Are there any married Opus Dei couples on here?

[OLHope]

Women in service:

No women at or around the altar was made on observance only at St. Mary’s for the few times I have been there. It cowers someone like me to not approach the altar to far in front because I am not a regular there, and I am unsure of whether or not I should approach even delving farther into the congregation just to sit. I have little to no sin/problems/guilt. So it is really maybe what the atmosphere sets off? Another similar type church, also had no women on or around the altar except to receive communion. I did not even want to join in the Divine Office because it was all men, and I was not sure if it was gender specific because I had never done that devotion/chaplet before. So I had to specifically ask, it is just different having all of these new elements in the church and feeling somewhat uncomfortable or exclusionary for it. The church does not do this, it is the aura/vibe it sends out.

 

[OLHope]

On Appropriate attire:

OK well since the mid 90’s, I had been a commissioned EM and a trained Lector. At that time, I was trained to represent the faith in appropriate attire, this included the heavy recommendation of wearing a dress or skirt. Very much like the masses I attended in the EU when I was a child. This was in my ordinary modern American RC parish. I know the professional or business casual attire is just as acceptable, but not jeans, sweats, shorts, tanks, or undershirts…, even in very hot weather.

Giving over a decade of my services to the church already, was good, but made me falter with some personal obligations, so I have had to distance myself from the service aspect for now, until I get other projects underway.

I began as only a Lector, but then became an EM because they needed more people, and no one was stepping up to volunteer anymore, I genuinely did it to help the church, give service to the lord, and assist/participate in other programs as well. Since the masses are not as packed as they used to be, it is easy to just have the priest give communion most times anyway.

 

[OLHope]

On secrecy:

As in SG’s first post, “but he said he never could get a straight answer from those friends about what exactly they do and he couldn’t join them in their retreat meetings since he wasn’t a member,” and Joe’s post, “the secrecy,”… ok now this is just from this thread, and there are other threads that mention the same thing, I have read them in the past on this site, and I think that was what the OP alluded to not beginning any controversy over it, well said, I have no intention of beginning that either.

I do not have any disdain for Opus Dei. Nor will I read/view the pop culture fictions that are out there that use a platform of my faith as a money-raker. I do not have much vested interest in the organization. I do not think it bad at all, just another service vocation. I was just trying to pass along information.

It is not in any way harmful, like Red stated though, you are continually asked if you are sure if you want and can go through with it. I think the OP wanted to know specifics on the requirements and mission, but that seems it can only come out of the preparations so that OD can better know you and you and better understand the involvement, which is why you have to meet face to face and in person. Only makes sense to me.

 

[budgie2]

I have had a look on the Opus Dei website here in Britain but you need to be invited in some shape or form or send in a treatise on why you want to be a member so couldn’t join. It said that it’s aim was to evangelise the middle of the world and I wasn’t sure what the middle of the world was and whether or not it referred to the Equator. Not an Opus Dei fan.

 

[Joan_M]

I have had a look on the Opus Dei website here in Britain but you need to be invited in some shape or form or send in a treatise on why you want to be a member so couldn’t join. It said that it’s aim was to evangelise the middle of the world and I wasn’t sure what the middle of the world was and whether or not it referred to the Equator. Not an Opus Dei fan.

The normal way to begin to know Opus Dei is by being invited by someone. However, that does not exclude you. I found out about Opus Dei on the Q & A on the EWTN website - someone asked about it and the priest who answered is, I believe, a Cooperator. He also included the URL for the opus Dei website, so I went there. At that time, there was a page where you could see one address for every country where Opus Dei was then. I do not see any such page now (the Contact us page is blank).

At the time I was going to daily Mass at lunch time in a city church and confessions were held there from 30 minutes before the Friday Mass started and continued through Mass as long as there were people wanting the Sacrament.

The priest was a stranger to me and wore a cream colored cassock. I had been going to confession to him for about 9 or 10 months by then and was very comfortable with him, so after confession I asked him if he had ever heard about Opus Dei. His response was a delighted laugh, as he was a priest of The Work! He gave me a prayer card and told me where the women’s center was and who to ask for there.

A couple of weeks later I went there, and that was the beginning of my closer walk with God!

And no treatise, either. Actually, no one joins Opus Dei immediately on hearing about it, or on being introduced to it. You start going to recollections, or doctrine classes, or one or other of the various activities that they host, gradually getting to know more.

When you feel called by God to join, you will then write a letter asking for admission and giving your reasons.

 

[SourGrape]

Thanks for the helpful replies! I am planning to attend my first recollection in August and beginning my discernment of a possible vocation to Opus Dei.