Anyone part of Opus Dei?

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Fergal said:
Time to shut this thread which has become sad to read and has gone way off track with petty arguments.
Please Mods will you close this thread without delay?
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True!
I think most of the other discussions here now belong a different thread.
 
Well I thought it would have been closed by now where are the mods?
 
Fergal said:
Well I thought it would have been closed by now where are the mods?
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How about contributing to the OP, instead of asking for censur of what you happen to dislike?

So, any comment on my post #33 here, pertaining to the OP?

So a picture of the founder got you interested? Was there something about the picture that particularly influenced you? Sorry if I missed it in your original post, was curious if you were already a devout Catholic at that time?

By the way, I love Ireland. Try to visit one a year, especially the west coast. Simply beautiful!

Peace,

Michael
 
To all who are cooperators or supernumerary (sp?) members of OD, I would love to hear more about the day to day activities, etc. I confess most of my information has been from what was discussed in the general media, and then I followed up with searches on the internet, but you know how unreliable some of that can be. Anyway, if you’re so inclined and not completely put off this thread now, I’d like to learn more of your experience.
 
To all who are cooperators or supernumerary (sp?) members of OD, I would love to hear more about the day to day activities, etc. ITo all who are cooperators or supernumerary (sp?) members of OD, I would love to hear more about the day to day activities, etc.
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Day to day, our activities are just like anybody else’s. I’m a homemaker, so my day consists of caring for my little ones, housework, errands, etc. Woven into all that are the “norms,” practices that help us try to remain in the presence of God throughout the day.

The “big” norms consist of the Rosary, Holy Mass, the Angelus, prayer (meditative/contemplative prayer, 30 minutes, once in the morning and once again in the afternoon or evening) and spiritual reading.

Once a week I head to the center for my circle, which lasts about 45 minutes. It consists of a commentary on the day’s Gospel, an examination of conscience and two talks. The talk topics vary from week to week, but are intended to help us live out our vocations better-- perhaps how to say the Rosary with more attention, or the importance of the virtue of cheerfulness or order, etc.

Once a month, instead of a circle, I go to an evening of recollection, which is sort of a mini-retreat, just for a few hours. Once a year, I make a three-day silent, preached retreat.

Once a year I also attend a workshop, in which we study some aspect of the Faith in much greater detail, via intensive classes taught by a priest. I’m actually heading off for mine next week, and am looking forward to it greatly, for a number of reasons. For one thing, it affords me a break I simply wouldn’t get otherwise. I have eight children, aged 13 down to infant. My family vacations, while always loads of fun, aren’t typically very restful. The workshop, OTOH, really is restful, as I don’t have to attend to any of my normal work at home. Even nicer, the change of pace really allows me to focus on Our Lord without the normal distractions. It’s a really good chance to recharge the spiritual batteries. Also very nice is the fact that I get to hang out for a week with a bunch of other really nice gals. The conversations we get into are pretty fun-- normally the ladies on a given workshop, span a very broad range of professions, ages, home countries, opinions, etc. Makes life interesting. 👍

Several years ago, another supernumerary named Mike Pakaluk wrote a very nice article that describes a day in the life of a member of the Work. You can find it here.

Hope this answers your questions a little bit? Please keep asking if this doesn’t cover what you were looking for…

Margaret
 
What is the purpose of self mortification? This concept is very stange to me. Please do not equate this to fasting. It is not the same.

Peace and God Bless
 
Jo_Ann said:
What is the purpose of self mortification? This concept is very stange to me. Please do not equate this to fasting. It is not the same.

Peace and God Bless
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Self mortification is much broader in scope but also involves the fasting and abstinence that we are so often used to. It is a dying to oneself and prayer of the senses.
In doing mortification, one has to have the right intention, that is to offer up this small sacrifice in union with the sufferings of our Lord on the Cross. Since it is a form of prayer, you can also offer it up for another person in need in the same way that you would offer up a novena for a sick friend, for example.
Mortification can consist of a lot of different things. Personally, what I find hard to do is what the founder of Opus Dei often suggested: Smiling when one doesn’t feel like it-> in order to brighten up another person’s day. Other mortifications involving food (not entirely in the realm of fasting) would maybe involve taking more of the dish you don’t particularly like too much, and taking less of the other dish you would like more of.
I think the corporal mortifications practiced by the celibate members of the Work (cilice and discipline) have been thoroughly discussed in other threads of this forum. I’ll try to search for the link.
 
Red_Meg said:
… Once a year, I make a three-day silent, preached retreat. …
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The first time I went to one of the silent retreats, thought it would be a real struggle to be quiet for that long. Was pleasantly surprised it was not as hard as anticipated. A lot of time to “wait” and listen to God, as well as readings and homilies to teach and encourage our relationship with God. Once I was asked to read a section from a book on confession, and while had already a good understanding of confession, benefited from learning more. One need not be a member to participate in the three day retreats.

Michael
 
Margaret, thank you very much. Your post gave me exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate it.
 
westcoast said:
Has anyone here “joined” Opus Dei? How is it? How did you know you should have joined? I’m just looking up stuff on it and find it interesting…
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I am a supernumerary faithful of the Prelacy (I hope English expression is accurate, I am Italian) from more than 20 years.
How is it? Your question is a bit vague, I can say that I know this is my way, choosen by God, to go to Him. I like this “place”, I realized in all these years it’s a real family. I feel good in this family, because it’s mine, I mean… anywhere God puts us, in time we find it’s great, don’t we? 😉
I have personally experienced that this is a “spot” where freedom - in what is not Church’s doctrine - is deep, and for my rather unconformist character this is priceless.
How did I know I should have joined? I frequented Opus Dei’s formation means in my university years, after few years I was deeply convinced it could be my way and… “they” didn’t say me no. 🙂
All the best
Aurelio
 
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