Under Pope John Paul II, Opus Dei gained a special position within the Catholic Church and became a major power factor that gradually increased its power.
The organization works internationally and reports directly to the Pope, which has led to a mythologizing of the group and the spreading of many rumors about its activities.
The changes are part of Pope Francis’ efforts to modernize the Church and introduce greater transparency, the Vatican announced.
The reforms for Opus Dei mean, among other things, that its leader will no longer be appointed by a bishop and that it will report to a group within the church, as well as that they must now submit a report on their activities every year instead of every five years previously.
Opus Dei spokesman Manuel Sanchez says the organization does not see the pope’s decision as a demotion.
— We are not interested in such reasoning, for a Catholic there is no reason to speak in terms of power or worldly categories.
Opus Dei was founded in 1928 by the Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, who was canonized in 2002.
The organization currently has around 90,000 members worldwide.