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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   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)