Numerary

Jose Ortega y Gasset. Numerary professor of Psychology, Logic and Ethics at the Escuela Superior del Magisterio de Madrid

Numerary is a civil designation for persons who are incorporated in a fixed or permanent way to a society or group: regular member of the working staff, permanent staff, or member, distinguished from a supernumerary.

The term "numerary" and its counterpart, "supernumerary," originated in Spanish and Latin American academy and government; it is now also used in countries all over the world, such as France, the U.S., England, Italy, etc.

Characteristics of numeraries in different societies

There are numerary members of surgical organizations, of universities, of gastronomical associations, etc.

In medical societies, numerary doctors are those who:

• have a right to vote
• can be a member of the governing body
• can join the activities which the society organizes.

In a graphology society (handwriting analysts), here are the rights of numerary members:^[1]

• to get technical advise to face the difficulties that the members might come across in the preparation of their professional reports.
• to be judicially protected in case of any judicial matter that might occur in the practice of their profession.
• to have a Professional License that proves their professionalism and their membership of an association of reliable professionals, in the field of the graphological investigation as well as in the practice of their profession.
• to receive an extensive Bulletin with news of maximum interest.
• to have access to the Association's Library and to technical reports from investigations made by members.
• to be a voting member in Social Meetings, Seminars and Lectures organized by the Association.
• to own the authorized Diploma of Graphoanalyst.

In a university setting, a numerary professor is an ordinary professor.

Toni Zweifel, Swiss engineer, a numerary of Opus Dei.

In the personal prelature of Opus Dei, numeraries are lay people who are available for any apostolic work undertaken by the prelature. Like any other member of Opus Dei, numeraries have the same vocation to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world. Most work in normal, secular jobs (bankers, professors, doctors, lawyers, accountants, businessmen). A few numeraries work full-time or part-time in the work of formation of the prelature. Numerary members of Opus Dei are required to be celibate but are neither monks nor friars (see also clerical celibacy). A number of them work as faculty at Opus Dei sponsored schools.

Examples of numeraries of different types

Jose Ortega y Gasset was named numerary professor of Psychology, Logic and Ethics at the Escuela Superior del Magisterio de Madrid in 1909.

Harvard professor Rafael Moneo, a multi-awarded architect, became Academic Numerary in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid in May 1997.

An extension to the Atocha Railway Station designed by Harvard Professor Rafael Moneo, Academic Numerary of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid

Joaquin Navarro Valls, Vatican spokesman, a professional psychiatrist before he became a prominent journalist working for European newspapers, is a numerary member of the Opus Dei prelature.

Ángel Martin Municio, who was Vice-Rector for Investigation and International Relations of the Universidad Complutense(1982-1986), President of the of Real Academia de Ciencias de España and since 1985 up to the present, President of the Real Academia Española is an Academic Numerary of the Academy since 1969. He was also the Vice-president of the European Academy of Science and Arts (1998)

Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño of Guatemala is Academic numerary of the Academy of Geography and History of Guatemala starting 1967.

Carlos Pazos Beceiro, born in Havana, Cuba, Recipient of the Albert Schweitzer Peace Award, Vice-President of IPPNW for Latin America, is a Numerary Member of the Cuban Society of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

Antonio Garrido, Director of Instituto Cervantes of New York, is Academic Numerary of the Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española, the corresponding academy to the Real Academia Española.^[2]

Pedro Laín Entralgo is an outstanding Spanish medical researcher and humanist of the 20th century. He won the Prince of Asturias award in 1989 for Communication and Humanities. He has been a numerary member of the Royal National Academy of Medicine since 1946.

José Gorostiza is a renowned Mexican poet, educator and diplomat. He was a numerary of the Mexican Language Academy.

Enrique Zuazua is a multi-awarded researcher and a Director of the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics. He is a numerary of the "Jakiunde," Basque Academy of Sciences, Arts and Humanities.

Américo Ghioldi is an Argentine educator. He was honored with a numerary membership in the prestigious Argentine Educational Academy.

References

• Entry in Dictionary.com
• Entry in Freedictionary.com
• Messori, Vittorio. Opus Dei: Leadership and Vision in the Catholic Church. 1997.

Footnotes

1. ^ Josep Sadurní (2002-11-16). "Agrupación de Grafoanalistas Consultivos (AGC)". http://www.grafologia.bz/agc/docs/agcpreen.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-17. 
2. ^ Diario Cordoba (2003-04-07). "Antonio Garrido, numerario de la Academia Norteamericana". http://www.diariocordoba.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=67674. Retrieved 2008-08-08.