compensation be paid. Continue reading
Only the truth behind the Vatileaks scandal can free the Catholic Church. It has all the makings of a Hollywood adaptation of a Dan Brown novel. Secrets of the Vatican exposed, documents stolen from the Pope’s desk, rows and rivalries between cardinals, vast sums of money, the involvement of the cultish organisation Opus Dei. And Read more
Greg Burke, the newly-appointed Vatican media advisor, says he has no illusions about “going in and changing everything”. “My hope is to try and help the Holy See take the necessary steps to go in the right direction,” he said after accepting what he describes as a “high risk” appointment. Burke took on the job Read more
Opus Dei has expressed their “joy” regarding the intention of the Holy See to grant a Personal Prelature of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (“Lefebvrists”) if this schismatic group returns to the fold of the Catholic Church. “If it comes into full communion of the Fraternity of St. Pius X with the Apostolic Read more
In the normally tranquil world of the Vatican, where keeping up at least the appearance of unity is a fine art, the Pontifical Academy for Life has long been something of an outlier. There, internal tensions have a habit of erupting into full public view. The latest such row, featuring a public call from academy Read more