Opus Dei--why don't all traditional-type Catholics get involved with it?

[Edward_H]

By the way, the idea behind the meditations, examination of conscience (both often done in the presence of the exposed Blessed Sacrament) and practical talk is to put you into a meaty conversation with God, to turn over topics that you may have been avoiding, didn’t know were hindering your relation with God or others, or otherwise weren’t talking with God about. So these things should spur on prayer, and you should also be ready to form a resolution or two to work on over the next month.

The meditations can be a little demanding and challenging, always in a healthy, cheerful, encouraging way, but the stretch is there for you to choose it.

A priest once asked in the meditation how we were daily striving to make our wives the happiest woman on the face of the earth. That single pushy point took several months for me to fully unpack and accept, eventually with a joyful and generous spirit. A Mary’s Yes.

The recollectiions are done separately for men and women.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

It is my understanding that one must be invited to join the movement. They are not partial to walk-in. The people that I know that have been invited are all very wealthy; I don’t know if there is a connection.

The Opus Dei rep I was directed to e-mailed me fairly quickly with his phone number and an invitation to meet. I’m a lawyer, but I don’t think that has anything to do with it.

 

[Celticnovice]

I always forget about Opus Dei…and their emphasis on growing in holiness is definitely a GOOD thing. It seems to me that they do a good job of developing a deep prayer life to nourish their more active aspects.

I would join but I just feel called to other areas of the church

 

[ock]

John Paul II designated Archbishop Paul Marcinkus to be the head of the IOR (Italian acronym for Institute for the Religious Works) This organization provides for the safekeeping and management of the capital and resources of the Church’s many religious orders, congregations and associations. Marcinkus invested money in the Ambrosian Bank, a large Italian financial institution very close to the Vatican. The Ambrosian Bank went into bankruptcy in the early 1980s, and its president Roberto Calvi was indicted and found guilty of corruption and money-laundering and subsequently found dead!!! More than one billion dollar was missing from its accounts !!! Marcinkus was involved in the case as a co-defendant. He was indicted in Italy as an accessory to the bankruptcy and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He fled for safety, however, into the Vatican State. Banks in Switzerland ruled that the Vatican should pay around $250 million as proof of good-will to the Ambrosian Bank creditors. Opus Dei came to the rescue and “lent” the sum to get the Vatican off the hook. John Paul II gave the organization control over Vatican Radio, the L’Osservatore Romano, its own university in Rome. They then requested” the beatification/ canonization of its not-so-saintly founder, José Maria Escrivá. To attend to it John Paul II, set his “saint factory” to work. In short, JP II was involved in a process of “selling” these spiritual and material benefits. Thus, we have the saint-to-be Wojtyla undersuspicion of simony . Enough said about opus dei.

 

[sanctus_shuffle]

I am sure that there are many reasons why not all Catholics who consider themselves to be traditional become involves with Opus Dei. (Perhaps there are as many reasons as there are traditional Catholis not involved in Opus Dei.) Perhaps it is partly a lack of exposure to the activities of Opus Dei, or an unframiliarity with the movement. I would say that I personally have experienced people in traditional movements which were of both stripes (negative and positive) that you originally detailed.

Being a happy, positive, traditional Catholic is a wonderful thing; but, Opus Dei is only one of many venues to live this out. Other groups such as the FSSP’s Confraternity of St. Peter comes to mind. Opus Dei promotes the universal call to holiness, but this is not a universal call to Opus Dei. My experience of those involved with Opus Dei has been very positive, the priests and laity associated with them have been very supportive of tradition and the EF in my diocese. Often these are the priests who will meet the needs for more traditional Catholics offering the Holy Mass in both forms either on a regular or a semi-regular basis. The people who I have seen involved with Opus Dei have generally been very happy, positive people.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Edward_H]

John Paul II designated Archbishop Paul Marcinkus to be the head of the IOR (Italian acronym for Institute for the Religious Works) This organization provides for the safekeeping and management of the capital and resources of the Church’s many religious orders, congregations and associations. Marcinkus invested money in the Ambrosian Bank, a large Italian financial institution very close to the Vatican. The Ambrosian Bank went into bankruptcy in the early 1980s, and its president Roberto Calvi was indicted and found guilty of corruption and money-laundering and subsequently found dead!!! More than one billion dollar was missing from its accounts !!! Marcinkus was involved in the case as a co-defendant. He was indicted in Italy as an accessory to the bankruptcy and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He fled for safety, however, into the Vatican State. Banks in Switzerland ruled that the Vatican should pay around $250 million as proof of good-will to the Ambrosian Bank creditors. Opus Dei came to the rescue and “lent” the sum to get the Vatican off the hook. John Paul II gave the organization control over Vatican Radio, the L’Osservatore Romano, its own university in Rome. They then requested” the beatification/ canonization of its not-so-saintly founder, José Maria Escrivá. To attend to it John Paul II, set his “saint factory” to work. In short, JP II was involved in a process of “selling” these spiritual and material benefits. Thus, we have the saint-to-be Wojtyla undersuspicion of simony . Enough said about opus dei.

Careful with the wild accusations. Opus Dei as an organization doesn’t do things like lend money as you suggest. There may have been an individual person, a banker or investor, who himself lent money, and he himself may have had some affiliation with the work, but it wasn’t Opus Dei, for many reasons they don’t have cash like that, what cash they do have is dispersed across largely autonomous regions, etc.

You’ve made the fatal mistake of painting with too big a brush with out the ‘paint’ of actual evidence.

 

[Edward_H]

I am sure that there are many reasons why not all Catholics who consider themselves to be traditional become involves with Opus Dei. (Perhaps there are as many reasons as there are traditional Catholis not involved in Opus Dei.) Perhaps it is partly a lack of exposure to the activities of Opus Dei, or an unframiliarity with the movement. I would say that I personally have experienced people in traditional movements which were of both stripes (negative and positive) that you originally detailed.

Being a happy, positive, traditional Catholic is a wonderful thing; but, Opus Dei is only one of many venues to live this out. Other groups such as the FSSP’s Confraternity of St. Peter comes to mind. Opus Dei promotes the universal call to holiness, but this is not a universal call to Opus Dei. My experience of those involved with Opus Dei has been very positive, the priests and laity associated with them have been very supportive of tradition and the EF in my diocese. Often these are the priests who will meet the needs for more traditional Catholics offering the Holy Mass in both forms either on a regular or a semi-regular basis. The people who I have seen involved with Opus Dei have generally been very happy, positive people.

Hope this is helpful.

If there is anyone actually interested in a fact based assessment of the Work, as opposed to Ock’s little breathless and sensational manifesto, read John Allen’s book on it.

 

[ock]

Fair enough Edward H I will read Allen’s book. Could you please give me the name of the book ?? I suggest you read Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church by Michael Walsh.

 

[ock]

EDWARD H In fairness should you not have mentioned that John Allen is a member of Opus Dei ?

 

[Edward_H]

EDWARD H In fairness should you not have mentioned that John Allen is a member of Opus Dei ?

I am not aware that he is. Show proof that he is. That would have been faster than to continue your thread of negative fact-less innuendo, wouldn’t have it?

 

[Edward_H]

Fair enough Edward H I will read Allen’s book. Could you please give me the name of the book ?? I suggest you read Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church by Michael Walsh.

Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church. John Allen

 

[ock]

Sorry EdwardH… I apologize John Allen not a member of Opus Dei.

 

[Amythyst]

I was curious about Opus Dei, so I emailed them for info. They said people who were already a part of third orders couldn’t join because their formation is different. So, that is probably why more traditional type Catholics aren’t part of Opus Dei. (Has anyone else already given that answer?)

 

[Faithdancer]

I was curious about Opus Dei, so I emailed them for info. They said people who were already a part of third orders couldn’t join because their formation is different. So, that is probably why more traditional type Catholics aren’t part of Opus Dei. (Has anyone else already given that answer?)

I wasn’t aware of that, Amythyst, but have wondered about it, and I think it is a reasonable rationale. St. Josemaria Escriva loved, revered and respected, the vowed religious, but the spirituality of Opus Dei is fundamentally about becoming a saint in the middle of the world, not being cloistered. As far as members of secular orders joining Opus Dei, I can see where that could also be problematic since Opus Dei is not a religious order, and the formation and vocation of the Prelature are different, as you observed.

 

[Faithdancer]

Fair enough Edward H I will read Allen’s book. Could you please give me the name of the book ?? I suggest you read Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church by Michael Walsh.

Having attended nearly a dozen EOR’s since the beginning of the year, and having in depth conversations with both members and Opus Dei priests, as soon as I see the phrase “powerful secretive society” I have to laugh.

 

[Faithdancer]

This. I pray about it and I think God wants me to be a layman – not Opus Dei, a 3rd order or secular religious, nor a deacon – and exhibit the kind of humility and obedience that comes with the territory. To have a good flock the Lord needs more than good shepards, He needs good sheep.

Just a gentle reminder, Rich C- all members of Opus Dei are lay men and women.

 

[Faithdancer]

Opus Dei seems to offer everything that traditional-type Catholics are longing for but can’t find in their parish.

For the few that perhaps have never heard about Opus Dei, here is their U.S. web site:

opusdei.us/

The last two popes have been huge supporters of Opus Dei.

The famous Catholic convert, apologist and professor Scott Hahn wrote in his book Rome Sweet Home that he could not find a priest to help him convert to the Catholic Faith until he contacted an Opus Dei priest.

The fact that liberal Catholics and liberals in general hate and demonize Opus Dei should be a major selling point to traditional-type Catholics. There are even web sites dedicated to watching, investigating, and criticizing Opus Dei. Even so, I don’t think they’ve ever found anything really bad about Opus Dei. Dan Brown even demonized and grossly misrepresented Opus Dei in his infamous novel and movie “The Da Vinci Code.”

To me, it seems like many Catholics would be a lot happier if they and their children attended Opus Dei activities (assuming they live near an Opus Dei study center or Opus Dei run school).

Yes, places where the Traditional Latin Mass (now officially known as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass) is offered with the approval of the pope and bishops also provides a place that many traditional-type Catholics like. But, in my experience, some of these places have lots of people who fiercely and angrily obsessed with fighting and denouncing liberals in the Church and in society and government. To me, all that negativity is a real bummer, and upsetting.

But contrast, in my experience, the Opus Dei centers have none of this “anti-” orientation. As far as I can see, they are entirely “pro-” in their orientation: Pro-Catholic, Pro-Life, Pro-Family, Pro-Pope, Pro-Blessed Virgin Mary, Pro-Holiness in Everyday Life (their slogan).

So, why aren’t YOU involved with Opus Dei?

Bartolome, everything you have said is beautifully true. I have not missed a monthly EOR since I started attending at the beginning of the year, and there have been several months when I went twice, to different locations. The Evening of Recollection is the high point of my month. Before I began attending I had inquired with different secular orders, etc., but none of them fulfill my sense of vocation like Opus Dei. I am currently in discussion with graduate professors in my MA Theology program about writing a thesis on the spirituality of Opus Dei, perhaps a comparative study of the writings of St. Paul with those of St. Josemaria Escriva.

I am ready and willing to commit to more formation. I am just being patient and working on my plan of life, trying to get regular with the norms of piety, etc. Membership in Opus Dei isn’t something to take lightly, of course- it is definitely a lifelong vocation. I daily ask St. Josemaria Escriva to pray with me that I may be found worthy.

 

[domandcarols]

Again, you’re not going to attract traditional Catholics without the traditional Mass. That is why you will not find them in Opus Dei.

:yup:

 

[Faithdancer]

The Evening of Recollection always includes Adoration, and the Pange Lingua. It is not, of course, a Mass. I’m sure that some Opus Dei members do attend the Paul VI masses in our general area, the trouble is that there are only a couple of churches which offer it, and the fact that many members outside of the centers live too far away, and have children, may preclude their attending Mass in Latin.

 

[LoyalViews]

I think you will find a lot of traditional-type Catholics in Opus Dei though.

Hopefully, all of them are traditional. To follow Church teaching is the be a traditional Catholic.

But TLM traditional Catholics are just as common in the Opus Dei - at least around here, it’s the traditional Catholics who endorse and support the Opus Dei’s mission.