the Second Vatican Council (Presbyterorum ordinis, #8) and the Code of Canon Law (C 550, n. 2), highly praises “those associations which support priestly fraternity, sanctity in the exercise of their ministry, and communion with the Bishop and with the entire Church”. Establishment by Pope John Paul II According to the Apostolic Constitution Ut sit issued by John Paul II: “From its beginnings, this (Opus Dei) has in fact striven, not only to illuminate with new lights the mission of the laity in the Church and in society, but also to put it into practice; it has also endeavored to put into practice the teaching of the universal call to sanctity, and to promote at all levels of society the sanctification of ordinary work, and by means of ordinary work. Furthermore, through the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, it has helped diocesan priests to live this teaching, in the exercise of their sacred ministry.” Through this document, John Paul II, aside from erecting Opus Dei as a personal prelature, also erected the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross “as a priestly Association intrinsically united to the Prelature.” Composition It is made up first of all of the clergy of the Prelature who are automatically members. Secondly, it is made up of diocesan priests, deacons, and bishops. Some Opus Dei members also serve as bishops in various dioceses throughout the world, including the United States, Europe, South America, Africa and China. The prelate of Opus Dei is the president of the society. These diocesan clergy of the Priestly Society are not incardinated into the presbyterate of the Prelature. They depend solely on their bishop and receive spiritual help from the Society to fulfill their priestly duties well. According to the Annuario Pontificio, there were 1996 priests of the Prelature in the year 2009. John Allen stated there were roughly two thousand diocesan priests who belonged to society who were not clergy of the prelature, thus the total membership of the society is around 4000 priests. Formation The priests are given the same formation as the lay faithful of Opus Dei. St. Josemaría always said that he has “the same cooking pot” for his children: classes on doctrine, ascetical formation, spiritual direction, recollections, retreats, etc. Membership There are around 4000 priests, bishops and deacons around the world who are members of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross. As the official