On March 19th, the Prelate of Opus Dei erected a new circumscription with the name of the Caribbean Region. The seat of government will be in Caracas.
In his message of January 30th, 2021, Mons. Ocáriz pointed out: “during the last few months, a study has been carried out on the situation of the circumscriptions of the Prelature, with a view to improving the promotion and coordination of the apostolic work, following the recommendations of the last General Congress” (Ref. Pastoral Letter, 14-2-2017, nos. 13 and 15).
In a globalized world and given the need to be closer to people and to the apostolic work everywhere, he explained that “this reduction in the number of structures –studied in the Central Advisory Office and the General Council– will allow greater agility and efficiency in work and also better personal attention to people, to the apostolate of each one in their own professional, family and social environment, together with the formative activities promoted in and from the centres of the Prelature”.
The government of Opus Dei corresponds to the Prelate, who is appointed by the Holy Father. To carry out its pastoral task effectively, the work of the Prelature is distributed by areas or territories called Regions, at the head of which there is a Regional Vicar who, assisted by two councils -the Regional Advisory for women and the Regional Commission for men- governs and makes decisions for the direction of the apostolates.
With the new constituency, the Prelate has appointed Fr. Ignacio Rodríguez Mayz, as the new Regional Vicar of this territory and as the Regional Secretary Vicar, Fr. Luis Armando Silva Ortiz.
A few months ago, after the first announcement of this restructuring, Fr. Ignacio Rodríguez sent a video message in which he invited everyone to give thanks to God constantly, as St. Josemaría invited us to do on his trip to America fifty years ago, opening up to us a shoreless sea of apostolic opportunities.