The M+G+R Foundation

Listing of Cardinals, Bishops and Priests in the Opus Dei Orbit

and/or

In the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross

On a Worldwide Scale


Diclaimer



PURPOSE

The purpose of this document is to illustrate the level of penetration and control that the Opus Dei Prelature (in abbreviated form, simply Opus Dei) and the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross - the clerical association intrinsically united to Opus Dei - have in the Roman Catholic Church, thus, the world at large.

The listing provided - according to the original sources - illustrate who are members, supporters or sympathizers of Opus Dei.


INTRODUCTION

If a priest is member of the Opus Dei Prelature, he is automatically also member of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross. On the other hand, it is technically possible for a priest to be member of the Priestly Society without being member of the Prelature. (1) However...

In spirit, the Opus Dei Prelature and the Prieslty Society of the Holy Cross are one and the same organization although, very conveniently, they have been given two different legal tags. We say that in spirit they are one organization and the same because:
  1. In the very words of its legal constitution, "The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross is erected as a clerical Association intrinsically united to the Prelature". (2)

  2. They have the same head: "The prelate of Opus Dei is (also) the president of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross." (1)

  3. They have the same founder: The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross was founded in 1943 by Josemaría Escrivá. (3)

  4. They have the same origin: "Originally, its function (of the Priestly Society) was to create a priestly body within the Opus Dei and coming from the Opus Dei. Later, however, the intention was to include (also) diocesan priests in the Opus Dei." (3)

  5. They have the same aims: Since the Priestly Society is instrinsically united to the Prelature, it is not possible to ignore the fact that the Opus Dei works - according to the very words of its legal constitucion - "as an institution endowed with a unity of spirit, of aims, of government and of formation". (2)
According to Wikipedia (consulted in July 2017), "There are around 4000 priests, bishops and deacons around the world who are members of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross". (1)

This document should by no means be considered an exhaustive list of cardinals, bishops and priets who are members or sympathizers of Opus Dei and/or the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.

The main source, but not the only source, of names and biographical data in this document is Wikipedia (details at the end of this document).


Founder and prelates of Opus Dei

Josemaría Escrivá (died 1975)
Founder of Opus Dei. Priest, not Bishop. Declared "Holy" by the Vatican. During 1968, he requested and received from the Spanish Ministry of Justice the rehabilitation in his favor of the aristocratic title of Marquess of Peralta. Escrivá established the University of Navarra, in Pamplona, and the University of Piura (in Peru), as secular institutions affiliated with Opus Dei.

Álvaro del Portillo y Díez de Sollano (died 1994)
Prelate of Opus Dei (1975-1994) and Titular Bishop of Vita. Declared "Blessed" by the Vatican.

Javier Echevarría Rodríguez (died 2016)
Prelate of Opus Dei (1994-2016) and Titular Bishop of Cilibia (1994-1994).

Fernando Ocáriz Braña
Prelate of Opus Dei since 2017. Priest, not Bishop.


Cardinals

Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne
Cardinal appointed by John Paul II in 2001. Archbishop of Lima, former Archbishop of Ayacucho o Huamanga, Peru.

Julián Herranz Casado
Cardinal appointed by John Paul II in 2003. President emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.

Malcolm Ranjith
Cardinal appointed by Benedict XVI in 2010. Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Note: Following, Cardinals who promote or are linked to Opus Dei, not necessarily members

Camillo Ruini, Vicar General Emeritus of Roma (*1)

Alfonso López Trujillo (died 2008), was president of the Pontifical Council for the Family

Paul Poupard, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture

Giovanni Battista Re, Vice-Dean (Sub-Dean) of the College of Cardinals

José Saraiva Martins, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

Sergio Sebastiani, President Emeritus of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
They celebrated the centennial of Escrivá in a "solemn concelebrated Mass on January 9 (2002) in the Basilica of St. Eugene" (source). "The Basilica of St. Eugene is a church of the city of Rome entrusted by the Pope to the care of priests of Opus Dei in 1981. It is near the headquarters of Opus Dei." (source)

(*1) The international investigative commission on Medjugorje was organized (in 2010) with Cardinal Ruini as president (source).

Ignace Moussa I Daoud (died 2012), Patriarch Emeritus of Antiochia, Lebanon
Although not as co-celebrant, he attended the concelebrated mass that took place on January 9 (2002) in the basilica of St. Eugene for the centenary of Escrivá (source). In another place, and at the end of a mass that was part of the same centenary, he exclaimed "May Opus Dei be an element of hope in Lebanon!" (source)

Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Wien, Austria
On the occasion of Escrivá's centenary, "In the Viennese Cathedral of Saint Stephen, Cardinal Schönborn concelebrated with two other bishops before a congregation of about three thousand" (source)

Francis George (died 2015), Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago, Illinois
On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Escrivá's birth, "In Chicago, where Opus Dei first came to the United States more than 50 years ago, 2000 people came to a Mass for Blessed Josemaria celebrated by Francis Cardinal George." (source)

Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, England
He "was the chief celebrant for a (Escrivá's) Centennial Mass attended by 1800 at Westminster Cathedral in London" (source)

László Pacifik Paskai (Budapest, Hungary) (died 2015)

Joachim Meisner (Cologne, Germany) (died 2017) (*2)

Leo Scheffczyck (Cologne, Germany) (died 2005) (*3)

Adrianus Johannes Simonis (Utrecht, Netherlands)

Jean-Marie Lustiger (Paris, France) (died 2007)

Miguel Obando Bravo (Managua, Nicaragua)

Edward Bede Clancy (Sydney, Australia) (died 2014)

Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir (Bkerké, Lebanon)
They are cardinals who in the respective cities celebrated the centenary of Escrivá with a mass for the faithful of his diocese. (source)

(*2) The work of Cardinal Joachim Meisner "The Charism of Opus Dei in the Church" is one of the works contained in a book published on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the founder of Opus Dei. (source)

(*3) The work of Cardinal Leo Scheffczyck "Grace in the Spirituality of Josemaría Escrivá" is one of the works contained in a book published on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the founder of Opus Dei. (source)

Josef Frings (died 1978), Archbishop Emeritus of Cologne (Germany) since 1942 to 1969
"Through the petition of Cardinal Frings, then archbishop of Cologne, the first members of Opus Dei arrived in Cologne in 1952" (source)

Jaime Sin (died 2005), Archbishop Emeritus of Manila (Philippines)
Presided at a centennial mass in Manila for Josemaría Escrivá, saying "Blessed Josemaria and his message are not only for Opus Dei, but for the whole Church" (source).

Dionigi Tettamanzi (died 2017), Archbishop Emeritus of Milano (Italy)
In 2013, in Milan, at a Mass in honor of Josemaría Escrivá, on the first occasion of his feast, he affirmed in his homily "we recognize in this saint, and in his work, a great gift of God to the Church and to each of us in particular" (source)

Antonio María Rouco Varela, Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid (Spain)

Francisco Álvarez Martínez, Archbishop Emeritus of (Spain)
In 2002, they concelebrated a mass before nine thousand people in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Rome) for people who had come from Spain for the canonization of Escrivá (source).

Jorge María Mejía (died 2014), Archivist Emeritus of the Vatican Secret Archives
In 2002, he concelebrated a mass in Rome as thanksgiving for the granted canonization of Escrivá, a concelebrated Mass with sixty bishops and priests, for the people of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia who had come to the event. (source)

Bernard Agré de Abidjan (died 2014), Archbishop Emeritus of Abidjan, Ivory Coast
In 2002, in Rome, he celebrated a mass of thanksgiving for the canonization of Escrivá just granted, for French speakers. (source)

Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi (died 2007), Archbishop of Kinshasa
In 2013, on the first occasion of the feast of Escrivá since his canonization, nine bishops from various Congolese dioceses concelebrated the Mass in honor of Escrivá in the cathedral of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), presiding over Cardinal Etsou. (source)

Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of México, Federal District

Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, Spain (*4)
They are cardinals who have spoken publicly and favorably of the canonization of Escrivá. (source)

(*4) Juan José Omella was Bishop of Barbastro-Monzón (Spain); Barbastro is the native town of Escrivá.

Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
He presided in 2014 the celebration in which Álvaro del Portillo - former prelate of Opus Dei - was proclaimed "Blessed" (source), dedicating words to him like "There are many virtues that Blessed Álvaro lived in a heroic way" (source).

Antonio José González Zumárraga (died 2008), Archbishop Emeritus of Quito, Ecuador
In 2002, "in Quito's cathedral, ten bishops and forty priests concelebrated a Mass presided over by Archbishop Antonio Cardinal Gonzalez in memory of the centennial (of Escrivá). Among those attending were vice-president Pedro Pinto..." (source)

Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, Archbishop Emeritus of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
In 2002, "some 50,000 stamps have been put into circulation in the Dominican Republic on the occasion of the centennial of ... Josemaría's birth. Among those attending (the presentation ceremony) was Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez". (source)

Bernard Francis Law (Boston), Archpriest Emeritus of the Saint Mary Major Basilica (*5)

Theodore McCarrick (Washington D.C), Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, District of Columbia

Jorge Bergoglio (Buenos Aires), Cardinal en 2001

Eugênio de Araújo Sales (died 2012) (Rio de Janeiro), Archbishop
They are cardinals who, in June 2001, in the respective cities, presided over masses celebrating the liturgical feast corresponding to Escrivá for having been declared "Blessed" (before his canonization). (source)

(*5) Bernard Law was involved in a sexual abuse scandal, protecting priests ... and was relocated to Rome in different positions of the Roman Curia, preventing him from being tried. (source)

Michele Giordano (died 2010), Archbishop Emeritus of Naples, Italy
In 2001, together with the Minister of Industry and Commerce and other public figures, he intervened in a convention entitled "Blessed Josemaria and the Social Doctrine of the Church: Experiences of Human and Social Promotion in the World", which took place at the Theatre Reggia in Naples. (source)

Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Major Penitentiary Emeritus of the Apostolic Penitentiary, former Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops. In 2014, he referred to Monsignor Álvaro del Portillo as "an exemplary priest" and also expressed his great joy at the forthcoming beatification. (source)

Agostino Vallini, Vicar General Emeritus of Roma
In 2014, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, he celebrated a mass in thanksgiving for the (then) recent beatification of Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, prelate of Opus Dei. (source)

Santos Abril y Castelló, Archpriest Emeritus of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
In 2014, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, he celebrated a mass in thanksgiving for the (then) recent beatification of Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, prelate of Opus Dei. (source)

Daniel Nicholas DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, Texas
In 2017 he was one of the bishops (being he, in addition, Cardinal) that in the United States celebrated masses for the feast of Escrivá. (source)

Donald William Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, District of Columbia

Sean Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts

Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of Laity, Family and Life (Roman Curia)
They are cardinals who in 2015 (source) or in 2014 (source), in the United States, celebrated masses for the feast of Escrivá. (Kevin Farrell was appointed cardinal in 2016)

Federico Tedeschini (died 1959), Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Peter
In 1952 Cardinal Tedeschini took office as Cardinal Protector of Opus Dei, according to the then existing canon law. (source)

Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State
On April 19, 2017, he ordained 31 priests of the Opus Dei Prelature from 16 different countries. The ceremony took place in the Basilica of St. Eugene in Rome (source). "The Basilica of St. Eugene is a church of the city of Rome entrusted by the Pope to the care of priests of Opus Dei in 1981. It is near the headquarters of Opus Dei." (source)

Marcelo González Martín (died 2004), Archbishop Emeritus of Toledo, Spain

Jorge Medina Estévez, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Their testimony is recorded in a book by several authors on Escrivá, "Así le vieron" ("That's how they saw him"), a book that contains testimonies about the founder of the Opus Dei (source 1, source 2)

Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary
In 2011 he was named "Doctor Honoris Causa" by the University of Navarra under the direction of "The Great Chancellor of the University and prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echevarría". In that year, he was president of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe. (source)

Ricardo Blázquez Pérez, Archbishop of Valladolid, Spain
He was one of more than 40 bishops (being he, in addition, Cardinal) who in Spain celebrated masses for the death of Javier Echevarría, prelate of Opus Dei, in 2016. (source)

Andrzej Maria Deskur (died 2011), President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications
"Cardinal Deskur, an admirer of St. Josemaria and a great friend of his successor at the head of Opus Dei, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, spoke to the Cardinal of Krakow (Karol Wojtyła, future John Paul II), when he came to Rome, on the Opus Dei and its founder." (source)

James Aloysius Hickey (died 2004), Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, District of Columbia
In his own words, "I soon had a great appreciation for ... Josemaría. I deepened my interest in his figure and my love for the initiative he had undertaken." (source)

James Francis Stafford, Major Penitentiary Emeritus of the Apostolic Penitentiary (#1)

Stanisław Ryłko, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (#2)

Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (#2)

Lluís Martínez Sistach, Archbishop Emeritus of Barcelona, Spain (#2)

Renato Raffaele Martino, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (#2)

Carlos Osoro Sierra, Archbishop of Madrid, Spain (#3)

Roger Etchegaray, Vice-Dean Emeritus of the College of Cardinals (#4)

Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Archbishop of Valencia, Spain (#5)

Crescenzio Sepe, Archbishop of Naples, Italy (#6)

Franz Cardinal König (died 2004), Archbishop Emeritus of Wien, Austria (#7)

Ángel Suquía Goicoechea (died 2006), Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid, Spain (#8)

Luis Aponte Martínez (died 2012), Archbishop Emeritus of San Juan de Puerto Rico (#9)

Silvio Angelo Pio Oddi (died 2001), Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy (#10)
The above listing is of cardinals who have visited the sanctuary of Torreciudad.

Testimonials of the visits made: (#1) Source(#2) Source(#3) Source(#4) Source(#5) Source; (#6) Source; (#7) He ordained Horacio Gómez in Torreciudad; (#8) He ordained priests there; (#9) Source; (#10) He ordained priests there.


Cardinals Count

As of August 6, 2017, there are 223 living cardinals worldwide (of which 121 are cardinal electors) (source). In the list above, adding up cardinals members of Opus Dei as well as those who promote or are linked to Opus Dei, results in 42 living cardinals (in addition to 25 deceased) who, at least, are sympathizers; and it is understood that it is not an exhaustive list. That is, at least 18 percent of the living cardinals in the world are, at least, sympathizers of Opus Dei.


Bishops

Antonio Arregui Yarza
Archbishop Emeritus of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Doctor in jurisprudence by the University of Navarra.

Luis Gleisner Wobbe
Titular Bishop of Mididi, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of La Serena, Chile.

Alfonso Delgado Evers
Archbishop Emeritus of San Juan de Cuyo, former Bishop of Santo Tomé, former Bishop of Posadas, Argentina.

Antônio Augusto Dias Duarte
Titular Bishop of Tuscamia, Auxiliary Bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro. Doctorate in Moral Theology at the University of Navarra.

Robert Finn
Bishop of Kansas City - Saint Joseph, Missouri (until his resignation in 2015). In 2012, Finn was convicted for failing to report suspected child abuse in connection with the Fr. Shawn Ratigan child pornography case. The Vatican announced that Finn had resigned from the Diocese of Kansas City on April 21, 2015.

John Barres
Bishop of Rockville Centre, New York. He studied at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, earning a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1998 and a Doctorate in Spirituality in 1999.

Ricardo García García
Prelate of Yauyos, Peru.

Juan Ignacio González Errazúriz
Bishop of San Bernardo, Chile. He was ordained priest by Álvaro del Portillo. He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he approved his doctoral thesis. He served as General Chaplain and Professor of Theology and Canon Law at the University of Los Andes - a university openly affiliated with Opus Dei.

Francisco de Guruceaga Iturriza (died 2012)
Bishop of Margarita, former Bishop of La Guaira, former Auxiliary Bishop of Ciudad Bolivar. He resigned in 2001. "In 1996, de Guruceaga suspended Diaz's priest's license for 20 years. Fearing scandal for the church, the bishop (Guruceaga) never brought the allegations to criminal authorities." (source)

Ignacio María de Orbegozo y Goicoechea (died 1998)
Bishop of Chiclayo, and former Prelate of Yauyos, Peru.

José Horacio Gómez
Archbishop of Los Angeles, California; former Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas; and former auxiliary for the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, United States of America. Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the University of Navarra. Fortune Magazine listed him as one of the top 50 most influential Latinos in the U.S. He was ordained priest of Opus Dei by Cardinal Franz König at the sanctuary of Torreciudad.

Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan
Apostolic Administrator of Estonia. He completed his theological studies at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. He was consecrated bishop by Bishop Javier Echevarría, prelate of Opus Dei.

Klaus Küng
Bishop of Sankt Pölten, former Bishop of Feldkirch, Austria.

Juan Ignacio Larrea Holguín (died 2006)
Archbishop of Guayaquil, former Bishop of Quito, former Military Ordinary, former Auxiliary Bishop of Quito, Ecuador. First member of the Opus Dei prelature in Ecuador. Currently, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil is preparing the process of its canonization.

Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano (died 2015)
Bishop emeritus of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. He was Bishop of the Diocese of Ciudad del Este in Paraguay from 2004 to 2014, when he was deposed by Pope Francisco for "serious pastoral reasons" and for "thus been convenient for the Church of Paraguay". Doctor in Canon Law by the University of Navarra. He was vicar of the prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei in Buenos Aires.

Rafael Llano Cifuentes
Bishop of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, former auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Anthony Muheria
Archbishop of Nyeri, Former Bishop of Kitui, Former Bishop of Embu, Kenya.

Francisco Polti Santillán
Bishop of Santo Tome, Argentina.

Jaume Pujol Balcells
Archbishop of Tarragona, Spain. He holds a doctorate in Theology from the University of Navarra. He worked as a professor of Religious Pedagogy at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Navarra. In the same university also directed the Department of Pastoral and Catechesis and the Superior Institute of Religious Sciences.

Ugo Eugenio Puccini Banfi
Bishop of Santa Marta, and former Auxiliary Bishop of Barranquilla, Colombia.

Luis Sánchez-Moreno Lira (died 2009)
Archbishop of Arequipa, former Prelate of Yauyos, Peru.

Fernando Sáenz Lacalle
Archbishop Emeritus of San Salvador, former Apostolic Administrator of the Military of San Salvador. In 1997, in his capacity as apostolic administrator of the Military Ordinariate, he was promoted to Brigadier General of the Armed Forces of El Salvador.

Juan Antonio Ugarte Pérez
Archbishop of Cuzco, former Auxiliary Bishop of Abancay, and former Auxiliary Bishop of Yauyos, Peru. At the University of Navarra (Spain) he pursued a degree in Theology and began studies in Canon Law. In Peru formed the first group of professors who started the University of Piura - university founded on the initiative of Josemaría Escrivá.

Adolfo Rodríguez Vidal (died 2003)
Archbishop of Cuzco, former Auxiliary Bishop of Abancay, and former Auxiliary Bishop of Yauyos, Peru. He was ordained priest in 1948 by Leopoldo Eijo y Garay, Bishop of Madrid-Alcalá, who "played a particularly important role in the life of Opus Dei and its founder" (source). In 1965 he obtained his doctorate in Canon Law at the University of Navarra. Between 1958 and 1965 he held the position of Delegate of Opus Dei for several countries in Latin America.

John J. Myers
Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey (until 2016), United States. His resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on November 7, 2016. Though the customary form of spoken address for an archbishop is "Your Excellency", he prefers to be addressed as "Your Grace". In 2002, he was among the two-thirds of sitting bishops and acting diocese administrators that the Dallas Morning News found had allowed priests accused of sexual abuse to continue working. In February 2014, the New York Times reported Archbishop Myers planned to retire to a "palace" being expanded to 7,500 square feet (700 square meters) at his direction in Pittstown, New Jersey.

Stephen Lee Bun-Sang
Bishop of Macao (China), former Auxiliary Bishop of Hong Kong, "he belongs to Opus Dei, studied in Navarra and was ordained in Torreciudad". (source)

Jaime Rafael Fuentes Martín
Titular Bishop of Minas, Uruguay. In 1973 he received his doctorate in Theology from the University of Navarra.

Note: Following, eight names obtained from the section dedicated to Opus Dei at catholic-hierarchy.org. However, each entry is filled in with Wikipedia data.

Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru
Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts since 2017, Bishop of Civitate, Italy. Born in Spain. In 2013 he was elected by Pope Francis coordinator of the commission for the reform of the Institute for the Works of Religion, also known as Vatican Bank. He was Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, from its creation in 1984 until 1993, and again in 1995-1999.

Hugo Nicolás Barbaro
Bishop of San Roque de Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña since 2008, Argentina. Born in Argentina. He obtained a degree in Philosophy at the University of Navarra in 1980. He was ordained priest in 1980, at the Sanctuary of Torreciudad, Spain. He is a member of the Commissions of Catechesis and Biblical Pastoral, and of Catholic Education in the Argentine Episcopal Conference.

Levi Bonatto
Titular Bishop of Accia, Auxiliary Bishop of Goiânia, Brazil. Born in Brazil. He studied Theology and Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

Ignacio Carrasco de Paula
President Emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Titular Bishop of Thapsus. Born in Spain. He was professor of bioethics at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome and director of the Institute of Bioethics.

Fernando José Castro Aguayo
Bishop of Margarita, former Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas, Venezuela. Born in Venezuela. He studied ecclesiastical philosophy and theology at the "Studium Generale" of the Opus Dei prelature in Venezuela and at the school of the Holy Cross in Rome. He obtained his doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra, Spain.

Juan Ignacio González Errázuriz
Bishop of San Bernardo, Chile. Born in Chile. He studied Philosophy and Theology in the "Studium Generale" of the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei. He holds a degree and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. He was General Chaplain and professor of Theology and Canon Law at the University of Los Andes - a university openly affiliated with Opus Dei.

Carlos Lema García
Titular Bishop of Alava, Auxiliary Bishop of São Paulo, Brazil. Born in Brazil. Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology in 1987, in Rome, in the Roman Academic Center of Holy Cross, today Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Richard James Umbers
Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia. Born in New Zealand. He is currently the youngest Catholic bishop in Australia, and is also the first priest of Opus Dei to be appointed bishop in Australia. He studied at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, obtaining a degree in Theology. He studied at the University of Navarra, Spain, where he received a Doctorate in Philosophy. He was ordained priest by Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei, at the Sanctuary of Torreciudad, Spain.

Note: Following, one bishop found in Wikipedia Category "Members of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross" (Spanish).

Enrique Pèlach (died 2007)
Bishop Emeritus of Abancay, Peru. Born in Spain. He arrived in Peru in 1957, along with four other Spanish priests: they were the first to go to the new prelature of Yauyos, newly created and entrusted by the Holy See to Opus Dei. He was Vicar General of the Prelature.

Note: Following, three bishops found in other sources

Isidro Sala Rivera
Bishop Emeritus of Abancay, Peru. Born in Spain. He belongs to Opus Dei (source). He was ordained Bishop by the Bishops Ignacio María de Orbegozo (principal consecrator), Enrique Pèlach and Juan Antonio Ugarte, belonging all three to Opus Dei (source).

Mario Busquets Jordá
Bishop-Prelate Emeritus of Chuquibamba, Peru. Born in Spain. He belongs to Opus Dei (source). He was ordained Bishop by Luis Sánchez-Moreno (principal consecrator, Archbishop), Juan Antonio Ugarte (Bishop) and Juan Rino Passigato (Bishop), being Sánchez-Moreno and Ugarte members of Opus Dei (source).

Gabino Miranda Melgarejo
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Ayacucho o Huamanga, Peru - dismissed in 2013. In 2013, "he was dismissed from his position as Auxiliary Bishop of Ayacucho by the Vatican for pedophilia" (source). "Cipriani (Cardinal, Opus Dei, Archbishop of Lima) showed his discomfort over Miranda's ties to Opus Dei and asserted that he was not a priest incardinated in that congregation" (source). The Opus Dei Information Office in Peru "clarified that the priest was not one of its members but was part of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross." (source).

Note: The following are Bishops who promote or are sympathizers to Opus Dei but are not necessarily members. Because of material limitations, we can only list a few number of them. This sample, in particular, contains mainly bishops from the United States and Spain.

Jesús Moliné Labarte/Labarta
Bishop Emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru. Born in Spain. He was ordained bishop by Bishop Ignacio Maria Orbegozo of Opus Dei (source). In December 2003, in a public ceremony, he paid tribute to the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaría Escrivá (source; date). In 2007, he affirmed that "I am not a prominent member of Opus Dei, I am not even part of that Prelature, which I value and highly value" (source). In 2013, at a public ceremony, he blessed an image of Escrivá (source).

Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva, Bishop Emeritus of Leiria-Fátima (Portugal)

Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji, Bishop Emeritus of Enugu (Nigeria)

Giuseppe Costanzo, Archbishop Emeritus of Siracusa (Italy)
The above listing is of bishops who have spoken publicly and favorably of the canonization of Escrivá. (source)

Gustavo García-Siller, Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas

Bernardito Cleopas Auza, Archbishop, Permanent Observer to United Nations

Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, Arizona

Walter James Edyvean, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Boston, Massachusetts

John Gregory Kelly, Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas, Texas
The above listing is of bishops who in 2017, in the United States, celebrated masses for the feast of Escrivá. (source)

William Edward Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland

Robert Joseph Cunningham, Bishop of Syracuse, Nueva York

James Vann Johnston, Jr., Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, Missouri

Michael Fors Olson, Bishop of Fort Worth, Texas

Thomas John Joseph Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois

Gabriel Montalvo Higuera (died 2006), Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to United States of America

Mario Eduardo Dorsonville-Rodríguez, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, District of Columbia

Gerald Thomas Walsh, Auxiliary Bishop of New York

Salvatore Ronald Matano, Bishop of Rochester, Nueva York

George Arthur Sheltz, Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston, Texas
The above listing is of bishops who in 2016, in the United States, celebrated masses for the feast of Escrivá. (source)

John Joseph O’Hara, Auxiliary Bishop of New York

Andrew Harmon Cozzens, Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota

Edward Bernard Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, Nueva York

John Douglas Deshotel, Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana

Joseph Anthony Fiorenza, Archbishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston, Texas
The above listing is of  bishops who celebrated masses in the United States in 2015 for the feast of Escrivá. (source)

Salvatore Joseph Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, California

William Francis Murphy, Bishop Emeritus of Rockville Centre, Nueva York

Joseph Nathaniel Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, Illinois

Lee Anthony Piché, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota

Robert William Finn, Bishop Emeritus of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, Missouri (*6)

Kevin William Vann, Bishop of Orange in California

Mark Joseph Seitz, Bishop of El Paso, Texas
The above listing is of bishops who celebrated masses in the United States in 2014 for the feast of Escrivá. (source)

(*6) In 2012, Finn was convicted for failing to report suspected child abuse. He resigned in 2015. (source)

Adolfo González Montes (Almería, Cathedral)

Rafael Zornoza Boy (Cádiz, Cathedral)

Demetrio Fernández González (Córdoba, Cathedral)

Francisco Javier Martínez (Granada, Cathedral), Archbishop

Ginés Ramón García Beltrán (Guadix)

José Vilaplana Blasco (Huelva, Cathedral)

Amadeo Rodríguez Magro (Jaén, Cathedral)

José Mazuelos Pérez (Jerez, Cathedral)

Juan José Asenjo Pelegrina (Sevilla, Cathedral), Archbishop

Jesús Sanz (Oviedo, Catedral), Archbishop

Francisco Cases (Las Palmas, Cathedral)

Manuel Sánchez Monge (Santander, Cathedral)

Ciriaco Benavente (Albacete, Cathedral)

Gerardo Melgar (Ciudad Real, Cathedral)

José María Yanguas (Cuenca)

Atilano Rodríguez (Guadalajara, Cathedral)

Fidel Herráez (Burgos, church of "Saint Josemaría"), Archbishop
Julián López (León, Cathedral)

Manuel Herrero (Palencia, Cathedral)

Carlos López Hernández (Salamanca)

César Franco (Segovia, Cathedral)

Ricardo Blázquez (Valladolid, Cathedral), Archbishop and Cardinal

Juan José Omella (Barcelona), Archbishop (Cardinal in 2017)

Francesc Pardo (Girona)

Romà Casanova (Igualada)

Salvador Giménez Valls (Lleida, Cathedral)

Josep Àngel Saiz (Tarrasa, Cathedral)

Celso Morga Iruzubieta (Badajoz, Cathedral), Archbishop

Francisco Cerro Chaves (Cáceres)

Jesús Fernández (A Coruña), auxiliary bishop

Luis Ángel de las Heras (Ferrol, Co-Cathedral)

Leonardo Lemos (Ourense, Cathedral)

Julián Barrio (Santiago de Compostela, Cathedral), Archbishop

Luis Quinteiro (Vigo, Co-Cathedral)

Carlos Escribano (Logroño, Cathedral)

Juan Antonio Reig (Alcalá de Henares, Cathedral)

Carlos Osoro (Madrid, Cathedral), Archbishop and Cardinal

Joaquín López de Andújar (Getafe, Cathedral)

José Manuel Lorca (Murcia, Cathedral)

Francisco Pérez (Pamplona, in a sports stadium), Archbishop

Antonio Aznárez (Tudela, Cathedral), auxiliary bishop

Mario Iceta (Bilbao, Cathedral)

Juan Carlos Elizalde (Vitoria)

Jesús Murgui (Alicante)

Casimiro López (Castellón, Co-Cathedral)

Antonio Cañizares (Valencia, Cathedral), Archbishop and Cardinal

The above listing is of bishops who, in Spain, in the respective cities and places, celebrated masses for the death of Javier Echevarría, prelate of Opus Dei, in December 2016. (source)

Count of Bishops in Spain

In the Spanish hierarchy, in July 2017, there are 52 diocesan bishops and 14 metropolitan archbishops, of whom 4 are cardinals (source) (* 7). In the list above (bishops who celebrated masses for the death of Echevarría), we count 33 bishops (in addition to 2 auxiliary bishops) and 11 archbishops, including all 4 metropolitan archbishops who are cardinals in July 2017.

That is, in Spain the 4 metropolitan archbishops who are cardinals are all - at least - sympathizers of Opus Dei. And adding up the number of the metropolitan archbishops plus the number of diocesan bishops framed in the Spanish hierarchy, the result is that at least 66 percent of them are - at least - sympathizers of Opus Dei.

(*7) Apart, there are 34 "emeritus" bishops (not counted as "diocesan bishops" nor "metropolitan archbishops") and other (minority) categories, which we are not counting or enumerating here. (see the same source)


Another Priests and/or Theologians

Lluís Clavell Ortiz-Repiso
Spanish priest. President of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome. He was professor of philosophy at the University of Navarra. He is Professor of Metaphysics at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome), of which he was rector (1994-2008).

Francisco Javier López Díaz
Spanish priest and theologian at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome - university created in 1984 by Opus Dei.

Note: Following, names obtained from Wikipedia Category "Members of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross" (Spanish).

Luis Felipe Areta
Athlete and Spanish priest. He came to be 13 times champion of Spain of long jump.

Pablo Blanco Sarto, Spanish priest
Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology at the University of Navarra. Chaplain of the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the University of Navarra.

Salvador Canals Navarrete (died 1975)
Spanish priest. He was auditor in the Tribunal of the Roman Rota. He was a member of the Roman Pontifical Council for Social Communications and of the Congregation for the Clergy.

Miguel Delgado Galindo, Spanish priest
En 2004 fue condecorado por Juan Pablo II, como "Capellán de Su Santidad". Actualmente desde junio de 2011, al ser nombrado por Benedicto XVI, es el nuevo Subsecretario del Consejo Pontificio para los Laicos.

José María Hernández Garnica, Spanish priest (died 1972)
Mining Engineer, Doctor of Natural Sciences and Doctor of Theology. The local phase for the beatification process began in Madrid in 2005, and concluded in Madrid in 2009.

José Luis Illanes Maestre, Spanish priest
He was professor of Theology at the University of Navarra and also at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. He was Vice-Dean and Dean of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra. Director of the Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute, based in Rome - an institute that "promotes historical studies on the founder of Opus Dei" (source).

César Izquierdo, Spanish priest
Professor of Theology at the University of Navarra. Member of the Theological Advisory Commission of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.

C. John McCloskey, Priest, USA
He was director of the Catholic Information Center of the Archdiocese of Washington. Father McCloskey became better known for helping several people convert to Catholicism, including Sam Brownback (current governor of Kansas), Robert Bork (attorney general and judge), Lawrence Kudlow (economist and government advisor under Ronald Reagan), and Dr. Bernard Nathanson (a prominent pro life activist who was converted).

Gonzalo Redondo Gálvez (died 2006)
He was Spanish priest and historian, specialized in the study of the history of the Church in Spain and the Francoism, professor in the University of Navarra.

Pedro Rodríguez García, Spanish priest
Dean of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra (1992-1998), formerly Director of Studies and Director of Research. President of the Board of Deans of the Faculties of Theology of Spain (1996-1997).

Josep-Ignasi Saranyana, Spanish priest
Ordinary professor emeritus of the University of Navarra and member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences (City of the Vatican). Author of more than 20 books.

Federico Suárez Verdeguer, Spanish priest (died 2005)
He was Secretary General of the University of Santiago and, later, National Counselor of Education (1953). In 1975 was named chaplain of the Spanish Royal House, position that maintained until his death, which happened in Madrid in 2005.

Jesús Urteaga Loidi, Spanish priest (died 2009)
He developed a wide catechetical work through the magazine Mundo Cristiano, which he founded in 1963, with Javier Ayesta, and several television programs that granted him a notable popularity in the Spain of the sixties and first five of the seventies. In 1965 he was awarded the National Spanish Television Prize.

Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda, Spanish priest
Jurist and expert in economic affairs. He was Secretary of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See and former collaborator of Pope Francis. On November 2, 2015 he was arrested by the Vatican gendarmerie, accused of revealing secrets in the Vatileaks scandal. In July 2016 he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and thus locked up in a cell of the Vatican gendarmerie.

Francisco Varo Pineda, Spanish priest
He is professor at the University of Navarra and deputy director of the journal Scripta Theologica.


SOURCES

The main source of this document is Wikipedia. In particular:

(A) In places where the source is not explicitly stated:

(1) The names were obtained from the Wikipedia article in English about the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.
(2) The biographical data was obtained from said article, or from each corresponding personal Wikipedia page or from other particular Wikipedia articles.

(B) The reader is warned that, in names and biographical data, the destination address of the links is not always the original one that was in the source.

(C) Wikipedia and the other sources: Consulted July/August 2017.


The M+G+R Foundation is not affiliated nor linked in any way to Opus Dei nor its related organizations. Once again, please remember the Disclaimer about the information on this web site.


NOTES                            

(1) Priestly Society of the Holy Cross (article in English) - Consulted July 2017
(2) Apostolic constitution "Ut sit" --- of 1982 by which Opus Dei adopts the legal form of Personal Prelature
(3) Priestly Society of the Holy Cross (article in Spanish) - Consulted July 2017



Originally published in Spanish on August 7, 2017

Published in English on August 29, 2017 - Martyrdom of John the Baptist


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