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031064
Guest
Is it dangerous? Can anyone offer some good information? Is it dangerous for the Church to allow secret organizations to exist within Her? Why must they be a secret organization?
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Scottgun
Guest
The only thing secret about Opus Dei as far as I can tell is that they do not publish memebership lists. I’m not so sure there is anything wrong with doing that. As far as what they do, there is nothing secret at all about that and can be readily found on their website. A group whose headquarters is a 17-story building on Lexington avenue doesn’t strike me as very secretive. I’ve known several Opus Dei members and priests and attended some of their events. Nothing strange about it.
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Scoobyshme
Guest
Opus Dei is not a bid secret club. It is a very orthodox organization, faithful to the Catholic Church and Catholic teaching. It is under the Pope. There are many books, etc., about Opus Dei if you’re interested in finding out about it. This old wive’s tale about it being a big secret deal is just that…an old wive’s tale.
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irishmac
Guest
It is not a secret organization. Don’t believe the stuff n-C’s say about it. Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church, founded from the philosophy of St. Josemaria Escriva. Opus Dei are laity that try and live every moment of their lives in service to the Lord. Dan Brown and the Da Vinci hoo-ey created this evil conspiracy against these holy people.
So, to answer your question, no, they are not dangerous. They operate in service to the people of God and should be revered for there piety. You can check out their website at :opusdei.org
Dominus vobsicum,
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1ke
Guest
No. Why do you ask?
Their website would be a good start. www.opusdei.org
Their founder was recently canonized. He is St. Josmaria Escriva.
The Church does not allow “secret organizations”.
What makes you think Opus Dei is a “secret” organization? And, what is your definition of “secret”?
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031064
Guest
Actually, come to think of it my really devout Catholic nanny- I guess she’s wrong then. O.k.
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LDNCatholic
Guest
Popular culture has a lot to answer for. Even devout Catholics can be decieved.
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Neil_Anthony
Guest
I’ve heard very good things about them, except from that crazy vincicode book/movie. that came out a couple of years ago.
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GeorgiaPeach
Guest
Neil beat me to the punch…the question has The DaVinci Code written all over it.
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Red_Meg
Guest
If you do a search, there have been quite a few threads covering Opus Dei in the past.
Now, let me tell you a secret:
I’m a supernumerary member of Opus Dei. There are a few others floating around the forums as well, plus quite a few more cooperators and other folks who don’t belong to the Work but love it dearly for the spiritual nourishment it has provided them.
Interestingly enough, there have been a series of four little newspaper columns run in the UK this week, about Opus Dei, written by people in it. You can read them here, here, here and here…
With all due respect to your devout nanny, who I’m sure is a very good woman, I’m afraid she’s been a bit misled by the popular culture and rumor mills. The website already mentioned, www.opusdei.org, would be a great place to start looking for more factual information. You can also get it “straight from the horse’s mouth” and read St. Josemaria’s writings at www.escrivaworks.org
Best regards,
Margaret
Now, let me tell you a secret:
I’m a supernumerary member of Opus Dei. There are a few others floating around the forums as well, plus quite a few more cooperators and other folks who don’t belong to the Work but love it dearly for the spiritual nourishment it has provided them.Interestingly enough, there have been a series of four little newspaper columns run in the UK this week, about Opus Dei, written by people in it. You can read them here, here, here and here…
With all due respect to your devout nanny, who I’m sure is a very good woman, I’m afraid she’s been a bit misled by the popular culture and rumor mills. The website already mentioned, www.opusdei.org, would be a great place to start looking for more factual information. You can also get it “straight from the horse’s mouth” and read St. Josemaria’s writings at www.escrivaworks.org
Best regards,
Margaret
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mike7795
Guest
Jesus wouldn’t have been let into Opus Dei, would He?
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Cajetan
Guest
I’m not a member, but I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Opus Dei. Its spirituality and work is an amazing presence in the Church! God bless them.
It may seem “strange” or “dangerous” to the secular world and in liberal Catholic circles, but so would the Jesuits, Dominicans, or Basilians if they were still teaching and living according to their constitutional principles. Remember that a robust, red-blooded orthodoxy will always have its sensationalist enemies and naysayers outside of and within the Church. Much evil will be wrongfully spoken of them. (Most of this is due to straight-up ignorance. For instance, my mother always warns me to stay far away from the Opus Dei college on my university’s campus, simply because some wingbat liberal ex-nun whose hair she cuts at work told her that “they brainwash people” or some such nonsense. No matter how much I try to clear up this misconception for my mother she refuses to change her mind, because the woman who told her this was a nun. Good grief.)
The truth is, the only thing out of the ordinary about Opus Dei within historical Catholicism is precisely what makes it great and much-needed: the conviction that ordinary lay people in all walks of life, not just priests and nuns, are called to be saints.
It may seem “strange” or “dangerous” to the secular world and in liberal Catholic circles, but so would the Jesuits, Dominicans, or Basilians if they were still teaching and living according to their constitutional principles. Remember that a robust, red-blooded orthodoxy will always have its sensationalist enemies and naysayers outside of and within the Church. Much evil will be wrongfully spoken of them. (Most of this is due to straight-up ignorance. For instance, my mother always warns me to stay far away from the Opus Dei college on my university’s campus, simply because some wingbat liberal ex-nun whose hair she cuts at work told her that “they brainwash people” or some such nonsense. No matter how much I try to clear up this misconception for my mother she refuses to change her mind, because the woman who told her this was a nun. Good grief.)
The truth is, the only thing out of the ordinary about Opus Dei within historical Catholicism is precisely what makes it great and much-needed: the conviction that ordinary lay people in all walks of life, not just priests and nuns, are called to be saints.
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Red_Meg
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Paul_Vincent
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I’d like to understand your reasoning here, as well.
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Enoch327
Guest
Just a thought…If it wasn’t “good” or enriching for our souls JPII The Great would not have canonized its founder, St. Jose Maria Escriva. I encourage you to check their websites out. God Bless!
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