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CONGREGATION FOR DOCTRINE OF FAITH ON "OPUS ANGELORUM"

VATICAN CITY, 4 NOV 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the complete text of the
English-language version of a circular letter issued by the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, dated 2 October and signed by Cardinal William
Joseph Levada, prefect of the congregation. The letter was published today by
"L'Osservatore Romano" and concerns the current doctrinal and canonical
position of the association known as "Opus Angelorum".

More than thirty years ago, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
began to examine the theories and practices of the association called Opus
Angelorum (Engelwerk). At the present time, the dicastery believes that it
would be helpful for the bishops of [episcopal conferences] to be informed
regarding the developments which have taken place in these years, so that they
may exercise effective oversight in this area.

I. The initial examination was brought to a conclusion with the publication of
a letter on 24 September 1982, communicating certain decisions approved by the
Holy Father (AAS 76 [1984], 175-176); this letter was followed by a Decree
entitled 'Litteris diei' of 6 June 1992 (AAS 84 [1992], 805-806).

In essence, these two documents stated that, in promoting devotion to the Holy
Angels, the members of the Opus Angelorum were to follow the doctrine of the
Church and the teaching of the Church Fathers and Doctors. In particular, the
members were not to make use of the "names" of angels derived
from the alleged
private revelations attributed to Mrs. Gabriele Bitterlich and they were not to
teach, spread or make use of the theories originating from these alleged
revelations. Furthermore, they were reminded of the duty to follow strictly all
liturgical laws, in particular those relating to the Holy Eucharist. The Decree
of 1992 entrusted the implementation of these measures to a delegate named by
the Holy See and possessing special faculties; he was also given the task of
regularising the relationship between the Opus Angelorum and the Order of
Canons Regular of the Holy Cross.

In the years that followed, the delegate, Fr. Benoit Duroux O.P., successfully
completed the work entrusted to him. Today, thanks to the obedience of its
members, the Opus Angelorum can be considered to be living loyally and serenely
in conformity with the doctrine of the Church and with canonical and liturgical
law. On 13 March 2010, given the advanced age of Fr. Duroux, Fr. Daniel Ols
O.P. was named delegate, with the same powers as described in the Decree of
1992.

The process of normalisation can be seen in particular in the following
elements. On 31 May 2000, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
approved the formula of a consecration to the Holy Angels for the Opus
Angelorum. Having received the positive opinion of this dicastery, the
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
approved the "Statutes of the Opus Sanctorum Angelorum", in
which, among other
things, the relationship between the Opus Angelorum and the Order of Canons
Regular of the Holy Cross was defined. According to the Statutes, the Opus
Angelorum is a public association of the Catholic Church with juridical
personality according to the norm of canon 313 of the CIC; it is joined to the
Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross according to the norm of canon 677,
para. 2 of the CIC and placed under the direction of the Order in conformity
with canon 303 of the CIC. The Constitutions of the Sisters of the Holy Cross
were approved by the bishop of Innsbruck. Finally, the Order of Canons Regular
of the Holy Cross, whose central government had been named by the Congregation
for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life on
30 October 1993, was able at the beginning of 2009 to elect its own superior
general and the members of the general council.

Therefore, in its present state, the Opus Angelorum is a public association of
the Church in conformity with traditional doctrine and with the directives of
the Holy See. It spreads devotion to the Holy Angels among the faithful,
exhorts them to pray for priests, and promotes love for Christ in His Passion
and union with it. Therefore, there are no remaining obstacles of a doctrinal
and disciplinary kind which would prevent local ordinaries from receiving this
movement into their dioceses and promoting its development.

II. At the same time, however, the congregation wishes to draw the attention of
ordinaries to the fact that, in the course of these years, a certain number of
Opus Angelorum members, including some priests who either left or were expelled
from the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross, have not accepted the norms
given by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and seek to restore
what, according to them, would be the "authentic Opus Angelorum",
that is, a
movement which professes and practices all those things which were forbidden by
the above-mentioned documents. The congregation has learned that very discrete
propaganda in favour of this wayward movement, which is outside of any
ecclesiastical control, is taking place, aimed at presenting it as if it were
in full communion with the Catholic Church.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, therefore, asks ordinaries to
be vigilant with regard to such activities, disruptive as they are of ecclesial
communion, and to forbid them if they are present within their dioceses.
CDF/VIS 20101104 (910)

SUMMARY

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