Opus Dei

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Fish

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I’m sorry if this is the wrong forum to ask this question. I wasn’t sure where it belonged.

Anyway, I have been researcing Opus Dei and I am seriously considering joining. Are there any Catholic’s out there that have any first hand experience with Opus Dei? If so what can you tell me about them. I don’t want any opinions from Protestants because if you aren’t Catholic then you don’t truely understand were we are coming from and your bias wont help me make my decision. Sorry I don’t mean to offend any of our protestant brothers or sisters. :o

I know there are some books out there pertaining to this subject.

I’m just looking for some Catholic opinions.
 
Dear Fish,
I am a Catholic and I will pray for you.
No one can tell you what to do but we can certainly pray for God to grant you knowledge and discernment in order for you to choose the path that God has intended for you.
God Bless.
 
Fish, you might want to do a search on these forums for Opus Dei. There have been some great threads on the topic, including from people who are members, and there was at least one really good web site that was a member that gave the truth about the claims, good and bad. I am not in Opus Dei, but I learned a lot just reading the stuff.

Good luck!
 
Doumb question. How do you a search? I fairly new here and haven’t done a search yet. :confused:

Thanks,
 
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There are some stories about this group written by former members at the Opus Dei Awareness Network website. It doesn’t look good to me.
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WOW - I’m surprised. I thought Opus Dei was simply a very devout group of Catholics.
 
Fish, I have been an Opus Dei cooperator for the past several years. If Opus Dei was a religious order, cooperators would be members of a third order. As a cooperator I help the work of Opus Dei by prayer and financial contributions. As a cooperator I have access to spiritual direction, retreats, study circles. Opus Dei evenings of recollection are open to everyone. I have never read any of the anti-Opus Dei stuff that is out there, and I have had only positive experiences. I have never been pressured to join Opus Dei itself which would be difficult for me since my husband’s work envolves us living overseas for long periods of time. The plan of life I have set for myself has been a great help for me while I am living in a non-Christian country where there are no churches nearby, and going to Mass is a major undertaking. You might look into becoming a cooperator for a while to decern if you want to go further.
 
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buzzcut:
There are some stories about this group written by former members at the Opus Dei Awareness Network website. It doesn’t look good to me.
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I’m getting so tired of this group (ODAN) coming up whenever Opus Dei is mentioned. This group is always ready to discredit Opus Dei whenever they get a chance. I guess I’m surprised that good Catholics are always ready to believe something bad…then again isn’t that what Catholics do when they leave the Faith???😦

I’m a cooperator in Opus Dei and I can personally say here that it is one of the most orthodox spiritualities in the Catholic Church!

Here is the Site that someone was asking for in a previous post.
It does answer many questions that arise whenever there are questions about Opus Dei.
interbit.com/blogger/OpusDeiFAQ.html#q24
 
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Annunciata:
I’m getting so tired of this group (ODAN) coming up whenever Opus Dei is mentioned. This group is always ready to discredit Opus Dei whenever they get a chance. I guess I’m surprised that good Catholics are always ready to believe something bad…then again isn’t that what Catholics do when they leave the Faith???😦
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Me, too, Annunciata!
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Shannin:
WOW - I’m surprised. I thought Opus Dei was simply a very devout group of Catholics.
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You were correct - Opus Dei is simply a very devout group of Catholics.

I am a Supernumerary - that is, a married member of Opus Dei. I first met Opus Dei in 1998, became a Co-operator in 1999, and a Supernumerary in 2000.

It is a wonderful organization, and I am thankful to God for having led me there.

Do not believe the anti-Opus Dei web sites. I do not know what their beef is, but their agenda is clearly wrong. You will experience nothing but good in Opus Dei.
 
I too am a cooperator and have been for many years. The Evening of Recollections are wonderfull and lift me spiritually every month. There are two meditations led by an OD priest, benediction, and confession/spiritual direction for those who want it. There is also a talk after the benediction which is always pertinant to our faith and always makes you think/reflect. It is silent so you are able to pray and concentrate on your issues no matter what they are without noise and interruption (being a mom of 4 small ones I welcome this more then you know). This is just a little bit of what OD has to offer. There is never any pressure to be a “member”. You may want to visit www.opusdei.org to answer your questions.

There will always be those who have bad experiences for whatever reason and choose to channel their anger and fustration in misguided ways. St. Jose Maria was sainted by Pope John Paul for a reason. It is a shame that there are people out there who want to discredit such a holy man and a movement that has taught thousands of devout Catholics and not so devout, how to live their ordinary lives better by making works and prayer a priority.

After you visit the website above please come back and tell us what you think. Some movements aren’t for everyone and this is where your God will speak to your heart. Listen to Him and He will guide you.

One other thing about the priests in OD is that they have all been a part of the “Real” word. They are ex-professionals, lawyers, doctors, bankers etc. who have answered God’s call. They are also parish priests so they are included and welcomed in parishes.

I hope this helps a little. Remember to keep your heart open. A retreat or EOR in your area may be something you want to attend before committing to being a cooperator. There is no time limit. The retreats and EOR are open to all. Good Luck.

God Bless
 
Thank you everyone.

my4ducks - I have already been to that web site and I have been in contact with a member of Opus Dei that I already knew. So far everything that I have read and heard from Opus Dei members has been positive.

I really like what Opus Dei stands for and I really, really like the idea of all the daily spirituality and the life plan. I already do a lot of the praying now. So I think and feel that God is guiding me to Opus Dei. I think it is the next step in my spiritual life.

I have found some negative web sites out on the web against OD, but I have also found more negative web sites regarding the Catholic church in general. You just have to take it for what it is and remember that they have an axe to grind with the Church.

Thank you all and God Bless you all!
(Even the Protestants 🙂 Our seperated brothers and sisters).
 
Even if you read some less than wonderful opinions, so what? St. Francis was considered a nut and plenty of other saints and religious groups have been looked down upon.

If a group is approved by the Church, which I believe OD is, then you should feel confident. —KCT
 
Fish:

I’ve said this before to someone also wondering to join OD. That’s the last thing you need to think of. Go to the recollections, spiritual direction, get started with your Plan of Life—then if you have a vocation in OD, it will become apparent to you.

I’m a cooperator for quite a long time now and involve myself with all sorts of activities and it has helped me practice my faith in many ways.

If you’re blessed with a center near you, get to know the guys and start attending, ask all the questions you want they’ll be more than happy to answer.

in XT.
 
Unfortunetly there is not a center near me. I think the closest is
3 1/2 hours away. They do hold some seminars within a couple of hours of me and I have found that I know someone who is a member.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I really appreciate all the help and support.

God Bless,
 
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Debbie:
Please keep in mind that there are disgruntled ex-members of every organization.
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And as any human organization, Opus Dei is also subject to failures by some members or even by the institution in part.

As any institution, it should not be confused with its message. And Opus Dei’s message is straight out of the Gospel: the call to santification.

:blessyou:
 
Fish, whatever book you buy, don’t buy the one by Michael Walsh, it is slightly bias. Also, ODAN is a group which only aims to make Opus Dei look bad, they take the very worse case scenarios. I would take a look at Opus Dei’s website, and you could also speak to your bishop who probably has the instructions from Opus Dei.
 
I am not a member of Opus Dei, but I have done some reading about thme (beyond the DiVinci Code). I would reccomend the following book highly, it is very comprehensive and balanced.

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