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EspañolOPUS DEI
Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei
'Opus Dei', formally known as 'The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei', is an organization of the Catholic Church that emphasizes the Catholic belief that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity.[1] The Opus Dei prelature is made up of ordinary lay people and secular priests governed by a prelate. Opus Dei is Latin for "Work of God", and the organization is sometimes known simply as "the Work".[2][3]
Most of its 87,000 members,[4] called ''supernumeraries'', lead traditional family lives and have secular careers. The celibate ''numeraries'' and ''numerary assistants'' live in special centers, while ''associates'' are celibate members living in their private homes.
Opus Dei was founded in Spain in 1928 by a Roman Catholic priest Josemaría Escrivá[5] and given final approval in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.[6] In 1982, it was made into a personal prelature — its bishop's jurisdiction is not linked to one specific geographic area, but instead covers the persons in Opus Dei, wherever they are. Opus Dei is the first and so far the only Catholic organization of this type.[7] Various Popes and Catholic leaders have strongly supported what they see as Opus Dei's innovative teaching on the sanctifying value of work,[8] and in 2002, Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Josemaría Escrivá.[9]
Some ex-members and their families, secularists, supporters of liberation theology, some Catholics, especially liberals, have argued that Opus Dei is cult-like, secretive, and highly controlling. Opus Dei Kim Lawton John Allen, Jr. and Vittorio Messori, Catholic journalists who studied Opus Dei, state that these allegations are mere myths, exaggerations, or misperceptions.[10] For Massimo Introvigne, a Catholic sociologist, Opus Dei is intentionally stigmatized by its opponents, because they "cannot tolerate the 'return to religion' of the secularized society."[11]
History
Escrivá surrounded by working people, in a Filipino painting entitled, ''Magpakabanal sa Gawain'' or "Be a saint through your work".
Opus Dei was founded by a Catholic priest, Josemaría Escrivá, on 2 October 1928 in Madrid, Spain. According to Escrivá, on that day he experienced a "vision" in which he "saw Opus Dei".[12][13] He gave the organization the name "Opus Dei", which in Latin means "Work of God," in order to underscore the belief that the organization was not his (Escrivá's) work, but was rather God's work.[14] Throughout his life, Escrivá maintained that the founding of Opus Dei had a supernatural character.[15] Escrivá summarized Opus Dei's mission as a way of helping ordinary Christians "to understand that their life… is a way of holiness and evangelization... And to those who grasp this ideal of holiness, the Work offers the spiritual assistance and training they need to put it into practice."[16]
Initially, Opus Dei was open only to men, but in 1930, Escrivá created a women's branch. In 1936, the organization suffered a temporary setback when ecclesiastics, especially Roman Catholics, were persecuted (including summary execution and assassination) during the Spanish Civil War, which forced Escrivá to go into hiding.[17] After the civil war was won by General Francisco Franco's Nationalists, Escrivá was able to return to Madrid.[18] Escriva said that it was in Spain where Opus Dei found "the greatest difficulties" because of traditionalists who misunderstood Opus Dei's ideas,[19] still Opus Dei flourished during the years of Franco's rule, spreading first throughout Spain, and after 1945, expanding internationally.
In 1939, Escrivá published ''The Way'', a collection of 999 maxims concerning spirituality.[20] In the 1940s, Opus Dei found an early critic in the Jesuit leader Wlodimir Ledochowski, who told the Vatican that he considered Opus Dei "very dangerous for the Church in Spain," citing its "secretive character" and calling it "a form of Christian Masonry."[21]
In 1946, Escrivá moved the organization's headquarters to Rome. In 1950, Pope Pius XII granted definitive approval to Opus Dei, thereby allowing married people to join the organization. In 1975, Escriva died and was succeeded by Álvaro del Portillo. In 1982, Opus Dei was made into a personal prelature. This means the Opus Dei related objectives of the members fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Prelate of Opus Dei wherever they are. As to "what the law lays down for all the ordinary faithful," the lay members of Opus Dei, being no different from other Catholics, "continue to be ... under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop," in the words of John Paul II's ''Ut Sit''.[22] In 1994, Javier Echevarria became Prelate upon the death of his predecessor.
One-third of the world's bishops sent letters petitioning for the canonization of Escrivá.[23] In 2002, approximately 300,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square on the day Pope John Paul II canonized Josemaría Escrivá.[24][25] According to one author, "Escrivá is... venerated by millions".[26]
There are other members whose process of beatification has been opened: Ernesto Cofiño, a father of five children and a pioneer in pediatric research in Guatemala; Montserrat Grases, a teenage Catalan student who died of cancer; Toni Zweifel, a Swiss engineer; and Bishop Álvaro del Portillo.
In September 2005, while blessing a newly installed statue of Josemaria Escriva placed in an outside wall niche of St Peter's Basilica, pope Benedict XVI said he hoped it would serve as inspiration to "do one's daily work in the spirit of Christ." [27]
Doctrine
Josemaría Escrivá teaching a crowd of men
Main articles: Teachings of Opus Dei
Opus Dei is an organization within the Catholic Church. As such, it ultimately shares the theology of the Catholic Church.
Opus Dei places special emphasis on certain aspects of Catholic doctrine. A central feature of Opus Dei's theology is its focus on the lives of the ordinary Catholics who are neither priests nor monks.[28][29][30] Opus Dei emphasizes the "universal call to holiness": the belief that everyone should aspire to be a saint, that sanctity is within the reach of everyone, not just a few special individuals. A Glimpse Inside a Catholic 'Force': Opus Dei Opus Dei does not have monks or nuns, and only a minority of its members are part of the priesthood.[31] A related characteristic is Opus Dei's emphasis on uniting spiritual life with professional, social, and family life. Whereas the members of some religious orders might live in monasteries and devote their lives exclusively to prayer and study, members of Opus Dei lead ordinary lives, with traditional families and secular careers, and strive to "sanctify ordinary life". Indeed, Pope John Paul II called Escrivá "the saint of ordinary life".[32]
Similarly, Opus Dei stresses the importance of work and professional competence.[33][34] While some religious orders encourage their members to withdraw from the material world, Opus Dei's members are exhorted to "find God in daily life" and to perform their work excellently as a service to society and as a fitting offering to God.[35][36] Opus Dei teaches that work not only contributes to social progress but is "a path to holiness",[37] and its founder advised members to: "Sanctify your work. Sanctify yourself in your work. Sanctify others through your work."[38]
The basis for Opus Dei's doctrine, according to the founder, is found in the Bible's teaching that "God created man to work" (Gen 2:15) and Jesus's long life as an ordinary carpenter in a small town.[39] Escrivá, who stressed the Christian's duty to follow Christ's example, also points to the gospel account that Jesus "has done everything well" (Mk 7:37).[40]
According to its official literature, some other main features of Opus Dei are: ''divine filiation'', a sense of being children of God; ''freedom'', personal choice and responsibility; and ''charity''.[41]
At the bottom of Escriva's understanding of the “universal call to holiness” are two dimensions, subjective and objective. The subjective is the call given to each person to become a saint, regardless of his place in society. The objective refers to what Escriva calls Christian materialism: all of creation, even the most material situation, is a meeting place with God, and leads to union with Him.[42]
Structure and activities
Leaders of Opus Dei describe the organization as a teaching entity, whereby Catholics are taught to assume personal responsibility in sanctifying the secular world from within.[43][44] Its lay people and priests organize seminars, workshops, retreats, and classes to help people put the Christian faith into practice in their daily lives. Spiritual direction, one-on-one coaching with a more experienced lay person or priest, is considered the "paramount means" of training. Through these activities they provide religious instruction (doctrinal formation), coaching in spirituality for lay people (spiritual formation), character and moral education (human formation), lessons in sanctifying one's work (professional formation), and know-how in evangelizing one's family and workplace (apostolic formation).
Supporters often liken Opus Dei to a family, and many claim members of Opus Dei resemble the members of the early Christian Church -- ordinary workers who seriously sought holiness with nothing exterior to distinguish them from other citizens.[45][46][47]
In Pope John Paul II's 1982 decree known as the Apostolic constitution ''Ut Sit'', Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature, an official structure of the Catholic Church like a diocese which contains lay people and secular priests who are led by a bishop.[48] In addition to being governed by ''Ut Sit'' and by canon law, Opus Dei is governed by the Vatican's Particular Law concerning Opus Dei, otherwise known as Opus Dei's statutes. This specifies the objectives and workings of the prelature. [49]
The head of the Opus Dei prelature is known as the Prelate. The Prelate is the primary governing authority and is assisted by two councils — the General Council (made up of men) and the Central Advisory (made up of women).[50][51] The Prelate holds his position for life. The current prelate of Opus Dei is Monsignor Javier Echevarria, who became the second Prelate of Opus Dei in 1994.[52] The first Prelate of Opus Dei was Monsignor Álvaro del Portillo, who held the position from 1982 until his death in 1994.
IESE Business School of the University of Navarra
Opus Dei's highest assembled bodies are the General Congresses, which are usually convened once every eight years. There are separate congresses for the men and women's branch of Opus Dei. The General Congresses are made up of members appointed by the Prelate, and are responsible for advising him about the prelature's future. The men's General Congress also elects the Prelate.[53] After the death of a Prelate, a special elective General Congress is convened. They elect from their ranks one individual to become the next Prelate — an appointment that must be confirmed by the Pope.
Opus Dei has about 87,000 members in more than 80 different countries.[54] About 60% of Opus Dei members reside in Europe, and 35% reside in the Americas.[55] The organization's assets total at least $2.8 billion.[56] Two members of Opus Dei, Juan Luis Cipriani and Julián Herranz, have achieved the rank of Cardinal.[57]
Opus Dei runs residential centers throughout the world. These centers provide residential housing for celibate members, undertake recruitment, and provide doctrinal and theological education. Opus Dei is also responsible for a variety of non-profit institutions called "Corporate Works of Opus Dei."[58] A study of the year 2005, showed that members have cooperated with other people in setting up a total of 608 social initiatives: schools and university residences (68%), technical or agricultural training centres (26%), universities, business schools and hospitals (6%).[26] The University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain is a corporate work of Opus Dei which has been rated as one of the top private universities in the country,[60] while its business school, IESE, was adjudged one of the best in the world by the ''Financial Times'' and the ''Economist Intelligence Unit''.[61]
Discipline
::''See also: Interior life (Catholic theology) and Mortification''
All members - whether married or unmarried, priests or laypeople - are required to follow a 'plan of life', usually referred to as 'the norms of piety'. This is meant to follow the teaching mentioned in the Catholic Catechism to "pray at specific times...to nourish continual prayer,"[62] which in turn is based on Jesus's "pray always" (Lk 18:1), echoed by St. Paul's "pray without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17).
''Daily norms:''
★ Saying "Serviam!" (Latin: I will serve) in the morning
★ Morning Offering, fixing one's intentions to do everything for the glory of God
★ Reading the New Testament, five minutes
★ Mental prayer, conversation with God
★ Mass, Communion and Thanksgiving after Communion
★ Rosary, a traditional Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary
★ The Preces (the common prayer of Opus Dei)
★ Spiritual reading, ten minutes
★ Angelus prayer which recalls Christian belief in God's becoming man
★ Memorare prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
★ Visit to the Blessed Sacrament, a devotion which started in the Catholic Church in the 12th century.
★ Examination of conscience at the end of the day
★ Three Hail Marys in the evening to pray for the virtue of purity
★ Short, spontaneous prayers throughout the day, offering up to God one's work, sufferings etc.
''Weekly norms:''
★ sacramental Confession
★ a group meeting of spiritual formation ("the Circle")
★ a session with one's spiritual director (usually a lay numerary of the same sex)
★ the praying of a Marian antiphon on Saturdays
★ taking Psalm 2 as the basis of mental prayer on Tuesdays
Additionally, members should participate yearly in a retreat; a three-week seminar every year is obligatory for numeraries.
The observance of the "norms" should lead, through the sanctification of work and everyday life, to a spirit of joy, peace and ''divine filiation''.
Closeup of a cilice-- a small metal chain with inwardly-pointing spikes
Much public attention has focused on Opus Dei's practice of mortification — the voluntary offering up of discomfort or pain to God. Mortification has a long history in many world religions, including the Catholic Church. It has been endorsed by Popes as a way of following Christ who died in a bloody crucifixion and who gave this advice: "renounce yourself, take up the cross daily, and follow me."[63] Supporters say that opposition to mortification is rooted in having lost (1) the "sense of the enormity of sin" or offense against God, (2) the notion of "wounded human nature" and of concupiscence or inclination to sin, and thus the need for "spiritual battle,"[64] and (3) a spirit of sacrifice for love and "supernatural ends," and not only for physical enhancement.
As a spirituality for ordinary people, Opus Dei focuses on performing sacrifices pertaining to normal duties and to its emphasis on charity and cheerfulness. Additionally, Opus Dei celibate members practice "corporal mortifications" such as sleeping without a pillow or sleeping on the floor, fasting, or remaining silent for certain hours during the day.[65][66] They may also wear a cilice, a small metal chain with inward-pointing spikes that is worn around their upper thigh. The cilice's spikes cause discomfort and may leave small marks, but typically do not cause bleeding.[67] Numeraries in Opus Dei generally wear a cilice for two hours each day.[68]
Although use of the cilice is no longer common, its practice in the Catholic Church is "more widespread than many observers imagine."[26] In modern times it has been used by Blessed Mother Teresa, Saint Padre Pio, and slain archbishop Óscar Romero. On the other hand, critics state that self-mortification is a "startling," "extreme," and "questionable" practice — one that borders on masochism.[70]
Escrivá's opponents point out that his personal mortification practices were even more extreme than the those typically performed by Opus Dei numeraries— in one incident, Escrivá flailed himself over a thousand times.[71][72] Opponents likewise criticize Escrivá's maxim on suffering: "Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain. Glorified be pain!" [73] Critics have cited mortification as one of the reasons for their opposition to Opus Dei.
Types of membership
Main articles: Types of membership of Opus Dei
Opus Dei is made up of several different types of membership:
'Supernumeraries', the largest type, currently account for about 70% of the total membership.[74] Typically, supernumeraries are married men and women with careers. Supernumeraries devote a portion of their day to prayer, in addition to attending regular meetings and taking part in activities such as retreats. Due to their career and family obligations, supernumeraries are not as available to the organization as the other types of members, but they typically contribute financially to Opus Dei, and they lend other types of assistance as their circumstances permit.
'Numeraries', the second largest type of members of Opus Dei, comprise about 20% of total membership. Numeraries are celibate members who usually live in special centers run by Opus Dei. Both men and women may become numeraries, although the centers are strictly gender-segregated.[75] Numeraries generally have careers and devote the bulk of their income to the organization.[76]
'Numerary assistants' are unmarried, celibate female members of Opus Dei. They live in special centers run by Opus Dei but do not have conventional jobs outside the centers — instead, their professional life is dedicated to looking after the domestic needs of the centers.
Monsignor Javier Echevarria, the current Prelate of Opus Dei
'Associates' are unmarried, celibate members who typically have family or professional obligations. Unlike numeraries and numerary assistants, the associates do not live inside the special Opus Dei centers.[77]
The 'Clergy of the Opus Dei Prelature' are priests who are under the jurisdiction of the Prelate of Opus Dei. They are a minority in Opus Dei— only about 2% of Opus Dei members are part of the clergy. Typically, they are numeraries or associates who ultimately joined the priesthood.
The '' consists of priests associated with Opus Dei. Part of the society is made up of the clergy of the Opus Dei prelature — members of the priesthood who fall under the jurisdiction of the Opus Dei prelature are automatically members of the Priestly Society. Other members in the society are traditional diocesan priests — clergymen who remain under the jurisdiction of a geographically-defined diocese. Technically speaking, such diocesan priests have not "joined" Opus Dei membership, although they have joined a society that is closely affiliated with Opus Dei.[78]
The 'Cooperators of Opus Dei' are those who, despite not being members of Opus Dei, collaborate in some way with Opus Dei — usually through praying, charitable contributions, or by providing some other assistance. Cooperators are not required to be celibate or to adhere to any other special requirements. Indeed, cooperators are not even required to be Christian.
In accordance with Catholic theology, membership is granted when a vocation, or divine calling is presumed to have occurred.
Papal support
Main articles: Opus Dei and Catholic Church leaders
Pope John Paul II, who made Opus Dei the first, and so far the only personal prelature.
The bishop of Madrid where Opus Dei was born, Leopoldo Eijo y Garay, supported Opus Dei and defended it in the 1940s by saying that "this ''opus'' is truly ''Dei''" (this work is truly God's). Contrary to attacks of secrecy and heresy, the bishop described Opus Dei's founder as someone who is "open as a child" and "most obedient to the Church hierarchy."[79]
In 1960, Pope John XXIII commented that Opus Dei opens up "unsuspected horizons of ". Furthermore, in 1964, Pope Paul VI praised the organization in a handwritten letter to Escrivá, saying:
:''Opus Dei is "a vigorous expression of the perennial youth of the Church, fully open to the demands of a modern apostolate... We look with paternal satisfaction on all that Opus Dei has achieved and is achieving for the kingdom of God, the desire of doing good that guides it, the burning love for the Church and its visible head that distinguishes it, and the ardent zeal for souls that impels it along the arduous and difficult paths of the apostolate of presence and witness in every sector of contemporary life."''
Despite his praise, the relationship between Paul VI and Opus Dei has been described by one Opus Dei critic as "stormy".[80][81] After the Second Vatican Council concluded in 1965, Pope Paul VI denied Opus Dei's petition to become a personal prelature.
Pope John Paul I, a few years before his election, wrote that Escrivá was more radical than other saints who taught about the universal call to holiness. While others emphasized some monastic practices applied to lay people, for Escrivá "it is the material work itself which must be turned into prayer and sanctity", thus providing a lay spirituality. [82]
With the 1978 election of Pope John Paul II, Opus Dei gained one of its greatest supporters.[83] John Paul II cited Opus Dei's aim of sanctifying secular activities as a "great ideal." He emphasized that Escrivá's founding of Opus Dei was ''ductus divina inspiratione,'' led by divine inspiration, and he granted the organization its status as a personal prelature.[84] Stating that Escrivá is "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity," John Paul II canonized him in 2002, and called him "the saint of ordinary life."[85] Of the organization, John Paul II said:
:''"[Opus Dei] has as its aim the sanctification of one’s life, while remaining within the world at one’s place of work and profession: to live the Gospel in the world, while living immersed in the world, but in order to transform it, and to redeem it with one’s personal love for Christ. This is truly a great ideal, which right from the beginning has anticipated the theology of the lay state of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar period."''
The current pope, Benedict XVI, is also a particularly strong supporter of Opus Dei and of Escrivá. Pointing to the name "Work of God", Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger), wrote that "The Lord simply made use of [Escrivá] who allowed God to work." Ratzinger cited Escrivá for correcting the mistaken idea that holiness is reserved to some extraordinary people who are completely different from ordinary sinners: Even if he can be very weak, with many mistakes in his life, a saint is nothing other than to speak with God as a friend speaks with a friend, allowing God to work, the Only One who can really make the world both good and happy.
Ratzinger spoke of Opus Dei's "surprising union of absolute fidelity to the Church’s great tradition, to its faith, and unconditional openness to all the challenges of this world, whether in the academic world, in the field of work, or in matters of the economy, etc." He further explained:
:''"the theocentrism of Escrivá...means this confidence in the fact that God is working now and we ought only to put ourselves at his disposal...This, for me, is a message of greatest importance. It is a message that leads to overcoming what could be considered the great temptation of our times: the pretense that after the 'Big Bang' God retired from history."''
Controversy
Criticism
Opus Dei has been called "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church",[26] and Escrivá has been described as a "polarizing" figure.[87] In the English-speaking world, the most vocal critic of Opus Dei is a group called the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN), a non-profit organization that exists "to provide education, outreach and support to people who have been adversely affected by Opus Dei." ODAN is headed by Diane DiNicola, mother of a former member, Tammy DiNicola. [88] Other critics include former members of Opus Dei, liberal Catholic theologians such as Fr. James Martin, a Jesuit, and supporters of Liberation theology, such as Penny Lernoux and Michael Walsh, an ex-Jesuit.[89]
David Clark, who specializes in helping people leave cults, say that Opus Dei is either a "cult", or at least "cult-like".[90] Critics state that Opus Dei is "intensely secretive"— for example, members generally do not publicly disclose their affiliation with Opus Dei, and under the 1950 constitution, members were expressly forbidden to reveal themselves without the permission of their superiors. This practice has led to rampant speculation about who may be a member. Opus Dei has been accused of deceptive and aggressive recruitment practices such as showering potential members with intense praise ("Love bombing"),[91] instructing numeraries to form friendships and attend social gatherings explicitly for recruiting purposes, and even requiring regular written reports from its members about those friends who are potential recruits. Opus Dei's Questionable Practices Most of all, critics allege that the group maintains an extremely high degree of control over its members— there used to be a time when numeraries submitted their incoming and outgoing mail to their superiors to read,[92] and members are forbidden to read certain books without permission from their superiors. Critics charge that Opus Dei pressures numeraries to sever contact with non-members, including their own families.
Critics assert that Escrivá and the organization supported the governments of Francisco Franco[93] and Augusto Pinochet,[94] and it has even been alleged that Escrivá expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler. [95] One former Opus Dei priest, Vladimir Felzmann, who has become a vocal Opus Dei critic even contends that Escrivá once remarked that Hitler had been "badly treated" by the world and he further declared that "Hitler couldn't have been such a bad person. He couldn't have killed six million [Jews]. It couldn't have been more than four million."[96][97][98] (see Opus Dei and politics)
Concerning the group's role in the Catholic Church, critics have argued that Opus Dei's unique status as a personal prelature gives it too much independence, making it essentially a "church within a church".[99] Some critics claim that Opus Dei exerts a disproportionately large influence within the Catholic Church itself, citing for example the unusually rapid , which some considered to be irregular.[100] Lastly, Opus Dei, as a part of the Roman Catholic Church, also shares any criticisms of Catholicism in general— for example, some criticize the fact that female members of Opus Dei cannot become priests or prelates.[101]
Replies to criticism
John Allen, Jr.,[26] Vittorio Messori,[103] Patrice de Plunkett,[104] Catholic journalists who did separate studies on Opus Dei, contend that Opus Dei has been falsely maligned.[105] John L. Allen, Jr. explained this view by saying: "There are two Opus Deis: an Opus Dei of myth and an Opus Dei of reality," since he perceived that Opus Dei members generally practice what they preach.[106][107]
Allen says "Opus Dei cannot be called secretive." Accusations of secrecy, he says, stem from mistakenly equating its members with monks and expecting members to behave as clerics. Instead, its lay members, like any normal professional, are ultimately responsible for their personal actions, and do not externally represent the prelature which provides them spiritual training. Opus Dei itself, he says, provides abundant information.[108] To explain the celibate lifestyle of numeraries and their relationship with their family, supporters quote Jesus's comment that "He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me".[109] Catholic officials say that church authorities have even greater control of Opus Dei now that its head is a prelate appointed by the Pope and they argue members are "even more conscious of belonging to the Church".[110]
Opus Dei central headquarters in Rome
Supporters deny that support of Franco during the Spanish Civil War was unique to Opus Dei. As John L. Allen, Jr. observed: "it’s worth noting that in the context of the Spanish Civil War, in which anticlerical Republican forces killed 13 bishops, 4,000 diocesan priests, 2,000 male religious, and 300 nuns, virtually every group and layer of life in the Catholic Church in Spain was ‘pro-Franco’." He said that at the end of Franco's regime, Opus Dei members were 50-50 for and against Franco. [111] Peter Berglar, a German historian and Opus Dei member, argued that connecting Opus Dei with the Franco government is a "gross slander,"[112] because there were notable members of Opus Dei who were vocal critics of the Franco Regime.[113] Similarly Álvaro del Portillo, the former Prelate of Opus Dei, said that any claims that Escrivá supported Hitler were "a patent falsehood," that were part of "a slanderous campaign".[114] He and others have stated that Escriva condemned Hitler as a "rogue", a "racist" and a "tyrant". [115] Allen said that Escriva was staunchly non-political, and repeatedly stressed that freedom is an essential element of Opus Dei. He said that Escriva's relatively quick canonization does not have anything to do with power but with improvements in procedures and John Paul II's decision to make Escriva's sanctity and message known.[26] (see Opus Dei and politics)
Supporters of Opus Dei have also questioned the motives and reliability of some critics. Sociologists like Bryan R. Wilson point out that some former members of any religious group may have psychological or emotional motivations to criticize their former groups, and they claim that such individuals are prone to create fictitious "atrocity stories" which have no basis in reality.[117] Many supporters of Opus Dei have expressed the belief that the criticisms of Opus Dei stem from a generalized disapproval of spirituality, Christianity, or Catholicism. Expressing this sentiment, one Opus Dei member, Julian Cardinal Herranz, stated "Opus Dei has become a victim of Christianophobia."[118] Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist, argues that critics employ the term "cult" in order to intentionally stigmatize Opus Dei because "they cannot tolerate 'the return to religion' of the secularized society".[11]
Regarding women, John Allen reports that half of the leadership positions in Opus Dei are held by women, and they supervise men.[120] The Catholic Church emphasizes that "the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven are not the ministers but the saints." [121]
Lastly, some supporters of Opus Dei have viewed the controversy surrounding the organization as a "Sign of contradiction", in reference to the biblical quote of Jesus Christ as a "sign that is spoken against."[122][103][124]
Opus Dei in popular culture
In the 1997 novel ''The Genesis Code'' by John Case, the leader of Opus Dei is portrayed as the novel's antagonist. In the novel, Opus Dei members are sent on a mission to execute children who were conceived using genetically engineered oocytes.
Since 2003, Opus Dei has received world attention as a result of Dan Brown's novel ''The Da Vinci Code'' and the 2006 film based on the novel.[125] In ''The Da Vinci Code'', Opus Dei is portrayed as a Catholic organization that is led into a sinister international conspiracy.[126]
In general, ''The Da Vinci Code'' has been sharply criticized for its numerous factual inaccuracies, and its conspiracy theory has been debunked by a wide array of scholars and historians.[127][128] According to the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Dr Tom Wright, the novel is a "great thriller" but "lousy history".[129] For example, the major villain in ''The Da Vinci Code'' is a monk who is member of Opus Dei — but in reality there are no monks in Opus Dei. ''The Da Vinci Code'' implies that Opus Dei is the Pope's personal prelature — but the term "personal prelature" does not refer to a special relationship to the Pope: It means an institution in which the jurisdiction of the prelate is not linked to a geographic territory but over persons, wherever they be. Nonetheless, Brown claims that his portrayal of Opus Dei was based on interviews with members and ex-members, and books about Opus Dei.[130] An Opus Dei
spokesman questions this claim.[131] See Criticisms of The Da Vinci Code.
The 2007 movie ''Breach'' details the capture of the spy Robert Hanssen. ''Breach'' briefly includes dialog that refers to Hanssen trying to recruit his assistant's wife into Opus Dei. In the movie, Hanssen is portrayed as a devout Catholic who attends traditional Latin masses.
See also
Footnotes
1. Address of John Paul II in Praise of St. Josemaría, Founder of Opus Dei
2. Decoding secret world of Opus Dei
3. Bishop confirms connection to group Bill Tammeus ''mirrored on RickRoss.com, as well as here and here
4. `Da Vinci Code' mania opened up Opus Dei Terry Mattingly
5. Religious Movements Homepage Project entry on Opus Dei
6. Historical Overview
7. Opus Dei
8. Papal statements on Opus Dei
9. St. Josemaría Escriva de Balaguer
10. Opus Dei’s focus on secular life ; Allen, John, Jr. ''Opus Dei'', 2005 and Messori, Vittorio, ''Opus Dei'', 1997.
11. Opus Dei and the Anti-cult Movement Massimo Introvigne
12. Opus Dei
13. Vatican proves the power of Opus Dei Founder
14. Pope Benedict XVI on St. Josemaría Escriva
15. The Founding of Opus Dei
16. ''Conversations'' 60
17. Josemaria Escriva: Highlights of His Life
18. Historical Overview
19. ''Conversations'' 33
20. The Way
21. Deciphering the Da Vinci Code Philip Copens
22. Opus Dei
23. Blessed Josemaría Escrivá to be canonized
24. 300,000 pilgrims turn out for canonization of Opus Dei founder John L. Allen Jr
25. The Process of Canonization
26. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
27. Pope blesses statue of Opus Dei founder Guardian/Associated Press
28. The Pope and Opus Dei Fr. John McCloskey ''mirrored on CatholiCity''
29. Opus Dei’s focus on secular life
30. 'Da Vinci' And Opus Dei
31. Opus Dei called 'complete opposite' of 'The Da Vinci Code' portrayal
32. Decree of Canonization
33. Chapter 15: "Work" Josemaría Escrivá
34. Josemaria Escriva: Work and Holiness
35. Opus Dei: an Association which fosters the Search for Holiness in the World Josemaría Escrivá
36. Opus Dei as a Political Force in Post Cold War Latin America: Civil Society, Associationalism, and Democracy
37. Interview with Opus Dei National Spokesman ''mirrored on RickRoss.com''
38. Homily of Bishop Echevarría
39. What is the Attraction of Opus Dei Josemaría Escrivá
40. Working for God Josemaría Escrivá
41. Message of Opus Dei
42. Opus Dei:Foundation and Purpose
43. or a "great catechsis" Catechetical Trips
44. The Ways of Opus Dei
45. St. Liguori et Als on vocation and Opus Dei
46. The Ways of Opus Dei Biema
47. The Example of the Early Christians in Blessed Josemaria's Teachings Domingo Ramos-Lissón
48. Apostolic Constitution ''Ut Sit'', Establishing Opus Dei as the first Personal Prelature of the Catholic Church Pope John Paul II
49. Place in the Church
50. Government, Direction and Control in Opus Dei Dennis Dubro
51. What is Opus Dei - Governance
52. Opus Dei
53. 1982 Statutes of Opus Dei ''mirrored on Odan.org''. Original Latin version on Opus Dei Official Site
54. Controversial Catholic group is given care of parish church Ruth Gledhill
55. Opus Dei: Its Mission, Structure and Members
56. Opus Dei has stake in new pope
57. Cardinals Tauran and Herranz installed at their titular churches
58. Opus Dei Corporate Works
59. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
60. University of Navarra Named Top Private University
61. Top of the Class
62. The Life of Prayer
63. The Da Vinci Code, the Catholic Church and Opus Dei
64. The consequences of Adam's sin for humanity
65. Corporal Mortification in Opus Dei
66. Opus Dei: A Return to Tradition David Ruppe ''mirrored at rickross.com and here
67. They Whip Themselves, Don’t They?
68. An inside look at Opus Dei Suzanne Smith
69. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
70. Scalia and Opus Dei
71. Making Modern-Day Martyrs using Medieval Methods Sharon Clasen
72. Behind The Shroud Of Opus Dei
73. The Way Mike Whitney
74. Catholics scrutinize enigmatic Opus Dei ''mirrored on RickRoss.com and here''
75. Conservative Catholic Influence in Europe
76. Opus Dei In the United States James Martin, S.J.
77. Opus Dei
78. The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross Raphael Caamano
79. Vázquez de Prada, Andrés, ''The Founder of Opus Dei: The life of Josemaría Escrivá, Volume 1: The early years,'' New York, 2000.
80. The Ethics of Opus Dei Ruth Bertels
81. Evolution of Opus Dei
82. Ordinary Christians in the World
83. Opus Dei
84. Ut Sit Pope John Paul II
85. Top 100 Catholics of the Century
86. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
87. Who Stood For and Against Hitler? Brennan Hill
88. The Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN)
89. Opus Dei's influence promotes a sainthood Leslie Crawford ''mirrored on RickRoss.com''
90. El Opus Dei desde dentro John Allen
91. Opus Dei members: 'Da Vinci' distorted Abbott Karloff ''mirrored on ReligionNewsBlog.com''
92. Fact, Fiction And Opus Dei Paul Moses
93. Sainthood beckons for priest linked to Franco Giles Tremlett
94. Princeton Catholic Divided Deborah Kovach
95. Rocky Road to Sainthood for a 'Choleric' Cleric Barry James
96. A creepy scrape with the Da Vinci Code set Damian Thompson
97. Opus Dei Prepares to Stand By Its Man, Kenneth L. Woodward, , , Newsweek,
98. Their Kingdom Come: Inside the Secret World of Opus Dei, Robert Hutchinson, , , Thomas Dunne Books, 1999, ISBN 0-312-19344-0
99. Opus Dei in the open
100. Let There Be Light: A look inside the hidden world of Opus Dei Paul Baumann
101. Thank you Lord, may I have another? Craig Offman
102. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
103. Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church, Messori, Vittorio, , , Regnery Publishing, 1997, ISBN 0-89526-450-1
104. Entretien avec l’auteur de L’Opus Dei – Enquête sur le « monstre » Patrice de Plunkett
105. The rise of Opus Dei Peter Gould
106. Interview with John L. Allen
107. Interview with John Allen
108. Profiles: John Allen Edward Pentin
109. Are there sects in the Catholic Church? Christoph Schonborn, O.P. , Matthew 10:37
110. The Personal Prelature: a Framework which Enriches the Communion of the Church Francesco Monterisi
111. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
112. Berglar, P., ''Opus Dei,'' 1987,
113. See Antonio Fontan and Rafael Calvo Serer
114. Immersed in God: Blessed Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei As Seen by His Successor, Bishop Álvaro del Portillo, , Álvaro, del Portillo, Scepter Publishers, 1996, ISBN 0-933932-85-5
115. See El hombre de Villa Tevere Pilar Urbano
116. Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, John Allen, , , Doubleday Religion, 2005,
117. Apostates and New Religious Movements Bryan Ronald Wilson
118. Julian Cardinal Herranz, quoted in Opus Dei is not a Sect Javier Espinoza
119. Opus Dei and the Anti-cult Movement Massimo Introvigne
120. Tall tale ignites an overdue debate Julia Baird
121. ''Declaration on the Question of the Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood (Inter Insigniores)'' Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Approved for Publication by His Holiness Pope Paul VI
122. You can trust them to sell you a car
123. Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church, Messori, Vittorio, , , Regnery Publishing, 1997, ISBN 0-89526-450-1
124. What is Opus Dei, and what role does it play at Franciscan University? Richard Gordon
125. Da Vinci Decoded
126. Opus Dei and The Da Vinci Code Nicole Zarayn
127. The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown Charles Taylor
128. Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine, , Bart, Ehrman, Oxford University Press, USA, , ISBN 978-0195181401
129. Da Vinci Code is 'lousy history'
130. The Da Vinci Code: Frequently Asked Questions
131. Opus Dei on John Allen's New Book
Further reading
Main articles: Opus Dei: Bibliography
★ Allen, John, Jr. (2005). ''Opus Dei: an Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church'', Doubleday Religion. ISBN 0-385-51449-2 — Some online excerpts are: Opus Dei: An Introduction, Chapter I: A Quick Overview, Chapter 4: Contemplatives in the Middle of the World, Chapter 7: Opus Dei and Secrecy
★ Berglar, Peter (1994). ''Opus Dei. Life and Work of its Founder''. Scepter. — online here
★ Estruch, Joan (1995).'' Saints and Schemers: Opus Dei and its paradoxes''. — online Spanish version here
★ Friedlander, Noam (2005). "What Is Opus Dei? Tales of God, Blood, Money and Faith" Collins & Brown. ISBN-10: 1843402882. ISBN-13: 978-1843402886. - A Wholesome Reality Hides Behind A Dark Conspiracy
★ Hahn, Scott (2006). ''Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei''. Random House Double Day Religion. ISBN 978-0-385-51924-3 — online excerpt of Chapter One here
★ Introvigne, Massimo (May 1994). "Opus Dei and the Anti-cult Movement". ''Cristianità'', 229, p. 3-12 — online here
★ John Paul II. Sacred Congregation for Bishops. (23 August 1982). ''Vatican Declaration on Opus Dei''. — online here
★ Luciani, Albino Cardinal (John Paul I) (25 July 1978). "Seeking God through everyday work". ''Il Gazzettino'' Venice. — online here
★ Martin, James, S.J. (25 February 1995). "Opus Dei in the United States". ''America Magazine''. — online here
★ Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church, Messori, Vittorio, , , Regnery Publishing, 1997, ISBN 0-89526-450-1 — online Spanish version here
★ O'Connor, William. ''Opus Dei: An Open Book. A Reply to "The Secret World of Opus Dei" by Michael Walsh'', Mercier Press, Dublin, 1991 — online here
★ Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal (Benedict XVI) (9 October 2002). "St. Josemaria: God is very much at work in our world today". ''L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English'', p. 3. — online here
★ Schall, James, S.J. (Aug-Sept 1996). "Of Saintly Timber". ''Homiletic and Pastoral Review''. — review of Estruch's work, online here
★ Shaw, Russel (1994). ''Ordinary Christians in the World''. Office of Communications, Prelature of Opus Dei in the US. — online here
★ Walsh, Michael (2004). ''Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church.'' Harper San Francisco.
External links
Sites supporting Opus Dei
★ Opus Dei Official Site
★ Romana, the Opus Dei's Official Bulletin
★ Opus Dei Blogs - central hub of internet sources
★ The founder of Opus Dei Official Site
★ Opus Dei al día Blogs, books and testimonials about Opus Dei, in spanish
★ Matt's Opus Dei FAQ
Sites critical of Opus Dei
★ Opus Dei Awareness Network - by ex-members and family
★ The Unofficial Opus Dei FAQ - by a member of the Communist Party
★ OpusLibros.org By ex members, Spanish.
★ I'm a numerary of Opus Dei - answer critics about Opus Dei, in Spanish
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