Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz was born in Paris on 27 October 1944, the youngest of eight siblings. The family returned to Madrid when he was three.
He graduated in physics from the University of Barcelona in 1966, having already applied for admission to Opus Dei in 1961. In 1963 he met St. Josemaría. He moved to Rome in 1967, where he gained a degree in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Navarre in 1971 and was ordained a priest in Madrid later the same year, on 15 August. He devoted his early years as a priest chiefly to pastoral work with young people and university students.
In the 1980s he was one of the professors who helped set up the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he was a full professor of Fundamental Theology and is now professor emeritus. He has been a consultor to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith since 1986. He served as Vicar General of Opus Dei from 1994 to 2014, and afterwards as Auxiliary Vicar. He has been the third successor of St Josemaría since 23 January 2017.
His intentions for 2026-27
In his most recent message, the Father invited us to deepen our understanding of an essential trait of Opus Dei: being contemplatives in the middle of the world, in preparation for the Work's centenary. He also wrote a letter on the same theme.
Pastoral trips
Since 2017, when he was elected Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz has made numerous pastoral trips around the world to be closer to each person in the Work and to remind them of St. Josemaría's message. His most recent journeys took place in August 2026, to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Uruguay. In previous years he also visited other countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa. You can enjoy all the videos in a single playlist here.
Letters
Through his messages and letters, month after month and year after year, the Father invites us to deepen essential traits of Christian life and of the spirituality of Opus Dei.
- Contemplation: the passionate pursuit of an encounter with God in the middle of ordinary life.
- Obedience: the deepest freedom is that of obeying God with the heart of Jesus.
- Freedom: children of God, able to choose what is good with all the strength He has given us.
- Vocation: a new outlook on life and a light kindled within us.
- Fraternity: loving one another and serving God in our brothers and sisters.
- Fidelity: faithfulness over time is another name for love.
- Friendship: friendship with God blossoms into genuine human closeness.
Classes
Here are three gatherings in which the Prelate discussed hope, unity and service:
- "Nothing Is Ever Lost!": A Class on Hope
- In Conversation with Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz: “With Christ, unity is born from within”
- “Enlarging the Heart”: Considerations About Christian Social Action in Light of the Message of St. Josemaría
Personal notes
In the book "In the Light of the Gospel" (2021), the Father shares some personal notes from his preaching. The book contains 120 brief texts for meditating on the Gospel with a contemplative, listening attitude, written from the perspective of someone who prays as a child of God. It is an invitation to get to know Jesus better and, with Him, to live as his children in love, freedom and joy.
The school of the Eucharist
On the centenary of St. Josemaría's priestly ordination, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz reflected in Zaragoza, on 27 March 2025, on how the Eucharist is the centre and root of Christian life. It is an invitation to discover the heart of the faith that transforms the whole of one's existence. Read or listen to the talk in this article.
Recent interviews
Here is a selection of questions and answers from the prelate's most recent interviews, published in various media outlets. Msgr. Ocáriz discusses the forthcoming centenary, the role of lay people in spreading the Gospel, responses to criticism and misunderstandings, and Opus Dei's commitment to serving the Church. You can also find two interviews from 2026 here: