Opus Dei: what is it, do you know anything about it?

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I have recently come across information alleging that Opus Dei is a cult like organization which among things requires corporal mortification and controls the lives of members.

I have also read that some say it is an orthodox Catholic organization that has been approved by the pope.

But what is the truth?

By the way, here is a photo of the “cilice” a spiked chain Opus Dei members supposedly wear for 2 hours a day: odan.org/images/cilice_2004.jpg

odan.org/corporal_mortification.htm This describes some other highly unusual practices.
 
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svoboda:
I have recently come across information alleging that Opus Dei is a cult like organization which among things requires corporal mortification and controls the lives of members.
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Some people in Opus Dei do this, but it is only certain members- and those who do this do it under the guidance of a spiritual director.

Opus Dei is a wonderful organization- and yes, it has been approved by the Vatican. Furthermore, it’s founder was canonized by John Paul II.
 
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svoboda:
I have recently come across information alleging that Opus Dei is a cult like organization which among things requires corporal mortification and controls the lives of members.

I have also read that some say it is an orthodox Catholic organization that has been approved by the pope.

But what is the truth?
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You seem to believe that the sentences are contradictory - I think they are both true.

Let’s look at this point by point.
  1. Cult-like organization: This is a bit of a stretch. They are somewhat secretive, but unlike real cults, it is the secrecy itself, not the substance of those secrets, which causes people to view them as a cult. And no one is forced to stay against his will.
  2. Requires corporal mortification: True, although members have some say in how much mortification they practice.
  3. Controls the lives of members: True, like most religious orders. Yes, I know it’s a prelature rather than an order.
  4. Orthodox Catholic organization: True.
  5. Approved by the Pope: True.
So I think you have them pretty well figured out.
 
Read all about them at their official website opusdei.org/
They are even doing press to combat the fiction about them (you referred to it in your OP) in The DaVinci Code.
 
I was just remembering my college human civilization course and the strange facts about certain types of monks who would go from town to town during the middle ages whipping themselves. This practice is called flagellation and you can read about it here… en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagellant
 
Why do they allow/approve/support mortification? I have read also that some saints did fairly crazy things to their bodies, why?
 
I beleive its a cultural thing, a way of perhaps showing servitude to God, or piusness as suggested in the wikipedia article. I am an American, and I wouldn’t do that to myself, but my friend is a Hindu from India and getting your nose peirced is a very traditional beautiful thing to do, so my guess again is culture!
 
There was a question about Opus Dei and corporal mortification in another thread which got me thinking about this practice. There seems to be something of a perception that it’s somehow weird, and I’ll admit I’ve been as guilty of it as the next person.

When you think about it, however, Western culture is full of people who cause themselves extreme pain by wearing illfitting high heel shoes or undergoing painful plastic surgery or dieting themselves to skeletal proportions, and they do this in the name of looking more attractive or more fashionable. Least Opus Dei does it for more admirable motives.
 
First, allow me to just cut and paste from a reply I just posted to another thread…
The corporal mortifications of the cilice and discipline as practiced by some members of Opus Dei are definitely not of the self-mutilation variety.
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The cilice and discipline definitely cause discomfort, but (and this is one of many things the DVC gets totally wrong!) they don’t cause any physical damage. No blood. No scarring. What is depicted in the DVC is simply not the way corporal mortification is practiced in Opus Dei.
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As to the “why” of mortification-- first of all, it’s important to understand that this type of mortification is only a small part of the picture. The overall Christian notion of mortification is very much tied into Christ’s admonition that we take up our cross daily and follow him. Every time we do something we’d rather not, because we love him and want to follow him, that is mortification. In practice, that could mean taking out the garbage instead of waiting for my husband to do it, or drinking water instead of a soft drink, or keeping my shoes on at home when I’d rather be barefoot.

It’s about learning to say no to myself in small, unimportant matters so that I can say no to myself when it really does matter-- perhaps in a matter of avoiding sin, or defending the faith in an awkward situation.

There’s an awful lot to say on this one, and I really need to get some rest, but if you have more specific questions I can try to help out.

Margaret
 
Opus Dei is a gift of God. It’s God’s work. It enables you to meet God in ordinary things.

If you want to find out more about the good things said by Church authorities about Opus Dei you might want to go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei . There I have also found the answer to many questions and criticisms against Opus Dei. What a numerary is, mortification of the flesh, the reason why it is attacked as a cult. It is many links! It’s quite enlightening I must say.
 
**I am halfway through “Opus Dei” by John L. Allen Jr. So far, it seems to be a very objective view of Opus Dei with interviews of members and former members.

By the way, isn’t Catholicism considered a cult by other religions?**
 
here is a link to a Newsweek interview with John Allen on Opus Dei

msnbc.msn.com/id/7288539/site/newsweek/

bear in mind this is the Newsweek site, has a picture of the cover of their latest issue with an blurred full frontal nude female figure, which has nothing whatever to do with the article.
 
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