Appropriate answer to, "Is Opus Dei a Cult?"

[JillianRose]

I can’t wait until our next recollection!! The priest is Cool. He has a british accent. Of course that makes everything he says cool!! lol

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Opus Dei evenings of recollection are like a night out with the guys and Christ - fellowship is a great thing when centered around the Holy Eucharist.

 

[JillianRose]

Opus Dei evenings of recollection are like a night out with the guys and Christ - fellowship is a great thing when centered around the Holy Eucharist.

In my case “a nite out with the girls and christ”…

 

[manualman]

The word “cult” gets dredged up every time somebody doesn’t like a particular group.

If ‘cult’ is defined as “any organization that expects you to surrender your own preferences to the goals and values of the organization” then all catholicism, all genuine christianity is a cult.

I can’t agree. A cult is a religious organization designed to manipulate its members for the specific shallow benefit of the cult’s leader or small group of leaders. Jim Jones, David Koresh, perhaps Joseph Smith. I’m unaware of any Opus Dei tycoons living it up out there. One might actually argue that the Legionaries of Christ was a cult since it DOES now appear that Fr. Marcel Maciel exploited those who trusted him in order to live a life of debauched luxury. But I haven’t heard even ODAN attempt to label somebody like that in OD.

 

[snowflake]

I know quite a few people who are either supernumeraries or cooperators… No, it’s not a cult… They help people with spiritual direction and formation.

The priests are orthodox.

I went to several evenings of recollection, but it was not for me…

 

[Pekita]

I have been a cooperator for over 15 years. Opus Dei has been, for me, a way to get the best knowledge of our faith. I have grown in piety incredibly over the years, thanks to the formation I have gotten from weekly encounters, spiritual guides and the “professional capacity” of the priests.
All the negative feedback you get from websites distort the truth, but keep in mind that in all human institutions there are sinners…
If you have any questions you want to ask me privately, you can leave a message, I will be glad to answer any questions.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

In my case “a nite out with the girls and christ”…

Gotcha! The gender separation is interesting, isn’t it?

 

[mmbarto]

actually it’s quite ‘brilliant’…!! But what do I know…I’m only a ‘girl’…!

 

[JillianRose]

Gotcha! The gender separation is interesting, isn’t it?

Yes… It is nice. I understand why they do it though. It would be nice to have have some married couple nites of recollection.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Yes… It is nice. I understand why they do it though. It would be nice to have have some married couple nites of recollection.

I like the status quo. I’m a traditional orthodox-type Catholic, a conservative by nature, and a lawyer by profession. My wife participates in the Catholic charismatic movement, attends guitar Masses and a Catholic prayer group. In fact, we go to separate parishes. My wife supports my involvement with Opus Dei 100%, but she has no desire to attend evenings of recollection, circles, retreats or Church doctrine classes. Personally, I enjoy the fellowship with the guys from Opus Dei. It reminds me of hanging around with fellow ballplayers on baseball teams during my younger days. Now we work on our relationship with God, not batting averages.

 

[mmbarto]

Way to Go…Tampa…!!

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Way to Go…Tampa…!!

Just telling it like it is. Opus Dei, as designed, fits my personality and spirituality perfectly. I fully support its stated mission, methodology, and practices. I consider St. Josemaria a genius and myself very blessed for discovering Opus Dei.

 

[benjohnson]

I have several friends who are involved in Opus Dei, and based on their love of God and their morality, I would recommend the organization.

That said…

A good litmus test to determine if an organization is a cult is to say “Hey… this may not be right for me.” If the response is “That’s ok, if you have any questions I’ll be here for you” vs “No! You must stay!” then your answer can be found in the reaction.

I hope you enjoy your journey - remember, if Opus Dei doesn’t fit your needs, that there’s many other Catholic opportunities to serve and to grow.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

I hope you enjoy your journey - remember, if Opus Dei doesn’t fit your needs, that there’s many other Catholic opportunities to serve and to grow.

There are indeed many great Catholic organizations out there - from Third Orders (Franciscans, Discalced Carmelites, Dominicans, etc.) to the Knights of Columbus to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The list continues ad infinitum. As for me, Opus Dei has it all.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

If anyone has any arguments supporting the cult theory, I suggest you check them against John Allen’s book “Opus Dei”. John Allen dispels many of the myths, lies and misinformation out there with extensive research and supporting data. Great read.

 

[JReducation]

There are indeed many great Catholic organizations out there - from Third Orders (Franciscans, Discalced Carmelites, Dominicans, etc.) to the Knights of Columbus to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The list continues ad infinitum. As for me, Opus Dei has it all.

Just one minor correction.

Franciscans, Discalced Carmelites and Dominicans are not organizations. They are canonically erected orders of Pontifical Right, with the same rights as friars and monks.

Knights of Columbus is not an organization. It is a Fraternal Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. That’s why the proper title for a Knight of Columbus is Brother.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic organization.

I agree with the rest. Opus Dei is awesome. I was educated at Holy Cross in Rome. That’s where I received by STD.

Very orthodox and very complete education.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[JillianRose]

Thank you all so much. I feel stupid for not know all this stuff. I am so happy that you can be a mom and wife and still have a calling to God with other laity!!

Thank you Thank you Thank you,

Jilly

 

[gerry_clark]

Any religion is cultic, even if it professes to be anticultic.

The problem is that cults suffer from an identity crisis. Too often the attempt to solve
this crisis is done by identifying what one is not. So, this sets a negative frame of mind.
This also establishes boundaries of exclusion.

Exclusion is unloving, therefore it is unChristlike.

Those parts of Opus Dei that are unloving, negative or exclusionary are unChristlike, and
cannot be claimed to be the work of God.

Many legitimate organizations have advocated a mendicant philosphy and promote the adoption of a minimalist lifestyle. Dorothy Day, the foundress of the Catholic Worker,
promoted such lifestyles. Dorothy Day walked or traveled by publioc transit. A way
of travel that could be quite reasonable today with proper eco-theological concerns.
The Nuns Justice movement that redirected Peter’s Pence collections to the various
congregations of nuns also makes sense. As long as the Opus Dei operatives are
saying that your assets should be distributed according to the example of St. Stephan ,
St Francis and Isaiah, such asset liquidation could be the work of God. If however the
Opus Dei operatives want to take contol of the assets or the proceeds from the liquidation
of assets then their requests are not the work of God but the work of Satanic cult.

 

[jwinch2]

Any religion is cultic, even if it professes to be anticultic.

The problem is that cults suffer from an identity crisis. Too often the attempt to solve
this crisis is done by identifying what one is not. So, this sets a negative frame of mind.
This also establishes boundaries of exclusion.

Exclusion is unloving, therefore it is unChristlike.

Those parts of Opus Dei that are unloving, negative or exclusionary are unChristlike, and
cannot be claimed to be the work of God.

Many legitimate organizations have advocated a mendicant philosphy and promote the adoption of a minimalist lifestyle. Dorothy Day, the foundress of the Catholic Worker,
promoted such lifestyles. Dorothy Day walked or traveled by publioc transit. A way
of travel that could be quite reasonable today with proper eco-theological concerns.
The Nuns Justice movement that redirected Peter’s Pence collections to the various
congregations of nuns also makes sense. As long as the Opus Dei operatives are
saying that your assets should be distributed according to the example of St. Stephan ,
St Francis and Isaiah, such asset liquidation could be the work of God. If however the
Opus Dei operatives want to take contol of the assets or the proceeds from the liquidation
of assets then their requests are not the work of God but the work of Satanic cult.

https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/i...HWo-BP9X652TlEnlmClhR-ZBa0tXm2Fh1OcUZKSXflJrQ

Where I see this thread going now…

 

[TrueLight]

That’s why the proper title for a Knight of Columbus is Brother.

Wow. Had no idea about this. How about Catholic daughters?