Our History
International Rectors, Frs. Karl W. Bruno, James D. McCormick, Thomas J. Flanagan
Opus Spiritus Sancti is a Latin title which means “work of the Holy Spirit.” It is the name that now applies to a federation of five communities all of which share a common spirituality. These are the
Community of Apostolic Christians
Secular Institute of diocesan Priests
Secular Institute of Women
Apostolic Life Community of Sisters
Apostolic Life Community of Priests
This Work of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1950 by Fr. Bernhard Bendel, who was then a priest of the diocese of Limburg, Germany, and the pastor at the village of Mammolshain. The Opus Spiritus Sancti began with the invitation of the Bishop of Limburg to Fr. Bendel that he begin a sisters’ community for the diocese. After a lengthy time of prayer and discernment of the will of the Holy Spirit, Fr. Bendel said yes. The first sisters arrived in 1950.
Fr. Bendel was a spiritual man. He was always trying to listen to how the Holy Spirit was leading him. His relationship with God expresses itself in what is now the Easter-Pentecost spirituality of the Opus Spiritus Sancti. This very positive, optimistic spirituality soon attracted both lay people and priests of the diocese of Limburg, who were asking Fr. Bendel if there might not also be some kind of community for them. These were the beginnings of what has become the Community of Apostolic Christians, the Secular Institute of Diocesan Priests.
Not only were the different Opus communities developing in the diocese of Limburg, but within the first ten years this new community began to be known by various bishops in other countries of the world, who invited Fr. Bendel to bring the Opus to their dioceses. So, in 1962 the Opus began in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States, in 1964 in Tanzania, Africa, in 1969 in Tiruvalla, India, and around 1990 in the Philippines. In a very short time, the Opus Spiritus Sancti had become an international, missionary community.
Fr. Berhard Bendel, Founder and First International Rector of the OSS communities, died on January 19, 1980. He was succeeded by three other diocesan priests as International Rector from 1980 through 2006, when the structure within the OSS was changed. Those International Rectors were Fr. Karl W. Bruno, Fr. James D. McCormick and Fr. Thomas J. Flanagan.
Community of Apostolic Christians
Secular Institute of diocesan Priests
Secular Institute of Women
Apostolic Life Community of Sisters
Apostolic Life Community of Priests
This Work of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1950 by Fr. Bernhard Bendel, who was then a priest of the diocese of Limburg, Germany, and the pastor at the village of Mammolshain. The Opus Spiritus Sancti began with the invitation of the Bishop of Limburg to Fr. Bendel that he begin a sisters’ community for the diocese. After a lengthy time of prayer and discernment of the will of the Holy Spirit, Fr. Bendel said yes. The first sisters arrived in 1950.
Fr. Bendel was a spiritual man. He was always trying to listen to how the Holy Spirit was leading him. His relationship with God expresses itself in what is now the Easter-Pentecost spirituality of the Opus Spiritus Sancti. This very positive, optimistic spirituality soon attracted both lay people and priests of the diocese of Limburg, who were asking Fr. Bendel if there might not also be some kind of community for them. These were the beginnings of what has become the Community of Apostolic Christians, the Secular Institute of Diocesan Priests.
Not only were the different Opus communities developing in the diocese of Limburg, but within the first ten years this new community began to be known by various bishops in other countries of the world, who invited Fr. Bendel to bring the Opus to their dioceses. So, in 1962 the Opus began in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States, in 1964 in Tanzania, Africa, in 1969 in Tiruvalla, India, and around 1990 in the Philippines. In a very short time, the Opus Spiritus Sancti had become an international, missionary community.
Fr. Berhard Bendel, Founder and First International Rector of the OSS communities, died on January 19, 1980. He was succeeded by three other diocesan priests as International Rector from 1980 through 2006, when the structure within the OSS was changed. Those International Rectors were Fr. Karl W. Bruno, Fr. James D. McCormick and Fr. Thomas J. Flanagan.