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

[malphono]

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.

Is there a source for that? I don’t seem to find anything about “Pontifical Right” even on the KofC’s own site. Just curious.

 

[JReducation]

Is there a source for that? I don’t seem to find anything about “Pontifical Right” even on the KofC’s own site. Just curious.

There is not such thing as “source”. You’re either a diocesan institute or you’re of Pontifical Right. The K of C are international. They’ve grown beyond their home diocese. If you read their statutes, they answer to the local bishop, not to the bishop of the home diocese.

A diocesan right is when you operate under the jurisdiction of one bishop alone, even if you’re away from his diocese.

The Knights are erected in each diocese by the bishop of that diocese, not the home diocese. Once erected, no bishop cannot suppress them. These are the pontifical rights.

By answer to the bishop, it’s only on certain matters, just like religious of pontifical right. The bishop cannot interfere with internal matters nor can he discipline them. That can only happen from within.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[kompaz]

It is a common error to believe that a given group must be heterodox to be a cult. This is not the case. The best example is Maciel, whose organization had all marks of a cult, yet his theology was completely orthodox and he was recognized by the Vatican.

There are some objective chararacteristics which describe a cultic group. Here is a checklist from American Family Association:

** 1. The group is focused on a living leader to whom members seem to display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.**

PASS. While the checklist says that the group focuses on a living leader, and OD’s leader died in 1975, however:

(1) OD operated in 1975 and before in the same way it does now;

(2) it is obvious that OD is preoccupied with its leader. I challenge you to find a piece of OD materials, which does not reference Josemaria Escriva somewhere somewhere in the first three paragraphs, regardless of the subject.

** 2. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.**

PASS. See odan.org/questionable_practices.htm under “Aggressive Recruitment”.

** 3. The group is preoccupied with making money.**

PASS. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei

The total assets of non-profits connected to Opus Dei are worth at least $2.8 billion.

** 4. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.**

PASS. OD has an index of forbidden books that members are not allowed to read. 'nuff said.

** 5. Mind-numbing techniques (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, debilitating work routines) are used to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).**

PASS. Self-mortification, anyone?

 **    6. The leadership dictates sometimes in great detail how members should think, act, and feel (for example: members must get permission from leaders to date, change jobs, get married; leaders may prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, how to discipline children, and so forth).**

PASS. ODAN has compiled an extensive list of testimonies here: odan.org/testimonies_and_writings.htm If you read through them, it is apparent that OD extends totalitarian control over its members.

** 7. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and members (for example: the leader is considered the Messiah or an avatar; the group and/or the leader has a special mission to save humanity).**

Prayer for Saint Josemaría’s intercession. O God, through the mediation of Mary our Mother, you granted your priest St. Josemaría countless graces, choosing him as a most faithful instrument to found Opus Dei, a way of sanctification in daily work and in the fulfillment of the Christian’s ordinary duties. Grant that I too may learn to turn all the circumstances and events of my life into occasions of loving You and serving the Church, the Pope and all souls with joy and simplicity, lighting up the pathways of this earth with faith and love. Deign to grant me, through the intercession of St. Josemaría, the favor of … (make your request). Amen.

opusdei.us/sec.php?s=557

PASS, with flying colors!

** 8. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which causes conflict with the wider society.**

PASS. OD’s secrecy is the best evidence that it considers external world to be threatening.

** 9. The group’s leader is not accountable to any authorities (as are, for example, military commanders and ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream denominations).**

PASS. JP2 elevated Opus Dei to personal prelature in 1982, which means that the OD leader reports only to the Pope. OD is also the first (and only) personal prelature in existence. This status is unprecendented in Church history.

 **     10. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify means that members would have considered unethical before joining the group (for example: collecting money for bogus charities).**

No evidence thereof, so FAIL.

** 11. The leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to control them.**

PASS. From A Day With Opus Dei time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186134,00.html

A layman leads the once-a-month recollection — in this case it was Art Thelen, a numerary who is also director of the residence. On this day one of the themes Thelen presented for discussion was “the priestly soul” — or living life in the world with the attitude of a priest. “The idea is that we are to be immersed in work and society and to offer this to God,” says Anglada, who is a Spaniard. Each member discussed what is going on his life and where he would like to improve. Father Joe Landauer, a priest who took part in the recollection, explained, “There is always a need to reflect because we are so busy with our lives running and doing things. And you need to stop sometime and ask: Am I on the beam?”

 **     12. Members' subservience to the group causes them to cut ties with family and friends, and to give up personal goals and activities that were of interest before joining the group.**

PASS. From ODAN:

Opus Dei members are typically taught to always have twelve to fifteen “friends,” with at least three or four who are very close to joining. This leads to the utilization of friendship as “bait.” Far too often, Opus Dei members drop friendships with those who are unlikely to join Opus Dei.

** 13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group. **

PASS. See A Day With Opus Dei above.

14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

PASS. From A Day With Opus Dei, above:

The meals are cooked and prepared by “ladies of the work” (some are Opus Dei members and some are not), who also clean the residence. “They keep the place like a house,” says Anglada, “with fresh flowers and things like that. They are not servants, but they do not socialize or eat with us.” In fact, social contact between women and the celibate numeraries is all but forbidden. When the ladies of the work arrive to clean, they place barriers at the entrance to the residential chambers and all the men clear out until they are finished. “We live apostolic celibacy so it’s a way to ensure that,” explains Anglada.

So, OD matches 13 out of 14 characteristics on the checklist.

Even if we remove stuff sourced from ODAN, we can still document that it matches 9 out of 14 points.

 

[kompaz]

 **     10. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify means that members would have considered unethical before joining the group (for example: collecting money for bogus charities).**

No evidence thereof, so FAIL.

Well, from Escriva himself (The Way):

1. Get rid of those scruples that deprive you of peace. — What takes away your peace of soul cannot come from God. When God comes to you, you will feel the truth of those greetings: My peace I give to you…, peace I leave you…, peace be with you…, and you will feel it even in the midst of troubles.

1. Those scruples still! Speak simply and clearly to your Director. Obey… and don’t underestimate the most loving Heart of our Lord.

It is apparent that an OD follower is called to ignore his own conscience and instead rely on his spritual director to distinguish right from wrong.

 

[JReducation]

It is a common error to believe that a given group must be heterodox to be a cult. This is not the case. The best example is Maciel, whose organization had all marks of a cult, yet his theology was completely orthodox and he was recognized by the Vatican.

There are some objective chararacteristics which describe a cultic group. Here is a checklist from American Family Association:

** 1. The group is focused on a living leader to whom members seem to display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.**

So did Franciscans until October 3, 1226, when Francis died. In fact, the rule and testament say that we (800 years later are bound by the threat of eternal damnation to obey Francis. The Church sustains it. Franciscans are not a cult.

We have colleges and academic degrees in theology dedicated to the study of Francis of Assisi at 14 universities around the world, some are not Franciscan. I got mine at Holy Cross, which is Opus Dei. You will not find a piece of Franciscan writing that does not refer to Francis, regardless of the subject. Visit any Franciscan site on the internet.

** 2. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.**

So is every religious order. Canon Law says that the first obligation of a religious institute is to secure its continuation.

** 3. The group is preoccupied with making money.**

Some groups have to make money, because of the nature of the work that they do and the cost of running their apostolates.

** 4. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.**

This comes from the Rule of St. Benedict, which almost every religious order of men has adopted.

** 5. Mind-numbing techniques (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, debilitating work routines) are used to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).**

All of these activities take place in every Catholic male monastery every day. It has nothing to due with mind-mumbing. But it does help keep you focused, internally silent, and makes you a disciplined person.

 **    6. The leadership dictates sometimes in great detail how members should think, act, and feel (for example: members must get permission from leaders to date, change jobs, get married; leaders may prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, how to discipline children, and so forth).**

It’s all found in the rules of St. Benedict, St. Augustine and St. Francis. St. Jose Maria borrowed heavily from the great masters.

** 7. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and members (for example: the leader is considered the Messiah or an avatar; the group and/or the leader has a special mission to save humanity).**

Every legitimate founder has a special purpose in the Church and in history. Francis of Assisi was been named by the Church as a) The Seraphic Father and b) the Alter Christus.

Seraph are angels who stand closest to the throne of God and whose love and praise is so intense that they burn like fire. So too did the love that Francis had for God. The Church says that no one has ever duplicated it. Not that anyone is in competition, because each saint is a unique gifts to the Church. Duplicating makes no sense.

The alter Christus is because he so identified with Christ that if the Gospel were ever lost, one could recover it by studying the life and teachings of Francis of Assisi.

** 8. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which causes conflict with the wider society.**

That accusation is made against many groups. Secrecy is not a big deal. Every religious order of men has secret archives that only the superior general and the archivist can see.

** 9. The group’s leader is not accountable to any authorities (as are, for example, military commanders and ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream denominations).**

St. Jose Maria was the prelate for Opus Dei. The male superiors general of religious orders (not congregations, only the orders) are not bound to anyone. Bishops, laity and civil law are banned from interfering with them and their functions. They respond only to the pope. This was established by the Council of Trent. It’s called the Right of Exemption. In the orders, it applies not only to the superior general, but also to each professed religious. I’m an exempt religious.

What’s the big deal with that? We’ve had this practice for 500 years or more.

 **     10. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify means that members would have considered unethical before joining the group (for example: collecting money for bogus charities).**

This one happens in isolated situations. Not entire organizations.

** 11. The leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to control them.**

That line comes from the rule of St. Benedict. It has been in place for 1500 years among monks and friars. It’s out of context. You have to read the entire chapter in the rule of St. Benedict to get the context.

 **     12. Members' subservience to the group causes them to cut ties with family and friends, and to give up personal goals and activities that were of interest before joining the group.**

We visit our families once every five years. We cease to practice what we did, before entering. We’re only allowed to have the same opinions as superiors and the Holy See. All friendships inside and outside of the community are always governed and guarded by the superior of the house. All personal activities, even sports, require the consent of the superior of the house.

This has been the practice among male religious for 1500 years. Some superiors are more lax than others. But it’s the superior’s right to be lax or to be legalistic. We have no voice in the matter. The founders have dictated it to be this way.

** 13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group. **

Every secular order requires this of their members. The regular orders require 24/7.

14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

You’ll find it in the rule of St. Francis to the seculars.

Are we going to say that Benedictines, Augustinians, Franciscans and Discalced Carmelites who meet 12 of these criteria are cults? If we stretch it, we meet 14.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[Thomas_Casey]

MODERATOR NOTE

There will be no more accusations that Opus Dei is a cult. The title of the thread is how to answer the question. It’s not asking, “Is it a cult”?

 

[jwinch2]

It is apparent that an OD follower is called to ignore his own conscience and instead rely on his spritual director to distinguish right from wrong.

All Catholics are called to properly form their conscience in the light of Church teaching. What Opus Dei is asking their members to do is something that every Catholic is supposed to be doing anyway.

The first thing to understand is that we can have both: Correct Conscience, which means that your conscience is properly formed within the teachings of the Church; and Incorrect Conscience, which means it is not. A properly formed conscience is the voice of God within us and helps us to align our will with God’s will. An incorrect conscience is not the voice of God and in fact is the voice of someone else. However, as a general rule of thumb, both a correct and incorrect conscience are to be followed, because in the spur of the moment, one cannot always distinguish between a conscience which is correct or one that is not correct. This does not in mean that a person with an incorrect conscience is off the hook and can do whatever they want. Far from it. The question which must be asked is: why is a person’s conscience is not properly formed? To figure this out we have to have an understanding of: Willful Ignorance, meaning that you have intentionally chosen not to seek proper teaching in order to form the conscience vs. Unintentional Ignorance, which means that one is totally unaware that their conscience is not properly formed. The last thing we have to understand is: Rejection, which means that they have been informed of proper teachings, but have chosen not to follow them. This highlights the exception to the general rule above, in that a person who has chosen to reject Church teaching is not supposed to follow their incorrect conscience.

All Opus Dei is doing, as part of their education, is helping one choose to avoid condemnation and to choose virtue. There is nothing nefarious there at all.

 

[Edward_H]

Well, from Escriva himself (The Way):

It is apparent that an OD follower is called to ignore his own conscience and instead rely on his spritual director to distinguish right from wrong.

As ridiculous as it is to proof text conclusions about Opus Dei from a few points in the Way shoehorned into someones treatise on cults, it’s maybe as ridiculous to draw conclusions about Kompaz from Kompaz’s posts.

forums.catholic-questions.org/search.php?searchid=11663042

Read Allen’s book (it is of an investigative nature in contrast to the cult article and Kompaz’s result-driven work) and use your freedom to draw your own conclusions.

 

[JReducation]

Well, from Escriva himself (The Way):

It is apparent that an OD follower is called to ignore his own conscience and instead rely on his spritual director to distinguish right from wrong.

This is part of every order. No founder has ever taught that your conscience has free reign. Even the Church does not teach this. Conscience must be formed. When you’re a child, your parents have the moral duty to help you form your conscience.

When you’re an adult the Church helps you form your conscience through preaching, confession and spiritual direction.

You owe obedience to your spiritual director unless he asks you to sin. It’s that simple. This has been part of Catholic tradition since the first century.

Twenty-first century Catholics have a hangup with conscience. They don’t understand the difference between the rights of conscience of a non - Catholic and those of a Catholic. A non - Catholic has no other guide but his conscience. A Catholic has the Church and he must submit his conscience to the teachings of the Church and the mandates of the Church.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[Tampa_Dave]

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

My apologies for not making the distinction. You are absolutely 100% correct. I used the generic phrase “organizations” simply to point out the plethora of fantastic groups/fraternities/orders/organizations/etc. out there.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Brother JR,

Your patience with neophytes (like me) is legendary. Thank you for your correction to my post. I welcome such corrections in the future at any time.

God bless you this fine Sunday afternoon!

 

[gerry_clark]

The simple answer to the question
Is Opus Dei a Cult?
Is YES!

Should it be feared ? YES!

Is Opus Dei part of the the Vatican Inquistion?

Would the question of Opus Dei Could as a Vatican Inquisition operative
be a good topic of discussion? Probably!

 

[YoungTradCath]

The simple answer to the question
Is Opus Dei a Cult?
Is YES!

Should it be feared ? YES!

Is Opus Dei part of the the Vatican Inquistion?

Would the question of Opus Dei Could as a Vatican Inquisition operative
be a good topic of discussion? Probably!

What? The last Inquisition ended over a century ago.

 

[Vico]

Hello-

Last night I went to my first evening of recollection with Opus Dei. Well I really loved it!! So before I went to bed I look up some more information about Opus Dei. I came across this network called Opus Dei Awareness Network. I was FLOORED but what I read. Here is the link

odan.org/what_is_opus_dei.htm

If they think I am gonna alienate my family, in flick pain to myself and donate all my earnings, I think I will not be joining. Is this true? Does anyone know if this is true?

Please help. I do not want to be apart of this if its true.

Thanks,

Jill

The Catholic Church itself is called a cult. That word is used in various ways. Opus Dei is a Personal Prelature of the Catholic Church, established in 1982, and Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez is the prelate since 1994. The bishop is subject to the Holy See.

opusdei.us/art.php?p=10877

 

[JReducation]

My apologies for not making the distinction. You are absolutely 100% correct. I used the generic phrase “organizations” simply to point out the plethora of fantastic groups/fraternities/orders/organizations/etc. out there.

That’s easy. The term that is used in the Church when you want to group everyone is “Institutes”. I don’t know why the Vatican prefers that term. What we call superiors, the Vatican calls Supreme Moderators. There are a few queer terms that they have adapted. Institutions no longer have a constitution. They have Proper Law. Founders like Francis, Benedict, Augustine and others, did not write a Rule of Life. They wrote statutes. A third order is no longer the third order founded by the father of a religious family. It’s any association of the faithful attached to the religious family. It need not be an actual order and need not be third in chronology. Third, is not used as an ordinal number, but to denominate secularity. Since Bl. John Paul declared the the papacy is no longer a monarchy and Pope Benedict said that the pope is no longer the Patriarch of the West, he is no longer the “reigning pope”. He is the “current pope”. I suspect there is going to be at least one more generation that will use the regal terms, before they die out. “We” actually means the pope and his team, not the royal “We”. Pope Benedict stopped using the royal “we”. If you’re a neophite, you’ll need a new vocabulary book. There is a very good book called The Catholic Source Book It has everything Catholic: prayers, names of things, names of people such as the Fathers of the Church, vocabulary, phrases, names for objects, definitions, thematic table of content for scripture, the entire Catholic tradition, the liturgical year, saints and devotions.

Brother JR,

Your patience with neophytes (like me) is legendary. Thank you for your correction to my post. I welcome such corrections in the future at any time.

God bless you this fine Sunday afternoon!

Shhhh . . . don’t say that too loudly. The brothers may hear you. I’m trying to impress upon them that I’m the meanest superior they’re ever going to meet.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[jwinch2]

BTW, for our Opus Dei people here, I thought I might throw in an endorsement of the Navarre Study Bible series if you don’t already have it. It is very good and since it was commissioned originally by St. Josemaria Escriva who also features heavily in the commentary, it would be a good get for anyone pursuing that particular spiritual approach.

Peace,

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Scepter Publishers sells the Navarre Bible and its also available in stock at the Catholic Information Center. Sounds good to me.

 

[jwinch2]

Scepter Publishers sells the Navarre Bible and its also available in stock at the Catholic Information Center. Sounds good to me.

I think you would be very happy with the series.

Please note, there are multiple versions, particularly of the New Testament. There is the original, 3 volume hardback series, a paperback series which contains the same content, and then there are two newer versions. The first one is a smaller single volume edition with less commentary and there is also a single volume expanded edition which more commentary. The newer versions have added commentary from the writings of Pope Benedict, but seem to have a bit less from St. Josemaria Escriva. If it is his sprituality you are after, you may wish to say with the original 3 volume set rather than the newer expanded edition.

 

[Facite]

On an irrelevant topic, the Opus Dei is referred to as the “Work of God” in the Rule of St. Benedict, wherein the “Work of God” is the Liturgy of the Hours.

 

[jwinch2]

On an irrelevant topic, the Opus Dei is referred to as the “Work of God” in the Rule of St. Benedict, wherein the “Work of God” is the Liturgy of the Hours.

Yep. For St. Benedict, the liturgical prayer life is the central focus, and is often referred to as the opus Dei.

I actually notice some similarities between St. Josemaria’s spirituality and St. Ignatius of Loyola’s. Obviously, the process by which they live their lives is significantly different, but the focus on sanctifying your whole day to God, your work, doing the dishes, etc. is very similar between the Society of Jesus and Opus Dei.

Peace,