How do you join Opus Dei?

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and what is it really? do you have to go to Mass everyday? is it secretive… If this is an illegal topic, please delete.
 
I have a few friends who are part of Opus Dei - words which mean “Work of God”. From my (limited) understanding, it is an organisation within the Catholic Church, teaching that all people are called to holiness and sanctity. I particularly like this idea - that everyone can do God’s work and live a life of holiness and purity.There are no clergy within Opus Dei, members are just ordinary faithful of a diocese.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding it, and much of it is false and unfounded. One topic of controversy deals with mortification. One of my friends practices a relatively light form of mortification - he’s given up one of his favourite drinks until he becomes engaged.
To me, it does seem to be a relatively secretive organisation. My Opus Dei friends do go to Mass quite often, and prayer seems to be a significant part of life. They go on a few retreats throughout the year also.

I’m not really sure how you’d join, but it’s worthwhile to look in to - maybe try and go on a retreat sometime 🙂 I hope this helped at least a little.
 
Hi!

I once had the same thought so i e-mailed them and asked how to join, they respectfully replied me and gave me information on persons to contact so the best thing to do is to send them a mail and you will be given the information how to join.
 
sparrowhawk28 said:
I have a few friends who are part of Opus Dei - words which mean “Work of God”. From my (limited) understanding, it is an organisation within the Catholic Church, teaching that all people are called to holiness and sanctity. I particularly like this idea - that everyone can do God’s work and live a life of holiness and purity.There are no clergy within Opus Dei, members are just ordinary faithful of a diocese.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding it, and much of it is false and unfounded. One topic of controversy deals with mortification. One of my friends practices a relatively light form of mortification - he’s given up one of his favourite drinks until he becomes engaged.
To me, it does seem to be a relatively secretive organisation. My Opus Dei friends do go to Mass quite often, and prayer seems to be a significant part of life. They go on a few retreats throughout the year also.

I’m not really sure how you’d join, but it’s worthwhile to look in to - maybe try and go on a retreat sometime 🙂 I hope this helped at least a little.
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There are actually clergy in the Opus Dei. They even have their own prelate, even.
 
YoungTradCath said:
There are actually clergy in the Opus Dei. They even have their own prelate, even.
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True, I should have been clearer. What I meant was that Opus Dei does not have its own monks or nuns. Ordained members are a minority.
 
sparrowhawk28 said:
True, I should have been clearer. What I meant was that Opus Dei does not have its own monks or nuns. Ordained members are a minority.
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Clergy in Opus Dei are no more a minority than clergy in a normal diocese. They have a hierarchy as well. In terms of organisation, think of it like a diocese, but instead of being defined by geographical territories, it is instead defined by membership (i.e.: ecclesiastical jurisdiction over its own members). Hence the term “personal (referring to the fact that it is organised by membership) prelature”, as opposed to normal dioceses which are territorial prelatures. Of course, to confound things further, within Opus Dei they also organise themselves by countries and regions, but that is an internal arrangement.

Personally I’ve never met any Opus Dei members, so I have absolutely no idea about their practices, but I’m quite sure that there are many unfounded smears about them floating around.

And I don’t know why you would worry that this is an “illegal topic”. 😉 Dan Brown much? 😃
 
I went to a couple of Opus Dei…err…days many years ago.

Unless I am completely mistaken, full members of Opus Dei turn over their salaries to Opus Dei, who distrubutes them as they see fit. My apologies if I am mistaken about this :o
 
yinekka said:
…
Opus Dei: an Objective Look Behind the Myths
John Allen - journalist National Catholic Reporter
…
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While his employer has a mixed reputation, John Allen is regarded by most as an honest reporter. This piece on Opus Dei is well regarded.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
Archbishop Gomez, newly arrived in Los Angeles, is a member of Opus Dei.👍
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A fact which, I think, will renew the Los Angeles Archdiocese. I have often wondered how one “joins” Opus Dei, I don’t know whether they come to you or you go to them. It seems to me anybody could adopt the concept and read the books of St. Josemaria Escriva to get a good idea of the concept and do it on your own.

I know Frs. C. John McCloskey and John Trigilio as well as scholar and apologist, Scott Hahn, Ph.D. are members and if they’re members it’s a good thing to be.

When I was a kid in the dark ages, the sisters would have us put in the upper right corner of EVERY paper EVERY day:
Code: 
                               A
                            J M J
                               D
                               G
All for the greater glory of God (Ad Majorem Dei GLoria) on the vertical of the cross and Jesus Mary and Joseph on the horizontal (the same as Arcbishop Sheen on every blackboard). These are, essentially the Opus Dei watchwords today, as I understand it. Everything is done to the best possible effort for the glory of God. Not a bad effort.
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
I went to a couple of Opus Dei…err…days many years ago.

Unless I am completely mistaken, full members of Opus Dei turn over their salaries to Opus Dei, who distrubutes them as they see fit. My apologies if I am mistaken about this :o
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Numeraries hand over most of their salaries after they take out what they decide they need.

This sounds kind of strange at first, but it makes more sense once you realize (and this will make them very mad )Numeraries are kind of like monks.

OPUS DEI: NOOOOO!!! IT"S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!!!

Numeraries see Opus Dei as a vocation, live lives of chastity, and typically live at Opus Dei centers. Where they are different from monks, is that Numeraries typically have regular jobs and are out in the world. So rather than living lives of contemplation in a monastery they try to find God in ordinary life. But, at the end of the day they come back to their centers and pray.

It’s sort of Saint Josemaria Escriverra’s 20th century spin on monasticism. Very much not traditional, but also evidence that just because something isn’t traditional it doesn’t mean it’s bad. Opus Dei is in many ways a groundbreaking organization. There was nothing like it before the 20th century. But, even though it’s organization and focus is so new it’s nonetheless completely orthodox and has not had some of the problems with liberalism that some of the more ancient religious orders are now battling with.

However, most members of Opus Dei are not Numeraries and don’t live at their centers, take vows of chastity, or hand over all their money.
 
JRRTFAN said:
I don’t know whether they come to you or you go to them.
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I believe Opus Dei is not allowed to directly proselytize for members. You have to go to them.

If your curious about checking them out you can contact them through their website an they will let you know if there is an evening of recollection in your area. These evenings of recollections usually involve some lectures on the faith by either a priest or layperson and the opportunity for confession.

Becoming a full-member (Numeraries or Supernumeraries) is considered a vocation so it’s something that involves a bit of work. Co-operators are not strictly speaking members and are open to anyone, including non-Catholics.
 
Oh, and full-members create a “plan of life” where they attend mass daily, pray the rosary daily, and read scripture daily.

But, you’re not required to do that just because you want to go to one of their meetings. Indeed, most people involved with Opus Dei aren’t full members.
 
Dear Friends in Christ,

I contacted a local house (Westwood, near UCLA) and within a week or so they connected me with a local (Inland Empire) member, with whom I am meeting tomorrow evening for coffee, as it turns out. He is married, so I assume he must be a supernumerary. He is also a school teacher, so this dispels any misconception that Opus Dei “targets” high earners, or anything like that (I’m a substitute teacher, and they are aware of that).

I think that since I am single/ celibate, associate or perhaps (?) numerary would be my likely role. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself, coffee and talk first! Will keep y’all posted, if you like.👍
 
Warloff said:
I believe Opus Dei is not allowed to directly proselytize for members. You have to go to them.

If your curious about checking them out you can contact them through their website an they will let you know if there is an evening of recollection in your area. These evenings of recollections usually involve some lectures on the faith by either a priest or layperson and the opportunity for confession.

Becoming a full-member (Numeraries or Supernumeraries) is considered a vocation so it’s something that involves a bit of work. Co-operators are not strictly speaking members and are open to anyone, including non-Catholics.
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I think that Associates are also full members, equivalent to numeraries as they are single and celibate (Supernumeraries are married). The main difference is that due to job reasons or other family commitments, Associates don’t live in community.
 
Faithdancer said:
Dear Friends in Christ,

I contacted a local house (Westwood, near UCLA) and within a week or so they connected me with a local (Inland Empire) member, with whom I am meeting tomorrow evening for coffee, as it turns out. He is married, so I assume he must be a supernumerary. He is also a school teacher, so this dispels any misconception that Opus Dei “targets” high earners, or anything like that (I’m a substitute teacher, and they are aware of that).

I think that since I am single/ celibate, associate or perhaps (?) numerary would be my likely role. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself, coffee and talk first! Will keep y’all posted, if you like.👍
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Deciding to become a numerary is a bit like deciding to become a monk or nun. It’s not something to decide to do lightly. I believe Opus Dei expects people to have been involved in the organization for a year before letting people become numeraries. Just check them out and see what your calling is.

You’ll fine that Opus Dei very much does not “target” people. They are pretty low key. However, most members are professionals. This has to do with the origins of Opus Dei. Saint Josemaria Escrivera founded the organization while he was a law student and all the original members were fellow law students. To this day a disproportionate number of members are from the legal profession. People from all walks of life are welcomed, but it just happens to be an organization that has historically attracted professionals.
 
Faithdancer said:
I think that Associates are also full members, equivalent to numeraries as they are single and celibate (Supernumeraries are married). The main difference is that due to job reasons or other family commitments, Associates don’t live in community.
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Yes, that’s correct.
 
Faithdancer said:
. He is also a school teacher, so this dispels any misconception that Opus Dei “targets” high earners, or anything like that (I’m a substitute teacher, and they are aware of that).
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Maybe he’s a school teacher with a trust fund. 😃
 
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