cooperators

The Cooperators 

1. Our Founder, Cronica, VIII-89, p.6

“The Work is a divine and human family that experiences the same things a natural family experiences when it has been blessed abundantly by the Lord with many children: there are taller ones and some others shorter, some are darker and some are fairer (…). And then you find the relatives: some are closer than others. Finally you have the friends of the family.” Aside from the numerous members of this family, “we have close to us those relatives whom we love so much: the Cooperators.”

2. Our Founder explained that to be a Cooperator there is no need of a special vocation (ibid.); to be a Cooperator does not entail any juridical commitment with the Prelature of Opus Dei (to be in Opus Dei, a divine vocation is required), but it is a divine gift that leads them to cooperate with eagerness and generosity in the apostolic undertakings, and to enjoy the spiritual benefits and the means that the Work offers for their formation.  

3. Our Founder saw them as a source of spiritual and material energies (cf. Cronica 1973, pages 700-701). The Lord wants many Cooperators in the Work so that the apostolate of Opus Dei may develop at a good pace. He wants them to help generously with their prayer and alms, and also to contribute through their personal apostolate or their work in some apostolic undertakings, etc. to bring this divine message (a way of sanctification in one’s professional work and in the fulfillment of the ordinary duties of a Christian) to all men of all nations, all races and all social conditions.  

4. The Founder of the Work said that it is necessary that the Cooperators be convinced of that they have the duty of doing something good for other men, for the Church, knowing that the grace of God will not be lacking; and that each soul has to occupy his place in the struggle between good and evil, convinced that with this active cooperation, it will be possible to change the mentality of the world (Cronica, VIII-89, page 10).