Opus Dei, What IS It?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Exporter
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I took a look at the web site mentions above and found it quite interesting.

Does Opus Dei accept Eastern Catholics?
Or is there a society like Opus Dei in the Eastern Churches?

On the website, they stated that they are NOT secretive. I can’t see why you’d want to be secretive anyway, unless you are humble in service.

I hope to talk about my Pastor about Opus Dei and see if it is compatible with Byzantine Catholics. OR I can talk to my Roman Rite brother who is a priest.

go with God!
Edwin
 
I want to be a traditional, conservative Catholic, but I think inflicting pain onto your own body and abusing yourself just to imitate the saints of old is unhealthy and twisted.

I have no opinions one way or the other yet about OD, although I recently watched a favorable documentary about St. Josemaria Escrivia.

The information below comes from an anti-OD site I just happened upon after a quick Google search. Make of it what you will.
odan.org/corporal_mortification.htm

Corporal Mortification in Opus Dei

Corporal mortification is regularly practiced in Opus Dei. It is perhaps one of the most startling aspects of Opus Dei life for people outside the group. Many of the practices of corporal mortification were at one time more regularly practiced within the Church; however, due to modern psychology and thinking, the practices which inflict pain are sometimes considered to be counterproductive to one’s spiritual development, as they can easily lead to pride and an unhealthy attitude toward one’s body.

Some acts of corporal mortification may be helpful in checking the desires of the flesh, such as fasting. However, in Opus Dei, especially for the numerary (celibate) members, all of the practices mentioned below are mandatory if one wishes to live the “Spirit of Opus Dei” fully. The “Spirit of Opus Dei” is the standard of living, as outlined by the Opus Dei directors, for which all truly dedicated Opus Dei members strive. Under the umbrella of the “Spirit of Opus Dei” hide many of the abuses in Opus Dei. The subtle control to conform to the norm is typical in groups which practice mind control; members are “guilted” into conforming, feeling that they must in order to follow “God’s will” as it is outlined by the controlling group.

Listed below are the ways Opus Dei numeraries practice corporal mortification:
  • Cilice: Photo of cilice] a spiked chain worn around the upper thigh for two hours each day, except for Church feast days, Sundays, and certain times of the year. This is perhaps the most shocking of the corporal mortifications, and generally Opus Dei members are extremely hesitant to admit that they use them. It is a painful mortification which leaves small prick holes in the flesh, and makes the Opus Dei members tentative about wearing swim suits wherever non-Opus Dei members may be.
 
Discipline : Photo of discipline] a cord-like whip which resembles macrame, used on the buttocks or back once a week. Opus Dei members must ask permission to use it more often, which many do. The story is often told in Opus Dei that the Founder was so zealous in using the discipline, he splattered the bathroom walls with streaks of blood.
Cold Showers : Most numeraries take cold showers every day and offer it up for the intentions of the current Prelate.
Meals : Numeraries generally practice one small corporal mortification at every meal, such as drinking coffee without milk or sugar, not buttering one’s toast, skipping dessert, not taking seconds, etc. For the most part, eating between meals is not practiced. Opus Dei members fast on the Church’s prescribed days for fasting, but otherwise must ask for permission to fast on their own.
The Heroic Minute : Numeraries are encouraged to jump out of bed and kiss the floor as soon as the door is knocked in the morning. As they kiss, they say “Serviam,” Latin for “I will serve.”
Silences : Each night after making an examination of conscience, numeraries do not speak to one another until after Holy Mass the following morning. (They do not say “Good morning” to anyone as they are getting ready.) In the afternoons, they try to avoid speaking until dinnertime. On Sundays, numeraries generally do not listen to music, especially in the afternoons.
Some forms of corporal mortification differ according to your gender, as the following table shows:

Female Numeraries
**Male Numeraries **
Sleep on boards laid on top of the mattress.

Sleep without a pillow once a week.

May not smoke or enter a bar.

The Founder believed that women had passions that required more discipline to tame.

Sleep on the floor once a week.

Sleep without a pillow once a week.

Allowed to smoke and go to bars with recruits, for the purpose of drawing them closer to Opus Dei.
 
A former numerary wrote to comment on Opus Dei’s corporal mortifications:

“The cilice and disciplines are so foreign to the experience of most people, that they just conclude that Opus Dei is very odd for mandating them. That is true as far as it goes, but there is a more important point to be made. Because of the dangers of masochism, the traditional Catholic teaching on this sort of mortification is that it be done under obedience to a spiritual director. Such supervision in fact exists in Opus Dei, although often authority is entrusted to people who lack requisite maturity and prudence. The real point is that even if the cilice and the discipline are acceptable forms of penance, their use shows that Opus Dei members are NOT ordinary people, are not free agents.”

**
Relevant Quotes from the writings of Opus Dei Founder, Josemaria Escriva**

“Blessed be pain. Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain. . . Glorified be pain!” (The Way, 208)

“No ideal becomes a reality without sacrifice. Deny yourself. It is so beautiful to be a victim!” (The Way, 175)

“Obey with your lips, your heart and your mind. It is not a man who is being obeyed, but God.” (Furrow, maxim 374)

“And be watchful, for a spark is much easier to extinguish than a fire. Take flight, for in this it is low cowardice to be “brave”; a roving eye does not mean a lively spirit, but turns out to be a snare of satan. Yet human diligence, with mortification, the cilice, disciplines and fasting are all worthless without you, my God.” (Furrow, 834)

“They [Opus Dei numeraries] shall maintain the pious custom, for the purpose of chastising the body and reducing it to servitude, of wearing a small cilice for at least two hours daily; once a week they shall take the disciplines as well as sleeping on the floor, providing that health is not affected.” (Opus Dei Constituciones, article 147)

“To defend his purity, St. Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow, St. Benedict threw himself into a thornbush, St. Bernard plunged into an icy pond… You… what have you done?” (The Way, 143)

“What has been lost through the flesh, the flesh should pay back: be generous in your penance.” (The Forge, 207)

“If you realize that your body is your enemy, and an enemy of God’s glory since it is an enemy of your sanctification, why do you treat it so softly?” (The Way, 227)

“Your worst enemy is yourself.” (The Way, 225)

“You have come to the apostolate to submit, to annihilate yourself, not to impose your own personal viewpoints.” (The Way, 936)
 
extreme sports - good
extreme piety - bad
man is our popular culture getting wierder every day.
 
Now that has put a ? in my thinking.
I will wait to see what actual members of Opus Dei write here to rebuttal the above article.

If they are a religious S/M, I don’t want it!
If God inflicts the pain for suffering reasons, good, but if it is self inflicted, forget it!

go with God!
Edwin
 
Well, I don’t think inflicting pain on yourself for sporting or religious reasons makes any sense. The former seems connected to some sort of death wish, the latter to some sort of ascetic spiritual arrogance, the idea that I’m better than others if I can hurt myself more.

I’m all for piety, but come on! Drawing blood?! Nonsense like that is why Protestants think Catholics think they can “earn” their salvation.

If beating myself and engaging in all sorts of abuse improves me as a Christian, will it make my kids saints if I beat hell out of them?

There just seems to be a sort of mindset that some people have that makes them prone to going into cults and accepting their ridiculous rules. (If what odan.org says is true, then I can find nothing defensible about OD.) I think low self-esteem of an unhealthy degree is a key element in that.

I don’t think suffering is necessarily unhealthy in a religious context, but masochism certainly is.
 
when I was at Notre Dame I was involved in Opus Dei. I went to weekly meetings for a year, had many friends in the organization, dated a young man involved with it, and went on a silent retreat with OD. I never joined nor had much inclination to do so. I have mixed feelings about them. I didn’t find them to be secretive or cultish, but many people do. If you get involved with them be prepared to take alot of flack for it. I ended up losing 2 friends over it and I wasn’t even a member! they are very orthodox and traditional - and they do indeed practice corporeal mortification. I don’t agree with that, but it was never mentioned to me, since I wasn’t a member. Nor is it expected of married members - marriage and family is mortification enough they reason 🙂 I thought and still think their spirituality is great, how they help you to make every minute of your life holy. But what really bothered me is how women are treated and viewed in Opus Dei. They take a very backwards view towards women - case in point, an Opus Dei priest scolded me for being “too masculine” because I want to be a professor. Nonsense like that keeps me from ever going back to the group (also my husband is not a fan of them). But they are hardly the evil cult that some people would make them out to be.
 
40.png
Minerva:
But what really bothered me is how women are treated and viewed in Opus Dei. They take a very backwards view towards women - case in point, an Opus Dei priest scolded me for being “too masculine” because I want to be a professor. Nonsense like that keeps me from ever going back to the group (also my husband is not a fan of them). But they are hardly the evil cult that some people would make them out to be.
Click to expand...
You know Minerva I have never felt what you have described or even seen. In Opus Dei men are men and women are women…simple as that! Opus Dei priests are well trained Spiritual Directors and I find it just so very odd that one would have said that to you. Sorry you had to experience that…but please don’t place a bad mark on such a "wonderful work of God’ . Believe me, if I thought there was anything wrong with Opus Dei I would be the first to leave it.
A previous poster, Seeker63, sought to display a negative website about it…shame on you! Please, please…anyone viewing these post take a look at the 2 links I have provided…then make up your mind.:mad: Annunciata
 
it wasn’t just that one remark Annunciata, it was the whole climate of the group - basically anyone who didn’t adhere to 1950s gender roles was scorned. I’m glad you’ve had a better experience with OD.
 
40.png
Exporter:
They remind me of the Society of Jesus in a way. (The Jesuits)
Click to expand...
Not by coincidence. Many of its officials are Jesuits.

The Opus Dei shares some methods with them, such as the education of the rich and powerful, who are more likely to ascend to positions of social, economic and government leadership. Thus making sure that they are good Christian leaders who would contribute to a just and moral society.

Dectractors might see in this (and they have!) a power ploy by a right-wing pope. Ignoring the Church as a spiritual institution in the world founded by Jesus Himself, might explain it though.
 
40.png
seeker63:
May not smoke or enter a bar.
Click to expand...
I caught the author of these quotes in a lie: my spiritual director at Opus Dei did smoke and so did some of its members in the house I visited him.
 
40.png
seeker63:
I want to be a traditional, conservative Catholic, but I think inflicting pain onto your own body and abusing yourself just to imitate the saints of old is unhealthy and twisted.
Click to expand...
Only if you consider saints of old, such as the hermits and the cloistered of a few centuries ago, unhealthy and twisted…

It’s not for everybody, but it does have a place as a spiritual practice. To a lesser degree, it’s related to the practice of fasting. If you can get this, you can get that.

God bless.
 
40.png
Annunciata:
Edwin,

Here is a link that will answer many of your questions…I happened on it earlier on another thread regarding Opus Dei…

interbit.com/blogger/OpusDeiFAQ.html#q24

Annunciata:)

p.s. ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/TRIGOPUS.HTM
Click to expand...
Thanks for the website.
No pun intended but I got a headache trying to read and figure it all out.

Some of the practices, prayer, fasting, daily communion, Eucharist Adoreation, etc seems to be encourage by all Catholics anyway, whether in or out of Opus Dei.

I will pass on the subject for now but I never know what God has planned for me.

go with God!
Edwin
 
40.png
Edwin1961:
Thanks for the website.
No pun intended but I got a headache trying to read and figure it all out.

I will pass on the subject for now but I never know what God has planned for me.

go with God!
Edwin
Click to expand...
Hi Edwin,
Thanks for reading the sites and I’m sorry if I gave you a headache but I just wanted you to see the really good side…the rest is up to God. I knew about OD for over 20 yrs before I felt called…My best friend is a Super-Numerary. Scott Hahn is as well. I’m only a Cooperator and find that just fine for me at this point in my walk. God Bless, Annunciata:)
 
40.png
Augustine:
Only if you consider saints of old, such as the hermits and the cloistered of a few centuries ago, unhealthy and twisted…
It’s not for everybody, but it does have a place as a spiritual practice. To a lesser degree, it’s related to the practice of fasting. If you can get this, you can get that.
.
Click to expand...
Aha! Well said Augustine! God Bless, Annunciata:)
 
In response to the criticism, please go back to my earlier posts. I said I didn’t have any firm opinion on OD, and had in fact just seen a positive documentary of St. Josemaria Escriva. What I posted was the result of a quick Google search. Only later did I realize my link was from one of the two links provided earlier that were said to be so helpful to everyone!

I was saying that if all those behaviors and rules were true then I’d have a problem with OD. I did not post that link because I have an agenda either way.

And yes, I don’t see the sense in inflicting pain on yourself, whether today or a thousand years ago. Physically abusing the temple of God is something I cannot accept and I don’t know why some saints were praised for that. Fasting I can see, whipping yourself, etc. I can’t.
 
I highly encourage getting the scoop “straight from the horses mouth”. While it’s not my spiritual cup of tea, many saints did engage in physical mortifications. Some of that seemed weird to me too but they are saints so it must be some merit to it. The one reason I cannot knock it is that the priests are wonderful. If you go to confession with one of their priests, I’m sure he’d be happy to answer your questions. I’ve never been called to be a card carrying member but it’s not because of the physical mortifications the priest and numeraries go through. As a married person, I wouldn’t be bound to do this.
 
By the way, I’d have to check with my Opus Dei friends, but i thought the corporal mortifications were done by the priests, not the numeraries. Hmmm…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top