According to the Vatican bulletin published on 17 February, the Pope met Msgr Fernando Ocáriz, the 81-year-old prelate of Opus Dei.
The Holy See press office offered no further detail beyond listing the meeting in its daily schedule, describing Ocáriz as “moderator” of Opus Dei.
Later, Opus Dei released a communiqué outlining the substance of the encounter and confirming that Msgr Mariano Fazio, auxiliary vicar of the prelature, was also present.
In a statement issued following the audience, Opus Dei said that “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV received in audience this morning the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr Fernando Ocáriz, accompanied by his Auxiliary Vicar, Msgr Mariano Fazio”.
It added that, at the beginning of the meeting, the prelate “assured the Holy Father of the union and affection of the members of Opus Dei with the Pope and with the whole Church, as well as their prayers for his person and for the intentions he carries in his heart”.
The statement described the discussion as taking place “in an atmosphere of great trust”. It said that “several topics were addressed … about the perspectives and challenges of the work of evangelisation that Opus Dei carries out throughout the world, as it approaches its first centenary”.
The organisation, founded in 1928, is preparing to mark 100 years since its establishment in October 2028.
Opus Dei confirmed that the Holy Father indicated that “the process of updating Opus Dei’s Statutes continues in its study phase and that no publication date can yet be foreseen”.
The revision was originally requested by Pope Francis, who called for reforms to the structure and governance of the prelature.
After a three-year process of consultation and drafting, a proposed text was presented to Pope Leo XIV in June 2025. The content of the draft has not been made public, and the Vatican has not indicated when its examination will conclude.
The Holy See has also not commented publicly on speculation surrounding the extent of the proposed changes. Reports have suggested that the revised statutes could significantly alter aspects of Opus Dei’s internal organisation, though no official confirmation has been provided.
Further, Opus Dei’s communiqué stated that the audience also addressed “the institutional perspective on some specific controversies in Argentina”.
This refers to an ongoing legal case brought by a group of former women members who have filed a lawsuit alleging that they were not fairly compensated for their work within the organisation. The statement said that the prelature explained its position to the Pope during the meeting.
Another topic raised was the broader situation of vocations within the Church. According to the statement, there was discussion of “the situation of vocations in the Church and, particularly, the contrast between the situation in Africa and in Europe”.
During the audience, Msgr Ocáriz presented the Pope with two books. One was The Church in the Street: The Reception of Gaudium et Spes in Six Holy Pastors, written by the Augustinian priest Ramón Sala González, which includes a chapter dedicated to St Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei.
The other was Yauyos, an Adventure in the Andes, by Samuel Valero, recounting the evangelising work of Opus Dei priests in two provinces of Peru.
Jack Valero, head of Opus Dei Press (UK), told the Catholic Herald: “We have always been very united to the Pope, more recently to Pope Benedict, Pope Francis and now Pope Leo, and kept them informed of all the apostolic projects of Opus Dei and any issues that have arisen. This meeting was another opportunity for the prelate to say to the Pope that Opus Dei exists to serve the Church as the Church wants to be served.”