Is Opus Dei safe? (Newbie to Catholicism)

  • Thread starter Thread starter onegirlinchrist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
O

onegirlinchrist

Guest
Hi All,

I’m looking into Catholicism and have really enjoyed the journey thus far. Have not yet been through RCIA. Started attending weekday morning mass and was approached by a very friendly woman who started talking with me about Opus Dei. We’ve exchanged phone numbers and she wants to meet up with me outside of mass to discuss her positive experience in the organization and get me connected with other Opus Dei members. She sort of implied that Opus Dei is seen by some as not being totally orthodox, so she assured me that recent Opus Dei leaders have been sainted. I was very interested in the concept of dedicating my ever day profession to God; apparently, Opus Dei is all about helping lay people consecrate their time and talents to God.

The official website looks wonderful…

But then I saw other things online which scared me a bit. Some see Opus Dei as a secretive organization, with “cult like” tactics of expanding and retaining membership. Something about corporal mortification raised alarm bells!

How concerned should I be?

I come from an originally Mormon background and am extremely sensitive to any religious denomination that makes use of “secrecy” in any way. I’ve already given my heart to too many denominations since (floated about Protestantism for awhile), it’s safe to say that I’m spiritually exhausted, and am looking for a completely safe and orthodox spiritual experience.

Thoughts or advice?
 
Opus Dei is neither a cult nor secretive (except for the Sacrament of Confession). I am not a member, but have seen the group uplift a church parish from being closed in an economically depressed area of the City. They have and continue to do very good work for the people and the Catholic Church as a whole, and in my opinion show high regard for the Eastern Catholic Churches.
 
Would like some info, too. I do know a couple who helped mentor my husband into finally becoming Catholic that are Opus Dei. They are very strong Catholics, and very good, humble people. They are always challenging us in our faith ( to grow) and not stay mediocre. Because of them, I have a positive view of Opus Dei.
 
Hello!

Opus Dei works for some but not for others. No, it’s not a cult, but I dont think it’s a good fit for everyone. Im of the opinion one needs to be discerning with a good spiritual director to see if Opus Dei is for them.

That aside, since you are not even Catholic, I think you may be a bit head of yourself at this point. God Bless you in your journey! 🙂
 
Opus Dei is a legitimate Catholic organisation. But for someone like yourself who is just starting out on the steps towards joining the catholic Church, it would probably be best to get to know the Catholic faith more fully, and through more mainstream channels, than going to Opus Dei.

Join the RCIA programme of your local parish, attend Mass, get involved in mainstream parish life, and then get to know your faith. Jumping into Opus Dei (or any similar organisation) before you even know about your faith, would seem to be a very peculiar (and probably unwise) thing to do. If I was you I would politely say, “Thanks, but no thanks” and concentrate on RCIA and on regular, mainstream Catholic parish life.
 
Brendan_64 said:
Opus Dei is a legitimate Catholic organisation. But for someone like yourself who is just starting out on the steps towards joining the catholic Church, it would probably be best to get to know the Catholic faith more fully, and through more mainstream channels, than going to Opus Dei.

Join the RCIA programme of your local parish, attend Mass, get involved in mainstream parish life, and then get to know your faith. Jumping into Opus Dei (or any similar organisation) before you even know about your faith, would seem to be a very peculiar (and probably unwise) thing to do. If I was you I would politely say, “Thanks, but no thanks” and concentrate on RCIA and on regular, mainstream Catholic parish life.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the advice given thus far. I think the concept of getting involved in RCIA first and general parish life is a good one. This woman presented Opus Dei as a great way to learn about the faith, (it helped her return to Catholicism back in the day). I’ll have to find a tactful way to say that it’s not a good fit for me right now.

On a side note, I will say that just because an organization does good works, doesn’t mean the theology is sound. As a former Mormon, for example, I can attest that the Mormon Church does many wonderful things for families and community, and Mormons are very nurturing and well-intentioned people, but that doesn’t make the theology of their secret temple ceremonies sound. Just a warning to those on this thread who have found Opus Dei members to be incredibly kind, helpful, etc. There are well-intentioned (and sometimes misguided) people everywhere!

You all have said that Opus Dei is orthodox, and I don’t want to offend. Just throwing that out there!
 
Opus Dei is very orthodox. They are not secret, they are just quiet. They evangelize by word of mouth, not mass media. The Opus Dei people I know are very fine people. I have gone to some of their meetings where they read from the Catechism or a papal encyclical.
 
Brendan_64 said:
Opus Dei is a legitimate Catholic organisation. But for someone like yourself who is just starting out on the steps towards joining the catholic Church, it would probably be best to get to know the Catholic faith more fully, and through more mainstream channels, than going to Opus Dei.

Join the RCIA programme of your local parish, attend Mass, get involved in mainstream parish life, and then get to know your faith. Jumping into Opus Dei (or any similar organisation) before you even know about your faith, would seem to be a very peculiar (and probably unwise) thing to do. If I was you I would politely say, “Thanks, but no thanks” and concentrate on RCIA and on regular, mainstream Catholic parish life.
Click to expand...
The one thing that I would add is this: when someone converts to the Catholic Church and inquire about becoming a priest or being ordained, they are usually asked to wait three years. I would apply the same to joining a group like Opus Dei. Not that they are bad, just give yourself time to settle in.
 
onegirlinchrist said:
Thanks for all the advice given thus far. I think the concept of getting involved in RCIA first and general parish life is a good one. This woman presented Opus Dei as a great way to learn about the faith, (it helped her return to Catholicism back in the day). I’ll have to find a tactful way to say that it’s not a good fit for me right now.

On a side note, I will say that just because an organization does good works, doesn’t mean the theology is sound. As a former Mormon, for example, I can attest that the Mormon Church does many wonderful things for families and community, and Mormons are very nurturing and well-intentioned people, but that doesn’t make the theology of their secret temple ceremonies sound. Just a warning to those on this thread who have found Opus Dei members to be incredibly kind, helpful, etc. There are well-intentioned (and sometimes misguided) people everywhere!

You all have said that Opus Dei is orthodox, and I don’t want to offend. Just throwing that out there!
Click to expand...
Opus Dei will be there after you have been thru RCIA etc. so there’s no hurry to jump into anything. Take your time and learn about the many devotions the Church has to offer. What suits one may not be what someone else is looking for. It is a wonderful organization but so are others. Your just starting out. I am sure catholic.com has much information to help you along your way to understand these things. Prayers for you and God Bless you, Memaw
 
Thank Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code for all the negative buzz on the internet surrounding Opus Dei. :rolleyes:

Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Church. It is an approved group operating within the boundaries of Catholicism.

There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there that latch onto Opus Dei for reasons I have never been able to figure out. Pay them no heed. If Opus Dei were not okay, they would have been censured.

If you’re looking for a nice intro to Opus Dei, Scott Hahn wrote a book on it: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei. That’s a much better source of information than some of the junk floating around the internet.
 
Thanks all, your responses have been incredibly helpful.

Does anyone have comments on how Opus Dei spirituality is different from or similar to being a “3rd order” (or is it 2nd order for lay people)…Jesuit? If I’m not mistaken, Jesuit theology is aimed at finding God in all things, and helping people integrate Catholic beliefs with art and science, etc.
 
onegirlinchrist said:
Thanks for all the advice given thus far. I think the concept of getting involved in RCIA first and general parish life is a good one. This woman presented Opus Dei as a great way to learn about the faith, (it helped her return to Catholicism back in the day). I’ll have to find a tactful way to say that it’s not a good fit for me right now.

On a side note, I will say that just because an organization does good works, doesn’t mean the theology is sound. As a former Mormon, for example, I can attest that the Mormon Church does many wonderful things for families and community, and Mormons are very nurturing and well-intentioned people, but that doesn’t make the theology of their secret temple ceremonies sound. Just a warning to those on this thread who have found Opus Dei members to be incredibly kind, helpful, etc. There are well-intentioned (and sometimes misguided) people everywhere!

You all have said that Opus Dei is orthodox, and I don’t want to offend. Just throwing that out there!
Click to expand...
Opus Dei is very orthodox. Their theology is no different than any other Catholic. However, some of their disciplines can be very different. Also, remember, whatever you see the in movies is not accurate. The practice of mortification is not required, but also not discouraged. Mortification is a disclipline, not theology. As their website says:
St Francis of Assisi, St Thomas More, St Therese of Lisieux, Pope Paul VI, St Padre Pio and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The motivation behind these voluntary mortifications is to imitate Christ and to join him in his redemptive sacrifice (cf. Matthew 16:24), and they can also be a way to suffer in solidarity with the many poor and deprived people in the world.

Again, it’s very orthodox, but not for everyone. Just like Knights of Columbus, becoming a Religious Brother or Sister, joining a 3rd Order, etc are not for everyone. Doesn’t mean that someone is more or less Catholic because they are part of these groups.

Hope this helps and God Bless.
 
Joe_5859 said:
Thank Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code for all the negative buzz on the internet surrounding Opus Dei. :rolleyes:

Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Church. It is an approved group operating within the boundaries of Catholicism.

There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there who latch onto Opus Dei for reasons I have never been able to figure out. Pay them no heed. If Opus Dei were not okay, they would have been censured.

If you’re looking for a nice intro to Opus Dei, Scott Hahn wrote a book on it: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei. That’s a much better source of information than some of the junk floating around the internet.
Click to expand...
That’s a good perspective. I love Scott Hahn, he’s been most helpful for me as a Protestant turning to Catholicism. I’m really interested in his story. Thanks!
 
onegirlinchrist said:
That’s a good perspective. I love Scott Hahn, he’s been most helpful for me as a Protestant turning to Catholicism. I’m really interested in his story. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Most Protestant-turned-Catholics seem to be familiar with Scott Hahn. 😉 He wrote the book to set the record straight because of all the misinformation floating around in the wake of The DaVinci Code. As usual, he does a pretty good job. 🙂
 
phil19034 said:
Opus Dei is very orthodox. Their theology is no different than any other Catholic. However, some of their disciplines can be very different. Also, remember, whatever you see the in movies is not accurate. The practice of mortification is not required, but also not discouraged. Mortification is a disclipline, not theology. As their website says:
St Francis of Assisi, St Thomas More, St Therese of Lisieux, Pope Paul VI, St Padre Pio and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The motivation behind these voluntary mortifications is to imitate Christ and to join him in his redemptive sacrifice (cf. Matthew 16:24), and they can also be a way to suffer in solidarity with the many poor and deprived people in the world.

Again, it’s very orthodox, but not for everyone. Just like Knights of Columbus, becoming a Religious Brother or Sister, joining a 3rd Order, etc are not for everyone. Doesn’t mean that someone is more or less Catholic because they are part of these groups.

Hope this helps and God Bless.
Click to expand...
Thank you…for bringing up corporal mortification. Truthfully, I am a bit leery of anything “peculiar” (for lack of a better word) in religion, and am a bit…:(…that this is actually taught in Catholicism. However, with some thought I realized, “Isn’t corporal mortification kind of at the heart of Christianity? e.g. Christ’s crucifixion? If I’m going to be seriously offended by it, perhaps I should reject the central concept of suffering and as punishment for sin and blood atonement being necessary.”

That said, I’ve heard stories of Saints really hurting themselves. Hopefully they took things too far, and that’s not what the Church has in mind!

Is it fair to say that Opus Dei is more supportive of or encouraging of, corporal mortification than other groups?
 
onegirlinchrist said:
Thank you…for bringing up corporal mortification. Truthfully, I am a bit leery of anything “peculiar” (for lack of a better word) in religion, and am a bit…:(…that this is actually taught in Catholicism. However, with some thought I realized, “Isn’t corporal mortification kind of at the heart of Christianity? e.g. Christ’s crucifixion? If I’m going to be seriously offended by it, perhaps I should reject the central concept of suffering and as punishment for sin and blood atonement being necessary.”

That said, I’ve heard stories of Saints really hurting themselves. Hopefully they took things too far, and that’s not what the Church has in mind!

Is it fair to say that Opus Dei is more supportive of or encouraging of, corporal mortification than other groups?
Click to expand...
I have always heard about how St. Francis – who practiced lots of corporal mortification – realized at the end of his life that he’d been too hard on himself in that regard.

I think mortification is a good thing that can be spiritually beneficial, but I tend to go for the “not-listening-to-the-car-radio-for-the-day” type of mortification rather than the “whip-myself-in-the-back” type of mortification. :o
 
onegirlinchrist said:
I come from an originally Mormon background and am extremely sensitive to any religious denomination that makes use of “secrecy” in any way. I’ve already given my heart to too many denominations since (floated about Protestantism for awhile), it’s safe to say that I’m spiritually exhausted, and am looking for a completely safe and orthodox spiritual experience.

Thoughts or advice?
Click to expand...
Hello onegirlchrist,

Based on you final statement in your original post Opus Dei is not where you want to start your journey. Opus Dei is an approved movement in the church, but movements tend to attract people with strong demanding personalities sometimes. I think in the long run you will end up with a negative impression of the church. My spiritual advisor, a parish pastor, at the time I was involved with another movement told me that sometimes movements become a second religion to some members.
 
Just to reiterate what others have said, Opus Dei is great. Forget all the nonsense in the media about it.

I used to attend their meetings in college and the priest there was the best confessor I ever went to. I’m not sure how every group is formatted since I only attended that one, but the one I went to was Benediction, Confession, a talk by one of the members (which were always good), then socialization.

Also, there is absolutely nothing secretive about it.
 
Brendan_64 said:
Opus Dei is a legitimate Catholic organisation. But for someone like yourself who is just starting out on the steps towards joining the catholic Church, it would probably be best to get to know the Catholic faith more fully, and through more mainstream channels, than going to Opus Dei.

Join the RCIA programme of your local parish, attend Mass, get involved in mainstream parish life, and then get to know your faith. Jumping into Opus Dei (or any similar organisation) before you even know about your faith, would seem to be a very peculiar (and probably unwise) thing to do. If I was you I would politely say, “Thanks, but no thanks” and concentrate on RCIA and on regular, mainstream Catholic parish life.
Click to expand...
Well stated.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top