After St Josemaría Escrivá founded Opus Dei, he took care to ensure its future. The organisation’s big idea was to help people in ordinary life to find God in all things. To continue this mission, the saint picked two successors: Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, who died in 1994, and Bishop Javier Echevarría, who died last month. Now it’s out of the founder’s hands.
This is a “coming-of-age” moment for Opus Dei, says spokesman Jack Valero. “We’re all aware that things will be different from now on.”
Tomorrow, the 38 members of the all-women Central Advisory will meet in Rome and attend a Mass in the church where the founder is buried. They will then look through a list of 94 candidates, all priests, most of whom have held senior positions in its central Rome offices, or been in charge of national branches. The women will whittle down the 94 to a shortlist. On Monday the male members, priests and laymen, will vote. A result is expected next week.
