What is an Extraordinary General Congress?

Questions and answers about the Motu Proprio “Ad charisma tuendum" and the Extraordinary General Congress of Opus Dei.

The Statutes of Opus Dei (nos. 130 and 133) establish three types of general congresses:

a) The elective congress, which elects the Prelate, who must be confirmed by the Holy See;

b) The ordinary, every eight years, held every eight years, to evaluate the state of the Prelature, make recommendations about future actions of government, and review the offices of general governance;

c) The extraordinary, which does not have a fixed periodicity and is convoked by the Prelate with the deliberative vote of his councils, when circumstances require it. This is the case of the congress that will take place from 12 to 16 April (the Prelate announced the dates in a message dated 7-I-2023).